We've just read a story
about a young boy in the South. If we stay in the South, but
travel back in time to the year 1855, we meet a courageous band
of people. As you read "Slaves No More,"
remember that although
this story is fiction, it is taken from real pages in American
history. Think of the many times this same or similar conflict
occurred, and possibilities for different resolutions.
Instruction:
Read
"Slaves No More" by Elizabeth Chittenden,
linked to the book icon on the right. Watch for the different
elements of plot: setting, exposition, conflict, climax, resolution.
Pay attention to the characters and how they feel during each
part of their adventure. You'll be taking notes to help successfully
map the plot and make the following five questions a piece
of cake for you to answer.
A
reading strategy to help you understand what you read
is to activate what you already know about the story's
topic. This gets your brain going and creates a place
where you can connect new information from what you
read. You have read stories of slavery in America and
studied the reasons for the Civil War. All of these
things will help you understand the story and the characters
of "Slaves No More."
Before
you read, create a note-taking chart to help you map the plot
or action in the story. Write plot elements down one side of
the paper, and take notes as you read, filling in what happens
during each section of the plot.
Plot
Elements
Supporting
Details
(not part
of a summary)
Setting or Exposition (includes characters, location, time, situation)
Christmas, 1855 (there's a start - fill
in the rest)
Conflicts (problems or struggles the characters must face and solve) Remember: there are probably several conflicts in a story
how to get away without being seen (that is just a start -
fill in other conflicts)
Climax
(fill in)
Resolution
(fill in)
Characters and words to describe them
Ann Wood: leader, observant (your turn to add other traits for Ann
and other characters)
There are five questions to answer. Think carefully through each
question and set of possible answers. Use your skills of reading
each answer choice, eliminating answers that don't make sense, carefully
using details from the story to support your answer choice. Read
on! When you're finished, there is an answer check at the end.
Question
1:
Parts of the setting
are often very important to the plot and what the story
is about. The setting cannot be changed without affecting
the main idea of the story. What part of the setting for
this story could not be changed without impacting the main
idea of the story?
Yes
No
Maybe
Answer
A.
Time: Christmas Eve
B.
Characters: Ann, Nat, Fannie, Sis, Tom,
Fred
C.
Location: United States, the South
D.
Situation: Using a wagon to escape
Question
2:
Which word best describes
Ann's feelings when she and the others got in the wagon
and started heading North?
Yes
No
Maybe
Answer
A.
Cautious
B.
Joyful
C.
Calm
D.
Anxious
Question
3:
What kind of person
was Ann Wood?
Yes
No
Maybe
Answer
A.
Brave and determined
B.
Brave, but foolish
C.
Scared and timid
D.
Intelligent, but passive
Question
4:
The basic conflict
in this story is . . .
Yes
No
Maybe
Answer
A.
the struggle between Ann Wod and Nat
for leadership of the group of escaping slaves.
B.
the struggle between Ann Wood and Old
Daniel of the plantation.
C.
the struggle between the North
and South over whether slavery should exist.
D.
the struggle of an escaped group of
slaves to reach freedom.
Question
5:
The climax of this
story comes when . . .
Yes
No
Maybe
Answer
A.
the escaped slaves hide out in the Purveys'
barn.
B.
the slaves successfully fight off the
attempt of five men to capture them.
C.
the escaped slaves reach Philadelphia and meet Garret and
Still.
D.
the slaves climb into the wagon and
make their escape.
How did you do?
If any of the answer explanations did not make sense to you, review
the story again, and see if you missed a clue. After that, if you
are still confused, check with your teacher.
If you scored 4 or 5 correct, Congratulations!!! You read carefully
and paid attention to details, and identifitied character traits
from clues in the story, and analyzed plot elements accurately!
Nice work!!!
