BOX 15: STORY MAP JOT NOTES FOR MODEL STORY RETELLING

Title: Sarah Plain and Tall
Author: Patricia MacLachlan

SETTING
Characters (who) and words that describe them.
Anna -she's the daughter
Caleb -he's the son
Sarah -she's the "mail order" bride
Jacob -he's the father
Where When
U.S.A. Long time ago
the West pioneer times
prairies
PROBLEM or GOAL
They need a mother
and a wife
Jacob wants a mother for his children
Sarah needs a place to live
MAIN EVENTS (PLOT)
  1. They put an ad in the paper
  2. Sarah decides to come and live for a month
  3. She teaches them about the sea, they teach her about the farm
  4. The children plan ways to keep Sarah with them
RESOLUTION
Sarah chooses to stay and marry Jacob.
She would miss the family more than the sea.
IV. Making Connections

The instructor:
  1. Indicates that the story map or 5 w and h questions may be useful devices to apply when planning, drafting or revising the stories they develop in Writing Workshop.

  2. Suggests that showing their children how to apply-these devices may also enhance their children's writing.
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