Night of the Twisters - PDF Free Download

Night of the Twisters by Ivy Ruckman Student Handouts CENTER FOR SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOLS Talent Development Secondary 2701 North Charles Street Suite 300 Baltimore, MD 21218 www.talentdevelopmentsecondary.com

K-W-L Chart Record facts you already know about tornadoes in the left column of the table below. After discussing the background of the novel, Night of the Twisters, record things you would like to know about tornadoes in the center column. After you finish reading the novel, record new things you have learned about tornadoes in the right column. K What I Know W What I Want to Know L What I Learned 42 Copyright 2013. The Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved.

Character Web Dan Hatch, the story s main character, is at the center of the web below. In each outer circle, write a word or phrase that tells something about the character listed. Then, on the line between each character s circle and the center, write a phrase or sentence that tells something about how Dan Hatch relates to that character. Arthur Ryan Mr. Hatch Dan Hatch Mrs. Hatch Aunt Goldie Stacey Copyright 2013. The Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved. 45

Copyright 2013. The Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved. 47 Venn Diagram Use the Venn diagram below to compare and contrast Dan Hatch and his friend Arthur. Dan Arthur Both Night of the Twisters

54 Copyright 2013. The Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved. Before: Cause and Effect In the Before box, describe Dan s attitude toward Ryan before the tornado. In the After box, describe his attitude after the tornado. Then, in the Cause box, tell why the relationship changed. Cause: After: Night of the Twisters

The Novel Title and Author Main Characters Setting Secondary Characters Type of Conflict: Man vs. (Circle one.) Man Nature Fate Society Himself Mood Nature of Conflict (Summary of the Conflict) Point of View (Circle one.) First Person - The story is told by a character who is a part of the story (he/she does not know other characters hidden thoughts, etc.). Third Person Limited - The story is told by a character who is a part of the story and who shares his/her observations with the reader. Third Person Objective The story is told by a narrator outside the action who only knows the events in the story, not the feelings or thoughts of the characters Third Person Omniscient - The story is told by a narrator who is outside (or above ) the story and knows everything about events in the story, character s thoughts, etc. Summary Rating (Circle one.) 1 = Terrible 2 = Poor 3 = Just OK 4 = Good 5 = Excellent 56 Copyright 2013. The Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved.

Night of the Twisters by Ivy Ruckman Projection Masters CENTER FOR SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOLS Talent Development Secondary 2701 North Charles Street Suite 300 Baltimore, MD 21218 www.talentdevelopmentsecondary.com

First-Person Narrative Night of the Twisters First Person Narrative Blackline Master The way a story s action is described is called its point of view. You can discover the point of view by asking the question, Who is telling the story? In a first-person narrative, a main character tells the story. The character uses pronouns, such as I, we, our, my, me, and so on. As readers, we only know the mind of this character. Night of the Twisters is told by the main character, twelve-year-old Dan Hatch. How will this affect the way the story is told? What will we, the readers, hear, see, and feel as we read? What things won t we know for sure? Copyright 2013. The Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved. 43

Tone Blackline Master Tone Tone is the feeling created by the author in his or her writing. The tone of a novel can be expressed through narration, pace, plot, style, dialogue, setting, and character actions. How might twelve-year-old Dan Hatch s narration of Night of the Twisters affect the story s tone? 44 Copyright 2013. The Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved.

Allusion #1 Night of the Twisters Allusion Blackline Master #1 An allusion is a brief reference to a work of art, such as a book, poem, or song, or to a famous place, person, or event. It allows a writer to say much with only a few words. Here are two examples. Cupid must have followed me into that crowded grocery store the morning I met David. As Paula grabbed the oars and began to row, she felt like George Washington crossing the Delaware. Copyright 2013. The Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved. 49

Allusion Blackline Master #2 Allusion #2 At the Darlingtons everything was as usual chaotic. They weren t exactly the Brady Bunch, but they sure could have used a good maid like Alice (35). Why does Dan Hatch compare the Darlingtons to the Brady Bunch? If you were going to compare your family to a TV sitcom family, which would you choose? Why? 50 Copyright 2013. The Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved.

Idiom Blackline Master #1 An Idiom An idiom is a phrase that means something different than the literal meaning of the individual words. This sentence from Night of the Twisters contains an idiom: Suddenly I realized I was as hungry as a bear out of hibernation. This statement has a literal meaning. Bears are very hungry after sleeping in their dens all winter. But, this statement also contains an idiom that is used to describe a person who is very, very hungry. 52 Copyright 2013. The Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved.

Idiom Blackline Master #2 Communicating with Idioms All cultures develop idioms. You probably say and write them all the time without realizing it. However, these phrases are very confusing to a person who is beginning to learn English. Imagine you are talking to a friend from another country and you make the following statements. Why might these statements confuse your friend? o o o o o We need to be on the road by 8 a.m. Let s get a bite to eat. I need to lend her a hand. You really hit the nail on the head with that statement. How come? Copyright 2013. The Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved. 53