Molly Hood

Dr. Snow
Text Set- Setting
 
Fifth Grade- Writing
5.7 The student will write for a variety of purposes: to describe, to inform, to entertain, to
explain, and to persuade.
1. f) Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice.
 
Text Set Topic: Setting
This text set is a collection of literary examples that show how writers use the setting to
influence the plot and characters in their stories.  These texts will serve as exemplars for how
authors use setting and setting changes to force characters to make decisions, learn about
themselves, and discover new things. Using these texts students will be able to create their own
plot events and character development by manipulating their settings instead of manipulating
character relationships.

 
Barrett, J., & Barrett, R. (2018). Cloudy with A chance of meatballs. Library Ideas, LLC.
When the unthinkable happens the whole town is impacted. The sky begins to rain food!
This text serves as a mentor text that leads to students to write about settings in new
inventive ways. Students can model the tone and pace of the writing.
“Across an ocean, over lots of huge bumpy mountains, across three hot deserts, and one
smaller ocean, there lay the tiny town of Chewandswallow.”

Bouchard, D., & Ripplinger, H. (1998). If you're not from the prairie--. Aladdin Paperbacks.

This mentor text is an example of how an author can bring life to the setting. He used
figurative language to describe the setting and draws the reader into a strong mental
picture of the prairie.

“If you’re not from the prairie you don't know what's flat. You’ve never seen flat.”

“If you’re not from the prairie, you’ve not heard the grass. You’ve never heard grass. In
the strong summer winds the grains and grass bend and sway to a dance that seems
never to end. It whispers it’s secrets they tell of this land and the rhythm of life played
by nature's own hand. If you’re not from the prairie you’ve never heard grass.”

Keats, E. J., & Harvey, J. (2020). The snowy day. Findaway World, LLC.
 As a young boy named Peter enjoys meandering along outside during a snowy day. He
finds things along his way that impact the fun activities he does. Finally, he takes some
snow to make a snowball to play with the next day. When he looked into his pocket again
he realizes that it is empty. In his dreams he thinks the snow is melted away by the sun, but
when he wakes up he realizes it is still snowing. In this story the setting is the fun! Writers
studying this book will find examples of how the text setting elements impact the
character’s activities and events in the plot.
“Snow was piled up very high along the street to make a path for walking”
“They went out together in the deep deep snow”

MacLachlan, P., & Wimmer, M. (2005). All the places to Love. HarperCollins Publishers.

Each family member vividly describes their favorite places around their home. Writers
will learn how to describe setting using different character’s perspectives to add depth to
their writing.

“‘That sound like a whisper’, she said. Gathering in pools where trout flashes like jewels
in the sunlight.”

“Sometimes we climbed to the place mama liked best…. the sky an arms length away.”

“Where else, said mama, can I see the run rise on one side and the sun set on the other?”

McCloskey, R. (1969). Make way for ducklings / (children books). Viking Press.
The mother and father duck need a suitable home so they can have ducklings. While
trying to find the right spot they weight the pros and cons of each location. Mother duck
is very particular about where she would be willing to raise her babies. Using this text
students will learn how to manipulate the setting in subtle ways that create tension in the
plot and keep the reader wondering if the characters problem will be solved.

“…so the Mallards followed them all around the pond and got another breakfast, better
than the first”

“The cars kept speeding by and honking, and Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings kept right
on quack quack quacking.”

Paulsen, G., & Paulsen, R. W. (2002). Canoe Days. Random House International.

In Gary Paulsen’s text the reader is taken an a canoe trip through a beautiful scene. The
paddler sees many different animals going about their usual day. Writers will find rich
vocabulary used in creative ways to describe the setting of this canoe ride. Writers will
learn the ways settings push the plot forward.
 “Across water so quiet it becomes part of the sky, the canoe slides in green magic without
a ripple.”

“”...while the sun is on my back like a golden friend on this perfect day.”

Polacco, P. (1990). Thunder cake. Putnam & Grosset.

In the summer the main character visits her grandmother in Michigan where the strong
thunderstorms terrify her.  He storms are intense and Babushka knows just what to do. 
From begging to end, the weather impacts the decisions the characters make, and the
young girl learns about how brave she can be, despite the weather. Polacco’s writing
using repetitive phrases and counting down as craft elements to show the reader the
impact of the thunder and build suspense.

“Grandma looked at the horizon, drew a deep breath and said, “This is Thunder Cake
baking weather, all right. Looks like a storm coming to me”

“The air was hot, heavy, and damp. A loud clap of thunder shook the house, rattled the
windows and made me grab her close.”

“…That number is how many miles away the storm is, so we have time to make the cake
and get it into the oven before the storm comes, or it won’t be real Thunder Cake.”

Swanson, S. M. (2012). The house in The night. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

In this text students see how each page adds new layers to the setting. Writers will see a
wonderful example of using run on sentences while describing setting. Each page adds a
new detail in this bed time story.

Wiles, D., & Lagarrigue, J. (2014). Freedom summer: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the
Freedom Summer. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Freedom Summer has seven settings. They all play an important role in the plot of the
story. Writers will use this text as an example of how to incorporate a variety of setting
within one story.

“...but he doesn’t swim in the town pool with me. He’s not allowed. So we dam the creek
with rocks and sticks to make a swimming spot.”

“I want to see this town with John Henry’s eyes.”

Yolen, J. (1987). Owl Moon. Ill.

This story is a classic for setting lessons. The setting drives each event of the small
moment narrative. A father and his son take a walk at night into the woods. It is a snowy
evening, and they are going owling. The bright moon and snowy ground shine in the
illustrations. This text could be used to show word choice that describes the setting in a
way that makes the reader feel like they are there with the characters. Figurative language
is used when talking about the setting.
“A farm dog answered the train, and then a second dog joined in. The sang out, train and
dogs, for a real long time. And when their voices faded away it was as quiet as a dream”

“…and the snow below it was whiter than the milk in a cereal bowl.”