Students can identify the setting of the story and validate their understanding of setting using textual evidence.
For example:
Setting #1: Opal’s trailer park home.Textual Evidence: “This was an all adult trailer park and the only reason why I got to live in it was because the preacher was a preacher and I was a good, quiet kid.”
Setting #2: ChurchTextual Evidence: “The Open Arms Baptist Church of Naomi isn’t a regular-looking church…people bring in their own foldup chairs and lawn chairs…”
Setting #3: Pet StoreTextual Evidence: “Winn-Dixie was not allowed to come inside the store (there was a big sign on the door that said NO DOGS ALLOWED…”
Extended Activity: For an extra challenge, students can describe the importance of each setting on the story and how it does or doesn't affect the plot.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that depicts the important settings of Because of Winn Dixie.
Teachers should briefly explain to the students the concept of setting within the story. Once the students have a clear concept of the idea they will be able to perform better.
Students should choose accurate scenes that have textual evidence of the type of setting in the story. For example, in fictional stories, authors use many adjectives and descriptive language to depict the scenes and leave the rest up to the reader's imagination.
For their convenience, students can list down all the descriptive details of a setting from a scene. For instance, they can note down the time period, the place, the situation, the expressions and appearances of the characters, and other small details that can be used in drawing.
Teachers can give the students a choice to select any scene they want and draw it according to their understanding. Encouraging research is also an important aspect of this story. Such as, if the setting is in a different time period like the 1940s, students can research what kind of clothes people used to wear during that time, what were the social and cultural differences and the most visited places for entertainment.
The summertime setting for the book is the sleepy Florida hamlet of Naomi. The town's different settings and how they affect the inhabitants' lives are at the heart of the narrative.
A sense of community is created by the small-town Southern environment, where the characters' lives are intertwined. It contributes to a welcoming and comfortable environment that fosters friendships and personal development.
The small-town environment supports the concepts of acceptance, understanding, and camaraderie. The close-knit neighborhood emphasizes the value of getting to know people beyond their outward appearances.
The fundamental setting doesn't change, but the character's perceptions of the setting do. As they get increasingly involved in the community, their original sense of isolation and detachment transforms into one of connection and oneness.