Students are going to study the use of literary elements in literary nonfiction. At the end of the lesson, students are able to: 
- Recognize elements of fiction.
- Compare and contrast literary nonfiction with fiction.
- Analyze the connections between a text's main elements.

- How can readers decide which information from what they hear, read, and see to believe?
- How do literary and informational texts become meaningful to strategic readers?
- How does interaction with text elicit thought and response?
- What is the true purpose of this text?

- Characterization: The method an author uses to reveal characters and their various personalities. 
- Literary Elements: The essential techniques used in literature (e.g., characterization, setting, plot, theme). 
- Rising Action: The part of a story where the plot becomes increasingly complicated. Rising action leads up to the climax, or turning point. 
- Plot: The structure of a story. The sequence in which the author arranges events in a story. The structure often includes the rising action, the climax, the falling action, and the resolution. The plot may have a protagonist who is opposed by an antagonist, creating what is called conflict. 
- Resolution: The portion of a story following the climax, in which the conflict is resolved. 
- Setting: The time and place in which a story unfolds. 
- Theme: A topic of discussion or writing; a major idea broad enough to cover the entire scope of a literary work. 
- Climax: The turning point in a narrative, the moment when the conflict is at its most intense. Typically, the structure of stories, novels, and plays is one of rising action, in which tension builds to the climax. 
- Conflict/Problem: A struggle or clash between opposing characters, forces, or emotions.

- Teachers may substitute other texts to provide a range of reading and level of text complexity. 
- a response journal for each student

- Make sure to concentrate on how literary elements are used in literary nonfiction throughout the lesson. Students can compare and contrast the two types of texts by having a group discussion of the answers to "A Dinner Party" and the queries and observations regarding "Across the Plains." You can also quickly assess the students' understanding based on these responses. 
- Students' understanding of the literary elements in nonfiction and their comprehension of the connections between key textual components can be seen in their responses when asked about the most significant fictional element used in the nonfiction passage "Across the Plains."

W: Discuss a nonfiction choice with the class and encourage them to keep adding to their response journals. 
H: Asking students to discuss "A Dinner Party" will help them reactivate prior knowledge (see Lesson 1). 
E: Ask students to read a sample of literary nonfiction and point out any instances of fiction. 
R: Talk about the updated material and ask students to reconsider, analyze, and compose their responses to the literary nonfiction section. 
E: Students are given the chance to ask questions about the reading, to have their own questions answered, and to respond in writing to the reading with their own opinions (along with justifications, examples, or experiences). 
T: Give students the chance to voice their opinions and offer support for them. They should also be allowed to use the thoughts and responses of their peers to help them understand how they think. 
O: Start with the students' reactions to a reading of fiction, and then proceed to a reading of literary nonfiction that shares some of the same narrative components. 

Focus Question: How does literary nonfiction work with the elements of fiction?

Start the conversation by going over the pupils' reactions to "A Dinner Party." Say, "We need someone to volunteer to share what they liked or didn't like about the story to start the discussion. Make sure you provide references to back up your claims. Take heed of what your peers have to say. Raise your hand to remark if you agree or disagree."

Make sure the author's goal is brought up at the end of the discussion. You may say, "You have heard your classmates' perspectives and some of the connections they have drawn to the narrative. Give it a minute to expand on your own answer. Have you come to a different conclusion about the narrative, or have you made any new connections? If so, write a sentence or two about it; if not, write a sentence stating that the conversation hasn't affected you in any way."

Provide students with a reference list of literary elements, such as characterization, setting, plot, and theme. Introduce the reading: "We will now read a piece about a Scotsman who came to the United States for the first time in the late 1800s.  Despite the fact that this is a nonfiction account of a real person's experience, it contains elements that we associate with fiction. Think about which literary component—plot, character, setting, or theme—you believe this reading is the most important and why. Take notes on this in your response diary."

Invite students to discuss the literary element that they believe is most significant. The most popular options are probably going to be setting, theme, and characterization. Encourage students to justify their selection.

Given that the literary nonfiction selection describes an actual event, some students may wonder if the plot should be an option. Nonetheless, nonfiction usually contains some plot elements. For instance, Stevenson's search for a secure place to sleep after arriving in the US might serve as the main conflict, with the train ride serving as the resolution. Students must be able to back up their points of view with evidence from their reading.

Say, "Let's now discuss the distinctions between literary nonfiction and fiction. What characteristics set it apart from a narrative or book?" (real experience based on facts, actual occurrences, actual locations, and actual people) Say, "We know that the places and people in nonfiction are real, and the events that are described really happened. Literary nonfiction, on the other hand, dramatizes its message by utilizing elements of fiction. It is subjective rather than objective." Ask students to consider how a news article might be written differently if "Across the Plains" were a story. What would be given more attention? (The real events and details) What would be excluded? (Personal observations and commentary by Stevenson) Help students understand that writers can use literary nonfiction to effectively address important themes that reveal something about humanity through the recounting of true stories and experiences.

Using the response process repeatedly allows students to gain some expertise in using literary vocabulary. It is incorporated into their "comprehension toolbox." Ask students what they really enjoyed and didn't enjoy when giving them writing assignments, and make sure they always include citations from the text to back up their claims. In addition, inquire whether they identify with any of the situations described in the excerpt and why. Connections to "Across the Plains" could involve emigration, difficult travel, or being in an unfamiliar location.

Extension:

If students are having trouble recognizing the significance of literary elements in "Across the Plains," ask them to listen to some of their classmates' reactions, consider a personal experience where the setting played a significant role, and then write a paragraph summarizing the event. Additionally, have students write a sentence outlining why the environment—such as attempting to make it into a school play, competing in a sporting event, or walking home from school—is crucial to the experience.
Students can write a paragraph about a personal experience if they are having trouble understanding the distinction between literary nonfiction and fiction. Ask them to name the literary elements used in the paragraph, as well as any real people, places, or events.