Multiple Genres: Demonstrating Knowledge Of Literary Genres Including Fiction Myths And More (TEKS.ELA.6.8.A)
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Texas 6th Grade ELA › Multiple Genres: Demonstrating Knowledge Of Literary Genres Including Fiction Myths And More (TEKS.ELA.6.8.A)
The feed store door swung wide as Marisol followed her dad in, dust shaking from their boots. The Saturday list was long—fence staples, salt blocks, and enough feed to carry the herd through a dry spell. Out by the truck, her little brother practiced loops with his rope, missing the post by a mile. Marisol hid a smile and checked her heifer's halter, picturing the county show next week. The sky stretched big and bright, and somewhere beyond the mesquite, calves bawled for supper.
Which genre does this passage best represent?
Realistic fiction
Myth
Mystery
Historical fiction
Explanation
Realistic fiction: ordinary characters, believable events, and a real-world Texas ranch setting (feed store, county show, mesquite) show everyday life. Extension: Explain how the chores and county show make it realistic and how Texas ranch culture shapes Marisol's goals. Scaffold—Genre trait chart: Realistic fiction—true-to-life; TX: ranch/4-H. Adventure—fast action/risks; TX: river rapids. Historical fiction—past events; TX: Alamo. Mystery—clues/solution; TX: lost brand. Humor—wordplay/silliness; TX: tall diner tale. Myth—supernatural/exaggeration; TX: Pecos Bill. Enrichment: Compare realistic fiction vs. myth; how does Texas appear in facts vs. exaggeration?
The canoe shot into the narrow gorge just as the river quickened, walls rising on both sides like dark teeth. Tyler dug his paddle deep, fighting the pull of a hidden current. Ahead, a fallen cottonwood blocked half the channel, and the roar of rapids drowned out Sam's shout. There was no turning back. Tyler yelled for the left gap, angling hard toward the rock. Water slapped his face, cold and blinding. The bow scraped, then slid through, and the two boys whooped as the river carried them on.
Which genre does this passage best represent?
Mystery
Adventure story
Humor
Historical fiction
Explanation
Adventure story: fast pace, physical danger, and problem-solving under pressure (rapids, obstacles, no turning back) signal an action-driven quest. Extension: Explain how the river's risks and quick decisions define the genre and how setting shapes the action. Scaffold—Genre trait chart: Realistic fiction—true-to-life; TX: ranch/4-H. Adventure—fast action/risks; TX: river rapids. Historical fiction—past events; TX: Alamo. Mystery—clues/solution; TX: lost brand. Humor—wordplay/silliness; TX: tall diner tale. Myth—supernatural/exaggeration; TX: Pecos Bill. Enrichment: Compare adventure vs. mystery; danger vs. clues, and how a Texas river could create tension in both.
By candlelight, I folded the letter for Mama and tucked it into my vest, hoping some courier might slip past the lines by dawn. Smoke curled along the adobe walls, and the chapel bell, cracked and stubborn, sang a tired note over the plaza. We had counted our powder twice, rationed cornmeal, and mended a frayed flag with a strip of someone's shirt. When the quiet settled, I traced my name at the bottom—only a farmhand from Gonzales, holding fast with the others inside the Alamo.
Which genre does this passage best represent?
Realistic fiction
Mystery
Humor
Historical fiction
Explanation
Historical fiction: it places invented characters within a real Texas event and setting (adobe walls, rationed powder, the Alamo in 1836), using period details. Extension: Explain how historical facts anchor the scene and how the Texas setting shapes the character's courage. Scaffold—Genre trait chart: Realistic fiction—true-to-life; TX: ranch/4-H. Adventure—fast action/risks; TX: river rapids. Historical fiction—past events; TX: Alamo. Mystery—clues/solution; TX: lost brand. Humor—wordplay/silliness; TX: tall diner tale. Myth—supernatural/exaggeration; TX: Pecos Bill. Enrichment: Compare historical vs. realistic fiction; past vs. present, and how Texas culture appears in each.
They say Pecos Bill once needed rain so bad he tossed his lariat into the clouds and hauled down a wild Texas twister. He saddled that wind like a bucking bronco, spurs flashing, hat pinned tight with a cactus thorn. Folks watched from the prairie as he whooped the whirlwind into a neat circle over their fields, dropping fat raindrops like thrown coins. When the dust finally settled, the corn stood taller than fence posts, and Bill tipped his hat, letting the cyclone trot back to the sky.
Which genre does this passage best represent?
Humor
Mystery
Myth
Adventure story
Explanation
Myth (tall tale/legend): larger-than-life hero and impossible feats (lassoing and riding a twister) mark Texas folklore about Pecos Bill. Extension: Explain how exaggeration defines the genre and how Texas landscape and weather shape the tale. Scaffold—Genre trait chart: Realistic fiction—true-to-life; TX: ranch/4-H. Adventure—fast action/risks; TX: river rapids. Historical fiction—past events; TX: Alamo. Mystery—clues/solution; TX: lost brand. Humor—wordplay/silliness; TX: tall diner tale. Myth—supernatural/exaggeration; TX: Pecos Bill. Enrichment: Compare myth vs. humor; how can exaggeration build legend and laughs in Texas stories?
Before sunrise, Elena pulled on her dusty boots and followed her abuelo out to the pens. The South Texas sky was a pale ribbon, and the calves were bawling for breakfast. Her hands ached from yesterday's branding, but the herd needed water before school. When a stubborn gate jammed, Elena steadied the post while Abuelo tapped the hinge loose with his pliers. "Teamwork," he said, grinning. As the wind carried the smell of mesquite, Elena wondered if she could make the basketball tryouts after evening feed.
Which genre does this passage best represent?
Adventure story
Mystery
Realistic fiction
Myth/Legend
Explanation
Why C is correct: The passage shows everyday, believable events (ranch chores, school tryouts) with realistic characters and a Texas ranch setting—traits of realistic fiction. No magic, historical reenactment, or central puzzle is present. Texas context: ranch work, mesquite, and South Texas details ground the story culturally. Extension: Write 2–3 sentences explaining why this excerpt is realistic fiction and how the Texas ranch setting shapes Elena's responsibilities and choices. Scaffold—Genre trait chart (Texas examples): • Realistic fiction: everyday problems; believable settings/people (ranch chores, small-town school, rodeo practice). • Historical fiction: real past events + fictional characters (the Alamo, cattle drives, oil boom). • Mystery: puzzle, clues, suspects (missing artifact in a Texas library/courthouse). • Myth/Legend: exaggerated heroes/origins (Pecos Bill, bluebonnet legend). • Adventure: high action/quest (canoeing the Guadalupe River). • Humor: wordplay/silly situations (tall-tale jokes at a rodeo). Enrichment: Compare realistic fiction to adventure. How might both use Texas landscapes, and how does the level of risk/action differ?
March winds rattled the palisade as Mateo pressed his back against the rough stone. He was only a courier, but he had carried messages through San Antonio's narrow streets all week, dodging dust and fear. Inside the Alamo chapel, candlelight flickered over tired faces—some he knew from the market, others from faraway states. A captain handed him a folded note for the ranches outside town. "Ride fast," the man said. Mateo glanced at the battered flag, breathed in the smoke and sweat, and slipped into the night.
Which genre does this passage best represent?
Historical fiction
Humor
Science fiction
Realistic fiction
Explanation
Why A is correct: The scene uses a real historical setting and event (the Alamo in San Antonio) while focusing on a fictional character and imagined details—hallmarks of historical fiction. Texas context: Alamo chapel, San Antonio streets, and ranches outside town anchor it in Texas history. Extension: In 2–3 sentences, tell how historical details (setting, time, atmosphere) make this historical fiction and how the Texas context adds meaning. Scaffold—Genre trait chart (Texas examples): • Realistic fiction: everyday, plausible (ranch chores, school). • Historical fiction: past era + real events (Alamo, cattle drives, oil boom). • Mystery: clues, suspects (library artifact trail). • Myth/Legend: exaggerated/origin (Pecos Bill, bluebonnet legend). • Adventure: high action/quest (Guadalupe River trek). • Humor: comic situations/tall-tale flavor. Enrichment: Compare historical fiction and myth. How do both use Texas symbols differently—facts vs exaggeration—to shape theme?
The library lights clicked off at eight, but Maya stayed to help shelve returns. When she reached the Texas history aisle, a cold draft brushed her ankles. One book lay open on the floor, its checkout card missing. Ms. Dorsey always locked the side door—so why was it ajar? Maya knelt to inspect the carpet. Muddy grains formed a trail toward the archives room, where the display case for the town charter stood cracked. She pocketed a silver button she found by the hinge and listened. Footsteps.
Which genre does this passage best represent?
Adventure story
Myth/Legend
Humor
Mystery
Explanation
Why D is correct: The passage centers on a problem with clues (open book, missing card, muddy trail, cracked display case) and rising suspense—key features of a mystery. Although it mentions Texas history, it's not retelling a past event; the focus is solving a present-day puzzle. Extension: Write 2–3 sentences identifying the clues and explaining how they create a mystery mood. Scaffold—Genre trait chart (Texas examples): • Realistic fiction: believable daily life (ranch chores). • Historical fiction: real past + fiction (Alamo). • Mystery: puzzle, evidence, suspects (missing Texas artifact). • Myth/Legend: exaggerated/origin (Pecos Bill, bluebonnet legend). • Adventure: high risk/action (river expedition). • Humor: amusing, playful exaggeration. Enrichment: Contrast mystery and historical fiction. How does each use Texas history differently—as clue content vs time period setting?
Folks say Pecos Bill lassoed a West Texas tornado with a rattlesnake rope when the clouds were mean and the wind had teeth. He swung that twister like a cowboy's loop, wringing the rain right out to water the thirsty plains. His mustang kept pace, hooves barely touching the Llano Estacado, and coyotes howled applause from a hundred miles off. When the storm finally dropped, bluebonnets sprang up overnight, carpeting the fields as if painted by the sky itself. That's how the land found its spring again.
Which genre does this passage best represent?
Historical fiction
Myth/Legend
Realistic fiction
Mystery
Explanation
Why B is correct: The hero performs impossible, exaggerated feats (lassoing a tornado, causing bluebonnets to bloom), which are traits of a legend/tall tale. Texas context: Pecos Bill, West Texas, Llano Estacado, and bluebonnets tie the story to Texas folklore. Extension: In 2–3 sentences, explain how exaggeration and Texas symbols show this is a myth/legend. Scaffold—Genre trait chart (Texas examples): • Realistic fiction: believable daily life (ranch, school). • Historical fiction: real past + fiction (the Alamo, cattle drives). • Mystery: clues/suspects (missing artifact). • Myth/Legend: exaggerated heroes/origin stories (Pecos Bill, bluebonnet legend). • Adventure: action/quest (desert trek). • Humor: playful exaggeration to amuse. Enrichment: Compare myth/legend with realistic fiction. How do both use Texas settings, and how does exaggeration vs realism change the message?