Evidence Hunters Slides Day 1 • Indiana Standard 7.RC.1 Session: 40 Minutes
Remediation Skill Builder
Evidence Hunters
Cracking open fiction texts: Spotting what is explicitly stated and drawing strong inferences with proof.
1. See the Facts
2. Connect the Clues
3. Cite Word-for-Word
Two Kinds of Information in Stories
7.RC.1 Foundation
Explicit Clue
Right on the Page
Information the narrator directly tells you. You can point your finger directly at the exact sentence.
"Marcus gripped the bronze key until his knuckles turned chalk-white."
Explicit fact: The key is made of bronze; his knuckles turned white.
Inference
Read Between the Lines
Text Clue + Background Knowledge = Logical conclusion about what is happening or felt.
Inference: Marcus is terrified or under extreme pressure.
(The text never says the word "scared", but white knuckles prove tension!)
Remember: An inference is NOT a wild guess. It must be anchored by text evidence!
The 3-Step Evidence Formula
Standard 7.RC.1 Sentence Stems
1
Claim
State your direct answer or inference clearly.
"The narrator feels suspicious of the new neighbor..."
2
Cite
Quote directly from the story using quotation marks.
"The text states, 'He lingered at the gate every evening at dusk.'"
3
Explain
Connect your quotation back to your main claim.
"This proves that his watchful behavior raises alarm."
Ready-to-use stem bank on your desk worksheet! Citing = Full Marks
Your 20-Minute Mission: "The Midnight Watch"
Today's Practice
Step 1: Read & Highlight
Read the 3-paragraph story "The Midnight Watch" . Highlight explicit clues in yellow and inferred clues in blue.
Step 2: Evidence Matrix
Complete the 4-row Clue Matrix. Separate explicit statements from what Rowan discovers through inference.
Step 3: Write With Stems
Answer the 2 written response prompts using the Claim + Cite + Explain formula.
Step 4: Rapid Partner Check
Compare evidence citations with a partner before our final 7-minute whole-class debrief.
Focus: Precision textual citations Indiana 7.RC.1 Remediation
Evidence Hunters Worksheet Indiana 7.RC.1 Practice
Evidence Hunters: Case File #1
Name:
Date:
Period:
Explicit: Facts stated directly in words.
Inference: Text Clue + Common Sense = Logical Conclusion.
Reading Passage: "The Midnight Watch"
Lexile: 820L
[1] Rowan paced the iron catwalk of Sentinel Point Lighthouse, his woolen scarf pulled tight against the biting gale. It was 2:14 AM. Dense fog swallowed the crashing surf below, but Rowan knew the jagged shoals of Devil’s Reef lay barely three hundred yards out. His grandfather had maintained the kerosene beacon for forty winters without an incident; tonight was Rowan's very first solo shift.
[2] Suddenly, the primary lamp sputtered and died. Darkness dropped over the tower like a heavy velvet curtain. Rowan reached for the emergency brass lever, but his hand trembled so violently he fumbled twice before locking it into gear. As the auxiliary wick flared alive, Rowan glanced down toward the tide pools. A tiny beam of amber light—not from any ship—flashed three quick times from the shoreline caves, paused, and flashed three times again.
[3] No fisherman moored on Devil's Reef during a gale, and the caves were declared off-limits by maritime law sixty years ago. Rowan swallowed the lump in his throat, unhooked the brass telescope from his belt, and began scrambling down the spiral staircase into the gale.
Part 1: Clue Classification Matrix
Determine if each statement is an Explicit Fact (directly written) or an Inference (concluded from clues). Then cite the paragraph number.
Statement from or about the Story Type (Circle One) Para # 1. Rowan is nervous and feeling the immense pressure of his first solo watch. Explicit / Inference Para 2 2. The primary lamp died at approximately 2:14 AM during a biting gale. Explicit / Inference ______ 3. The amber light flashes from the caves are an intentional secret signal, not an accident. Explicit / Inference ______ 4. Rowan's grandfather maintained the beacon for forty winters without incident. Explicit / Inference ______
Fiction Decoders • Unit 1 • Page 1 of 2 Turn over to Page 2 for Evidence Writing Practice
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Evidence Hunters Teacher Guide Teacher Lesson Plan & Key • Day 1
Evidence Hunters Facilitator Guide
Indiana 7.RC.1 Remediation
Pacing: 40 Minutes Total
Recommended 40-Minute Pacing Schedule
00 - 05 min Hook & Flash Clue Show micro-clue on Slide 1; activate prior knowledge.
05 - 13 min Mini-Lesson (Slides 2-3) Model Explicit vs. Inference and Claim+Cite+Explain.
13 - 33 min Scaffolded Practice Students read "The Midnight Watch" & complete worksheet.
33 - 40 min Debrief & Exit Ticket Review answers; collect exit ticket check.
Remediation Target: Misconceptions
• Inference as Speculation: Students guess feelings without text anchors. Guide: "Where did the author give you that clue?"
• Dropped Quotes: Quoting without a lead-in stem. Emphasize: "The text states..."
High-Support Teacher Moves
• Color Coding: Have struggling students use yellow for explicit words and blue for inferred clues.
• Sentence Stems: Require students to underline the stem words used in Part 2.
Complete Worksheet Answer Key
Part 1: Clue Matrix Key:
1. Nervousness/pressure: Inference (Para 2 - evidence: "hand trembled so violently he fumbled twice").
2. Primary lamp died at 2:14 AM: Explicit Fact (Para 1 & Para 2 - text directly states the time and failure).
3. Amber light is a deliberate secret signal: Inference (Para 2 - pattern: "flashed three quick times... paused... flashed three times again").
4. Grandfather maintained beacon 40 winters: Explicit Fact (Para 1 - explicitly written in sentence 4).
Part 2: Exemplar Student Responses:
Question 1 (Exemplar): When the beacon dies, Rowan experiences anxiety and fear. According to paragraph 2, "his hand trembled so violently he fumbled twice before locking it into gear." This physical trembling proves that Rowan feels terrified and overwhelmed during his first emergency.
Question 2 (Exemplar): The text explicitly states two reasons why the signal is suspicious: first, "no fisherman moored on Devil's Reef during a gale," and second, "the caves were declared off-limits by maritime law sixty years ago" (paragraph 3).
Story Element Slides Day 2 • Indiana Standard 7.RC.3 Session: 40 Minutes
Story Chemistry
Story Element Mechanics
Settings are not just painted backdrops. Discover how Setting forces Characters to act, driving the entire Plot forward.
1. Setting Pressure
2. Character Reaction
3. Plot Turning Point
The Three Story Gears (7.RC.3)
Cause & Effect in Fiction
Gear 1
The Setting
Time, weather, environment, physical obstacles.
"A blinding blizzard cuts all power to the frozen outpost."
Gear 2
The Character
Forced to make urgent decisions, revealing personality.
"Kiran chooses to give his thermal coat to his injured sister."
Gear 3
The Plot Event
A new conflict or climax sparked by the character's choice.
"They must venture into the dark storm together to find shelter."
Core Insight: If the setting was sunny and warm, Kiran would never make that choice, and the plot wouldn't exist!
The Interaction Sentence Engine
Use on Today's Worksheet
The 7.RC.3 Master Sentence Frame
"Because the setting is [Environment/Condition], [Character] is forced to [Action/Decision], which leads to [Plot Turning Point]."
1. Setting Trigger
Cracked salt desert & 104° heat
2. Character Action
Diverts solar battery power to cooling vents
3. Plot Consequence
Rover loses speed right before the gorge jump
Test your answers: Could this plot happen anywhere else? If no, setting drives it! 7.RC.3 Ready
Practice Mission: "The Salt Flat Run"
20-Minute Challenge
Step 1: Read the Story
Read "The Salt Flat Run" . Pay special attention to how the brutal terrain impacts vehicle captain Mateo.
Step 2: Map the Gears
Complete the 3-box Gear Interaction Map connecting environmental dangers to Mateo's risk.
Step 3: Interaction Analysis
Write two paragraph responses explaining how altering the setting would completely alter the story.
Step 4: Rapid Partner Check
Trade papers to ensure your partner used the Master Sentence Engine before the class debrief.
Focus: How Setting shapes Character & Plot Indiana 7.RC.3 Remediation
Story Element Worksheet Indiana 7.RC.3 Practice
Story Element Mechanics: Case File #2
Name:
Date:
Period:
Setting: The pressure cooker (weather, place, danger).
Character: Reacts to survive or solve.
Plot: The resulting action turning point.
Reading Passage: "The Salt Flat Run"
Lexile: 840L
[1] The sun beat down on the Alvord Salt Basin like a bronze hammer, baking the cracked alkaline crust to an unbearable 106 degrees. Inside the cockpit of the solar-glider Dustrunner , sixteen-year-old Mateo watched his cooling gauges blink yellow, then amber. Heat waves distorted the horizon, turning the distant rocky pass into shimmering mirages. If his solar batteries overheated out here on the flats, there would be no shade, no water, and zero radio reception for forty miles.
[2] A sharp chime warned him that his main competitor, Jax, had pulled ahead along the smooth perimeter track. Jax was taking the long, safe curve around the basin. Mateo glanced at his navigation screen: slicing directly across the jagged salt fissures would shave fifteen minutes off his run, but the razor-sharp mineral ridges could shred his lightweight titanium tires in seconds.
[3] Mateo inhaled the scorching air, gritted his teeth, and yanked his steering yoke sharply to the left. Rather than playing defense against the blistering heat, he engaged his twin booster fans, aiming straight across the treacherous salt ridges. The glider shuddered violently as it struck the cracked terrain, launching Mateo into the defining race of his life.
Part 1: The Story Gear Interaction Map
Complete the flow chart below showing how the harsh setting directly triggers Mateo's choices and turns the plot.
Gear 1: Setting Danger
What environmental threat does Mateo face in Paragraph 1?
Gear 2: Character Dilemma
What risky choice does Mateo make in response in Paragraph 3?
Gear 3: Plot Turning Point
What immediate physical consequence happens to the glider?
Fiction Decoders • Unit 2 • Page 1 of 2 Turn over to Page 2 for Interaction Analysis
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Part 2: Analyzing Story Element Interactions (7.RC.3)
Cite Specific Text Details
Required Sentence Formula: "Because the setting is [describe condition], [character] is forced to [decision], which results in [plot event]."
Question 1: Explain how the 106-degree heat and lack of radio reception influence Mateo's mindset and urgency. Use the Master Sentence Formula in your response.
Story Element Teacher Guide Teacher Lesson Plan & Key • Day 2
Story Element Mechanics Facilitator Guide
Indiana 7.RC.3 Remediation
Pacing: 40 Minutes Total
Recommended 40-Minute Pacing Schedule
00 - 05 min Hook & The Gear Demo Show Slide 1 & 2; ask how a blizzard changes a soccer game.
05 - 13 min Mini-Lesson (Slide 3) Model the Master Sentence Formula: Trigger → Action → Result.
13 - 33 min Scaffolded Practice Independent/Partner work on "The Salt Flat Run" worksheet.
33 - 40 min Debrief & Quick Check Review Gear Maps and collect Day 2 Exit Ticket.
Common Remediation Pitfalls
• Passive Setting: Students treat setting as merely "where the story happens" rather than a force that causes action.
• Skipping the Link: Jumping straight from setting to climax without noting the character's conscious decision.
High-Support Teacher Prompts
• "If this exact scene happened on a playground, could this same danger occur? Why not?"
• Have students underline the setting trigger in green and character choice in orange.
Complete Worksheet Answer Key
Part 1: Story Gear Interaction Map:
• Gear 1 (Setting Danger): 106-degree extreme heat, baking alkaline crust, risk of solar batteries overheating, no shade/water, zero radio reception for 40 miles (Para 1).
• Gear 2 (Character Dilemma/Decision): Mateo decides not to take the safe perimeter track like Jax; instead, he steers left into the razor-sharp mineral fissures and engages booster fans (Para 3).
• Gear 3 (Plot Consequence): The glider shudders violently across the cracked terrain, risking shredded titanium tires in a high-stakes shortcut climax (Para 3).
Part 2: Exemplar Student Responses:
Question 1 (Exemplar): Because the setting is an isolated salt flat with 106-degree heat and no radio reception for forty miles, Mateo is forced to realize that any battery failure means total disaster, which leads to his high-risk decision to cut across razor-sharp salt fissures rather than risk dying from overheating on the long curve.
Question 2 (Exemplar): If the race took place on a paved indoor track in an air-conditioned arena, the threat of overheated solar batteries and shredded tires would completely vanish. Mateo wouldn't face life-threatening consequences, eliminating the tension and courage that make this story thrilling.
Theme Trackers Slides Day 3 • Indiana Standard 7.RC.2 Session: 40 Minutes
Message & Summary
Theme Trackers
Uncovering the author's universal truth and crafting a crystal-clear, bias-free objective summary.
1. Topic ≠ Theme
2. Character Change = Clue
3. 4-Sentence Summary
The Golden Rule: Topic vs. Theme
Standard 7.RC.2 Secret
Topic (1-2 Words)
What the Story is ABOUT
The general subject matter. It does not state a life lesson.
"Friendship", "Bravery", "Perseverance", "Family"
Not a complete theme yet!
Theme (Full Statement)
What the Story TEACHES
A universal life message that applies to real people everywhere.
"True friendship requires standing up for others even when it is difficult."
Complete sentence with universal wisdom!
Pro Tip: Look at what lesson the main character learns by the final paragraph!
The 4-Sentence Objective Summary Blueprint
Zero Opinions Allowed!
1
Who & Goal
Name protagonist, setting, and what they hope to accomplish.
2
The Conflict
Identify the central obstacle or crisis blocking their path.
3
The Climax
Describe the decisive action the character takes at the peak.
4
The Resolution
Explain how the story wraps up and what changed.
BANNED WORDS: "I think", "awesome", "boring", "great", "in my opinion" Objective = Pure Facts
Practice Mission: "The Lantern Maker"
20-Minute Challenge
Step 1: Read the Story
Read "The Lantern Maker" . Notice how Lin's attitude shifts from speed to precision.
Step 2: The Theme Staircase
Climb from the 1-word Topic to Lin's turning point, and write out the full universal Theme statement.
Step 3: 4-Sentence Summary
Follow the 4-part frame on Page 2. Eliminate all personal opinions and judgment words.
Step 4: Bias Hunter Check
Complete the 3-question bias detector exit ticket before our whole-group review.
Focus: Universal Theme & Objective Summary Indiana 7.RC.2 Remediation
Theme Trackers Worksheet Indiana 7.RC.2 Practice
Theme Trackers: Case File #3
Name:
Date:
Period:
Topic: What the story is about (1-2 words).
Theme: The universal lesson the character learns (full sentence).
Reading Passage: "The Lantern Maker"
Lexile: 830L
[1] Fourteen-year-old Lin wanted nothing more than to prove himself to Master Chen before the annual Solstice Festival. While the other apprentices sanded their bamboo ribs with slow, deliberate strokes, Lin worked at double speed. By noon, he had assembled twenty lantern cages, their silk covers stretched tight and painted with brilliant crimson dragons. He proudly stacked them in the courtyard, confident his speed would earn him the chief artisan badge.
[2] When the evening mountain breeze drifted down the valley, disaster struck. The delicate silk on Lin’s lanterns began to tear along the seams; in his haste, he had left the bamboo splinters unfiled, and the jagged edges had sliced right through the taut fabric. The other apprentices gasped, but Master Chen did not raise his voice. He simply held up one of Lin’s torn lanterns and said, "A lantern that rushes to shine before its ribs are smoothed is extinguished by the first breath of wind."
[3] Heat flushed Lin’s cheeks. Instead of making excuses or abandoning his work, he sat down beneath the courtyard pine, took out his rasp, and began filing each bamboo rib down to velvet smoothness. When midnight arrived, Lin had completed only three lanterns—yet when the festival candles were lit inside them, they held firm against the wind, glowing with radiant, enduring warmth.
Part 1: The Theme Discovery Staircase
Climb the three steps to transform the story's basic topic into a mature universal theme statement.
Step 1: 1-Word Topic What broad human topic does this story address?
Step 2: Character Growth What does Lin realize about speed vs. patience?
Step 3: Universal Theme Write a complete life lesson that applies to anyone.
Fiction Decoders • Unit 3 • Page 1 of 2 Turn over to Page 2 for Objective Summary Practice
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Part 2: 4-Sentence Objective Summary (7.RC.2)
No Opinions • Pure Facts
Objective Rule: Do NOT use "I think", "awesome", "foolish", or any personal evaluations. State only what happened.
Sentence 1 (Who & Central Goal): Identify the protagonist, setting, and what they set out to do.
Sentence 2 (The Central Conflict): What problem occurs when Lin rushes his lanterns?
Sentence 3 (The Key Decision/Climax): How does Lin respond after Master Chen speaks to him?
Theme Trackers Teacher Guide Teacher Lesson Plan & Key • Day 3
Theme Trackers Facilitator Guide
Indiana 7.RC.2 Remediation
Pacing: 40 Minutes Total
Recommended 40-Minute Pacing Schedule
00 - 05 min Hook & The Topic Trap Show Slide 1 & 2; explain why 1 word is not a theme.
05 - 13 min Mini-Lesson (Slide 3) Model the 4-Sentence Summary Blueprint & bias bans.
13 - 33 min Scaffolded Practice Students read "The Lantern Maker" & build staircase + summary.
33 - 40 min Debrief & Bias Check Review Part 3 detector and collect Day 3 responses.
Remediation Target: Misconceptions
• Topic vs. Theme Confusion: Writing "patience" instead of a complete sentence about patience. Ask: "What does the author believe ABOUT patience?"
• Opinion Infusion: Adding "The author wrote an awesome story..." into an objective summary.
High-Support Teacher Moves
• The Moral Test: If the statement can only apply to Lin and lanterns, make it universal so it applies to any person.
• Opinion Highlighter: Have students highlight any feeling words in their summary and delete them.
Complete Worksheet Answer Key
Part 1: Theme Discovery Staircase:
• Step 1 (Topic): Craftsmanship, patience, dedication, pride in work, quality over speed.
• Step 2 (Character Growth): Lin learns that rushing twenty unfinished lanterns produces fragile work that breaks easily, while taking time to smooth the frames creates lanterns that withstand the wind.
• Step 3 (Universal Theme): "True mastery and lasting achievement require patience and care rather than rushed shortcuts." (Accept variations expressing quality over speed).
Part 2: Exemplar 4-Sentence Objective Summary:
Sentence 1: In "The Lantern Maker," an ambitious young apprentice named Lin attempts to impress Master Chen before the annual Solstice Festival.
Sentence 2: However, Lin rushes his construction and leaves the bamboo frames unsanded, causing all twenty lanterns to rip in the evening wind.
Sentence 3: After receiving gentle guidance from Master Chen, Lin calmly restarts his work and files each bamboo rib with patience and precision.
Case Cracker Slides Day 4 • Finale Capstone Standards: 7.RC.1 • 7.RC.2 • 7.RC.3
Synthesis Mission
Case Cracker Finale
Put all three skills to the test in a single high-stakes mystery: "The Clockwork Cipher."
Station 1: Evidence (7.RC.1)
Station 2: Setting Gears (7.RC.3)
Station 3: Theme & Summary (7.RC.2)
Dossier Briefing: "The Clockwork Cipher"
Mission Protocol
Checkpoint 1
Evidence Extraction
Locate two explicit facts proving sabotage and cite one inference about Maya's inner courage.
Checkpoint 2
Gear Interaction
Map how the 200-foot clocktower height and freezing rain force Maya's life-or-death decision.
Checkpoint 3
Theme & Summary
State the universal truth and write a bias-free 4-sentence objective summary.
You have 25 minutes of team/independent solving time today. All 3 Standards
Your Detective Toolkit (Days 1 - 3 Recap)
Quick Reference
7.RC.1 Citation
"According to paragraph __, '...'"
Use quotation marks and paragraph numbers!
7.RC.3 Mechanics
"Because the setting is [X], [Character] is forced to [Y], resulting in [Z]."
Connect environment directly to plot!
7.RC.2 Theme & Summary
Theme = Full sentence life lesson.
Ban words like "awesome" or "I feel"!
Complete all 3 checkpoints on your dossier to earn your Certified Fiction Decoder badge!
Final Debrief & Certificate Ceremony
Last 8 Minutes
Speed Self-Audit
Did I cite exact quotes with quotation marks?
Did I show how setting drives the plot?
Is my theme a complete universal statement?
Did I remove all personal bias from my summary?
Congratulations!
You've built essential skills for state reading comprehension assessments. You are now equipped to tackle any fiction text with confidence.
Standards 7.RC.1, 7.RC.2, 7.RC.3 Mastered!
Indiana ELA Standards Remediation Unit Session 4 of 4
Case Cracker Student Dossier Indiana 7.RC.1 • 7.RC.2 • 7.RC.3 Synthesis
Case Cracker Dossier: Finale
Agent Name:
Date:
Period:
Final Investigation Prove all three reading standards by analyzing clues, story gears, and theme.
Case File: "The Clockwork Cipher"
Lexile: 850L
[1] High above the river city of Oakhaven, fourteen-year-old apprentice Maya calibrated the bronze gears of the Great Clocktower. Outside, an autumn deluge hammered against the glass observation deck, while down below, the midnight harbor churned with icy swells. As Maya wiped grease from the master escapement wheel, she froze. A steel wedge had been jammed into the tooth of the midnight chime gear, set to delay the city’s alarm bell by exactly forty-five minutes.
[2] Maya peered through the rain-streaked window. Down at the royal docks, two unmarked black river barges were quietly cutting their mooring lines—the exact time the treasury gates unlocked for shift change. She realized immediately that saboteurs had rigged the tower so no alarm would sound while they looted the river vault. Her master was across the river, and the tower's telegraph wire lay severed on the floorboards.
[3] The only way to sound the alert was to climb outside onto the exterior iron maintenance ladder—two hundred feet above the cobblestones—and strike the emergency harbor bell by hand. The wind howled furiously, and the iron rungs were slick with freezing rain. Maya's knees quaked, but she clutched her heavy iron wrench, unlatched the storm hatch, and stepped out onto the narrow ledge.
Checkpoint 1: Citing Explicit & Inferred Evidence (7.RC.1)
Provide the exact citation details requested below using complete sentences and quote marks.
1. Explicit Evidence: Quote the exact sentence from Paragraph 1 that proves someone deliberately interfered with the clock mechanism.
2. Text-Based Inference: What does Maya's choice to climb onto the frozen exterior ladder reveal about her character? Cite one quote from Paragraph 3 that supports your inference.
Fiction Decoders • Capstone Dossier • Page 1 of 2 Turn over to complete Checkpoints 2 & 3
2
Checkpoints 2 & 3: Story Mechanics & Theme
Indiana 7.RC.3 & 7.RC.2
Checkpoint 2: Story Element Interaction (7.RC.3)
Explain how the high-altitude setting (200 feet, severed wire, freezing rain) directly creates the plot climax. Fill in the master interaction frame:
Because the setting is ,
Maya is forced to ,
which causes the plot event of .
Checkpoint 3: Theme & Objective Summary (7.RC.2)
Case Cracker Teacher Guide Teacher Lesson Plan & Rubric • Day 4 Capstone
Case Cracker Finale Facilitator Guide
7.RC.1 • 7.RC.2 • 7.RC.3
Pacing: 40 Minutes Total
Recommended 40-Minute Pacing Schedule
00 - 05 min Mission Briefing Distribute dossiers; launch challenge with Slides 1-2.
05 - 10 min Toolkit Check Review 3 key formulas (Slide 3) before students begin.
10 - 32 min Dossier Solving Independent or paired completion of Checkpoints 1-3.
32 - 40 min Audit & Clearance Stamp clearance badge & celebrate mastery.
Remediation Quick-Check Rubric (3 Standards)
7.RC.1 Evidence Check • Exact quote used with quotation marks.
7.RC.3 Interaction Check • Identifies height/wire cut as setting force.
7.RC.2 Theme & Summary • Universal lesson (no character names).
Complete Dossier Answer Key
Checkpoint 1 (7.RC.1):
• Explicit Quote: "A steel wedge had been jammed into the tooth of the midnight chime gear, set to delay the city’s alarm bell by exactly forty-five minutes" (Paragraph 1).
• Inference & Quote: Maya is extraordinarily courageous and dedicated to protecting the city. In paragraph 3, the text states, "Maya's knees quaked, but she clutched her heavy iron wrench, unlatched the storm hatch, and stepped out onto the narrow ledge." This proves that despite extreme fear, she willingly risks her life.
Checkpoint 2 (7.RC.3):
• Formula Response: Because the setting is an isolated clocktower two hundred feet in the air with severed telegraph lines and freezing rain, Maya is forced to climb out onto an icy exterior maintenance ladder, which causes the climax of her striking the harbor alarm bell by hand before the heist occurs.
Checkpoint 3 (7.RC.2):
• Theme (Exemplar): "True integrity means taking perilous action to protect others even when one must face fear entirely alone."
• 4-Sentence Summary (Exemplar): In "The Clockwork Cipher," an apprentice named Maya discovers that saboteurs have disabled the city clock to cover a midnight robbery. Cut off by severed telegraph wires in the high bell tower, she must find a way to sound the alarm. Despite freezing rain and a 200-foot drop, Maya climbs onto an exterior maintenance ledge to ring the harbor bell manually. Her decisive action alerts the night guards and prevents the treasury heist.
