WEEKLY LAUNCH: POEM

INTERACTIVITY

Meals
At Amir’s house, bread is soft and flat.
We scoop up rice and vegetables
from a round metal plate, kneeling on a mat.
I taste these good things with a finger.
Amir laughs and says, “That’s ginger!”
The meal is hot and rich with spice,
and so delicious, I dip into the platter twice.

At my house, Amir eats with a fork

while our table talk spins around
soccer wins and losses in the park.
I help him to some cherry pie,
and my friend gives a contented sigh.
Oh, but what about his African home?

So I ask, because I’m curious,

about his home. He remembers markets
and dusty desert storms, thick and furious.

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“This is Ayat,*” Amir says and shows me a picture.
In it, a man stands proudly in a market teeming
  with camels.
Some day, Amir and I will visit them under the sun.

*grandfather

44
 W EEK

2
Weekly Question

How do our
experiences help us see
the world differently?

Illustrate and Describe 

Write and illustrate a descriptive
paragraph to show a custom that
you have recently learned about
or that you would like to teach
a friend.
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45
GENRE: REALISTIC FICTION

Learning Goal
Spotlight on Genre
I can learn about
fiction by analyzing
plot and setting.
Realistic Fiction
In realistic fiction, the plot, or series of events, is
believable. You can use the Plot Anchor Chart, or
something similar, to analyze a story’s plot. Look for
• Introduction
• Rising action
• Climax
• Falling action
• Resolution
Establish Purpose One purpose for reading realistic
fiction is to be entertained. You could also read
fiction to determine how events are influenced by the
setting, or location, of the story.

Does an event
show a turning point
and
TURN  TALK   With a partner, establish a purpose
for the character?
for reading “Red Hair in Japan.” For example, you
That’s the story’s
may want to find out how the author builds tension
climax!
or how characters encounter and respond to

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challenges. Make a plan to read with this purpose
in mind.[ART SPEC: Create Anchor Chart that looks

My PURPOSE
PURPOSE

46
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47
READING WORKSHOP
Meet the Author
Red Hair in Japan
Esther Mizrachi was
a little bit like Kat
when she was a little
girl. She sometimes Preview Vocabulary
wondered what
others would think As you read “Red Hair in Japan,” pay attention to
about her wild, these vocabulary words. Notice how they help you
curly hair. Esther is a
better understand the plot.
writer of fiction and
nonfiction and lives
in Austin, Texas. subsided   dedication   impulsively

trance   grudge

Read
Scan “Red Hair in Japan” and use what you know
about the genre to make predictions about what will
happen. Record your predictions. As you read, use
genre clues, such as setting and plot, to confirm or
correct your predictions. Follow these strategies when
you read this realistic fiction text.

Notice Generate Questions

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the plot and its as you read by
structure as you make annotating confusing
and confirm or correct parts.
predictions.
First
Connect
Read Respond
ideas within the by discussing your
selection to ideas in thoughts about the
other texts you have text as you read.
read.

48
 Genre Realistic Fiction

Red Hair
in Japan
by Esther Mizrachi
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AUDIO

 ANNOTATE

49
CLOSE READ
August 25
Analyze Plot 1 Dad had that look on his face this morning at
The conflict, or main
problem, is part of
breakfast. The slightly sheepish look he gets every
the rising action in a time he tells us news we don’t want to hear. I knew
story. Underline words
before he opened his mouth that it was happening
or phrases that help
you identify the main again—our family was temporarily relocating.
problem the narrator
faces as the plot 2 “Kids, Marshall and I sat down yesterday,” he
develops.
began, and then paused to clear his throat. Marshall is
Dad’s boss, and the news always begins with a meeting
with Marshall. I’ve never met him, but I picture
Marshall as some sort of giant—unnaturally tall with
a deep, commanding voice. I picture Dad as silent
grudge a strong feeling
of dislike against at these meetings, and I harbor a permanent grudge
someone who treated against Marshall.
you badly
3 Of course, I know this is unrealistic because Dad
dedication feeling of
being set apart for a approaches his work with strong dedication and adores
special purpose the travel part of it. He says it’s healthy for us to see
other places, but when he gives us this kind of news,
we all treat it like a directive from Marshall. Like Dad
has nothing at all to do with the decision.

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50
 CLOSE READ
4 “We are going to have another year abroad,” my
father announced.
Confirm or
5 Kyle and I groaned at the same time, and I felt Mom’s Correct a
sympathetic gaze on us. To Mom, moving around the Prediction
world is an adventure. It doesn’t affect her much. She’s Highlight phrases and
sentences that you
a novelist and can work anywhere, but she hates what it can use to confirm a
does to us. prediction you made
about a plot event.
6 To give you some background, we have been back
home in England for only two months after being in
the United States for a year. I had a blissful summer
reconnecting with my friends Gemma and Emily and
was looking forward to the school year here, at home.
7 “Where?” Kyle asked. That was typical Kyle. He
spoke in groans and one-word sentences.
8 “Japan,” my father said.
9 Kyle and I stared at him, speechless. Japan.
How were we going to fit in in Japan?
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51
CLOSE READ
August 27
Confirm or 10 I told Gemma and Emily the news this morning.
Correct a We were in Emily’s backyard lying on the grass, staring
Prediction
up at the clouds.
Highlight phrases and
sentences that confirm
a prediction you made
11 “Nooooo!” Gemma said. “Not again.”
about how Kat would
feel about moving. 12 “Oh, Kat,” Emily said. She got up, pulled me to my
feet, and gave me a big hug. I blinked away my tears.
Gemma got up, too, and joined the hug, sandwiching
me in between them.
13 “What am I going to do in Japan for a whole school
year?” I asked them.
14 “Well, at least you’ve been through this before,”
Gemma said.
15 “Yes, but the United States was more like England.
Japan is so very different!”
16 “I’m sure that you’ll be fine,” Gemma said, trying to
reassure me.
17 “They’ll think you’re the coolest,” Emily agreed.
18 I sighed. It was nice of them to try to make me feel

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better, but it wasn’t working.

52
 CLOSE READ
September 4
19 It has been a whirlwind week of packing and Vocabulary in
good-byes. I have been walking around in a trance. Context
Context clues can help
Mostly, I feel sad to leave my friends. Sad to be the you determine word
stranger in a new school. meanings. Sometimes
context clues give
20 “What’s going on, Kat?” Dad asked me this morning the meaning of an
unfamiliar word. Look
as we had our last breakfast at home. We had to head at the word accent in
to the airport before lunch. paragraph 23. Underline
a phrase on this page
21 “I don’t want to go to Japan. I know that I’m going to that defines accent.

stick out. It was hard enough being the outsider when trance dreamlike state
we were in the U.S.” Now that I’d started talking,
I couldn’t stop myself. “I’m tired of not
knowing the games that everyone plays and
not getting the inside jokes. I’m tired
of people asking me to say things
just to hear the way I pronounce
words. And talking about my hair!”
22 “Oh, Kat, I’m so sorry you feel
that way. Maybe it won’t be so
bad,” Mom said. “How are
you feeling about the move,
Kyle?” she asked.
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23 “Same,” Kyle said, adding nothing

to the conversation, as usual. He had one advantage
over me: you couldn’t hear his accent with his single-
syllable answers.

53
 24 “Kids, I told you. You’re going to an International
School in Japan. The kids are from dozens of countries.
You will fit in just fine.” Dad emphasized the words
“international school” as though it was some kind of
superhero that was sure to save us.
25 Kyle groaned. There was a knock on the door and
I excused myself to get it. It was Emily and Gemma,
stopping in to say good-bye. We went outside and took
a selfie, which came out great.

September 6
26 I am barely over my jet lag and haven’t even
managed to unpack my bags, but tomorrow is my
first day at my new school. Class has already been
in session for two weeks, so the other kids have all
had a chance to settle in, which makes me doubly
uncomfortable. I tried to sleep but just couldn’t
seem to, so I went to the kitchen for some warm milk
and found Kyle there, pouring milk into a pot.
27 “Want?” he asked me and I nodded, grateful to
have him here for company despite his monosyllabic
conversation.

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28 As we waited for the milk to warm up, Kyle said the
longest sentences I’ve heard him say all year. It left me
slightly stunned.
29 “Every time we move like this, I panic. I think that
everyone is going to hate me on sight and treat me as
though I just got here from Mars.”
30 “I know,” I said after I got over the shock of my
brother actually expressing himself. “At least you look
normal. You don’t have hair like mine!”

54
 CLOSE READ
31 “Normal?” Kyle raised his voice and exclaimed,
“I’m way taller than everyone my age—almost as tall as
Dad! Do you know how tall the average Japanese man Analyze
Character
is? Five foot two! I’m almost a foot taller than that.”
Underline what Kat and
Kyle do and say that
32 I nodded, sipped my milk, and, moaning, patted shows they are dreading
my hair. “Well, my hair is not exactly nondescript.” going to a new school.
It was true. My hair is fiery red, and it curls in every
direction imaginable.
33 Kyle sighed. “There’s nowhere for us to hide, that’s
for sure.”
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55
CLOSE READ
September 7
Confirm or 34 Before school, I bundled all my hair into a bun.
Correct a I just couldn’t bear to be “the new girl with all that red
Prediction
hair.” Mom looked at me strangely but she didn’t say
Highlight details that
confirm or correct your anything.
prediction about how
Kat would react to her 35 One of Dad’s assistants had coordinated with the
new school.
school and had gotten uniforms for Kyle and me. The
shirt was white, the skirt a dark green plaid. To my
relief, the sweater was navy blue. I’ve had to wear
colors that really clashed with my hair in the past—
orange once, which was the worst.
36 My classroom has group tables rather than desks,
which means I have to sit facing other kids. Ms. Hirota,
my new teacher, introduced herself and showed me to
an empty table. Pretty soon, three other kids sat down.
I just stared down at my hands, afraid to look up into
their eyes. I tried to make myself breathe normally, but
my heart seemed like a hammer in my chest.
37 Once everyone was seated, Ms. Hirota said, “Please
welcome our newest student, Kat, from Manchester,
England. Kat, please come up and tell us about

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yourself.”
38 My legs were shaking as I walked to the front of the
room. I clenched my fists in nervousness, but then I
tried to force myself to be calm, and I unclenched my
fists.

56
 CLOSE READ
39 “Hi,” I said, and I looked for the first time at the
kids in the room. I saw blonde hair, brown hair, and
black hair. But no wildly curly red hair. I felt as if the Analyze
Setting
hair bands I had put in were straining to hold my hair
Underline descriptive
back. details that are
important to the
40 Impulsively, I blurted out, “I’m pretty nervous to be classroom setting.
the new kid. My family just got the news less than two
impulsively suddenly;
weeks ago that we would be moving to Japan; we got without careful thought
here just the other day, and I am not even unpacked about the consequences
yet. Anyway, I love to read. Um—I want to be a writer
someday. And . . . um—can’t think of anything else
to say.”
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57
CLOSE READ
41 The students clapped and my face burned. I found
myself wishing that I was more like Kyle, who would’ve
Analyze Plot said, “Hey,” and then strode back to his desk.
Underline events in the
falling action that move
42 At lunch, I continued to keep my eyes down as I got
the plot along toward a
resolution for the main a tray of unrecognizable food. I walked to an empty
character. table and sat down, but within a few minutes a girl sat
next to me. She had skin like milky coffee and eyes
that were the color of the tiger’s-eye pendant Mom had
given me.
43 “Hi, I’m Lydia,” she said, with a wide smile.
Her speech had a musical lilt to it. “I’m new here, too.
My family moved from India a month ago.”
44 “Nice to meet you,” I said. I had no idea what else
to say, but Lydia was a talker. She told me she was
nervous coming here also, but that all the kids are
really friendly.
45 When the bell rang, Lydia and I walked to class
together. On the way, I saw Kyle’s class on their way to
lunch. He stuck out, taller than everyone else.
We rolled our eyes at each other.

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58
 CLOSE READ
September 8
46 At lunch today, Lydia introduced me to some other Confirm or
kids. Everyone was from someplace else. There were Correct a
Prediction
kids from China, Germany, the United States, Sweden,
Highlight details that
and Saudi Arabia. We all spoke English to each other. confirm or correct your
Everyone had a different accent but their English was prediction about how
students will make Kat
good. feel welcome.

47 Ling, a tiny girl who wore her dark hair in two

braids, said, “Kat, you are lucky that English is your
first language. I think in Chinese, so sometimes it is
hard to say what I am thinking.” She laughed.
48 Roland, a stocky boy with long blond hair, said,
“I know what you mean, Ling. I was the star English
student in my school in Germany, but here I have
trouble making one good sentence.”
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59
60
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 CLOSE READ
49 “I am okay with the English. It is fun to learn,”
Adiya said. “But what I miss is favorite foods! In my
country, I eat a falafel sandwich every Sunday. They Analyze Plot
Underline the sentences
are sold on every street corner.” that show the resolution
of the plot. How do they
50 “What food will you miss from England?” Ling show that the plot has
asked me. been resolved?

51 “Tea and scones,” I said without a moment of thought.

I described the buttery pastry to the kids. I also told
them about clotted cream, a rich delicious spread that
we ate with scones. They all leaned in, eyes wide.
I realized then that my unhappiness had subsided. subsided stopped;
died down

September 10
52 Today, feeling brave, I did not pin my hair back.
As we walked out the door, Kyle looked at me and
nodded. “Good,” he said.
53 As it has turned out, my hair is no big deal. Lydia
said I look like a character from her favorite movie.
At lunch I showed everyone the selfie of me and
Gemma and Emily.
54 “These are my best friends,” I said. That began a
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conversation about the people everyone missed back

home. As we talked, I realized Dad was right. I still
missed home, but I could fit in here just fine. We are
all very different from each other, but underneath it all,
we are quite the same.
55 As we walked back to our classroom after lunch, we
passed Kyle’s class. I tried to catch his eye but Kyle
didn’t see me. He was talking to a boy who was almost
as tall as him. The boy also had a sparkle in his eyes.
I watched as he gave my brother a high five.

61
VOCABULARY

Develop Vocabulary
In realistic fiction, authors use precise words to develop a story’s plot. These
words help the reader connect to the rising and falling action in the story.

My TURN   Use a print or digital dictionary to determine the definition of the

underlined words. Then explain how the words help you better understand the
plot of “Red Hair in Japan.”

“Impulsively, I blurted out, ‘I’m pretty nervous to be the

Rising Action
new kid.’”

Definition:

How did Kat give her speech?

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Falling Action “I realized then that my unhappiness had subsided.”

Definition:

What has happened to Kat’s first feelings about moving to Japan?

62
 COMPREHENSION
READING WORKSHOP

Check for Understanding

My TURN   Look back at the text to answer the questions.

1. What two elements in this story help you identify it as realistic fiction?

2. How does Esther Mizrachi’s word choice develop your understanding of the
characters?

3. Explain how one of the settings, either England or Japan, influences

the plot.
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4. Compare how Kat feels about her school in Japan by synthesizing text
evidence from two or more scenes in the story.

63
CLOSE READ

Analyze Plot and Setting

Plot is the structure of a story’s events. Plot includes rising action, conflict,
climax, falling action, and resolution, or conclusion. A story’s setting is
the location and time in which story events take place. Setting can influence
the plot because it affects how characters live and where the action
takes place.

1. M y TURN   Go to the Close Read notes in “Red Hair in Japan” and underline
parts that help you analyze the elements of plot and setting.

2. Text Evidence Use your evidence to complete the diagram.

Event Setting
CONFLICT
Conflict

Kat and Kyle are upset that they England

have to move to Japan.

Climax

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Resolution

How Setting Impacts Plot

64
 READING WORKSHOP

Confirm and Correct Predictions

You can use what you know about realistic fiction to make predictions about
the plot. For example, characters usually face a conflict that must be resolved.
As you read, you can find evidence to confirm or correct your predictions.

1.  M y TURN Go back to the Close Read notes. Highlight evidence about the
plot, characters, or setting that helped you confirm or correct predictions.

2. Text Evidence  Use your highlighted text to complete the chart. Add a
check mark if your prediction was confirmed. Add an X if you corrected
your prediction.

My Predictions Clues from What Happens

from My Notes My Notes in the Story

At breakfast,
Dad will tell the
family they will
be moving.
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3. With a partner, talk about a prediction that was not confirmed by story
events. How could you use text evidence to correct or revise the prediction?

65
RESPOND TO TEXT

Reflect and Share

Write to Sources In “Red Hair in Japan,” you read
about events that were directly influenced by the
story’s setting. Think back to texts you have read this
week. What settings did you read about? How did the
characters respond to those settings? Use the following
process to compare and contrast the setting of “Red
Hair in Japan” with the setting of another text.

Compare and Contrast Ideas  Compare and contrast

information in different texts to analyze how different authors
develop fictional elements such as setting.

Choose a text with a vivid setting that you would like to compare
to the setting in “Red Hair in Japan.” Take notes about both
settings using the following questions.
 What setting descriptions does the author include?
  What does the setting add to the story?
 How does the setting affect the way characters act or respond?

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Review your notes. Then, on a separate sheet of paper, write a
response to compare and contrast the setting of “Red Hair in
Japan” with a setting from another text you read. Use linking
words and phrases, such as for example and also, to logically
connect your ideas. End your response with a concluding
statement or section that restates your ideas.

Weekly Question
How do our experiences help us see the world differently?

66
 VOCABULARY READING-WRITING BRIDGE

Academic Vocabulary Learning Goal

Synonyms and Antonyms A synonym is a word that I can develop

knowledge about
has the same or nearly the same meaning as another language to make
word. An antonym is a word that means the opposite of connections between
reading and writing.
another word. A thesaurus is a resource that can be used
to check if a pair of words are synonyms or antonyms.

My TURN   For each sample thesaurus entry,

  1. Define  the entry word.

  2. Choose  two synonyms and two antonyms for

each word.

  3. Confirm  your definitions, synonyms, and antonyms

using a print or digital dictionary or thesaurus.

Thesaurus Entries

challenge, noun a thing that requires skill or thought

Synonyms: problem

Antonyms: answer
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expand, verb

Synonyms:  

Antonyms:  

conflict, noun

Synonyms:  

Antonyms:  

67
WORD STUDY

r-Controlled Vowels
An r-controlled vowel is a vowel that is followed by the letter r.
The letter r influences the sound of the vowel, which is neither long
nor short.

The letters ar can spell the vowel sound you hear in the word car. The
letters er, ir, and ur can spell the vowel sound you hear in the word
herd. The letters or, ore, and oar can spell the vowel sound you hear
in the word for.

My TURN   Use these activities to apply your knowledge of

r-controlled vowels.

1. Read these words with r-controlled vowels: discard, format, conserve,

purchase, cardboard, confirm, margin.

2. Write three sentences using a word with an r-controlled vowel.

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68
 ANALYZE AUTHOR’S CRAFT READING-WRITING BRIDGE

Read Like a Writer

Proverbs are a type of figurative language. They state common truths or
observations and generally give advice. For example, “Two wrongs don’t make
a right.” Adages are similar, but they are also very old sayings, such as “Seek
and you shall find.”

Model Read the text.

Soren scowled when he saw that Jane was in line

ahead of him. “The early bird gets the worm!” Jane said.

proverb
1. Identify  Jane says, “The early bird gets the worm!”

2. Question  What does the proverb tell me about what is happening in

the story?

3. Conclude  The proverb tells me that Jane got in line before Soren, so
he might miss out on an opportunity.

Read the text.

“Cleo, when you take the test,” Mom said, “don’t worry when
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others finish before you do. Slow and steady wins the race.”

My TURN   Follow the steps to analyze the adage and explain its meaning.

1. Identify  Mom said

and

2. Question  What does the adage tell me about the story?

3. Conclude  The adage tells me that

.

69
DEVELOP AUTHOR’S CRAFT
Does using adages seem
hard? Appearances are
Write for a Reader deceiving!
Adages and proverbs are common sayings that express
general truths or observations. They also give advice or
warnings. Adages are very old proverbs.

My TURN   Think about how the use of adages and proverbs

affects you as a reader. Now identify how you can use adages
and proverbs to entertain and connect with your own audience.

1. What adage or proverb could you use in a story in which

a character wants to warn someone about the consequences
of his or her actions?

2. Write a dialogue for the story, using the adage or proverb you chose.

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70
 SPELLING READING-WRITING BRIDGE

Spell Words with r-Controlled Vowels

In words with r-controlled vowels, the letter r changes the vowel sound. The
letters ar can spell the vowel sound you hear in the word car. The letters er, ir, and
ur can spell the vowel sound you hear in the word herd. The letters or, ore, and
oar can spell the vowel sound you hear in the word for. Memorizing these spellings
will help you successfully spell words with r-controlled vowels in your writing.

My TURN   Read the words. Then spell and alphabetize the words. Make sure
to spell each r-controlled vowel sound correctly.

SPELLING WORDS
discard margin marvel remark
orchard portrait foreign dormant
format permanent nervous thermal
purchase conserve confirm absurd
ardent rehearse versus converse
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My TURN   When you edit drafts of your writing, use what you know about
r-controlled vowels to correctly spell words with those patterns.

71
LANGUAGE AND CONVENTIONS

Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement  occurs when the form of a verb agrees, or works with,
the subject. Use these subject-verb agreement rules to form the present tense.

Rule Sample Sentences

When the subject is a singular noun, • Kat gets unfortunate news.

add -s or -es to the verb.
When the subject is a plural noun, • Her friends sympathize with her.
do not add an ending to the verb.
When the verb is a form of be and
the subject is named, use
• is to agree with a singular noun. • Kat is happy to make new
friends.
• are to agree with a plural noun. • The students are pleasant and
helpful to Kat.
When the verb is a form of be and
the subject is a pronoun, use
• am to agree with I. • I am glad I read “Red Hair in
• is to agree with he, she, and it. Japan.”
• are to agree with we, you, and • She is a young girl like me.

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they. • We are glad we did!

My TURN   Edit this draft to correct the subject-verb agreement.

Kat and Kyle is very upset to learn that they will move to Japan.

Kat have wild red hair, and Kyle are too tall. They feels that they

will not fit in with other students. But they is happy when they

makes new friends.

72
 REALISTIC FICTION WRITING WORKSHOP

Compose a Character Learning Goal

Description: External I can use elements
of narrative writing
Describe the characters in a story using sensory images to write a realistic
that convey how a character looks, sounds, and smells. fiction story.

In addition, describe the actions and words spoken by

each character.

My TURN   Read the paragraph and fill in the chart. Then complete the
sentence to compose another description.

Yan stood up and stretched. She yawned. “I need to move!” she said.
Hopping up and down at the window, she added, “It has been raining for
two whole days.” Sita, who had been reading, stood up too. “We could do
some jumping jacks,” she suggested with a smile.

Character Actions Words

Yan
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Sita

Yan replied with a

My TURN   Include sensory details to describe characters as you compose your

realistic fiction story.

73
REALISTIC FICTION

Compose a Character Description: Internal

Create narrators who reveal the thoughts and feelings a character has.

• If the narrator is a character in the story, he or she may reveal personal

thoughts and feelings through an internal monologue.
• If the narrator is outside of the story, he or she may reveal a character’s
thoughts and feelings through descriptions and through the character’s
actions and words.

My TURN   Read the first paragraph. Notice the underlined words and phrases
that reveal Beth’s thoughts and feelings. Then, compose a paragraph that
reveals the thoughts and feelings of a character who is with Beth. The first
sentence has been done for you.

Beth caught her breath. I was surprised to see

The pony gave a snort and
began backing up. “What is
Beth’s pony backing up.
that rustling in the leaves?”
Beth wondered. Her heart
beat faster and faster. She
patted the pony’s neck
and forced herself to start

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breathing again. “I’m sure
it’s nothing,” she thought.

My TURN   When drafting your realistic fiction story in your writing notebook,
use internal monologues to describe your characters.

74
 WRITING WORKSHOP

Compose Information About the Setting

The setting of a realistic fiction story consists of a real time and place at which
events take place. You may reveal features of the setting while writing about
characters and events.

Lakeesha left her bedroom door open so she could hear the music. Her
parents were doing dishes [1] and singing songs from the musical they
all saw last week. Hearing that music again, here at home in El Paso [2],
carried her back to her family’s great spring break trip [3].

[1] The character is in her bedroom after a meal.

[2] The character lives in El Paso.

[3] The scene takes place a week after spring break.

My TURN   Think of how you would turn a place you know well into the setting
of a realistic fiction story. Write details of the setting on the lines.

Sights
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Sounds

Smells

Time of Year

My TURN   Include details that reveal the time and place of your realistic
fiction story when you compose a draft in your writing notebook.

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REALISTIC FICTION

Compose a Plot: Develop a Problem

At the beginning of a realistic fiction story, the main character faces a problem.
This might be a conflict with another character. It might be a problem inside
the character. The character responds to this problem through the story’s
events.

My TURN   Read the first paragraph. Notice the underlined sentences about
Lee’s problem. Then, complete a new paragraph that develops the problem
and Lee’s response to it.

Lee hunted through the Lee could see the model

supplies around the workshop.
There was plenty of cardboard,
in her mind, but she could
tape, and glue. However, Lee not make it the way she
needed wood. She wanted the had planned to.
walls and the roof of the model
to be wood. Where could she get
supplies at this late hour? Why
had she waited to complete the
project until the night before
it was due?

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My TURN   Develop a problem and a character’s response to it when you draft
a realistic fiction story in your writing notebook.

Help readers imagine what

it feels like to have the main
character’s problem.

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 WRITING WORKSHOP

Compose a Plot: Develop a Resolution

The resolution is how a problem is solved at the end of a story. Telling your
story aloud can help you make sure you have provided enough closure.

My TURN   Read the problem and the responses in the first two boxes. In the
third box, complete the conclusion with the resolution to the problem.

Problem

Tai and Silvio promise to help the Smiths clean out their garage on
Saturday afternoon. Then Sapra invites them to his birthday party at
the same time.

How Characters Respond

Tai says, “We should tell the Smiths we need to come next Saturday
instead.” Silvio replies, “No—we already told the Smiths we would help
this Saturday, so we have to say ‘no’ to Sapra.”
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How the Problem Is Solved

“Let’s tell the Smiths about our problem,” Tai suggests.

My TURN   Develop a resolution as you draft the conclusion of a realistic

fiction story in your writing notebook. Tell your story aloud to your Writing
Club, providing descriptive details about your problem and solution.
77