KeepersGenre: Realistic Fiction

Author’s Purpose: EntertainSkill: Plot

By: Jeri Hanel WattsIllustrated by: Tyrone Geter

Compiled by Terry Sams, Piedmont

Summary Kenyon's grandmother, Little Dolly, is

about to have her ninetieth birthday.  Kenyon has been saving his money to buy the perfect gift.  Then he sees a new baseball glove and can't help buying it.  Now Kenyon has no money left for a gift, and he feels terrible.  Then he thinks of the stories Little Dolly has told him and decides to write them all down.  Bound in a handsome book, the stories make the most special gift of all. 

Genre: Realistic Fiction Realistic Fiction seems like real life with

characters dealing with real life problems. The action can happen no matter how improbable, and often takes place in the present time. The situations are true or could be, but the characters are made up. Realistic Fiction may include "real people" characters who have actually lived.

Comprehension Skill - Plot TE 449a

Plot quiz

•A story’s plot is the important parts of the story.

•The parts of a plot are the conflict, or problem, the rising action, the climax, and the resolution, or outcome.

Plot PowerPoint Practice

Practice – Plot Conflict or problem between two characters

or groups or between a character and nature.

Rising Action – part of the story in which the conflict builds.

Climax – place where the action of the story builds, and conflict must be faced.

Resolution - place where the problem is solved.

Vocabulary Skill – Homonyms These are words that are spelled the same,

can be pronounced the same, but have different meanings.

To understand the correct meaning, look for clues in the surrounding words or sentences.

Use personal knowledge and experience to comprehend correct meanings.

Play a game with easily confused words.

Practice Steps in a Process TE 449b

First, make a list of events

and dates.

Then, illustrate

eachevent.

Finally, arrange

sheets in chronological

order.

Next, write down each

event onpaper.

means following a series of steps in a certain order to complete an action. It is a good idea to read each step first to make sure you understand what you will be doing.

Let’s create a flowchart of the steps in making a family time line. Remember to use time order words like first,

next, and then.

Dialect TE 435 and 449i

The people who speak the same language have different ways of speaking, pronouncing words, and forming sentences.

The terms used to describe these speech patterns is dialect.

People often speak in ways that reflect their ages, backgrounds, education, and where they live.

What are some words Little Dolly used that are her dialect? cain’t mostly you not

“Lord, honey, that’s nice but you a boy.”

Research Skill - Time Lines TE 449j A time line is a special kind of chart that

shows the order that events happen in time.

A time line can cover any amount of time, from a few minutes to many years.

It simply shows the order of events and the time that passes between them.

4th gradebirth date

Good Stuff

Vocabulary Practice Vocabulary Concentration Reading Test Spelling Test

Sites to Visit

Learn to pass on your family history: http://www.sfreading.com/4/u4_keepers/

Books for Black History Month: http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/tempo/VCCB/Best

of/BlackHistory2.html

Teacher’s Guide for “Keepers” http://www.leeandlow.com/teachers/guide22c.html

Crafts for keepsake gifts: http://www.tcpnow.com/holidaykit/part2/hd2.3.html Writer’s Workshop

Weekly Fluency Check -Read with Appropriate Phrasing TE 449d

Students should practice reading difficult. with appropriate phrasing, for example, identifying dialect in dialogue.

In the first passage below, Little Dolly uses the word cain’t. Since cain’t isn’t an actual word, readers might then determine whether the word is being used to show dialect.

page 434, beginning at the top of the page

Review Pages 432-4391. How are Kenyon’s priorities

different from his grandmother’s?

2. How is a Keeper of stories important to a family?

3. Why does Dolly think Kenyon can’t be a Keeper?

4. What is Kenyon’s conflict or problem in the story?

Review Pages 440-4391. Who helps Kenyon come up with a

resolution to his problem?2. What is the climax or turning point of

the story?3. Why is everyone coming to Little Dolly’s

house?4. What two problems are resolved at the

end of the story?5. What lesson can be learned from this

story?

Writing AssignmentChoose one of the following and write about

it: What is a funny story about you or

another family member that your family likes to tell again and again? Write the story as you might tell it.

Make a card for a grandparent or older adult. Write a thoughtful greeting on the front and a clever message inside. Decorate it.

Words to Knowconsideringgroundersdiamonddefinitelyremindertauntedstroke

More Words to Know

apologizing

handmade

squinched

storytelling

consideringtaking into

account; thinking seriously about

groundersbaseballs that hit the

ground

diamondthe space inside the lines

that connect the bases in

baseball;

infield

definitelysurely; certainly

remindersomething to help one

remember

storytelling relating a story orally

strokea sudden attack of illness

when a blood vessel breaks

tauntedteased (in a mean way)

apologizingoffering an

excuse

handmademade by hand

squinched squinted

She was apologizing for breaking my favorite vase.

She was apologizing for breaking my favorite vase.

He is considering attending the University of Tennessee to get his degree in engineering

He is considering attending the University of Tennessee to get his degree in engineering.

Kenyan was going to make a handmade book for his grandmother

.

Kenyan was going to make a handmade book for his grandmother

.

The woman said she would definitely watch my children.

The woman said she would definitely watch my children.

He stood inside the diamond waiting to catch the ball.

He stood inside the diamond waiting to catch the ball.

Toby scooped up the hard-to-catch grounders that the batter is notorious for hitting.

Toby scooped up the hard-to-catch grounders that the batter is notorious for hitting.

He squinched to block the sun out of his eyes.

He squinched to block the sun out of his eyes.

I used post-it notes as a reminder to get the milk at the store.

I used post-it notes as a reminder to get the milk at the store.

My grandfather had a stroke and was unable to take care of himself.

My grandfather had a stroke and was unable to take care of himself.

Grandfather love storytelling for his grandchildren.

Grandfather love storytelling for his grandchildren.

The children taunted Hank because he hasn’t got any front teeth.

The children taunted Hank because he hasn’t got any front teeth.

Spelling Words – Double

Consonants tomorrowborrowdifferentsuppermatter

writtenbottleriddenoddbubble

Spelling Words – Double

Consonantsoffersufferslippergrasshopperworry

currentlettucepaddleshudderhobby

This Week’s Word Wall This Week’s Word Wall WordsWords

Click and type your own words for this week:

Let’s review our words. Watch carefully because they will flash on the screen for just a moment. We will clap as we spell the word.

hobby

shudder

paddle

lettuce

current

worry

grasshopper

slipper

suffer

offer

bubble

odd

ridden

bottle

written

borrow

matter

supper

different

tomorrow

GREAT JOB!