Notice & Note:

Why do we read fiction?

1) Pleasure 2) Pass the time (escape)

3) Research shows reading improves your social skills by helping you better understand another human being.

Put differently, entering imaginary worlds of fiction improves your ability to take another person's point of view.

Reading makes us better people!

How do we read fiction?

Closely.

Literary Signposts:

Close Reading? Huh??

Close Reading: deep and thoughtful examination of a text to develop a strong understanding of its meaning.

Got it. Close reading = deep and thoughtful thinking of a text. Signpost???

Street signs are helpful because they tell us what to do while driving or walking around town.

Literary Signposts are similarly helpful because they tell us what we should DO while READING.

Untitled Slide

Real Life Example: Imagine your friend who you always hang out with at lunch suddenly starts spending lunch sitting alone at the far corner of the yard or with an entirely different group.

Why is the character doing that?

Fictional Example:

Aha Moment

Today we're going to learn another signpost we should look for as we read.

This one is called "Aha Moment."

This is an easy signpost to learn because we've all probably experienced an "Aha Moment."

For instance, have you ever walked in class and noticed everyone was reading, and suddenly realized it was "advisory" and not "class" time.

That's an Aha Moment.

Or have you ever been starving in 4th period and wondering why, and then you realize it's Wednesday (so you haven't had lunch yet)!

That's an Aha Moment.

Finally, have you ever wanted to tell someone something but forgot what it was, and then sometime later you suddenly realized what you wanted to say.

That's an (annoying) "Aha Moment."

Aha moments are those moments when we realize or discover something instantly

In our books, an "aha moments" are those moments when a character realizes something, and that realization will probably change his or her actions in some way.

Authors sometimes give us clues that a character has come to an important understanding.

Sometimes the Author writes...

• "Suddenly I realized"
• "In an instant I saw"
• "It came to me in a flash"
• "I now knew"
• "I finally understood"

There are many possibilities, but they will all point to some understanding the character finally reached.

Those clues are there to tell us this moment in the book is important, and we need stop and give it some thought!

So once, we've spotted an "Aha Moment", we have to pause and do something to help us understand what's going on--

We have to ask ourselves: How might this change things?

Thinking about possible answers to that question will let us see why the "Aha Moment" is important and how it affects the story.

If the character figured out a problem, you just learned about the conflict.

If the character learned a life lesson, you probably just learned about the theme--the story's message.

Remember, to do this we have to stop and ask ourselves: How might this (aha moment) change things?

Aha Moment:

Untitled Slide

Words of the Wiser

We've been talking about Signposts that we might spot in a story or novel.

Remember, these signposts help us close read--to read deeply and thoughtfully.

Today, we're going to learn another signpost--

Words of the Wiser

Let's think about what this means.

Who has ever gotten advice from an elder?

We all have. These words, or advice, are meant to make us wiser--they are meant to teach us a life lesson.

Life advice

• If you're on time, you're late.
• If there's enough for one, there's enough for two.
• Stay ready so you ain't gotta get ready.
• You'll catch more flies with honey.
• If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Authors, in some way, are like a parent or grandparent.

Sometimes, they include a scene in which wise words are shared.

When you are reading, lookout for these moments where the main character has a quiet and serious talk with a wiser character.

After you find this moment, stop and ask yourself:

"What's the life lesson and how might this affect the character?"

Stopping to think about this question might help you understand an important idea/message the author wants you to think about.

Thinking about this question might also help you learn more about the conflict a character faces.

Words of the Wiser:

Words of the Wiser:

Untitled Slide