1. Thursday October 29th, 2015 Today’s Agenda:
Check & Review “Three Skeleton Key” Homework
Suspense Mini-lesson
-Warm-up
-Guided Notes
-Check for Understanding
(Guided) Collaborative Activity
Independent Practice (Free-Write)
Homework:
Study Notes for a “Three Skeleton Key” Comp. Quiz = Friday

2. Warm-Up Answer the following:
Jot your answer down
Answer the following:
What is the scariest movie that you have seen?
What made it so scary?
(setting, character(s), etc.)
Describe how you felt while watching the scary movie?
Think-Pair-Share

3. Lesson Focus & Goal
Lesson Focus RL. 7.3 = Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact.
Lesson Goal
I can identify and analyze how an author uses vivid words & phrases to create suspense.

4. Suspense What is it? (Share your thoughts) Denotation: Synonyms:
Tension
Uncertainty
Doubt
Anxiety
Excitement

5. In other words… Suspense is…
The nail biting, edge-of-your-seat kind of magic that compels a reader to turn the page, finish the chapter, and devour a book!
The intense feeling (uncertainty or anxiety) that a reader goes through while waiting for certain outcomes to occur within the story.
Note: Just because we are learning about suspense with a scary story…does not mean that every suspenseful story has to be scary.

6. Pace of a Suspense story
The Suspense in a story should be paced like an experience on a Roller Coaster ride. First the build up, Then the exciting plunge, Then another build up…
Pace = the speed at which the events in the story are taking place. Slowly? Quickly?

7. Why is it important?
Without suspense, a reader would lose interest quickly in any story because there is nothing that is making the reader ask, “What’s going to happen next?”
In writing, there has to be a series of events that leads to a climax (rising action) that captivates the audience and makes them tense and anxious to know what is going to happen.

8. What makes a story suspenseful?
There is often something weird and unknown
Something or someone poses a threat to the main character
The main character feels frightened or threatened
The reader worries that something bad might happen to the main character
Descriptive detail allows the reader to imagine the setting, characters, action, etc.
The events of the story occur in a logical order

9. What makes a story suspenseful?
Foreshadowing
Onomatopoeia
The use of indicative word or phrases and hints that set the stage for a story to unfold and give the reader a hint of something that is going to happen without revealing the story or spoiling the suspense. 
Words that imitate the sound that is described.
Creak
Screech
Hiss
Bang!

10. What makes a story suspenseful?
Vivid Vocabulary Words & Phrases
They appeal to the reader’s senses
They are descriptive words that create powerful images, allowing the reader to visualize the story
They “show” the author’s intent to create the feeling of uncertainty or anxiety

11. Let’s Work Together Guided Practice
Think-Aloud
Let’s Work Together Guided Practice
With your shoulder partner(s) complete the following task:
Search through your “Three Skeleton Key” story packet to identify vivid words and/or phrases that the author uses to develop the feeling of suspense.
Highlight at least 5
Next Step:
Using a Post-it, write down what you think is the best vivid word. Provide the page number from which it is found in the story packet.
Differentiate** Check the post-its while students stick to the Wall of Suspense. The students who have identified higher levered words, will be given the extension challenge during the Free Write.
Stick it on the Wall of Suspense

12. Independent Practice Free-Write
Task: Using what you have learned about Suspense, develop a short suspense story. Incorporate the vivid words & phrases that you have identified from the “Three Skeleton Key” into your story. Up for a challenge? Take George G. Toudouze’s vivid words and make them even more descriptive? Note: Highlight the words and/or phrases that you include into your story.