When you have finished writing your rising action, it is time to write the climax!  The climax of the story is the turning point of the story; the moment when the ultimate suspense reaches its peak.

Many believe that the climax is the most intense or most interesting part of the story. This is not usually true because after the climax, there is no more story to tell other than the conclusion. Sometimes, the story may seem over after the climax, but another turning point is awaiting, so one should never conclude that there is only one climax in a story! (Source)

Climax:  the critical point at which the central character is about to win or lose all.  When the probable outcome of the main conflict is finally revealed (i.e. the turning point), the story has reached its climax.  The climax does not mark the end of conflict; it only determines how the conflict will be decided. The climax usually occurs anywhere from 50% to 90% of the completed story. (Source)

Let's identify the climax in a popular fairy tale...

Now, it's your turn.  Write your climax in a way that draws it out.  Make this the "epic battle scene" in sci-fi movies.  Make it the sad (but happy) part in the movie where Nemo is finally reunited with his family!  Make it enjoyable, emotional, and exciting if possible!

Today, we are going to brainstorm a problem that can gradually worsen over the course of the story!

For example, I took my class on a field trip to the museum and one of the kids went missing.

How could it get worse with believable events?

I could send two of the kids to find him but then lose them!

I could tell the rest of the class to wait while I check the boys bathroom only to find that one of my students broke an expensive piece of art while I was gone!

The boy's mom could show up at the museum and find me and the rest of the class (without her son) because the boy called her from his cell phone when he realized he was lost.

Skill Drill:

• Choose a believable problem that will allow you to make three or more events that will gradually worsen your character's problem or create tension in your story (by failing to solve the problem multiple times in multiple ways).
• This will be the basis of each of our stories.

Begin writing your story:

• Create a LEAD that grab's your readers' attention.
• Introduce the PROBLEM.
• Write your RISING ACTION (the main portion of your book).  This is where your problem will get worse or there are several failed attempts at solving the problem.  Be sure to show how your character acts and feels during these events.
  
• Stop when you get to the CLIMAX - the turning point in your story where your character solves the problem.  I want to do a lesson before then!

A problem is only believable if it makes sense with the character's situation.

Therefore, if your character is brushing his teeth in the story and you introduce the problem of his brother getting captured by aliens, that doesn't really fit the story well, and isn't very believable.

If you happen to have your character brushing his teeth, when the toothbrush accidentally slips and cuts the inside of his mouth, that's much more believable!

Write down a good example from a novel you've read in literature circles this year in your spirals.

Skill Drill:
Choose a mundane situation that your character is in and have them experience a believable problem.  Come up with several more problems that you can imagine your character experiencing during this mundane situation.

Writing Prompt:
Choose one of those problems above to expand the moment.  Start by showing the reader the mundane situation, and gradually introduce the problem. 

Let's read Sheila Rae the Brave together twice.  First, just enjoy the story.  When I read it a second time, try to identify where we are throughout the story on one of the following images...

What is revealed about the character and the setting in the introduction?  Do you notice how the tension builds during the rising action?  Did you catch the climax?  How fast was the resolution?  What was wrapped up?

Introduction:

• What is the main character's name?
• What word might you use to describe her?  What evidence can you cite to support that claim?
• Does she live with anyone?
• How does she treat her sister?  What evidence can you cite to support that claim?

Introducing the Problem or Conflict:

• In the second part of the story, the reader learns about a problem that the character encounters.  Help me find that part in the story now.

Rising Action:

• Rising action is when the story gets really exciting, or when the problem grows worse.  In most stories, several things happen that cause the problem to grow worse.  Help me identify a detail that makes the problem grow worse!  Can we find all seven?
  

Climax:

• The last part of this story is called the climax or turning point.  It's where the problem is addressed or solved, and the direction of the story changes.  Help me identify it.
• What happens after Louise saves Sheila Rae?
• What is the impact on the characters?
• How does it change Louise?
• How does it change the relationship between Sheila Rae and Louise?

Resolution:

• This story really doesn't have a resolution (many picture books don't, but most novels do).

Don't use any from our previous lesson.

These are things that happen everyday and you hardly think about them.

Things that happen once in a lifetime at best!

Make sure they are possible - not aliens landing!

It's easy to create a character who fights villains and saves the world, but it can be tough writing an interesting story about an ordinary character and still make it interesting!

Question:
Can I get to know the "real you" just from interacting with you in class?  Will I know everything important about you just from this one setting?

I think you get to really know a person when you interact with them in multiple settings.  For example, I always seem to learn a little bit more about my students' wild sides when we go on a field trip together!  Or when I come to the Fun Fair in the evening!  Different settings allow you to act differently!

Roll one of our 12-sided dice (ONCE) to see what mundane (boring) situation I've put your character in (on the ThingLink to the right).  Are you able to describe their actions AND their thoughts, feelings, and emotions in this setting?

Image credit: http://shop.prettylittlestudio.com/welcome/images/dvd/numbers_sand-castle.gif

My character is...

• smiling
• relaxing
• staring
• dressed in summer clothes
• outside at a park
• sitting against a tree

My character might be...

• tired from playing a sport
• hot from running around
• thirsty from the heat
• wondering if he will get back in the game
• waiting for his team to win the game
• proud of himself and his team