Students will learn about symbolism in this lesson. At the end of the lesson, students are able to:
- Determine the meaning of symbols in fictional writings by identifying and interpreting them.
- Determine how symbolism affects the narratives of works of fiction.
- Determine the impact of symbolism on fictional text characters.
- Show your comprehension of symbolism by filling out a graphic organizer.

- How do literary and informational texts make sense to strategically-minded readers? 
- How does text interaction prompt thought and response?
- How does what people read affect how they ought to read?
- What is the purpose of learning new words?
- What methods and sources do readers employ to decipher unfamiliar terminology?
- In what ways do students grow and hone their vocabulary?

- Fiction: Any story that is the product of imagination rather than a documentation of fact. Characters and events in such narratives may be based in real life, but they are a creation of the author. 
- 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. 
- Resolution: The portion of a story following the climax, in which the conflict is resolved. 
- Symbolism: A device in literature where an object represents an idea.

- Patricia Polacco. (2001). The Keeping Quilt. Aladdin. 
- Cynthia Rylant. (1996). An Angel for Solomon Singer. Orchard Paperbacks. 
Alternative books:
- Carmen Agra Deedy. (2000). The Yellow Star: The Legend of King Christian X of Denmark. Peachtree Publishers.
- Patricia Polacco. (2009). The Butterfly. Puffin Books.
- Peter Sís. (2001). The Three Golden Keys. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
- Avi. (1994). The Bird, the Frog, and the Light. Orchard Books.
- Eve Bunting. (1991). Fly Away Home. Clarion Books.
- Paul Goble. (2001). The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses. Atheneum, 2001.
- Allen Say. (2008). Grandfather’s Journey. Sandpiper, 2008.
Teachers may substitute other books to provide a range of reading and level of text complexity.
- student copies of the Symbols worksheet (L-6-1-2_Symbols)
- student copies of the Effects of Symbolism graphic organizer (L-6-1-2_ Effects of Symbolism)
- chart paper

- Keep the lesson's main emphasis on helping students gain a thorough understanding of symbolism and how this kind of figurative language affects a text's plot and overall meaning. Examine how students work in small groups. Make a note of the students who seem to be struggling to finish their graphic organizers. As needed, offer assistance. 
- Utilize the checklist below to assess students' comprehension: 
+ Students identify the text's symbolic objects. 
+ Students correctly evaluate how symbolism has impacted the text's plot.
+ Students correctly assess the symbolic effects on the characters. 
+ Students correctly analyze the impact of symbolism on the events that follow.
+ Students properly evaluate the text's resolution and how tone and meaning are affected by symbolism.

Explicit instruction, modeling, and active engagement
W: Examine items that are symbolic or representative of something else to introduce students to the literary device of symbolism.
H: Assist students in finishing a graphic organizer that demonstrates how symbolism impacts a text's plot.
E: Analyze how the quilt influences the text's plot after having students listen to The Keeping Quilt to further explore the use of symbolism.
R: As students read An Angel for Solomon Singer and complete a graphic organizer, have them work in small groups to deepen their understanding of symbolism.
E: Assist students in putting what they've learned about symbolism and how it affects a text's plot into practice by having them complete a graphic organizer on their own.
T: Provide a range of resources to deepen students' comprehension of symbolism in accordance with their learning levels, enabling flexible grouping based on reading proficiency.
O: This lesson's learning exercises include large-group instruction and discussion, small-group inquiry, partner work, and individual application of the material.

Key Question: What does symbolism mean? What impact does symbolism have on meaning in fiction?

Give each student a copy of the Symbols worksheet (L-6-1-2_Symbols). Say, "Take a few minutes to examine the items on this worksheet and consider possible meanings for the pictures." Help students comprehend the meaning of the following objects:

The dove represents peace.
The heart represents love.
The skull represents peril or demise.
The Statue of Liberty represents freedom.
Have students record these connections below each object on their worksheet. Say, “Think about other objects that are symbols and explain what they represent.” Record students’ responses on the board/interactive whiteboard.

You may wish to have students brainstorm objects or symbols that represent the United States of America, such as the following:
White House
bald eagle
U.S. Capitol
liberty bell
Uncle Sam
American flag
Part 1

Say, "Symbolism is a kind of figurative language that authors frequently use. Using an object to symbolize an abstract concept is known as symbolism. You will be able to recognize literary allusions and evaluate how they affect a text's meaning."

Read the Keeping Quilt picture book aloud.

Say, "The quilt serves as a symbol for many important events in the main character's life throughout the narrative. It influences the story's meaning in the same manner that it influences the story's plot or sequence of events." Discuss the word "plot" with your partners. Remind students that a story's plot is the sequence in which the author presents its most important events. Write the following questions on chart paper, then have small groups discuss the responses:

What material is used to make the quilt? (An old clothes basket, Uncle Vladimir's shirt, Aunt Havalah's nightgown, Aunt Natasha's apron, and Anna's babushka)
How is the quilt passed down from generation to generation? (It has been handed down for nearly a century from mother to daughter. The quilt served as a wedding canopy, a blanket to welcome new babies, and a Sabbath tablecloth for four generations.)
What does the quilt symbolize? For family members, what does it mean? (the family's unwavering love; Russia, the family's hometown)

Part 2

Give each student a copy of the graphic organizer "Effects of Symbolism" (L-6-1-2_Effects of Symbolism). Assist students in completing the organizer by having them fill in the following fields:

Title: The Keeping Quilt
Writer: Patricia Polacco
Symbol: Students should draw a quilt.
Impact on the Storyline:
Sequence of Events: The quilt is at the center of the order of events.
The creation of the quilt using remnants of family members' clothes opens the tale.
For many generations, the quilt has served as a wedding canopy, a blanket to greet new family members, and a tablecloth for Sabbaths.
The narrative closes with the cloth being wrapped around a newborn, suggesting to the reader that the baby will use the quilt as she grows older.
Resolution: The story can now conclude on a happy note thanks to the quilt. The use of symbolism repeatedly creates a warm and uplifting tone that may cause students to reflect on their family traditions.
Effects on Characters:
Characters: The quilt has an impact on the main characters' lives. The primary characters are passing down a family tradition that is interwoven throughout the narrative. Since the story of their ancestors will never end, this quilt represents the family's unwavering love.
Read the picture book An Angel for Solomon Singer in small groups. Next, give every student a fresh copy of the graphic organizer titled "Effects of Symbolism." Say, "You will find a copy of the book An Angel for Solomon Singer, which you will read in your group. Each of you will complete the Effects of Symbolism graphic organizer after reading the book."

Some possible answers for the graphic organizer are shown in the following example:

Title: An Angel for Solomon Singer
Writer: Cynthia Rylant
Symbol: Students ought to draw the angel and the café.
Effects on the Plot:
Chronology: The Westway Café is at the center of the chronology of events.
At the start of the story, Solomon wishes that his surroundings were more like his childhood home in Indiana.
Solomon discovers the Westway Café by accident. The phrase "where all of your dreams come true" appears on the menu while he is in the café, and it eventually comes true for him. It is also during this period that he meets a gentle and kind waiter named Angel. Solomon frequently places orders for food at the café, but he also subtly places orders for his dreams.
By the time the story ends, Solomon has changed from being depressed and alone to cheerful and hopeful. He at last realizes that, if he so chooses, everything in his immediate environment can be beautiful. Solomon realizes he's arrived at a place he can call home—the Westway Café.
Resolution: Thanks to Angel and the café, the tale can now conclude happily. Because of the upbeat tone that their use as symbols has produced, readers may feel more upbeat about their own lives.
Characters: The Westway Café and Angel the Waiter have an impact on Solomon Singer, the main character. Angel and the Westway Café are both symbolic because of the deeper meaning that their names convey. The Westway Café reminds Solomon of his Midwest hometown, and Angel is like an angel to him because she guides him in his quest to rediscover happiness.
Effects on the Characters:
Ask pupils to post their solutions on their graphic organizers. Give students the chance to consider how a text's symbolism influences its meaning and plot. Write the students' answers down on the interactive whiteboard or board.

Extension:
Students who are prepared to go beyond the requirements can use the books mentioned in Materials to delve deeper into symbolism. Students should finish the Effects of Symbolism graphic organizer after reading these books to demonstrate their comprehension of symbolism and how it affects a story's plot and meaning.
The books included in Related Resources are suitable reading for students who require extra learning opportunities. Assist students in recognizing symbolic objects and using the graphic organizer to examine how these elements impact the text's overall meaning and plot.
Give students who can finish a more advanced symbolism exercise the assignment to consider an item that holds special meaning for them. Students should create their own original stories utilizing symbolism by utilizing the graphic organizer "Effects of Symbolism." Invite students to tell the class about themselves.