W-+Creating+Suspense

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Week’s Objective: By the end of the week, students will have learned how to build suspense in their writing. They will use the ‘magic of three’ strategy, and write a paragraph about a mysterious ‘something’ behind a door. J [|suspense paragraph rubric.doc]
 * TEKS: 3.18A ** write imaginative stories that build the plot to a climax and contain details about the characters and settings

[|DevelopingSuspense!.ppt]

1. Raise a story question (get inside the main characters mind) 2. Word Referents (something, it, the beast….) 3. The Magic-of-Three a. ** Hint #1- ** Raise a story question. The hint might be visual or auditory. No discovery is made by the main character as to what is happening. b. ** Hint #2- ** Main character detects another hint. Something different or similar with more intensity. Slow down the action, use 5 senses. c. ** Hint #3- ** The main character discovers what is happening!
 * How to build suspense: **

Monday: ** Teach Raising Story Questions, and Word Referents! Then teach Hint #1 – and students write their beginning of the suspense paragraph. ** Introduce suspense by revisiting something you’ve already read in class (chapter book or another read aloud) and read it again to the class. There is an example from __The BFG__ on the power point.

Tell the class, “One of the easiest, most effective ways to build a sense of suspense is by raising story questions. This can be done in a number of ways, all of which involve getting inside the main character’s head and viewing the story situation from the character’s point of view. This enables the reader to wonder along with the main character.”

Examples of **Raising Story Questions** and **Word Referents** are on the power point. Go through it and read the examples to the class. They’ll get excited and ready to write!

Next, teach Magic-of Three with HINT #1. **Hint #1-** Raise a story question. The hint might be visual or auditory. No discovery is made by the main character as to what is happening.

The Magic-of-Three is an old literary convention – suspense being just one application. For example, three little pigs, goldilocks, genie gives three wishes…etc. As a suspense-building technique, the Magic-of-Three sets up a series of three hints which lead to a**discovery**. Teach ONLY Hint #1 and then let students write on their own in their notebooks.

Point out that the author gave this discovery away too soon! Explain that you will revise it by raising story questions, and stretching it out. MODEL this! Ask the questions, “What is your main character wondering about? What is she worrying about?”
 * Hint #1**- write on chart paper **“Jane heard a weird noise and found a ghost in the closet.”**


 * “Jane wondered what the strange noises were coming from the closet. Jane stood before the closet door worrying. What in the world could be making such a racket in there?” **

Send students off the write about the mysterious ‘thing’ behind a door. Each 3rd grader is writing about a mysterious something behind a door. Tuesday: ** Teach Hint #2 – continuing with chart paper from yesterday. Hint #2- ** Main character detects another hint. Something different or similar with more intensity. Slow down the action, use 5 senses.

Next, encourage them to //slow down the action// and stretch out themselves opening up the door. Bring them back to Jane from yesterday…Ask, “How would Jane go about opening the door? Quickly? Or slowly? Would she be hesitant? How was she feeling at that moment, and what would those feelings **look** like? Did she **hear** anything as she opened the door?

Does that not leave you feeling suspense?!?! J Wednesday: ** Teach Hint #3- ** The main character discovers what is happening! Now as a writer you let the reader know what is behind the door. The reader and main character make a **discovery** together! Add the last blue sentence from yesterday’s chart.
 * Jane reached for the knob with shaking hands. Her heart raced in her chest as she slowly turned the knob. The shuffling sounds seemed to be getting louder. She took a deep breath and threw open the door. She gasped! **

Ask them which was more exciting?! The first one or last one! We of course know what they’ll say! Send kids off to add their discoveries, and begin conferencing and publishing! Thursday: Continue with conferencing and publishing. Friday: Published paragraph due!
 * Jane reached for the knob with shaking hands. Her heart raced in her chest as she slowly turned the knob. The shuffling sounds seemed to be getting louder. She took a deep breath and threw open the door. She gasped! **** A filmy white ghost hovered before her! **