Setting Shapes Story

Overview

In this 60-minute lesson, 7th grade students explore how the setting of the Secret Annex influences the characters and events in Anne Frank’s story. Students will examine excerpts from The Diary of Anne Frank (adapted as needed) and engage in close reading, discussion, and creative activities that deepen their understanding of the relationship between setting and narrative. This lesson aligns with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts (ELA) focusing on reading comprehension, analysis, and text-based evidence.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Analyze how the confined setting of the Secret Annex impacts character development and plot progression in The Diary of Anne Frank. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.3)
• Cite specific textual evidence to support ideas about the role of setting in the story. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.1)
• Prepare and participate in a collaborative discussion about setting using appropriate evidence and language. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1)
• Use textual clues to infer emotion and tension created by the setting. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4)

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Standards Alignment

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.3: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

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Materials

• Print or digital copies of selected excerpts from The Diary of Anne Frank (focus on passages describing the Secret Annex)
• Chart paper and markers or whiteboard and markers
• Student notebooks/journals
• Sticky notes or index cards
• Projector or smartboard (optional)

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Lesson Procedure

1. Warm-Up/Hook (10 minutes)

• Quickwrite Prompt: "Imagine you had to stay inside a small, secret place for a long time. How do you think this place would affect your feelings and actions?"
• Students write for 5 minutes in journals.
• Brief whole-class share (5 minutes): Encourage students to discuss their imagined experiences and feelings briefly.

Purpose: Activate background knowledge related to confined settings and emotional effects, prep for deeper text exploration.

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2. Introduction to Setting in Literature (5 minutes)

• Define “setting” as the time and place where a story happens and discuss its importance in stories, especially how it can influence characters and events.
• Display a brief anchor chart titled "How Setting Shapes Story", listing:
  • Influences mood and tone
  • Affects characters’ choices and emotions
  • Creates conflict or safety
  • Shapes plot events

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3. Close Reading of Excerpts (20 minutes)

• Distribute selected excerpts describing the Secret Annex (ensure language is age-appropriate).
• Read aloud as a class: teacher models expressive reading with pauses for reflection.
• Student pairs read again quietly, annotating with sticky notes or margin notes about how the setting influences characters and events. Prompt them with guiding questions:
  • What words describe the Annex?
  • How might being “hidden” and “confined” affect Anne and others?
  • What events are connected to the setting?

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4. Collaborative Discussion (15 minutes)

• Use a think-pair-share protocol:
  1. Think: Students review their annotations and consider answers to the earlier guiding questions.
  2. Pair: Students discuss their thoughts with a partner.
  3. Share: Pairs share ideas with the class, teacher charts key insights on the board.
• Prompt students to support ideas by citing specific textual evidence.

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5. Creative Application: Setting Impact Sketch (7 minutes)

• Individually, students create a quick visual or written sketch: How would one character’s feelings and actions change if the setting was very different (e.g., if Anne were free to move outside)?
• Encourage them to highlight contrasts—how setting influences resilience.

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6. Exit Ticket/Assessment (3 minutes)

• Students write a 3-4 sentence response:
  “How does the setting of the Secret Annex influence Anne or other characters? Provide one piece of evidence from the text.”
• Collect exit tickets to evaluate comprehension and ability to cite text.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Provide audio versions of excerpts or read aloud for struggling readers.
• Allow sketching or bullet points instead of full sentences for students who need support expressing their ideas.
• Challenge advanced learners to compare the setting's influence on different characters or events.

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Reflection for Teachers

Consider how students connected emotionally to the idea of confinement and safety and how well they used text to support their analysis. Adjust future lessons with more varied excerpts or multimedia to deepen context.

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Extension Suggestion

For homework or further study, students could research the historical context of the Secret Annex and write a short reflection on how real-life settings impact stories and resilience. This could feed into later lessons about author’s purpose and theme in the unit Voices of Resilience.