Word choice can drastically alter the tone of a piece of writing. Ninth graders read Karen Russell's short story "St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves" and use textual evidence to help them analyze how word choice affects their reading experience and enhances their comprehension.

Concepts

word choice, literary analysis, supporting evidence, figurative language, connotation, tone, literary themes, reading comprehension, independent reading

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Pace the lessons for five instructional days, or vary the schedule based on the length of your classes
• Send the story home before your lesson for learners to read on their own

Classroom Considerations

• Text is not available in this resource, but you can find it on pages 258 - 261 of the attached complete unit overview (not on page 225 as the lesson plan mentions)
• The first lesson of the first unit in a ninth-grade reading module

Pros

• Provides a self-assessment chart for learners to note their knowledge and mastery of each of the Common Core standards for ninth-grade
• Includes a rubric for conventions, claims, analysis, and evidence, as well as a short response checklist for individuals to fill out before turning in their writing

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.4