1. Unit 1 Elements of Fiction and Nonfiction Narratives Lesson 4: “Dancer” by Vicki Sears
LEQ: How do authors use point of view and characterization to communicate theme in a work of fiction? 10/20 -10/21

2. Unit 1, Lesson 4: “Dancer”
Know: Authors use elements of fiction to communicate meaning
Understand: Point of view and characterization affect a reader’s understanding of theme
Do: Identify evidence of point of view and characterization as they relate to a theme in the story.

3. “Why is Identity important?”
Our next work of fiction, “Dancer,” involves an understanding of the concept of identity.
Activity: Work in your learning team to research your assigned website, and find three facts for your graphic organizer about identity.

4. Summary of Insights learned about Identity…
What have you learned from the documents on the websites? (share)
1 minute Remember----with your team, list any facts that you remember about the importance of Identity.

5. Why is identity important?
A sense of belonging within a particular group helps a child to be mentally healthier.
Indigenous youth are more prone to suicide.
Children acquire a sense of identity and belonging through storytelling, songs, rituals, and traditions.

6. Key Vocabulary Direct Characterization Indirect Characterization
narrator
point of view
narrative voice
identity
dynamic character
static character
theme

7. Activity: Read aloud “The Dancer.”
Please follow along as we read the story aloud in class;
We will pause after key paragraphs and ask questions to build comprehension.
Listen for significant passages and make connections related to your understanding of the importance of identity as we read.

8. Activity #2: Narrative Point of View
1. Use your graphic organizer to define the following terms:
point-of-view,
narrator,
narrative voice,
trustworthy or untrustworthy narrator
Work in learning teams to discuss and specifically apply the literary terms to the story by giving examples.

9. Point of View Point of view is defined as:
The perspective from which the story is told.

10. Types of Point of View
1st person: uses “I” or “we” to tell the story; tells the events of the story only from the perspective of the narrator.
3rd person Limited: Uses he, she, it, they, to tell the story, but only follows one character at a time.
3rd person Omniscient: Uses “he, she it, & they” to tell the story; has an overall view of everything and everyone in the story;

11. Point of View
With your learning team, identify the point of view of the short story, “Dancer.”
Write an excerpt of evidence from the story that proves that you’ve correctly identified the point of view.
Document the page # on which the evidence is found. (parenthetical documentation)
Example: (7)

12. Point of View answer check:
The point of view of “Dancer” is first person.

13. Narrator
The narrator in the story is the voice who is telling the story.
The way that the narrator speaks gives you clues about who the narrator is.

14. Narrator
With your learning team, write a brief statement that identifies the narrator in this story.
Give a brief excerpt of evidence that supports your idea.

15. Narrator Answer Check
The narrator in the story is a foster mother to Native American children who don’t have families with whom they can live.

16. Narrative Voice Definition:
A style of writing that the author uses to communicate the personality and character traits of the narrator.
Go to page 32 in your book. Read the paragraph about narrative voice and use it to complete your chart.

17. Narrative Voice Answer Check
“A Native American mother tells the story in her own way…earthy, conversational style…nonstandard (not correct grammar)…colorful descriptions…plain-spoken, open-hearted…tries to help her foster child gain self-confidence in her ethnic identity.” (32)

18. Is the narrator trustworthy or untrustworthy?
The traits of the narrator affect whether or not you can believe the narrator.
To determine if the narrator is trustworthy or untrustworthy---think about the narrator’s motives.

19. Is the narrator trustworthy?
Ask:
Does the narrator have good intentions that benefit others or hurtful intentions to benefit his/her own interests?
Is the narrator truthful or trying to justify his/her own reasons?

20. Is the narrator trustworthy?
With your learning team, identify the narrator as trustworthy or untrustworthy.
Give a few brief reasons to support your answer, based upon our definition of trustworthy and untrustworthy narrator.

21. Activity #3: Main Characters and Traits related to theme
Use the graphic organizer chart and work with your learning team to:
1. Identify 4 main characters
2. For two “assigned characters,” identify traits that are specific to these characters. Choose traits that relate to the theme of identity within the story.

22. New Concept: Dynamic and Static Characters
A Dynamic Character: Changes in some important or significant way throughout the story; usually involves the main conflict in the story.
A Static Character: Stays the same throughout the story.
With your learning team, use your character trait list to label each of the four main characters as static or dynamic.

23. Dynamic/Static Answer check
1 Dynamic Character: Clarissa
In what way is Clarissa a dynamic character? What proof do we have?
How can we connect this to the theme of identity and belonging?

24. Summary Activity:
Without looking at your materials, work with your group to remember all of the literary concepts that we have studied today. List as many as you can remember in 1 minute on the front of a notecard.

25. Team Challenge:
On the back of the notecard, discuss with your team and write your answer to this question:
How does the author’s choice of narrator and development of narrative voice help the reader to care about the problem in the story?

26. Writing Prompt:
Discuss the way an author uses dynamic characterization to communicate theme.