ELA LEAP studyguide

Character

A person in a story

Evidence

proof for your claim. Has to come from the story

Main Idea

what a piece of writing is mainly about

Figurative Language

words, phrases, or descriptions that are not literal in meaning, but are meant to convey an image or idea through comparing one thing to another. Example: "She is as pretty as a picture".

Theme

the moral, lesson, or message that the writer wants the reader to understand from the story. The central idea or message.

Rhyme (found in poems)

the repetition of the final vowel or vowel sound and all succeeding consonant sounds in two or more words. "The rockets' red glare/the bombs bursting in air..."

Run on sentence

Are these good sentences or a run on sentence? I like to go to the park and I also like to go to Mr. Gattis but I also find it really fun to go to my friend Kaylee's house I like her dog and she is funny.

to

I really like _______ go shopping. (to, too, two)

Paragraph

A section of a piece of writing, dealing with one topic. It has multiple complete sentences.

Good Sentences

Are these good sentences or a run on sentence? I like to go to the park. I also like to go to Mr. Gattis. Something else I find really fun is to go to my friend Kaylee's house. I like her dog and I think she is funny.

Context Clue

Clues in surrounding text that help the reader determine the meaning of an unknown word

Description

Detailed observation of color, motion, sound, taste, smell, and touch in a story.

Feelings

Emotional state or reaction from a character in story. The character will show this through words, thoughts, or reaction to something. (Examples: Enjoyment, sadness, fear, anger, happiness)

Mood

Feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader. (Examples: Sad, happy, frustrated, worried, calm)

two

I have ________ dogs at home. (to, too, two)

too

I like chocolate ice cream, but I like vanilla _____. (to, too, two)

they're

I love my teachers, ____________ the best. (their, there, they're)

there

I went over __________ to get some milk. (their, there, they're)

Their

I went to ___________ house to sleepover. (their, there, or they're)

I should write two paragraphs about the same theme. One about how the theme is seen in the first story and one about how the theme is seen in the second story.

If the question asks what is the similar theme in the two stories, what should I do?

I should first remember that illustrations are pictures. I should make a separate paragraph for each story. I should describe the illustration so the reader knows which one I am talking about, and then I should say what could be learned from that illustration. It should relate to the story, but be something that I can LEARN FROM WHAT I SEE IN THE PICTURE.

If the question asks what you learned from the illustrations, what should you do?

I should write two paragraphs summarizing the story. I should take on the role of the character and start acting as that character. I will be using words like: I, we, us. I should not copy the whole story, just summarize the important parts.

If the question says to change to point of view to a certain character, what should I do?

key details

Important details in a story that support the main idea.

Yes!

Is this the correct way to write dialogue? "I like to go to the park," said Axton.

no

Is this the correct way to write dialogue? "I like to go to the park. Said Axton"

No

Is this the correct way to write dialogue? "I like to go to the park." Said Axton.

Illustrations

Photos, drawings, graphs, charts, and tables used to spark audience interest in a text or to clarify or add information to a text.

Tone

The attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character. (Examples: Scared, enthusiastic, joyful, nervous)

Conflict

The main problem in a story. It could be big or small. Usually between 2 or more characters.

First Person Point of View

The perspective of the narration. Point of view shows the perception of the story through the narrator's eyes. This point of view means that one of the characters is telling the story.

Third Person Point of View

The perspective of the narration. Point of view shows the perception of the story through the narrator's eyes. This type of point of view story is not told by any of the story's characters. Someone outside the story is telling it.

character traits

The qualities that make up a character's personality (examples: honest, brave, loyal, leader)

A poem will have rhyme, rhythm, and stanzas. A story will have characters, paragraphs, and dialogue. I should write two paragraphs. One about the poem's elements and one about the story's elements.

What are some structural elements that could be different in a poem and a story?

Sentences start with and

What is wrong with this paragraph? My brother Dustin is really funny. And he makes me laugh all the time. And he tells great jokes. And he makes funny voices. And he is the best brother ever.

Nothing!

What is wrong with this paragraph? My brother, Dustin, is really funny. He makes me laugh all the time. He tells great jokes and makes funny voices. He is the best brother ever.

No capitalization

What is wrong with this paragraph? my brother dustin is really funny. he makes me laugh all the time. he tells great jokes and makes funny voices. he is the best brother ever.

reaction

a character's response to something in a story

Similie

a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using "like" or "as" in the comparison. Example: "Coat hooks hold winter hats like bare branches hold old birds' nests."

Stanza

a group of lines in a poem. It is the equivalent of a paragraph in poetry.

Idiom

a group of words that cannot be understood by the regular meaning of the words. (example: Sam froze in his steps. Sam did not actually freeze because of the cold. He stopped because he saw something that shocked him.)

Opinion

a person's feelings or ideas about a subject, person, event, or any other topic. Everyone can have a different one, but they have to be able to back it up with proof and evidence. It is not a fact.

Compare and Contrast

a text structure that looks at two events, time periods, people or almost any two things and tell how they are alike and different.

Cause and Effect

a text structure that shows the reason something happened and what happened to it. (example: The Titanic hit an iceberg and sank, causing a lot of people to lose their lives)

Metaphor

a type of figurative language that compares two unlike things but does not use the words "like" or "as." Example: "The principal stood in the doorway with his arms folded, an angry door blocking our path outside to freedom." The principal was not literally an angry door. He was just angry and acting as a door because they could not get past him.

Dialogue

tells what the characters say, it is "talking" in a story. It should always have quotation marks around what is being said.

Setting

the "where" and "when" for the story—the time and place.

Rhythm (found in poems)

rise and fall of the voice produced by the alternation of stressed and unstressed syllables in language; sometimes referred to as how the poem flows from one idea or image to the next.