A person’s speaking voice is individual and recognizable. The way an author chooses words and develops sentences to share ideas also creates a voice that is unique. These word choices and sentence types create a mood, or feeling, for readers. An author’s word choice may also include literal language such as precise nouns and verbs to describe an action or event.

Readers usually have to figure out the theme for themselves. Thinking about what characters have learned or how they changed helps readers figure out a story’s theme.

A story’s theme is not the same as its topic. While a theme is a lesson about life, a story’s topic is its general subject, such as basketball or families.

Readers learn about characters from what they say and do, as well as from their relationships with other characters. Do they get along, or are they enemies? Are they alike, or very different?

Point out that some characters (major characters) have a greater role in a story than others (minor characters).

The setting may be important to the story and what happens. For example, the events in a story set in summer might be very different from events that take place in winter.

Authors choose to tell the events in most stories in the order that they happen. Explain that this text structure helps readers see how the events build on each other, and how one event leads to the next.

Authors use text features such as bold text to show readers words and phrases that are important.

Many types of graphic features help to explain ideas in the text. Authors may use photos to show how something looks or to give readers a feeling for what an event was like.

Authors may present a chart to share information and details in clear and concise way.

It is a smart strategy to pause at times to check their understanding. Explain that this is true for both readers and viewers. Point out that if a text or a scene is confusing, there are strategies to clarify, or make clear, whatever they didn’t understand.

Review and discuss the possible strategies to consider when a particular word is confusing or unfamiliar.

The strategies used when a text is confusing can be adapted for a video. For example, rewinding and watching part of the video again may provide a chance to notice details that were missed on the first viewing.

Sound elements may include background sounds, music, voiceovers, and sound effects. These elements may create a mood or provide a realistic feeling.

A video may also include live action in which actors or real people perform. Videos may also include graphics or text that support or tell more about the action.