Adapting to Survive: Short Stories and Poems

Lesson 8
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ELA

Unit 6

5th Grade

Lesson 8 of 18

Objective


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

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Endangered by Eliot Schrefer (pp. 76–83, 90–95, 98–103)  — pp. 90-95 (stop at "You're on your own, kid") and pp. 98-103 (stop at "And I was losing")

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Target Task


Multiple Choice

The excerpt is told from Sophie’s point of view. Choose two ways that Sophie’s point of view influences the story. 

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Sample Response

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Writing Prompt

The author includes multiple different interactions between Anastasia and Sophie. Explain how each interaction contributes to the structure of the story. 

Key Questions


  • What is Sophie’s main predicament? What steps does she take to solve her predicament? 
  • On p. 93, Sophie describes herself as being “out of (her) mind with fury.” What does this description mean? How does it influence her behavior? 
  • How did Sophie know that she had entered the troop’s pecking order? Why was this important? How did this change the way she was treated? Give multiple examples from the chapter. 
  • Why does the author put some phrases in italics? What do these phrases signify? 
  • Describe the relationship between Anastasia and Songololo. 
  • Describe Sophie’s relationship with Anastasia. 
  • Why does the author end with the statement, “I’d started a war with the queen. And I was losing.”? 

Vocabulary


anxiety

n.

fear or nervousness about what may happen

recoiled

v.

to react to something with shock or fear

wariness

n.

to not have or show complete trust in someone or something that could cause trouble or be dangerous

fixated

v.

to look at or think about something constantly

hierarchy

n.

a group that controls an organization and is divided into different levels

Notes


  • 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 this section of the text. 
  • Background: Sophie was able to slip out of the enclosure and retrieve the duffel bag she’d packed. When she was retrieving her bag, Sophie found a young bonobo, Songololo, who had been tied up. Sophie brings Songololo back into the enclosure with her. 

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Common Core Standards


  • 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.

Supporting Standards

L.5.4
L.5.4.b
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

Summarize the excerpt from Endangered by identifying a theme and explaining how the characters in the story respond to the main challenges. 

Compare and contrast the excerpts from Julie of the Wolves and Endangered by analyzing the way they both approach the theme and topic of survival. 

Lesson 9
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Lesson Map

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