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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Perfecting My Pal's Poe Paragraph

For Teachers 9th - 12th
After analyzing the compelling first paragraph of Edgar Allen Poe's short story "The Masque of the Red Death," high schoolers draft original opening paragraphs using techniques identified Poe's writing. The relationship between suspense...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

PowerPoint Short Story Report

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students make a Microsoft PowerPoint report from a short story read in class. They summarize and paraphrase a short story identifying the six story elements: characters, setting, plot, conflict, solution, tone/mood.
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Short Stories: The Puzzle Pieces of Life

For Teachers 9th
Students distinguish the elements of fiction in a short story. In this fiction elements lesson, students complete nine lessons of activities to learn about the elements of fiction in short stories.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Story Retelling

For Teachers K
Students explore storytelling by participating in an image analysis activity. In this story structure lesson, students read the book Cookie's Week by Tomie dePaola and retell the story to their teacher in sequential order. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Guest Readers

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Young readers explore reading comprehension by creating a class presentation. In this storytelling lesson, puils read an assigned text in class and analyze the characters, settings and story. They create an illustrated presentation in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Gift of the Magi

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Test the true meaning of giving - and irony - with this lesson about "The Gift of the Magi." Using textual analysis, details, and text organization, middle schoolers make predictions about future events in the story and determine the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Literary Analysis of The Minister's Black Veil

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Explore the short story "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. First, read the short story and take notes on specific uses of the elements of writing such as characters, setting, plot, similes, personification, metaphors,...
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Lesson Plan
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education

Making Dances From Stories

For Teachers 4th
After reading a short story, learners will create dances that show homophones and verbs. Their dance sequences involve three verbs and transition movements in between each verb. Tip: Have the class dance out the sequence of events from...
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Lesson Plan
Maine Content Literacy Project

Introduction to Ernest Hemingway

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What is a white elephant, and what does it have to do with Ernest Hemingway? Study "Hills Like White Elephants" in-depth by following the procedures outlined in this lesson, the fifth in a series of fourteen. Learners start the day with...
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Lesson Plan
Independence Public Library

Unmasking the Truth Behind the Red Death

For Teachers 9th - 11th Standards
"The Masque of the Red Death" provides readers with an opportunity to research and plan a presentation about a topic related to Edgar Allen Poe's classic short story. 
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Printables
Freeology

Annotations Bookmark

For Teachers 5th - 10th
In general, pupils are not allowed to write in school-issued books; however, they can write on a bookmark that you provide! Kids can take notes on the setting, characters, themes, and connections as they read a short story or novel.
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Handout
Mrs. Mann

Mice and Beans

For Teachers 1st - 4th Standards
A great addition to a multicultural unit or curriculum study, use the set of questions based on Pam Muñoz Ryan's Mice and Beans to engage learners and enhance their reading experience. As youngsters read, they note the highlighted words...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Elements of a Short Story

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students read a short story, The Tell-Tale Heart and create a story map identifying the elements of a short story included in the selection. Students complete an Accelerated Reader test on the selection.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Story Problems: Conflict

For Students 1st - 2nd
In this story questions activity, students respond to 3 short answer questions that require them to explain what was the problem is in a story, who fixed the problem in the story, and whether they liked the story.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path" in Graphical Representation

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students analyze graphical forms of Eudora Welty and interpret the shorts stories in the representations. In this graphical representations lesson, students analyze the short story genre in comic strips. Students then create their own...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The News Behind the Story

For Teachers 6th - 12th
What a fun way to analyze plot, setting, and character. Learners review story elements, read a short fictional story, then turn the events of that story into a headlining news paper article. Not only does this lesson engage critical...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plot Summary for Story Element

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders identify story elements utilizing a plot summary organizer. In this story elements instructional activity, 7th graders discuss the elements of a good story. Students use The Three Little Pigs to practice finding the plot...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plot Summary for Story Elements

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders identify story elements utilizing a plot summary organizer. In this plot summary instructional activity, 9th graders discuss the elements of a good story and listen to the story of the three little pigs. Students complete a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Short Story Framework

For Teachers 6th - 8th
The class gets creative after listening to a short story containing a definitive structure. They are required to think about character, relationship, and setting, while attempting to show rather than tell, in their writing. Dialogue,...
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Unit Plan
New Hampshire Bureau of Adult Education

Dystopian Literature: from Fiction to Fact

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Imagine an entire course devoted to dystopian literature. If that concept appeals to you, check out this course that uses 1984 as the anchor text and includes classic short stories as well.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Frame Story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County"

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Mark Twain's frame story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" provides an opportunity for a study of this story-within-a-story pattern. Using an illustrated template, class members record a plot summary of the frame story...
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

A Stone's Throw Away - The Dangers Of Tradition: The Lottery

For Teachers 9th Standards
Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" is the anchor text for a lesson that teaches young readers how to use the Tip of the Iceberg strategy to go below the surface of a tale. After reading the short story and an article about the...
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Being Mindful Of Sadness In "The Scarlet Ibis": Theme And Characterization

For Teachers 9th Standards
James Hurst's short story "The Scarlet Ibis" provides readers with an opportunity to consider how they can support others who are experiencing distress. Participants learn self-care tips and connect to the short story's characters. They...
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Lesson Plan
Digital Writing and Research Lab's – Lesson Plans

Teaching Close Reading through Short Composition/Revision

For Teachers 9th - 12th
This activity may have writers evaluate short compositions, but their subjects are quite tall: great Americans. Pupils read one another's compositions and closely examine how specific phrases and diction contribute to shaping American...