Chapter 8: Tompkins Questions

1. Identify the activities at each stage of the reading process that Mrs. Ochs uses in the
vignette at the beginning of the chapter?
a. Motivates students by having them relate to the story
b. she brings background information into the question that students already have
c. students do pre-reading where they talk about the events that happened in the
story
d. she does a read aloud for her students to help introduce the story
e. independent reading
f. collaborative conversations

2. How does beginning-middle-end fit into the elements of story structure?

The structure of stories is plot, characters, setting, and other elements interact that
produce the story. The most basic aspect of plot is the division of a story into three parts
which is the beginning, middle, and end. It can also be known as introduction,
development, and resolution.

3. How does point of view affect a story?

It determines to a great extent readers’ understanding of the story. There are four
points of view that are possible:
first-person viewpoint: through the eyes of one character using the first person
pronoun I.
omniscient viewpoint: the author is godlike, knowing all
limited omniscient viewpoint: readers can know the thoughts of one character
objective viewpoint: readers are eyewitnesses and are confined to the immediate scene.

4. What genre does Number the Stars, the novel Mrs. Ochs taught in the vignette,
represent?
Number the Stars represents the genre of realism due to the events that took place that
did happen in real life to people.

5. Why do authors use narrative devices, such as hyperbole and imagery?

Narrative devices breathe life into stories, making them more vivid and memorable, and
without them, writing can be dull. These devices allow us to create images in our minds.
Hyperbole’s are meant to stretch the truth and add humor using outlandish
exaggerations to their stories.

6. What are WebQuests?

WebQuests are online inquiry projects related to books; to complete them, students
assume roles and search the Internet to find answers, solve problems, and produce
technology-enhanced group projects.
 7. How do teachers differentiate instruction when they’re teaching literature?
In oral language you can: do hot seat interviews, listening to stories at centers,
listening to the teacher read aloud, making podcasts of stories, participating in grand
conversations, retelling stories.
Written Language: Collaborating with classmates on a story, crafting original stories,
creating genre stories, doing written retells.
Visual Language: designing quilts, develop wordless picture books, dramatizing
stories, drawing setting maps, illustrating story boards.

8. What are five kinds of stories that students write?

Five kinds of stories that students write is genre stories, story innovations, personal narratives,
original stories, and written retellings.

Synthesis of the chapter:

The chapter focused on the structural analysis that stories have. Stories are categorized by
genres and each one holds different characteristics. The ways that stories are narrated can also
make a story more exciting. They gave us various examples of how we can establish minilessons
with our students. The minilessons help students apply their learning to be able to comprehend
and compose stories in a more efficient matter.