Because of Winn Dixie

Understanding by Design
Novel Planning Tool
Grade 5 Unit 1
Stage 1 Desired Results
Common Core ELA Standards: RL.5.1. RL5.2. RL.5.3. RL 5.4. RL5.5.;RL5.6. RL.5.10 W5.3 W5.4
W5.5

➔ Students will refer to a text using direct quotes to explain what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text
➔ Students will determine a theme of a story from details in the text, including how characters in a
story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a text reflects upon a topic;
summarize the text.
➔ Students will discuss how characters respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem
reflects upon a topic.
➔ Students will justify how the parts of a text contribute to the overall meaning of a work regarding
the order of chapters, scenes or stanzas
➔ Students will describe the point of view of the speaker or narrator.
➔ Students will speculate how point of view influences the description of the events in a text.
➔ Students will write a narrative.
➔ Students will produce clear and coherent writing in which the developing and organization are
appropriate to task, purpose and audience.
➔ Students will draw evidence from literary text to support analysis, reflection and research.

Understandings: Essential Questions:

The Development of a Character
throughout a story impacts the plot.
Interactions and relationships between
characters can affect the plot of a story.
Making connections helps readers draw on
prior knowledge as they incorporate and
assimilate new information from a text.
Point of View is from which a story is told.
How does understanding characterization
help readers to explore the feelings,
thoughts, and motivations of the characters?
How does the author’s choice of point of view
affect our understanding of the elements of
the story?
In what ways does character evolution
contribute to the conflict and plot of a story?

(Winn Dixie first person Opal’s perspective) How does the use of figurative language aid in
visualization when reading?
Figurative language makes writing more
interesting.

The use of context will aid in defining

 Students will know: (transfer goals) Students will be able to:

Identify patterns of character development to Quote accurately from a text when explaining what
determine the changes and how they affect the story the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences
elements. from the text, using Notice and Note Signposts and
answering text-dependent questions.

Explain the relationships or interactions between

Recognize and Identify the point of view from
two or more individuals, events, ideas, concepts based
which a story is told.
on specific information in the text.

Experiment with perspectives to analyze the affect Draw evidence from literary text to support analysis,
it has on a story’s plot. reflection and research, by writing about two or more
characters and how they interact with each other.

Explain how figurative language can affect the tone

of a text.

Apply knowledge of figurative language, point of

view, and perspective to
write a narrative piece of text.

Use textual evidence to support claims and

opinions.

Stage 2 Assessment Evidence

Performance Tasks: Proficient Responses:

Sample Explanatory Writing Assignment for A proficient answer should have at least two parts:
DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie : (this is in
conjunction with the Text-Dependent Questions Students should explain - using evidence from the
section) text - how Winn-Dixie looking into the library was the

The title of this selection is Because of Winn-Dixie.
Using your answers from the questions below and
class discussion, explain why this is an appropriate
title for the selection. Be sure to clearly cite
evidence from the text for each part of your answer.
Sample Explanatory Writing Assignment for
DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie :
When friend or a community come together to solve
a problem, why is being honest important to the best
solution Use examples from the story to support
your answer.
cause of Miss Franny falling, which in turn led to the story
about the bear and Opal’s realization that she and Miss
Franny were both lonely.
· They should then relate how Winn-Dixie’s response
to Miss Franny (“That dog is smiling at me”) endeared her
to Winn-Dixie and led Opal to suggest that they could be
friends.
The answer should show a clear understanding of
how this progression of events led to the three characters
becoming friends. An answer
pulling on more from the text would include that Winn-
Dixie’s “talent” and “huge heart” were traits that made all
this possible.

Other Evidence:

Student conversation/responses during a shared reading or

literature circles should be used as formative assessment.

Written response when comparing how text structure affects

the plot during independent reading.

Use of academic vocabulary, such as plot, conflict,

progression of events while responding to a scenario or mini
lesson during writer’s workshop.

Stage 3 Learning Plan

Introduce and model Signposts for students to understand text. Contrasts and Contradictions, Aha
Moment, Tough Questions, Again and Again, Words of the Wiser, & Memory Moment Resource-Notice
and Note by Kylene Beers to understand literary elements- Examples by chapter are listed below.

Students will be able to independently practice and apply Signpost strategies during Reader’s Workshop.

Students will cite evidence by answer TDQ to quote accurately from text. Samples below.
 Digging Deeper
In

Because of

Winn-Dixie

Digging Deeper with Because of

Winn Dixie
By Kate DiCamillo
 Chapters 1 & 2:
1. Is the story being told in 1st or 3rd person?
2. Why do you think the author is telling it from Opal’s viewpoint rather than just
telling the story in 3rd person?

3. Do you think Opal and her father are close? Why or why not? Cite something
from the chapter

that supports your answer.

4. Opal says she and Winn-Dixie are exceptions. What is an exception? Put the
definition in your own words.

5. Are they just exceptions to the trailer park, or does the author write this for

another reason? If so, what?

 After reading chapter 3: Pg 24 Opal says that ever since she moved here, she’s

been thinking about her mama extra-extra hard, more than she ever did when she was in

Watley. Why do you think this is happening? Did she say anything else in this chapter that may

help you answer this?

Take notice on page 26. When you notice a word, phrase, object or situation mentioned over

and over again, and (ask) yourself why is this repeated. The answers will tell you
about the theme or conflict, or they might foreshadow what will happen later. Why does Opal,

again and again, refer to her father as the preacher instead of simply saying my dad or my

father? When she is talking directly to her father, she calls him “Daddy,” but when she refers to

him in her thoughts or her narrative, she still refers to him as “the preacher.” This has been

repeated since the beginning of the book. Any thoughts about this?
Look for symbolism (expressing something by using an object or picture that represents

something else) on pg. 27. What is the symbol and what does it represent?

Chapter 4: On a separate sheet of paper, start to write 10 things about (that

describe) Opal. What are her character traits? You may continue this until the end of the

book. Then choose your top 10.

Chapter 5: Why do you think author Kate DiCamillo wrote this chapter? Do you
think what happened in this chapter is important? What is the author trying to show you?
Chapters 6 & 7: You usually become friends with someone that you like things in common

or have things in common. Opal and Miss Frannie become friends in these 2 chapters. What

do they have/like in common?

Chapter 8: It is repeated a couple of times in this chapter that Otis keeps looking

down at the counter and won’t look up at Opal. What is the author showing you?

As you read chapter 9, pay special attention to the “voice” you give the characters,

given the situations and their character traits. What kind of voice (deep, loud, cranky, fast,
slow, shrill, with an accent) did you give the Dewberry boys? ,

Gloria Dump? _, Opal? _?

Infer: What tells Opal that Gloria is not a witch or a bad person?

What do you think Gloria means when she says she can’t see anything but shapes, but if Opal

tells her everything about herself, she will see her with her heart?

Chapter 10: Opal said she could feel Gloria listening with all her heart and it felt
good. What do you think this means?

What do you think the “Wait and See Tree” symbolizes? It looks more like a plant to Opal and

she treats it like it was a baby she was tucking into bed. She is told she has to wait until it grows

up to know what it is. When she asks to come back and see how much it changes by tomorrow,
she is told it won’t change much by tomorrow, but will take more time. What could all this be

referring to instead of the “tree?”

Chapter 11: How does the preacher respond to Winn-Dixie’s pathological fear of
thunderstorms?

What does Opal learn about the preacher from his response?

Chapter 12: Otis seems to have some kind of magical power over the animals when
he plays his music. Sweetie Pie and Opal agree that Winn-Dixie has powers, too. What
kind of magical power do you think (or do they think) Winn-Dixie has?

Chapters 13 & 14: In chapter 13, Opal and the Dewberry boys get into an argument
because Opal only hangs out with (in the boys’ opinion) old ladies, a witch, and a retarded man
who was in jail. In chapter 14, Gloria responds to this with her “Words of the Wiser.” When a
 character (who is probably older and a lot wiser, takes the main character aside and

gives serious advice, and yourself what is the life lesson and how does it
affect the character. What is the life lesson and how might it affect Opal? Cite your evidence
from the text.
_

At the end of chapter 14, Opal studied the tree with all of the bottles hanging from it and
wondered. She is faced with a couple of very tough questions. Does her mama, wherever she
is, have a tree full of bottles? Is Opal a ghost to her mama, the same way she seems like a ghost

to her? When a character asks herself a really difficult question, and yourself: What
does this question make me wonder about? The answers will tell you about a conflict and they
might give you ideas about what will happen later in the story. What are the ghosts and what
does this make you wonder?
Chapters 15, 16 &17: Chapter 15 is a build-up to Miss Franny having a memory moment
about her great-grandfather. When the author interrupts the action to tell you a memory,

and yourself: Why might this memory be important. The answers will tell you about

the theme, conflict, or might foreshadow what will happen later in the story. Why do you think
a memory about surviving the civil war is important to the
story?

Chapter 18: The Littmus Lozenge is sweet and yet it reminds the characters of
sadness in their lives. Even though they remember the sadness, they continue to suck on the
candy. Symbolism is expressing something by using an object or picture that represents
something else. What do you think the lozenge symbolizes or
represents?

What is Opal learning about all of the other characters in the story?
_

Chapters 19, 20: When a character suddenly realizes, understands, or finally figures

something out and yourself, how might this change things? If the character
figured out a problem, you probably just learned about the conflict. If the character understood a
life lesson, you probably just learned the theme.

In the middle of reading Gone with the Wind, Opal suddenly gets an idea (an aha moment!)and
slams the book shut. They need to have a party. How might this change things? Do you think
she is figuring out a problem or understanding a life lesson, or
both?
 Chapter 21: At the end of this chapter, Opal “talked to him (Otis) real soft and
gentle and low, like he was a wild animal that I was trying to get to take food out of
my hand.” Why did the author write it this way? What is she trying to show, not tell?

Chapter 22: Opal’s father blesses her party with a prayer to God. “We appreciate,” he
says, “the complicated and wonderful gifts you give us in each other” (page 153). What
are the complicated gifts of friendship? What are the wonderful gifts?

Chapter 23: Gloria gives more “Words of the Wiser.” She says to Opal, “There ain’t no
way you can hold on to something that wants to go, you understand? You can only love what
you got while you got it” (page 159). What does she mean by that? Do you think she is only
talking about Winn Dixie? What does this have to do with the theme and plot of the story?
When a character says or does something that’s opposite (contradicts) what he/she has been

saying or doing all along and yourself, why is the character doing that? The answers
could help you make a prediction or make an inference about the plot and conflict. Opal
waved at Dunlap the last time she saw him. They were becoming friends. Why, at the end of
this chapter, when Dunlap waves to her, doesn’t she wave back?

Chapter 24: Opal has another Aha moment. She thought of something she had
never thought of before. What was this and how might this change things? Do you
think she is figuring out a problem or understanding a life lesson, or both?

The climax to the story happens in this chapter. What happens at the climax?

There is another contradiction of character (a character says or does something opposite of

what he/she has been doing all along) in this chapter. What is it, and why is it important to the
story?
How does Opal react when her father breaks down?

Chapters 25, 26: What is the importance of the “mistake tree”? What does it symbolize?

After visiting the Mistake Tree, Opal then crawls through the dark to find her Wait and See
Tree. She “was surprised at how much it had grown. It was still small. It still looked more like a
plant than a tree. But the leaves and the branches felt real strong and good and right.” What
does this tree symbolize? Why?

At the very end, the flavor of the Littmus Lozenge opened in Opal’s mouth “like a flower
blooming, all sweet and sad.” What does this show Opal has learned?
Why do you think Kate DiCamillo titled her book Because of Winn-Dixie ?

Did you like the story’s ending? If you were the author, would your ending have

been different, and if so, how and why?

Possible Answers: Chapters 1 & 2 The story is being told by Opal(1st person), who

is the main character. We are hearing the story from her point of view. This way we get to
know what she is thinking and feeling like the dog was smiling at her.

Opal refers to her father as Preacher instead of Daddy because he is more like a preacher to her
than her father. He immerses himself into his job and is basically leaving Opal to grow up on
her own. He never talks to her about anything important in life, especially about her mother.
There is a wall up around him. At the beginning of chapter 2 Opal says her daddy is a good
preacher and a nice man, but it is hard for her to think of him as her daddy, because he spends
so much time preaching or thinking about preaching, or getting ready to preach.

An exception is the act of leaving out, an exclusion. They are exclusion because they (children
& dogs)are not really permitted to live in the trailer park. They are also exclusions because they
are both on their own and don’t really belong anywhere.

Chapter 3 When she lived in Watley, at least she had her friends. Now that she is all alone, she
has more time to think about her Mama. She also heard ladies talking at church that her daddy
still loves her mama and hopes she will come back. Her daddy never talks to her about any of
this, but hearing the ladies talk brings it all back to the surface. It’s important to know that
outwardly she loves her daddy, but inwardly, he is not there for her emotionally. He is more of
a preacher than a father. This part of their relationship is important to the story and its theme.

Symbolism: “I could see him thinking about pulling his head back into his shell.” The shell is a
symbol for hiding his thoughts and feelings inside so no one can know or see what he is thinking
and feeling.

Chapter 4: Opal is brave, lonely, independent, responsible, sad, looks out for others, or any
other similar character traits. These answers will become deeper as the story progresses. This
chapter is about comparing Opal to her mother. Her mother had good and bad qualities like all
humans, but now we understand a little about why she felt she had to leave. She felt she was
constantly being judged as the preacher’s wife and never felt she measured up to the
congregation. She drank to make herself feel better, but that just made everything worse,
including feeling even guiltier for not being perfect. It also shows how deeply she misses her
mom, yearns to know more about her, and also hopes more than anything that she will come
back.

Chapter 5 This chapter shows that Opal’s father does have good qualities. He couldn’t hurt a
fly…or mouse. Winn-Dixie and Opal have the same good quality. Winn-Dixie, like Opal, wants
to please the preacher. In praying to God, Opal shares that she also feels that no kids will like
her because they think she will tattle to the preacher on every little bad thing they do. They
will then be in trouble with God and their parents. Talking to God, she confesses she is lonely.
This chapter shows how she and her mama are so much alike with fitting in with others. Also,
take note on pg. 39 that the preacher rubbed his nose. He does this whenever he is deep in
thought or uncomfortable.

Chapters 6/7 Opal and Miss Frannie have several things in common. They both love books and
reading. Both are brave and won’t go down without a fight. Miss Frannie is old, so all of her
friends have died. She is lonely and has no more friends, just like Opal. Both like Winn-Dixie
and think he is talented and Winn-Dixie approves and like them both. Both of them believe
that exceptions should be made for Winn-Dixie.

Chapter 8: The author is showing you that Otis is shy and quiet, introverted. He doesn’t want
to make the bird mad, so he is afraid to cause trouble.

Chapter 9: I would give the Dewberry boys loud, obnoxious voices, Gloria Dump, an older voice
with a southern twang, Opal appears to talk quiet in this chapter as she gets to know Gloria.
(Although I would change the volume and tone of her voice when she is talking to the Dewberry
boys.)

I know that Opal trusts Winn-Dixie and believes he can tell if a person is good or bad. Since he
seems to be relaxed and likes Gloria, she must be a good person. Gloria, likewise, likes Winn-
Dixie. Opal believes anyone who likes Winn-Dixie must be a good person. Once they start a
conversation, they all laugh that they all have a strange name in common.
Gloria doesn’t need to see Opal’s physical features to determine what kind of person she is. By
listening to her talk about herself, she will be able to know if she is nice, good, selfish, lonely or
other character traits. By determining what she is like on the inside is like having Gloria’s heart
“seeing” into Opal’s heart. The heart being able to see who she is, is symbolizing getting to
know the real person.

Chapter 10: She knows she has Gloria’s undivided attention. She is truly listening and
understanding and feeling every word Opal is saying. This is different than when she talks to
her dad. It feels so good, like she is finally getting it all out in the open. It’s like when you
finally get something off your chest that you’ve kept inside for so long.
 Text Dependent Questions

Text Dependent Question Sample Exemplar Answers

Why was Miss Franny so scared by Winn-Dixie?
Why was she “acting all embarrassed?”
Miss Franny thought Winn-Dixie was a bear.
When she realized he was a dog, she was
embarrassed because she thought Opal
would think she was a “silly old lady,
mistaking a dog for a bear.”
Text Dependent Questions-(Continued)
Questions 3-5 trace the sequence of events that led to the three characters becoming friends and
prepare students for the writing prompt at the end of the lesson.

Text Dependent Question Sample Exemplar Answers

Opal says, “She looked sad and old and Students should realize that she was thinking about friends and
wrinkled.” What happened to cause Miss people who are no longer alive, and that she does not have any
Franny to look this way? friends now: “All my friends, everyone I knew when I was young,
they are all dead and gone.”

What were Opal’s feelings when she Students should realize that Opal felt she and Miss Franny were
realized how Miss Franny felt? both lonely: “It was the same way I felt . . . friendless . . .”

Earlier in the story, Opal says that Winn-
Dixie “has a large heart, too.” What does
Winn-Dixie do to show that he has a “large
heart”?
Students should see that Winn-Dixie was responding to Opal and
Miss Franny feeling sad when he looked between them and
showed Miss Franny his teeth: “Winn-Dixie raised his head off
his paws and looked back and forth between me and Miss
Franny. He sat up then and showed Miss Franny his teeth. ‘Well
now, look at that,’ she said. ‘That dog is smiling at me.’”
Opal and Miss Franny have three very
important things in common - What are
these? As noted in question 4, both characters are lonely.
In the very first sentence of the passage, Opal says,
“I spent a lot of time that summer
at the Herman W. Block Memorial Library.
” Therefore, it is a reasonable inference that
Opal likes books. Similarly, Miss Franny said,
“When I was a little girl I loved to read.”
And when told that she could have anything she wanted
for her birthday, she replied, “.
. . I would most certainly love to have a library.”
Opal, of course, likes Winn-Dixie, and there is evidence that Miss
Franny does as well: “Well now look at that . . . ‘That dog is
smiling at me.’” Also, “. . . she smiled back at Winn-Dixie.”