"Full Circle" What Drives the Plot in a Good Mystery?
- 1. A SHORT STORY BY SUE GRAFTON “FULL CIRCLE” STANDARDS-FOCUSED PROJECT BASED LEARNING WHAT DRIVES THE PLOT IN A GOOD MYSTERY??
- 2. EXPECTED SCHOOL WIDE LEARNING RESULTS (ESLR’S) EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS HEALTHY AND RESPONSIBLE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS CAREER FOCUS WHICH ONES APPLY??
- 3. “FULL CIRCLE” CALIFORNIA STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED 1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency and Systematic Vocabulary Development: Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately (know academic vocabulary and the strategies for acquiring such a vocabulary). 2.0 Reading Comprehension: Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material (know the technique the author uses to reach his/her audience). 3.2 Literary Response and Analysis: Analyze the way in which the theme or meaning of a selection represents a view or comment on life, using textual evidence to support the claim ( know that plot, characters, setting, etc. come together to create the theme) .
- 4. ACADEMIC VOCABULARY Standard 1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency and Systematic Vocabulary Development IRONY – The contrast between what the character expects to happen and what actually happens. SUSPENSE – The excitement or tension that readers feel as they become involved in a story and eager to know the outcome of the plot. FORESHADOWING – The writer’s use of hints or clues to indicate events and situations that will occur later in the plot. PREDICTIONS – Logical guesses about what will happen next.
- 5. WHAT DRIVES THE PLOT IN A GOOD MYSTERY?? A plot is the chain of related events that take place in a story, usually as part of a conflict , or struggle. Problems and complications make up the rising action , which builds toward a climax or turning point. Meanwhile, exposition provides background, such as information about characters and setting . The falling action consists of events that occur after the climax.
- 6. “FULL CIRCLE” GROUP I EXPOSITION: GIVES BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT CHARACTERS, CONFLICT, AND SETTING – “ A bright red Porsche was bearing down on her... I adjusted my speed, making room for her, sensing that she meant to cut in front of me.” “ I’d just wrapped up a case and I had a check in my handbag for four thousand bucks, not bad considering that I’m a female private eye, (and) self-employed.”
- 7. “FULL CIRCLE” GROUP I 1. Examples of EXPOSITION include the description of a. rush hour traffic. b. the narrator’s old car. c. the narrator’s job. d. the accident on the highway – ENDING WITH THE GIRL’S DEATH
- 8. “FULL CIRCLE” GROUP II “ There’s the problem…” He pointed to the license. The plate on the truck was an altogether different set of numbers. “ The shift manager told me a man had been harassing her. He thinks she might have left to try to get away from him.” RISING ACTION: PROBLEMS AND COMPLICATIONS MAKE UP THE RISING ACTION –
- 9. “FULL CIRCLE” GROUP II 2. Examples of RISING ACTION include a. the accident on the highway. b. the news of Caroline’s death. c. Caroline’s mother’s belief that her daughter was murdered. d. the narrator’s discovery that the man in the blue pickup gave false information. e. the shift manager’s description of Caroline’s problem with an old boyfriend. f. Judy Layton’s mysterious lack of cooperation. g. the narrator’s discovery of the blue pickup’s license plate number. h. the narrator’s finding the missing pickup in the Layton garage . i. the narrator’s discovery of the pickup in the Layton garage.
- 10. “FULL CIRCLE” GROUP III 3. Reasonable descriptions of the CLIMAX (or turning point) include - Terry Layton’s attempt to escape. “ As I eased up on his left, I saw him lean on the accelerator, cutting to his right. He hit the shoulder of the road, his tires spewing out gravel as he widened the gap between us.” Terry Layton’s crash on the highway. “ There was no way for him to slow in time and no place else to go. His van plowed into the rear of the crane with a crash that made my blood freeze…”
- 11. “FULL CIRCLE” GROUP IV 4. Possible examples of FALLING ACTION (events that occur after the climax), include a. Terry Layton’s death. “ Terry Layton died at the very spot where he killed her.” b. the aftermath of the crash. “ Like a nightmare, we repeated all the horror of the first wreck. Police and paramedics, the wailing of the ambulance. When I finally stopped shaking, I realized where I was. The road crew was replacing the big green highway sign sheared in half when Caroline Spurrier’s car had smashed into it.”
- 12. “FULL CIRCLE” GROUP V 5. Possible examples of RESOLUTION (the point in a literary work when the conflict is resolved) include a. the narrator’s revelation that she has kept Caroline’s picture. “ Caroline’s smile has shifted back to impishness in the photograph above my desk. I keep it there as a reminder, but of what I couldn’t say.” b. the narrator’s philosophizing. “ The brevity of life, perhaps, the finality of death…the irony of events that sometimes connect the two. We live in a world in which justice is skewed.”
- 13. “ FULL CIRCLE” PLOT ELEMENT POSTER Create a poster demonstrating one of the five elements of plot. Match quotations from the story with pictures from magazines, the Internet and/or hand drawn artwork. Each poster must include the following: Story title and author Plot elements with examples from the novel Pictures or decorations that illustrate terms To assess your understanding of plot elements, the following criteria will be used to grade the posters: Accuracy of examples of plot elements Neatness Use of color Visibility “ Full Circle” A Short Story by Sue Grafton EXPOSTION: GIVES BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT CHARACTERS, CONFLICT, AND SETTING – “ I’d just wrapped up a case and I had a check in my handbag for four thousand bucks, not bad considering that I’m a female private eye, (and) self-employed.”
- 14. POSTER R U B R I C There are numerous spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. There are some spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors evident. There are few spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors that do not interfere with meaning. There are very few, if any, spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. MECHANICS The poster is hard to read and few elements are clearly written/typed and drawn. The poster is somewhat easy to read and some elements are clearly written/typed and drawn. The poster is easy to read and most elements are clearly written/typed and drawn. The poster is easy to read and all elements are clearly written/typed and drawn. CLARITY & NEATNESS The poster contains no features/details that enhance the novel’s meaning. The poster contains few features/details that enhance the novel’s meaning. The poster contains some extra features/details to enhance the novel’s meaning. The poster contains significant extra features/details to enhance the novel's meaning. CREATIVITY The poster contains numerous organizational errors. The poster contains many organizational errors. The poster contains some organizational errors. The poster contains very few, if any, organizational errors. QUALITY OF PLOT ELEMENT DIAGRAM Numerous parts of the poster contain incomplete information. Many parts of the poster contain incomplete information. Some parts of the poster contain incomplete information. The information is thorough and complete. PLOT ELEMENT CONTENT 1 2 3 4 PLOT POSTER RUBRIC
- 17. PEER COLLABORATION AND WORK ETHIC