Adapting to Survive: Short Stories and Poems

Lesson 7
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ELA

Unit 6

5th Grade

Lesson 7 of 18

Objective


Explain how the events on pp. 80–81 contribute to the overall structure of the story.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Endangered by Eliot Schrefer (pp. 76–83, 90–95, 98–103)  pp. 76 – 83

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Target Task


Multiple Choice

How does the scene on p. 76 through the top of p. 78 best contribute to the story? 

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Sample Response

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Writing Prompt

Explain how the events on pp. 80–81, particularly Sophie and Anastasia’s interaction, contribute to the overall structure of the story. 

Key Questions


  • Why does the author include the scene on p. 76 through the top of p. 78? What mood does it create? What does it reveal about Sophie and Otto? 
  • Explain the connection between the words “submissive” and “dominance.” Why are they both important in the context of this excerpt? 
  • What is adrenaline? In what ways is adrenaline helpful? In what ways can it be harmful? 
  • Describe the interaction between Sophie and Anastasia. Compare and contrast both characters’ motivations or misunderstandings, and how they influenced the situation. 
  • Why does the author include the flashback about soda? 
  • What challenges does Sophie face in the enclosure? What must she do in order to survive? 
  • Agree or disagree – Without her basic understanding of bonobos, Sophie wouldn’t have survived the first afternoon. 
  • This section is told from Sophie’s point of view. How does this influence the way in which events are described? 

Vocabulary


submissively

adv.

to do something in a way that shows a willingness to obey someone else

ineptitude

n.

a lack of skill or ability

foraging

v.

searching for food or supplies

adrenaline

n.

a substance released in the body of someone feeling strong emotion that causes the heart to beat faster and give more energy

tentative

adj.

something done without confidence or with hesitation

Notes


  • When giving the text to students, make sure to include the following background information on top of the chapter title. Students will need to know this information in order to fully comprehend and make sense of the text. 
  • Background Information: Sophie is visiting her mother at her sanctuary for bonobos in the Congo. Within days of arrival, Sophie meets an infant bonobo, Otto, who Sophie cares for like her own child. Unfortunately, war breaks out around the sanctuary, and Otto and Sophie must escape unprepared into the jungle to get away from the kata-kata. Read the following story to see what happens as Sophie and Otto struggle to keep safe, eat, and live. 
  • Do not have students read the first paragraph on p. 81. 

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Common Core Standards


  • RL.5.3 — Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
  • RL.5.5 — Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.
  • RL.5.6 — Describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described.

Supporting Standards

L.5.4
L.5.6
RF.5.3
RF.5.4
RL.5.1
RL.5.4
RL.5.10
SL.5.1
W.5.10

Next

Analyze how each interaction between Anastasia and Sophie contributes to the overall structure of the story.

Lesson 8
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