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BOX 12: EXAMPLE OF A COMPLETED MAIN EVENTS ACTIVITY
SHEET
Questions to Think About and Discuss
- Trace the main events of the story. (List or map them in the
space below). Then discuss: Could you change the order of events or
leave any of them out of the story? Why or why not?
- Jane came over to borrow old clothes - tells grandpa
- Janie and Grandma choose the dress - details:
blue-polka-dotted full skirt lace etc.
- Grandpa sees the dress/stops-surprised and boughs - Jane is
curious
- Grandpa begins the story
- Introduces
- Aunt Trudy dresses in polka-dotted dress to visit neighbors
- Dietrich is there - didn't have his horses
- Dietrich hid in the closet
- Aunt Trudy arrives - visits
- Aunt Trudy hears a horse team arrive and hides, mistaking
closet for another room
- both in closet - rush out- shocked - embarrassed
- Minister arrives - stays for tea - awkward
- Minister gives Trudy and Dietrich his blessing
- They get married in summer
III. Summarizing Concepts
The instructor:
- Brings the total group together.
- Leads a discussion to:
a) note similarities and differences in the lists.
b) come to a consensus about which main events are essential
and which are extraneous and could be left out and why or why not
(Use Box 13 as a referent.).
c) reinforce the role of plot sequence in establishing what is
key by focusing on what changes could/could not be made in the
ordering of events and
d) make explicit the idea that authors provide dues that help
the reader predict the sequence and main events while reading (Box
11, item #2).
- Highlights the role of main events and details in story plots by
referring to a previously prepared chart. (See Box 13).
BOX 13: MAIN EVENTS IN STORY PLOTS
MAIN EVENTS:
- the important steps in the story
- usually can't be omitted or changed. They hold the story
together.
DETAILS:
- information about the main events
- fill in the picture which sometimes can be left out or changed.
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