Day 45: Reading Lesson Plan: Exploring Setting, Character, and Gerunds
Welcome to Day 45! Today’s lesson blends focused reading time, a quick grammar check-in, and individual literary analysis. I like this day because it quietly reinforces the idea that strong reading habits and small moments of reflection add up to big gains over time. Plus, the gerunds quiz helps keep students accountable for grammar skills without derailing the reading flow.
1. Introduction (5 minutes)
I begin class by outlining our goals for the day: to strengthen independent reading stamina, demonstrate understanding of gerunds through a short quiz, and examine how the setting in their novels influences the decisions that characters make. I remind students that all of these skills—close reading, grammar accuracy, and literary interpretation—support their ability to analyze texts deeply as we progress through the unit.
2. Silent Reading (20 minutes)
Students settle in for sustained silent reading of their novels.
I encourage them to track any emerging details about characters or setting, especially anything that feels new, surprising, or important.
If their book is getting particularly exciting, I tell them it’s okay to jot down a quick note in the margin or on a sticky—our brains remember more when we capture thinking in the moment.
3. Gerunds Quiz (10 minutes)
Here, students complete a short gerunds quiz. This quick assessment checks their understanding of gerunds and gerund phrases—an important grammar skill that also shows up in their writing.
Students work independently. When everyone is finished, we do a fast review of the key ideas to clear up misconceptions.
Click here for the Gerunds Quiz.
4. Individual Assignment: Character & Setting Analysis (15–20 minutes)
Although this task is inspired by a small-group chart, today’s work is individual to ensure everyone builds their own analytical skills.
Student Task:
In your notebook or digital reading log, create the following:
A. Character + Trait Chart
Choose two main characters from your novel.
For each character, record:
Name
Two important traits
Evidence from the text (quote or paraphrase)
B. Setting Details
List significant details about the story’s setting, such as:
Location(s)
Time period
Social or cultural context
Mood or atmosphere created by the setting
C. Short Response Question
Answer the following prompt in 5–7 sentences:
How does the setting shape the characters’ choices so far in the story?
Encourage students to consider how limitations, opportunities, social rules, time period, or physical environment influence character behaviour.
D. Vocabulary Log
Add two new vocabulary words from today’s reading to your personal log.
For each word:
Write the definition
Give the sentence from the book
Create your own sentence using the word correctly
5. Conclusion (5 minutes)
To wrap up class, I ask a few students to share how the setting has influenced character actions in their novels. This quick share-out helps students notice patterns across different books and reinforces the idea that setting is more than just “where and when”—it’s a force that directs the plot.
I preview tomorrow’s lesson and remind students to keep bringing their novels and reading logs.
