Keepers Genre: Realistic Fiction Author’s Purpose: Entertain Skill: Plot

1. Keepers Genre: Realistic Fiction Author’s Purpose: Entertain Skill: Plot By: Jeri Hanel Watts Illustrated by: Tyrone Geter Compiled by Terry Sams, Piedmont

2. Summary • Kenyon's grandmother, Little Dolly, is about to have her ninetieth birthday.  Kenyon has been saving his money to buy the perfect gift.  Then he sees a new baseball glove and can't help buying it.  Now Kenyon has no money left for a gift, and he feels terrible.  Then he thinks of the stories Little Dolly has told him and decides to write them all down.  Bound in a handsome book, the stories make the most special gift of all. 

3. Genre: Realistic Fiction • Realistic Fiction seems like real life with characters dealing with real life problems. The action can happen no matter how improbable, and often takes place in the present time. The situations are true or could be, but the characters are made up. Realistic Fiction may include "real people" characters who have actually lived.

4. Comprehension Skill - Plot TE 449a • A story’s plot is the important parts of the story. • The parts of a plot are the conflict, or problem, the rising action, the climax, and the resolution, or outcome. Plot PowerPoint Practice Plot quiz

5. Practice – Plot • Conflict or problem between two characters or groups or between a character and nature. • Rising Action – part of the story in which the conflict builds. • Climax – place where the action of the story builds, and conflict must be faced. • Resolution - place where the problem is solved.

6. Vocabulary Skill – Homonyms • These are words that are spelled the same, can be pronounced the same, but have different meanings. • To understand the correct meaning, look for clues in the surrounding words or sentences. • Use personal knowledge and experience to comprehend correct meanings. Play a game with easily confused words.

7. Practice Steps in a Process TE 449b means following a series of steps in a certain order to complete an action. It is a good idea to read each step first to make sure you understand what you will be doing. Let’s create a flowchart of the steps in making a family time line. Remember to use time order words like first, next, and then. Next, write down each event on paper. Then, illustrate each event. First, make a list of events and dates. Finally, arrange sheets in chronological order.

8. DialectTE 435 and 449i • The people who speak the same language have different ways of speaking, pronouncing words, and forming sentences. • The terms used to describe these speech patterns is dialect. • People often speak in ways that reflect their ages, backgrounds, education, and where they live. • What are some words Little Dolly used that are her dialect? cain’t mostly you not “Lord, honey, that’s nice but you a boy.”

9. Research Skill - Time Lines TE 449j • A time line is a special kind of chart that shows the order that events happen in time. • A time line can cover any amount of time, from a few minutes to many years. • It simply shows the order of events and the time that passes between them. birth date 4th grade

10. Good Stuff • Vocabulary Practice • Vocabulary Concentration • Reading Test • Spelling Test

11. Sites to Visit Learn to pass on your family history: • http://www.sfreading.com/4/u4_keepers/ Books for Black History Month: • http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/tempo/VCCB/Bestof/BlackHistory2.html Teacher’s Guide for “Keepers” • http://www.leeandlow.com/teachers/guide22c.html Crafts for keepsake gifts: • http://www.tcpnow.com/holidaykit/part2/hd2.3.html • Writer’s Workshop

12. Weekly Fluency Check -Read with Appropriate Phrasing TE 449d • Students should practice reading difficult. with appropriate phrasing, for example, identifying dialect in dialogue. • In the first passage below, Little Dolly uses the word cain’t. Since cain’t isn’t an actual word, readers might then determine whether the word is being used to show dialect. • page 434, beginning at the top of the page

13. Review Pages 432-439 • How are Kenyon’s priorities different from his grandmother’s? • How is a Keeper of stories important to a family? • Why does Dolly think Kenyon can’t be a Keeper? • What is Kenyon’s conflict or problem in the story?

14. Review Pages 440-439 • Who helps Kenyon come up with a resolution to his problem? • What is the climax or turning point of the story? • Why is everyone coming to Little Dolly’s house? • What two problems are resolved at the end of the story? • What lesson can be learned from this story?

15. Writing Assignment Choose one of the following and write about it: • What is a funny story about you or another family member that your family likes to tell again and again? Write the story as you might tell it. • Make a card for a grandparent or older adult. Write a thoughtful greeting on the front and a clever message inside. Decorate it.

16. Words to Know considering grounders diamond definitely reminder taunted stroke

17. More Words to Know apologizing handmade squinched storytelling

18. considering • taking into account; thinking seriously about

19. grounders • baseballsthat hit the ground

20. diamond • the space inside the linesthat connect the bases in baseball; infield

21. definitely • surely; certainly

22. reminder • something to help one remember

23. storytelling • relating a story orally

24. stroke • a sudden attack of illness when a blood vessel breaks

25. taunted • teased (in a mean way)

26. apologizing • offering an excuse

27. handmade • made by hand

28. squinched • squinted

29. She was apologizing for breaking my favorite vase.

30. She was apologizing for breaking my favorite vase.

31. He is considering attending the University of Tennessee to get his degree in engineering

32. He is considering attending the University of Tennessee to get his degree in engineering.

33. Kenyan was going to make a handmade book for his grandmother .

34. Kenyan was going to make a handmade book for his grandmother .

35. The woman said she would definitely watch my children.

36. The woman said she would definitely watch my children.

37. He stood inside the diamond waiting to catch the ball.

38. He stood inside the diamond waiting to catch the ball.

39. Toby scooped up the hard-to-catch grounders that the batter is notorious for hitting.

40. Toby scooped up the hard-to-catch grounders that the batter is notorious for hitting.

41. He squinched to block the sun out of his eyes.

42. He squinched to block the sun out of his eyes.

43. I used post-it notes as a reminder to get the milk at the store.

44. I used post-it notes as a reminder to get the milk at the store.

45. My grandfather had a stroke and was unable to take care of himself.

46. My grandfather had a stroke and was unable to take care of himself.

47. Grandfather love storytelling for his grandchildren.

48. Grandfather love storytelling for his grandchildren.

49. The children taunted Hank because he hasn’t got any front teeth.

50. The children taunted Hank because he hasn’t got any front teeth.