1. Reading Literature Top 5 Big Ideas Your Child Will Learn
Welcome to this presentation about the top 5 big ideas your child will learn in the second quarter of fifth grade.
Top 5 Big Ideas Your Child Will Learn
in the Second Quarter of Fifth Grade

2. Big Idea:
Unlock the meaning of words and phrases, including figurative language
Similes ~ compare two unlike things using like or as
strong as an ox
floats like a butterfly
Metaphors ~ directly compare two things using a verb
Mother was a mountain of strength.
He is a shining star.
Big idea 1 is being able to determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as similes and metaphors. Authors use figurative language to help readers create a mental picture with words, which makes stories more vivid and interesting. 1

3. How you can help your child:
Poetry
Scavenger Hunt
Often in poetry, thoughts must be conveyed with few words. You and your child can choose all levels of novels, poetry and plays to make a game of finding examples of similes and metaphors. Once your child’s figurative language detective skills are fine-tuned, have him or her identify what type of figurative language is being used. Once he or she is able to pick out the device being used ask him or her to explain how the simile or metaphor might paint a colorful picture or convey a message the author wants to reader to understand. 1

4. Big Idea:
Explain how a series of chapters, scenes or stanzas fit together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama or poem.
Big Idea 2 is explaining how a series of chapters, scenes or stanzas fit together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem. Authors have a plan in mind when they structure their poem, drama or story; each section of the writing plays a significant part in supporting the whole. 2

5. How you can help your child:
As your child reads poems, plays, and stories, talk with him or her about the purpose of a stanza, scene, chapter or paragraph. During reading, work with your child to create a representation of the sequence of events. Some questions for discussion could be “If this is a drama, how do the scenes build on one another?” or “How does the first stanza of the poem build upon the subsequent stanzas?” 2
Characters
Scene
Dialogue
Stage directions
Theme

6. Big Idea:
Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described.
Big idea 3 is describing how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described. Due to each character’s or narrator’s unique perspective, preferences, and experiences, each will feel differently about events, and therefore describe them differently. 3

7. How you can help your child:
After determining who is telling the story, you and your child can discuss why the author may have selected that narrator. Take this discussion further by asking your child higher order questions such as “How does the narrator’s or speaker’s point of view affect how the story is told?” or “How would the story be different if a certain character told the story?” 3

8. Analyze How Visual Elements Contribute to Literary Works
Text
Illustration
Multimedia Presentation
Audio Clip
Big idea 4 your child will be reading and viewing visual elements related to the text. Examples of these may be video snippets, illustrations, and audio. Using text and visuals, your child will be able to explain how the visual element contributes to the meaning, tone or beauty of the literary piece. 4

9. How you can help your child:
Read novel/View and Listen to Presentation
Summarize story
How do visuals add to story’s meaning, tone and/or beauty?
Assist your child in finding a graphic novel to read. As you read the book together, discuss how the story is told and how what is present in the illustrations in the graphic novel add to the meaning, tone or beauty of the story. You may also look online for a multimedia videos of familiar stories like folktales or myths. Ask your child to provide a summary of the multimedia or oral presentations. 4

10. Write opinion pieces on topic or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
Big Idea 5 is writing in response to an informational text and being able to support the opinion with reasons and evidence from the text. 5

11. How you can help your child:
Read together
Ask questions
Find proof
You can help your child by highlighting evidence along the way as you read to help in providing the opinion of the text. This will help your child carefully consider which information from the text best supports the their opinion. Afterwards, using the evidence have your child write in response to what he/she has read drawing out the opinion and supporting it with text evidence. 5

12. For more information please visit, www.ocps.net/parents