Unit 2 — What a Story
Description
This unit focuses on how genre shapes storytelling through exploration of realistic fiction, fantasy, plays, and poetry. Students read texts like "Airborn," "The Secret Garden," and "The Miracle of Spring" to understand genre conventions and narrative techniques. The unit develops skills in identifying literary elements such as character, plot, and theme, as well as recognizing figurative language and author's craft. Students write their own short stories using narrative techniques like dialogue, description, and pacing, and practice the writing process from prewriting through publishing. Independent reading and genre study support broader literary understanding.
Essential Questions
- How does genre affect the way a story is told?
- How do the stories we create affect our lives and culture?
- What are the necessary components of a strong narrative?
- How do you write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences?
Learning Objectives
- Identify and analyze literary elements including character, plot, setting, and conflict
- Recognize and interpret figurative language in texts
- Understand how text and graphic features contribute to meaning
- Write narratives with clear event sequences and descriptive details
- Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events
- Revise and edit writing for clarity and voice
Suggested Texts
- Many Ways to Tell a Story — informational text (week 1)
- Airborn — fantasy/adventure fiction (week 1)
- The Secret Garden — realistic fiction (week 2)
- The Miracle of Spring — play (week 2)
- The Poem That Will Not End: Fun with Poetic Forms and Voices — poetry (week 3)
Supplemental Resources
- Blank booklets for student publishing
- Sentence strips for identifying dialogue and descriptive passages
- Sticky notes for annotating character development
- Graphic organizers for plot diagrams
- Printed mentor texts for genre comparison
Language
Reading: Informational Text
Writing
Formative Assessments
- Character analysis discussions and written responses
- Guided practice in identifying text structure and genre features
- Drafting and peer review of narrative writing
- Fluency practice with expression appropriate to genre
- Vocabulary strategy practice with antonyms and synonyms
Summative Assessment
Genre-based short story (narrative) evaluated using Grade 5 Narrative Rubric
Benchmark Assessment
— not configured —
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding of literary elements through oral discussion with teacher or peer, a graphic organizer with visual representations of character and plot, or a response using sentence frames and word banks. Figurative language identification may be completed with provided examples and reduced text passages.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
During reading of genre texts, students may benefit from audio support or pre-highlighted passages that draw attention to key literary elements such as character motivation, conflict, and figurative language. For narrative writing, consider allowing students to plan using graphic organizers, verbal brainstorming, or dictation before drafting, reducing barriers to expressing ideas in writing. Scaffolded sentence frames and word banks tied to narrative techniques like dialogue and description can support both comprehension responses and original writing. Extended time and reduced-length writing expectations should be applied as needed, with emphasis on demonstrating understanding of story structure rather than volume of output.
Section 504
Students should be given extended time for both reading responses and narrative writing tasks, including drafting, revising, and peer review stages. Preferential seating and access to a low-distraction work environment can support sustained focus during independent reading and writing workshop. Printed copies of any directions or writing prompts displayed on the board should be provided so students can reference expectations independently throughout the task.
ELL / MLL
Introduce and reinforce genre-specific and literary vocabulary—such as terms for character, conflict, theme, and figurative language—with visual supports like illustrated word walls or vocabulary cards before students encounter them in reading. Simplified oral directions for writing tasks, paired with a visual model of the expected narrative structure, will help students understand the writing process and genre conventions. Where possible, allow students to discuss story ideas or planning in their home language before drafting in English, and provide picture-supported mentor text examples that illustrate how stories are built across different genres.
At Risk (RTI)
Activate students' existing knowledge of stories through discussion of familiar narratives—films, oral stories, or books they know—before connecting those experiences to the genre conventions explored in this unit. During narrative writing, offer structured planning tools that break the writing process into manageable stages and provide clear entry points for students who struggle to begin independently. Pair figurative language practice with concrete, familiar examples to build confidence before asking students to identify or use these techniques in less familiar texts.
Gifted & Talented
Encourage students to investigate how the same narrative techniques—such as point of view, pacing, or figurative language—function differently across genres, and to experiment with blending genre conventions in their own original writing. Students can analyze how author craft choices in the unit's texts create specific effects on the reader, moving beyond identification toward evaluation and comparison of those choices. Consider inviting students to explore how theme develops across multiple genres or to pursue an independent genre study that expands beyond the unit's core texts, culminating in a piece that demonstrates sophisticated command of narrative voice and structure.