Figurative Language Exploration in Classic Short Stories
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Figurative Language Exploration in Classic Short Stories

Grade 9English22 days
This project focuses on exploring figurative language and context clues in classic short stories to enhance students' understanding of authors' messages. Through activities like figurative language treasure hunts and context clue explorations, students analyze word choices impacting tone and meaning. The project aligns with standards related to understanding figurative language and context, promoting critical thinking and language skills among 9th-grade students. Assessments through rubrics and reflection activities further support their comprehension and analysis skills.
Figurative LanguageContext CluesShort StoriesAnalysisToneMeaningCritical Thinking
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we use context clues and figurative language to deepen our understanding of an author's message in a story?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • What are context clues and how can they help us understand the meaning of unknown words in a text?
  • What is figurative language and why do authors use it in their writing?
  • How does figurative language affect the tone and meaning of a story?
  • In what ways can the structure and context of a story influence the meaning of words and phrases?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Students will be able to identify and analyze the use of figurative language in various short stories.
  • Students will develop skills to determine the meaning of unknown words using context clues.
  • Students will understand the impact of word choices on the tone and meaning of a story.
  • Students will improve critical thinking skills by exploring the relationship between language use and authors' messages.

Context

L 9-10.4
Primary
Determine/clarify meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases.Reason: The project involves analyzing text to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words, which aligns with understanding and clarifying unknown words through context.

Figurative Language

L.9-10.5
Primary
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.Reason: Students are required to find examples of figurative language, necessitating an understanding of how these enhance communication in texts.

Function

L 9-10.3
Secondary
Understand how language functions in context.Reason: The project requires understanding how language functions within the context of the short stories being analyzed.
RL 9-10.4
Primary
Meaning of words and phrases, analysis of impact on text.Reason: The standard aligns with analyzing how word choice affects meaning and tone, similar to the project's focus.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

Figurative Language Escape Room

Students enter a digital or classroom-based escape room where each lock or puzzle represents a figurative language challenge or context clue problem from one of the stories. As they solve each task, they come closer to 'escaping' the story, prompting a deeper exploration of the language used in the texts.
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Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

Exploration of Context Clues

In this activity, students will dive into the short stories 'The Yellow Wallpaper,' 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,' and 'Winter Dreams' to identify and understand context clues used by each author. They will explore how context clues help in deciphering unknown words and phrases.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Choose one unfamiliar word from each short story.
2. Annotate the text and highlight or underline the sentence or paragraph containing the unfamiliar word.
3. Identify context clues by examining surrounding words and phrases.
4. Use a graphic organizer to document word meanings, context clues identified, and the final interpretation of each word.
5. Share and discuss findings with a partner or small group to compare interpretations and context clues.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA graphic organizer documented with three unknown words, context clues, and their meanings from the stories.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with Standard L 9-10.4: Determine/clarify meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases.
Activity 2

Figurative Language Treasure Hunt

Students search the assigned short stories to uncover various examples of figurative language such as metaphors, similes, and personification. They will analyze how these devices contribute to the tone and meaning of the texts.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Revisit the short stories and highlight instances of figurative language.
2. Classify the figurative language examples found (e.g., metaphor, simile).
3. Analyze the purpose and effect of these techniques on the story's overall tone and meaning.
4. Document findings on a thematic chart or concept map to visually represent the effect of figurative language.
5. Present an example of figurative language to the class and explain its impact on the story.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA thematic chart or concept map showcasing different figurative languages with explanations of their impact on tone and meaning.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with Standard L.9-10.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Activity 3

Language in Context Workshop

In this workshop, students explore how language choices in sentences influence the meaning and perception of the story. They will focus on sentence structure and word choice to comprehend how language functions in the context of each narrative.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Select pivotal scenes from each story and analyze key sentences for their structure and word choice.
2. Trace the function of language within these sentences and connect them to the broader context of the story.
3. Discuss with peers the relationship between the selected language and the intended message of the narrative.
4. Develop a short reflective essay discussing how language choices contribute to the story's themes and message.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA reflective essay on language function in the context of short stories, highlighting key scene analysis.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with Standard L 9-10.3: Understand how language functions in context.
Activity 4

Impact of Word Choice Analysis

This activity centers on understanding how specific word choices by the author impact the overall tone and meaning of 'The Yellow Wallpaper,' 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,' and 'Winter Dreams.'

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Identify specific words or phrases that strongly contribute to the tone of each story.
2. Analyze and annotate the text, considering what alternatives the author avoided and why the chosen words are impactful.
3. Write a short analysis explaining the connection between the author's word choice and the story's tone and meaning.
4. Compile these analyses into a portfolio that showcases understanding and insights gained through the project.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityAn analytical portfolio showcasing an understanding of the impact of word choice on tone and meaning.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with Standard RL 9-10.4: Meaning of words and phrases, analysis of impact on text.
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Language and Context Analysis Rubric

Category 1

Context Clue Analysis

Assessment of the ability to identify and use context clues to determine meaning.
Criterion 1

Identification of Context Clues

Ability to locate and utilize context clues effectively.

Exemplary
4 Points

Accurately identifies context clues for all selected words and provides comprehensive explanations for each.

Proficient
3 Points

Identifies most context clues accurately and provides clear explanations for selected words.

Developing
2 Points

Identifies some context clues with partial explanations; gaps in clarity may be present.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to identify context clues, with insufficient or incorrect explanations.

Criterion 2

Documentation of Meaning

Effectiveness in using graphic organizers to document word meanings and context clues.

Exemplary
4 Points

Graphic organizer is fully completed with thorough insights into word meanings and context clues.

Proficient
3 Points

Graphic organizer is complete with clear documentation of meanings and context clues.

Developing
2 Points

Partial completion of graphic organizer with some insights into word meanings.

Beginning
1 Points

Incomplete or ineffective use of graphic organizer with limited insights.

Category 2

Figurative Language Understanding

Evaluation of the identification and analysis of figurative language in texts.
Criterion 1

Identification of Figurative Language

Ability to identify various types of figurative language in literary texts.

Exemplary
4 Points

Precisely identifies all relevant figurative language examples with clear distinctions among types.

Proficient
3 Points

Identifies most figurative language examples appropriately, with some minor omissions.

Developing
2 Points

Recognizes some examples of figurative language but may confuse types or miss key examples.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to identify figurative language correctly; lacks clear understanding.

Criterion 2

Analysis of Impact

Depth of analysis concerning the impact of figurative language on tone and meaning.

Exemplary
4 Points

Provides in-depth analysis of how literary devices affect tone and meaning, with well-supported insights.

Proficient
3 Points

Offers clear analysis of the role of literary devices, with supported explanations.

Developing
2 Points

Analysis is basic and somewhat supported; deeper connections between devices and tone may be lacking.

Beginning
1 Points

Analysis lacks depth or clarity; minimal understanding of impact on tone.

Category 3

Language Function Analysis

Assessment of understanding how language functions in given contexts.
Criterion 1

Evaluation of Language Choices

Ability to analyze language structure and word choice in relation to narrative context.

Exemplary
4 Points

Thoroughly evaluates language choices and their connections to overall narrative themes, providing detailed insights.

Proficient
3 Points

Effectively analyzes language choices with clear explanations of their narrative impact.

Developing
2 Points

Offers basic analysis with some understanding of language choices and their effects, but lacks detail.

Beginning
1 Points

Limited analysis of language choices with minimal connection to narrative context.

Category 4

Impact Analysis on Tone

Evaluation of how word choices by authors affect the story's tone and meaning.
Criterion 1

Identification and Explanation

Ability to identify impactful word choices and articulate their effect on tone.

Exemplary
4 Points

Identifies key word choices with precise explanations of their influence on tone and meaning.

Proficient
3 Points

Accurately recognizes impactful words and explains their role in shaping tone.

Developing
2 Points

Recognizes some impactful words; explanations are basic and occasionally unclear.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to identify impactful word choices; lacks clear explanation of effects.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

Reflect on how your understanding of context clues has evolved through this project. What strategies do you now use to determine the meaning of unknown words in texts?

Text
Required
Question 2

On a scale of 1-5, how confident do you feel about identifying and analyzing figurative language in short stories after completing this project?

Scale
Required
Question 3

Which example of figurative language had the most significant impact on your understanding of the story, and why?

Text
Optional
Question 4

Reflect on a discussion with your peers about the function of language in context. How did this discussion change or enhance your understanding of the stories?

Text
Required
Question 5

Select the statement that best describes your growth in analyzing word choice and its impact on tone from this project.

Multiple choice
Required
Options
I have developed a strong ability to analyze how word choice affects tone.
I have improved my understanding, but still find some aspects challenging.
I did not experience significant growth in this area.