Multiple Genres: Analyzing How Characters Internal And External Responses Develop The Plot (TEKS.ELA.6.7.B)
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Texas 6th Grade ELA › Multiple Genres: Analyzing How Characters Internal And External Responses Develop The Plot (TEKS.ELA.6.7.B)
Mateo tightened the last screw on the robot and hit the start key. The bot lurched, spun in a circle, and clipped the edge of the arena, knocking a wheel loose. The crowd let out a small "ooh," and Mateo felt his stomach drop. We practiced this drive path a hundred times, he thought. If I messed up the wiring, the team will blame me. He glanced at the countdown clock. Two minutes left in the round. His hands wanted to shove the controller to Eli, but instead he took a breath and said, "Time-out! Check the left motor." The teammates crouched in, and Mateo flipped the bot and traced the cables with a finger. There—a loose connector. He snapped it in, then waved to the judge for re-entry. "Let's load the simple route," he said, choosing the smaller scoring loop. The bot rolled forward smoothly, nudged the blocks into the goal, and the buzzer sounded. Afterward, Eli grinned. "Nice call. We salvaged points." Mateo's shoulders loosened. Maybe admitting the mistake was the best move he could make.
How does the character's response affect the plot?
His private worry makes the robot move slower, which earns extra time to fix it.
By admitting the mistake and organizing a quick check, the team finds the loose cable and re-enters the match to score points.
Because he feels frustrated, the judge decides to reset the round for them.
The coach's pep talk causes the robot to steer itself correctly without changes.
Explanation
Mateo's external response—calling a time-out and directing a quick check—leads to finding the loose connector, allowing the team to re-enter and score. His choice shifts the plot from failure to recovery.
The trail narrowed as dark clouds gathered over the ridge. Lina's calves burned, but she kept a steady pace behind her uncle. We're so close to the overlook, she told herself, picturing the view. A cool wind slid down the rocks, carrying the smell of rain and a quick shiver of worry. Thunder rumbled—far, but not far enough. If we get caught up there, there's nowhere to hide, she thought, glancing at the open slabs ahead. Her uncle checked the sky and shrugged. "Your call." Lina swallowed. She wanted the overlook, wanted the photo she'd promised her friends, but the prickling at the back of her neck wouldn't let go. "We should turn back and tell the others to head for the boulder cave," she said. They jogged downhill, warning two hikers on the switchback, then waved to their cousins at the fork. By the time fat drops began to fall, the family was ducking into the shallow cave, packs off, jackets on. Rain sheeted over the entrance. Lina hugged her knees, listening to the drum of water, relieved that the choice had been hers.
How does the character's response affect the plot?
Her desire to reach the overlook makes the storm pass by on its own.
Because she worries silently, the group keeps hiking and somehow stays dry.
The thunder convinces a park ranger to close the trail, forcing everyone back.
By choosing to turn back and warn the others, the family reaches shelter before the downpour, changing their plan and keeping them safe.
Explanation
Lina's external response—turning back and alerting others—redirects the group to shelter, shifting the plot from a risky push to safety during the storm.
Jamal stepped onto the taped X under the hot stage lights. His palms were damp. "Whenever you're ready," the director called from the dark seats. Jamal opened his mouth for the first line and—blank. The next words scattered like birds. Not now, he thought, heat rising in his ears. They'll think I didn't practice. He stared at the doorknob prop on the set, fighting the urge to bolt. Breathe, Mr. Ortega had taught them. Four counts in, four counts out. Jamal filled his lungs, let the air slide out, and found the first sentence like a pebble in a stream. "I'm not afraid of the dark," he said, voice steadying. He replaced a forgotten line with a simple phrase, then asked, "May I start from the top?" The director leaned forward. "Go ahead." This time the monologue flowed. Jamal felt his shoulders drop with each beat that landed. When he finished, the director smiled. "Thank you. Callbacks will be posted tomorrow." Jamal walked offstage, shaky but grinning. He hadn't been perfect, but he had stayed in the scene when it counted.
How does the character's response affect the plot?
Using a breathing strategy and asking to start over helps him regain control, leading to a stronger performance and a likely callback.
His panic alone impresses the director so much that he is offered the lead immediately.
Forgetting his lines makes the lights turn off, so the audition is canceled.
The prop doorknob delivers the next line to him, which fixes the scene.
Explanation
Jamal's internal regulation followed by an external request to restart shifts the audition from a near-failure to a solid performance, advancing him toward a callback.
Saturday morning, Priya unlocked the gate to the community garden and stopped. The bean leaves drooped like tired hands, and the soil was cracked into puzzle pieces. I should've come yesterday, she thought, heat prickling her cheeks. Mr. Dominguez's hose lay coiled next door, but she didn't know him well. What if he says no? Her phone showed an hour until the sun got fierce. She grabbed the watering can and made one slow trip along the first row. It barely darkened the dirt. This isn't enough, she told herself. Priya wiped her palms on her shorts, walked to the neighbor's porch, and knocked. A moment later, a man opened the door. Priya took a breath. "Hi, I help with the garden. Could I borrow your hose?" He blinked, then smiled and nodded. Soon water hissed across the beds, mud waking with the scent of summer. Priya set a timer, soaked each plot, and texted the garden group about starting a watering schedule. By noon, the leaves had lifted. When Mr. Dominguez waved from his fence, Priya waved back, grateful she'd asked.
How does the character's response affect the plot?
Feeling embarrassed by itself waters the plants enough to revive them.
The sun becomes cooler, and the garden recovers without any help.
Choosing to ask for the hose and then organizing watering enables her to save the plants and involve neighbors, moving the story toward a solution.
Texting the group earlier in the week caused yesterday's rain to fill the beds overnight.
Explanation
Priya's external action—asking for the hose—and follow-up plan change the situation from a failing garden to a recovering one, advancing the plot toward a community solution.