1. Today’s goals Introduce the four criteria for story
Examine the development of characters through dialogue
Discuss the use of quotes and dialogue in open form prose

2. Descriptive writing vocabulary
Descriptive verbs – verbs that convey information about how an action was performed
Regular verb ex: The triumphant athlete walked home after the game
Descriptive verb example: The triumphant athlete paraded home after the game

3. Group activity: descriptive verbs
In your unit 1 groups
For questions 1-5, select a descriptive verb to replace “walk”
The tired factory worker _______ home after a long day.
The beauty queen ______ down the runway
The two-year-old _______ across the room to his mother’s arms.
The proud football player _____ across the stage to receive his award
The burglar ______ around the bushes to the patio door.
For questions 6-10m select a descriptive verb to replace “said”
“I can’t believe my tire is flat,” Carlos ______.
“There will be a test next Monday,” the teacher _____.
“But I don’t want to go to bed,” the child _____.
“You’ll do this job my way or you’ll hit the highway,” the boss _____.
“I’d like you to hit the highway,” the employee ______, slinking away.

4. Story Criteria (Vocabulary)
Depiction of events through time
Connectedness
Tension
Resolution
Use these four elements to develop the plot in your open form writing
See pg. 447 for more info

5. Group Activity: Plot Evaluation
In your unit 1 groups
Read “No Cats in America” on p. 162 and “The Stolen Watch” on p. 446
How do your experiences differ when reading these two stories?
How does each story meet or fail the four criteria we discussed?
What is the climax of No Cats in America?

6. Group Activity: Hills Like White Elephants
In your unit 1 groups
Read the short story “Hills Like White Elephants” (link on Blackboard) and answer the questions below:
Who are the characters in the story? What do we know about them?
What does the characters’ dialogue reveal about them? What does it keep hidden?
In what setting does the story take place? How might the setting be related to the bigger picture?
How does the story build tension? Is this tension resolved?
What do you think is the main problem that the story is addressing?

7. Dialogue and quote tips

8. Dialogue and quote tips
Start a new paragraph every time you switch speakers
Include punctuation within quotation marks
Note: this is entirely different from the British English convention, but it is an important difference to remember for citations and dialogue
Consider realistic and revelatory dialogue
We can learn a lot about characters from what they say, even if it doesn’t directly answer questions
Think about how a person would realistically respond in a conversation: with short answers, incomplete sentences, and switching topics

9. Individual activity: setting description
Select one setting from the outline of your WTR essay
Identify the setting and select a dominant impression for it
Produce a 1 paragraph description of each setting that uses concrete language and engages all 5 senses (if possible) to create a dominant impression

10. Homework Read A&B 447-450 WTR Draft 1
Due 9-25, typed and in MLA format
500+ words
Should introduce several characters and settings
Should include the exposition and some rising action of your story