Embedded Files
Getting to Know the Author:
Knowing background information about an author can often times help us understand the story better because author’s often times, “write what they know.” Read the biography about the author and then do the small assignment below.
Photo:
"O. Henry Photo." NBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2013.
Vocabulary:
Being familiar with the vocabulary in a story in important because if you don’t understand the words in the story then you won’t understand the story itself. Complete the vocabulary assignment below so that you are familiar with the words that will appear in the story.
Directions: Read through ALL the vocab words below so that you are familiar with these words and their definitions. Then pick 10 of the ones that you find the most interesting and write them in a sentence. The sentence must include context clues to what the word means.
Example: The loquacious boy ran down the hall making tons of noise.
flannel-cake - a flat cake of thin batter fried on both sides on a griddle
chawbacon -a person who is not very intelligent or interested in culture
cauterize- burn, sear, or freeze (tissue) using a hot iron or electric current or a caustic agent
ransom - the act of freeing from captivity or punishment
trippingly -moving with quick light steps
calliope -a musical instrument consisting of a series of steam whistles played from a keyboard
kid -young goat
pesky -causing irritation or annoyance
stockade-fortification consisting of a fence made of a line of stout posts set firmly for defense
counterplot -a plot intended to subvert another plot
hank -a coil of rope or wool or yarn
lambkin -a very young lamb
lackadaisical - idle or indolent especially in a dreamy way
accede - yield to another's wish or opinion
warpath -a course leading to warfare or battle
poplar -any of numerous trees of north temperate regions having light soft wood and flowers borne in catkins
maypole -a vertical pole or post decorated with streamers that can be held by dancers celebrating May Day
somnolent -inclined to or marked by drowsiness
collaborate -work together on a common enterprise of project
subjugate -make subservient; force to submit or subdue
whoop -a loud hooting cry of exultation or excitement
realistically -in a realistic manner
fence -a barrier that serves to enclose an area
Bedlam -pejorative terms for an insane asylum
Geronimo -Apache chieftain who raided the white settlers in the Southwest as resistance to being confined to a reservation (1829-1909)
diatribe -thunderous verbal attack
rustle -make a dry crackling sound
fancier -a person having a strong liking for something
Mini Lesson:
Complete these mini lessons below. These mini lessons will cover the concepts that you will be looking for when reading the story.
Irony: There are three types of irony. Watch the videos below and take notes on what each type is and a few examples of each type.
Point of View and Foreshadowing:
Point of View: The perspective from which the story is told. This can change as the story unfolds. The tone and feel of the story, and even its meaning, can change radically depending on who is telling the story.
Foreshadowing: Hints the author gives during a story that helps the reader infer what will happen next.
Watch the following clip and answer these questions: Clip
1. How is suspense created in this clip?
2. What different points of view are shown in the clip?
3. Which point of view effectively creates suspense?
4. What events in the clip are being foreshadowed and how do you know?
Reading the story:
Read the story and complete the assignment for the story.
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