How does when and where a story takes place shape the

reader’s experience and understanding?

In this lesson you will analyze how setting impacts the story

by identifying and reflecting on when and where a story takes

place.

Let’s Review

We’ve been reading:“Saved By a Seal”

So far:• Story is told by a

boy about the summer a seal escaped.• We know that this is

one of the most exciting experiences the narrator has had.

A Common Mistake

“Saved by a Seal”

Setting= at the house and at the beach in the summer.

Core LessonCore Lesson

Setting = where the story takes place, when the story takes place, and the environment in which it takes place.

Light/Dark, weather, noise, etc.

Core LessonCore Lesson

There were two rooms in the seal-shed: one at the back for the animals, and one in front for the boat, fish-lines, and crates. The seal room had no outside door, only an exit to the front.

Father, unusually tired one night after a full day of fishing went down to the shed alone to feed the seals their dinner. It was nearly dark, and in his tiredness, he closed the outside door without locking it. …

[Nab steals all of the fish and gets punished then…]

Nab yelped and dived between father’s legs, sliding out into the front room….Before father could get his balance…Nab was headed towards the open door….Nab was outside headed towards the beach.

Identify the elements:

Core LessonCore Lesson

Illustration Where: The 2-room seal shed that is located right near the beach.

When: On a summer evening after dinner.

Environment: It is nearly dark.

Identify the elements:

Core LessonCore Lesson

How does the setting impact the story?

Because it is a late evening, Father is tired, leaves the door open and Nab escapes.

Core LessonCore Lesson

Identify the elements of setting.1

2 Ask: How does the setting impact the story?

In this lesson you have analyzed how setting impacts the story by identifying and

reflecting on when and where the story takes place.

Guided Practice

….Nab had taken me clear to Seal Rocks—the island home of seals and pelicans. How I ever could have taken such a dive and come out alive is still a mystery to me.

….It was a distance of only a hundred yards from the rock across to the beach, …and I…assured myself that there would be no current in this spot, but I could not bring myself to let go of the rocks that felt so firm and good.

When I observed, however, that the sun was already slipping in the sky…

Guided PracticeIllustration: Where:

When:

Environment:

Identify the elements:

Guided Practice

How does the setting impact the story?

Guided Practice

1 Identify the elements.

2 Ask: How does the setting impact the sstory?

Extension Activities

Group Extension:

Working as a class/small group read the text. Then apply the two steps to identify and analyze how where and when the story takes place shapes the plot.

Extension Activities

Individual Extension:

Using your independent reading book, apply the two steps to identify and analyze the setting of your novel. How does when and where the story takes place change the plot?

Quick QuizQuick Quiz

I went to bed early, and was up next day by sunrise. With a hook and line and half the length of an old rope, I was off for the rocks near Moss Beach.

As it was nearly low tide, I soon had a piece of bait on my hook, and was fishing.

[After catching the fish]

I waded quickly into the water until the waves began to break over my head….when I turned to gain shallow water again, however, I felt at once the strength of the current…≈

Quick QuizQuick QuizIllustration: Where:

When:

Environment:

Quick QuizQuick Quiz

How does the setting impact the story?