Lesson 24: Look Both Ways, Vignette 9, How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire

Students will activate prior knowledge about dialogue by recalling conversations from their own lives. They should think about who is speaking, how they speak, and what those choices reveal about relationships or purpose. Encourage students to notice differences between formal and informal language and consider why speakers choose certain words. Formative observations here help gauge students’ readiness to analyze dialogue in text. This sets the context for exploring dialogue as an author’s craft.

Say these Directions: Think about a conversation you have recently heard or participated in. It should be between real people, not from television or the internet. Write at least three lines of dialogue from the conversation. It doesn’t have to be exactly what was said, just what you remember.

Give students time to write their dialogue threads, offering guidance as needed.

• Ask: What can you learn about the speakers based on what they said?

  • I overheard a conversation between a father and son. The father was telling the son a joke. He asked, “Why don’t skeletons fight each other?” The son rolled his eyes and replied, “I don’t know . . . too bony?” His dad shot back, “Because they don’t have the guts!” The son groaned, but they both laughed, which makes me think they enjoy hanging out together.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Dialogue is a narrative technique authors use to convey what characters say in a story. Dialogue is what characters say out loud, usually to other characters. Authors can also reveal what a character is thinking through internal thoughts (sometimes called internal monologue), which is different from dialogue. Dialogue can reveal things about a character’s personality, perspective, and emotions.

Language Study

Introduce the Idea: Write or project ain’t and like . . . for real, where all students can see them, and say them out loud.

1. Say: Sometimes, dialogue reveals information about where they are from through accents and the vocabulary they use. Dialogue can also reveal how the character wants to be viewed by their audience.

Identify the Slang: Point out that slang words are colloquial, which means they are not used in formal situations, such as in essays and presentations in class.

• Ask: Are ain’t, like, and for real sayings we would use when writing an essay or giving a presentation in class? (No.)

• Say: These are examples of slang. Slang is a word used to describe informal ways of speaking. It is often used by young people, and it changes often. What are some examples of slang you use with your friends?

Pause as students share examples. Help students define the slang (ex. ain’t = “is/are not,” slay = “doing something really well or looking great,” etc.).

• Ask: What are some other examples of slang in the dialogue in “How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire”? What does this language tell you about the speaker?

  • Remy says “smellin’.” He drops the g from the end of the word. This is a common way of speaking. It tells me the speaker is talking in an informal situation, with friends.

• Ask: Think about situations where you would use slang and situations where you would not. What is different about these situations?

  • I’d use slang with my friends, but not with my teachers. One situation is more serious than the other.

Invite students to discuss the differences between slang and more formal English, including when each is appropriate. Then have students look through “How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire” to identify other instances of slang. Have students define the slang. Write down the words students identify.

Say these Directions: Discuss the difference between slang and more formal English, including when each is appropriate. Then look back through “How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire” to find other examples of slang. Work together to define the words or phrases you find, and be ready to share them with the class.

Build Connections: Help students identify when it is appropriate to use slang.

• Ask: What is the relationship between a slang term and its literal meaning?

  • The slang is more informal and often a way to convey an idea that’s just more fun. Slang changes more frequently than the literal meanings of words.

• Ask: Why is it important to know when to use slang and when not to?

  • Different audiences expect different levels of formality.

• Say: Slang can be fun and appropriate when you consider your audience. It is a way to experiment with language and discover creative ways to convey meaning. In a formal situation, such as at school or at work, it is best to stick to formal English so that your meaning is clear. Formal English is useful because it is well-established and the meanings of words stay consistent. Saying someone did a “very good job” will mean the same thing in a few years that it does now; however, saying someone “slayed” means something different today than it did 50 years ago, and it may change again in just a few months. Slang changes quickly and falls out of style. Considering your audience will help ensure you use the most appropriate language for any given situation.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Since slang is apparent in speech patterns, it shows up in dialogue. Reynolds’s characters use a lot of slang. This tells about the characters and how they view their audience, often their peers. Today, we’ll investigate how Reynolds uses dialogue to convey information about his characters.

Part A: Formal and Informal Dialogue: Look Both Ways, “How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire” (L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b) (15 minutes)

Students will analyze how dialogue reflects audience and purpose and evaluate how variations from standard English affect meaning and tone. They should identify not just which words are informal or exaggerated, but why the author chose them and how that choice reveals character relationships. Encourage connections to specific dialogue features, such as slang, exaggeration, or pacing, to reinforce understanding of how authors construct character through speech.

Teach: Dialogue and Audience

Say these Directions: Writers use author’s craft to make purposeful choices in a narrative. One of those choices is dialogue. Review the definitions of both terms, and then analyze a line of dialogue from “How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire.”

• author’s craft: the intentional structures and techniques used and choices made when composing a text 

• dialogue: the words characters speak in a story

Project this line. Ask the students to follow along as you read it aloud.

• “You don’t want Sandra thinking your elbows so dry that your arm is going to crack and break in half if you try to hug her, do you?”

Students will partner to do a Think-Pair-Share.

• Say: Reread this exchange closely. Note one phrase that shows Candace’s tone.

• Ask: What words show this is informal language? What does this word choice reveal about Candace’s relationship with Gregory? Why might the author choose exaggerated language here?

  • Candace says Gregory’s arm might “crack and break in half” to create humor and get Gregory to relax before he talks to Sandra. Her informal language shows they are close and comfortable with each other. The author chose exaggerated language to make it humorous and revealing about their relationship.

• Say: Writers and speakers adjust language depending on audience and purpose. Informal language, slang, and variations of standard English are often appropriate in peer conversations. It’s not about whether it’s “right” or “wrong” but whether it fits the audience and purpose.

• Ask: If Candace were speaking to a principal instead of Gregory, would she speak this line the same way? Why or why not?

  • Candace would use more formal language and avoid slang. She would speak more respectfully and carefully because the principal is an authority figure.

Students will have discussed how dialogue reflects audience and purpose and identified specific choices that reveal relationships or tone. They should consider not only what is said, but why the author chose informal, slang, or exaggerated language. Encourage students to connect their observations to text evidence and relationship dynamics, reinforcing analytical thinking. Formative responses will inform support in Part B, where students apply these insights in small-group analysis.

Part B: Dialogue in “How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire” (RL.6.3, RL.6.5) (15 minutes)

Students will transition from analyzing examples to identifying dialogue in “How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire” independently or in groups. They should record examples, interpret the meaning, and explain how the dialogue affects the plot or relationships. Encourage attention to subtle cues, such as slang, tone, or exaggeration, and prompt students to justify interpretations with specific evidence. This activity allows the collection of formative data while deepening understanding of dialogue as a narrative technique.

Dialogue in “How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire”

Transition into investigating dialogue in “How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire.” Place students into small groups, and instruct them to take out their Narrative Techniques graphic organizers from Lesson 23.

Say these Directions: Work with your group to find important examples of dialogue in “How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire.” Record each example in your graphic organizer, explain what it shows or suggests, and describe how the dialogue affects the story, the plot, or other characters.

• Say: Identify significant instances of the narrative technique of dialogue. Record the dialogue in your graphic organizer and analyze its effect on the story. Think about the effect dialogue has on the plot or on other characters.

Model how to fill in the graphic organizer.

• Say: In our work today, the narrative technique is always dialogue. I’m looking for dialogue that moves the plot along or shows relationships between characters. As my first example, I’m going to use something Candace says to Gregory.

Read the section from the story after the friends spray Gregory with cologne. Candace explains that Gregory now needs lotion.

• Say: In this dialogue, Candace is about to put lotion on Gregory. Under “My Interpretation,” I will write what I think of the dialogue; in this case, I will write why Candace is putting lotion on Gregory. In the last column, I will identify how the dialogue affects the story. It could be that the dialogue moves the plot along or tells us something about the relationship between the characters. It could be both, but I need to pick what I feel is most important. I think this dialogue moves the plot along because it comes before a new event.

Write or project the following guiding questions for students to refer to as they work in their groups to identify more instances of significant dialogue in the story:

Say these Directions: Think of the following questions.

• Who is speaking, and what is the purpose of the dialogue?

• Does the dialogue move the plot along?

• What does the dialogue make you think or feel?

• How does the dialogue reveal relationships between characters?

Review the Impact of Dialogue

Lead a brief discussion summarizing students’ findings from the day. Have students share examples from their graphic organizers. If students identify the same dialogue but have different interpretations, ask them to consider why those interpretations might differ. Remind students that multiple interpretations can be correct if students support their ideas with evidence. In fact, good writing is open to a lot of different interpretations. Say these Directions: Share examples from your graphic organizer and discuss what you learned about the story. Listen to how other students interpreted the same dialogue or details. If students have different interpretations, discuss why. Remember that more than one interpretation can be correct when students support their ideas with evidence from the text.

Students should be able to reflect on how dialogue shapes understanding of character by identifying both what the dialogue shows and why it matters. They should explain how word choice, tone, or slang affects relationships or plot development, citing specific textual evidence. Encourage students to make metacognitive connections, considering how discussing multiple interpretations strengthens their analysis. Use responses to collect formative data on comprehension and evidence-based reasoning.

Quick Write

Students will reflect on how dialogue impacts understanding of character. They should identify not only what the dialogue shows but also why it strengthens the interpretation of relationships or the plot. Encourage connections to specific text examples and discussion of how multiple interpretations are possible. Formative data collected here will guide support for the continued study of narrative techniques in future lessons.

Have students complete a Quick Write in response to the following prompt. Collect formative data. Say these Directions: Complete a Quick Write in response to the prompt.

• Ask: How does dialogue impact a reader’s understanding of a character?

  • • Optional Sentence Starter:

  • “Dialogue impacts a reader’s understanding of a character by ____ .”

    • Dialogue impacts a reader’s understanding of a character by informing the reader about the character. It can reveal things about their identity based on what they say and how they say it. If readers also know the character’s thoughts, it can show how their thoughts differ from what they say. Hearing a character’s dialogue is one way the reader learns who the character is and what they think.

Instruct students to update their Ordinary Moments graphic organizers from Lesson 3 for Gregory and other characters in Vignette 9. Additionally, have students read “The Broom Dog” and take notes in their Journal on the following prompt:

As you read, annotate the text in The Broom Dog” for the following:

• What does the dialogue reveal about the relationship between Canton and Mr. Munch?