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Section 4: Overview

Exploring How Authors Use Literary Elements and Narrative Techniques

We will explore narrative text in essay, short story, poetry, and novel format to study how authors use literary elements and narrative techniques to impart meaning and illuminate themes in narrative text.

  • Lesson 1:

    We will analyze how artists use literary elements as narrative techniques to develop theme.

  • Lesson 2:

    We will read “Sixty-Nine Cents,” by Gary Shteyngart, and answer text-dependent questions with a partner.

  • Lesson 3:

    We will analyze the author’s use of narrative techniques in The Book of Unknown Americans.

  • Lesson 4:

    We will work collaboratively to analyze The Book of Unknown Americans through text-dependent questions and discussion. We will preview the Section 4 Diagnostic.

  • Lesson 5:

    We will respond to Part 1 of the Section 4 Diagnostic and write a response that compares a theme in the novel to a theme in one of the other texts we have studied in the unit.

  • Lesson 6:

    We will respond to Part 2 of the Section 4 Diagnostic and apply our knowledge and understanding of elements and narrative techniques by writing a short original narrative, using “Sixty-Nine Cents” as a springboard.

  • Lesson 7:

    We will review feedback on the Section Diagnostic. We will use the feedback to make revisions to our work.

  • Lesson 8:

    We will share the analyses we have made about our independent reading texts and make connections to the unit. We will plan a final product to share our experiences from reading independently and the knowledge we have gained.