1. MOODAND TONE

2. I CAN
analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (7.RL.CS.4 & 7.RI.CS.4)

3. HINT
Tone = Teller
Mood = Me

4. TONE
TONE is the AUTHOR’S or NARRATOR’S attitude towards the audience, subject, or characters. The tone influences the story’s mood.

5. TONE EXAMPLES concerned objective (neutral) positive sarcastic
Below are a few examples of words you could use to describe an author’s tone:
concerned
objective (neutral)
positive
sarcastic

6. Try saying the following phrases with different tones/attitudes:
TONE ACTIVITY
Try saying the following phrases with different tones/attitudes:
“Excuse me.”
“Go to my office, Sam.”
“Thank you.”
- secretive
- loving
- angry
- bossy

7. TONE ACTIVITY
Just as you can hear the difference in tone when you say these phrases, an author can show different tones in their writing!

8. HOW TO FIND TONE - dialogue or character’s thoughts - descriptions
Tone is NOT stated directly. You must read between the lines (infer) to see what the author’s or narrator’s attitude is. Tone can be revealed through:
- dialogue or character’s thoughts
- descriptions
- author’s word choice
- theme

9. WHAT IS THE AUTHOR’S TONE?
Read the passage below and determine the author’s tone. What words helped you decide?
I woke up this morning to the waves lapping the shore, a breeze rustling the leaves, and the sound of frogs serenading each other. They woke the swans and ducks who sang good morning to the other animals surrounding the pond. Soon, every insect, bird, and animal was greeting each other. How could I stay in bed? I needed to greet the morning, too!

10. WHAT IS THE AUTHOR’S TONE?
Read the passage below and determine the author’s tone. What words helped you decide?
I woke this morning to the incessant sound of frogs croaking in the pond. Their shrill alarm triggered off-key honking and quacking from around the pond. The waves slapped the shore while the wind sandpapered everything in its path. Within sixty seconds, every insect, bird, and animal seemed to be protesting the hour. With that racket continuing, it was hardly worth going back to sleep.

11. MOOD is the emotion that the READERS feel while reading a text.

12. MOOD EXAMPLES cheerful frightened peaceful romantic
Below are a few examples of words you could use to describe the mood of a piece of writing:
cheerful
frightened
peaceful
romantic

13. HOW TO FIND MOOD
Mood is the emotion that you (the reader) feel. To find mood, think about the emotions you are feeling as you read the text.

14. WHAT IS THE MOOD?
Sometimes these things would make Mother and Father really angry and they would shout at me or at each other. Sometimes Father would say, “Christopher, if you do not behave, I swear I shall knock the living daylights out of you,” or Mother would say, “Christopher, I am seriously considering putting you in a home.”
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night

15. WHAT IS THE MOOD?
Sometimes these things would make Mother and Father really angry and they would shout at me or at each other. Sometimes Father would say, “Christopher, if you do not behave, I swear I shall knock the living daylights out of you,” or Mother would say, “Christopher, I am seriously considering putting you in a home.”
- The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night
The mood of this passage is horrific and shocking because the reader is responding to the terrible things that Christopher’s parents have said.

16. RECAP
TONE: the AUTHOR’S or NARRATOR’S attitude towards the audience, subject, or characters
MOOD: the emotions that READERS feel while reading a text

17. LET’S PRACTICE
I Lava You
Partly Cloudy