1. Reading ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET IN THIS LESSON: Close Reading
Unit: 1 Lesson: 10
Module: A
ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET IN THIS LESSON:
Determine a theme of a story from details in the text. RL.5.2
Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. RL 5.1
CONFLICT BRINGS
COMPLEXITY
Today we will be doing a
Close Reading
of Chapter 17.
I CAN:
Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts.

2. Building Understanding
Let’s Set the Purpose!
CONNECTION:
Last time, we looked at how characters are impacted by their relationships with other characters. This helped us come up with important theories about the main characters, how and why they’re changing and begin to form ideas about what the book is really about (THEME).
Today, we are going to learn how conflict brings complexity, how characters overcoming challenges changes them and how looking at these changes helps us formulate important ideas about the story.
I CAN: Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts.

3. Let’s Get Engaged!
Ben’s current attitude toward Massachusetts and his classmates have definitely changed. In the last chapter, we saw how he now values Ryan as a friend and wouldn’t let him down even though he had a report to finish—so he shows up to his party—”making the guy’s day. Turn and talk to your partner about other ways you’ve noticed how and why Ben has been changing in this story.
In this lesson we are going to learn how readers can determine the theme of a story based on noticing how characters resolve conflicts and how they change as a result of their experiences.
I CAN: Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts.

4. Why doesn’t the box from Tucson seem so important to Ben now?
Reading Routine
You should be reading for an understanding of what the text is mainly about.
Turn and Talk:
Turn to a partner and discuss these questions using examples from the text:
Why doesn’t the box from Tucson seem so important to Ben now?
I CAN: Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts.

5. Readers determine themes based on details in the text.
Close Read
Readers determine themes based on details in the text.
1. How do you know Ben is not very interested in his box of desert souvenirs from Tucson? (page 192).
2. In the second paragraph on page 206, the author uses two similes, or comparisons, using like or as. What are they? What contrast is the writer highlighting here? How does this technique help the reader understand Ben’s experience?
3. On p. 211, what does “It’s all up to the Overtoad now” mean in the context of the story? (In other words, why is this an important turning point in the story and why is this saying significant in the text?)

6. Find and read sentences from the text with the above vocabulary words.
Benchmark Vocabulary
Vocabulary
• treading, p. 195
• exasperated, p. 199
• skitter, p. 203
Find and read sentences from the text with the above vocabulary words.
I CAN: Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts.

7. Text Talk Figurative Language
Writers use various techniques to communicate information about characters, the actions they take, and how they respond in different situations. To understand theme, you must look not only at the actions and dialogue in a story but also at the language in the story.
I CAN: Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts

8. Text Talk Figurative Language
Read along silently as I read the dialogue between Jenny and Ryan on p. 203 aloud. What does this dialogue tell us about the relationship between Jenny and Ryan? How does this dialogue relate to a theme in the story? Now look at the second-to-last paragraph on p What does “watching the years fall away” mean?

9. READING ANALYSIS: CONFLICT BRINGS COMPLEXITY
Discuss the details and examples from the text that support your ideas.
I CAN: Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts
Readers, throughout any story, characters will undoubtedly face obstacles-things
that stand in their way of getting what they want or accomplishing what they set
Out to do. Also, they’ll be faced with conflict or times they have issues with
another character or another force. How the character stands up to these
conflicts, or deals with these obstacles can help us to learn about them more
deeply. It can also help us come up with a theory about what the book is really
about.

10. READING ANALYSIS: CONFLICT BRINGS COMPLEXITY
For instance, you can think about Harry Potter and all he goes through in just the first book. In the beginning of it, Harry deals with the conflict in his own home—he’s mistreated by his aunt and uncle while his cousin Dudley is spoiled. We can look at how he responds to learn something about him. He tends to keep to himself and make the best of his situation (a bedroom under the stairs). Much later at Hogwarts, when he is faced with mysterious happenings that may be dangerous, Harry responds with curiosity and bravery. They both show different sides to his character. Collecting these sorts of character details at point
of conflict, obstacle or challenge can help us understand the complexity of the character and help us develop theories about the big ideas-themes in the story.

11. READING ANALYSIS: CONFLICT BRINGS COMPLEXITY
We also learn a lot about the themes of the story by looking closely at Harry. Throughout the book, Rowling expresses the importance of friendship, particularly when it comes to overcoming challenges and difficult tasks. Before coming to Hogwarts, Harry is completely isolated. Not only does he not have a loving family environment, but he does not have any friends to serve as a support system. After becoming a student at Hogwarts, however, Harry quickly creates a large group of friends but, more importantly, a close relationship with Ron and Hermione. Although Voldemort is far more powerful than Harry, he prefers to be isolated and independent from those around him. Because Voldemort lacks the ability to form lasting friendships, he is always alone and has only himself to rely on. Harry, on the other hand, is able to rely on himself while still drawing upon the support system and exceptional magical talents of his close friends.

12. READING ANALYSIS: CONFLICT BRINGS COMPLEXITY
 Hermione and Ron both tackle specific challenges that Harry would have been unable to face on his own, specifically Professor McGonagall's challenge of the giant wizarding chess and Professor Snape's challenge of the potions. In this case, Harry's friendship with Ron and Hermione saves his life and allows him to keep Voldemort from finding the Sorcerer's Stone.
Harry's friendship with Ron and Hermione is also significant in the way that it further distinguishes Harry from Voldemort. Although Voldemort is far more powerful than Harry, he prefers to be isolated and independent from those around him. Because Voldemort lacks the ability to form lasting friendships, he is always alone and has only himself to rely on. Harry, on the other hand, is able to rely on himself while still drawing upon the support system and exceptional magical talents of his close friends.
I CAN: Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts.
We can also use this lens of conflict helping deepen our
understanding of the main character, Ben. For instance,
we notice how Ben is beginning to overcome his internal
conflict of not fitting in. On page 192, even after his box of
stuff that arrives from Arizona no longer bring him comfort. “It’s not as exciting or comforting as he thought it would be. All of the things in the box seem like parts of
His life from a long time ago,” the author writes. He can’t wait to get on his bike and head to Mrs. Tibbets’ house. This makes me think that his involvement with trying to help save the toads, an endangered species along with his friendship with not only Mrs. Tibbets but also now, Ryan and Jenny are making him feel like Massachusetts is where he belongs.

13. READING ANALYSIS: CONFLICT BRINGS COMPLEXITY
I CAN: Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts.
Turn and talk to your partner about another part of chapter 17
That demonstrates an important conflict in the story. (Ex:
When Ben heads to Mrs. Tibbets house and meets Tabitha).
Describe how this point of conflict shows us another side of the character. How does this point compare and contrast to an earlier part of the story? How does the change help us better understand the main character?

14. READING ANALYSIS: CONFLICT BRINGS COMPLEXITY
I CAN: Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts.
THEME: Remember, theme is the author’s message about life. Readers can identify theme by first identifying topics of a text. Next readers, can determine what the character says and does that relates to the topic, paying attention to how a character changes. Finally, readers should attempt to answer the question, “What is the author trying to say about the topic? What lesson about life does the reader learn?”

15. READING ANALYSIS: CONFLICT BRINGS COMPLEXITY
I CAN: Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts.
One of the topics of this text is “new surroundings.” Let’s
Look at page 176. How does the conversation relate to
the topic, “new surroundings?” I can determine
what characters say and do that relates to this topic. For
Instance, Frankie reveals that he will be moving in the summer, so his surroundings will change. Then on page 179, the conversation between Ben and his dad shows that “there’s so much going on in his head, he didn’t know where to start.” Ben couldn’t finish his report due to thinking about his new friends, the spadefoot toads, Mrs. Tibbets’ sister in law and the man from the Natural Heritage Program. And being new. This makes me think that Ben is finally feeling like he fits in as he pursues his quest to save the spadefoot toads and show kids can make a different. But his dad still expresses his love for his son.

16. Independent Reading STEP 1: Focused Independent Reading
I CAN: Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts.
It’s time to prepare to read your self-selected texts. Let’s take a
look at the two focus points and make a plan for your reading. You
will apply both focus points to your self-selected texts.
Talk about a point in the story where there’s conflict or overcomes an obstacle-challenge. Where does the character encounter a problem? What was the character like afterwards? Describe the character to show both sides and how & why the character is changing.
Also, what are you learning about the theme of the story based on what the characters say and how the character is changing.

17. I CAN: Determine themes in literary texts by examining how writers use dialogue and details to develop characters & their experiences and by considering how and why characters change by resolving conflicts.
So readers, how can understanding how and why characters
Change and how they resolve conflicts help deepen our
Understanding of characters and help us determine themes?