Lesson 7: Conflict

Your child can record his chapter summary and draw his event illustration in his journal.

Explain to your child that most books have what is called conflict. Conflict refers to the main problem that the characters face in the story. Conflict can be between a character and another character, between the character and the environment, or between the character and himself or herself. There are two different stories within this book, so there are two conflicts. Ask your child if he can describe the two different stories (the tornado on the farm and the story of Pete and his dog, Tornado).

Give your child the page called "Story Conflict." Review the different kinds of conflict that can occur in a story. (They are written at the top of the page.) Ask your child to name the different types of conflict. Provide examples of conflicts in other stories he has read.

Ask your child to explain the conflict or problem of the boy on the farm who is listening to Pete's story. (There is a tornado on the farm and the boy's dad is stuck outside). On the page, ask your child to dictate a sentence that describes the boy's conflict (Conflict #1) and record it on the line. Next, ask him to label the type of conflict (character vs. nature). Then he can illustrate the conflict in the box.

Optional
If time permits complete the last half of the page.

On the bottom half of the page, ask your child to explain the main conflict in Pete's stories about Tornado. (Pete loses Tornado to the dog's original owner). Then he can describe the type of conflict (character vs. character). Ask him to illustrate the conflict in the box.