+
Lesson Plan
Film English

The Man Who Planted Trees

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Grow an understanding of short story with a well-sequenced plan built around an Academy Award-winning short film. Class members explore the elements of an effective short story, and practice writing their own. They also watch the short...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program

Reading Literature - An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” Ambrose Bierce’s short story, is used to model how structural moves, the decisions an author makes about setting, point of view, time order, etc., can be examined to reveal an author’s purpose. Groups...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: Paul Chan: 1st Light and 5th Light

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Paul Chan's latest exhibit includes seven manifestations of light. Today, kids analyze the pieces 1st Light  and 5th Light. They consider the concept of opposed or dualistic realities found in literature, society, and Chan's work. They...
+
Organizer
Curated OER

Who Am I?

For Students 4th - 9th
Your budding journalists need to understand the five W's for writing a news story. They read a story, complete several graphic organizers to help them organize and write their article, and then use a self-assessment worksheet to edit and...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
Curated OER

Genre: Short Story

For Teachers 6th Standards
Discover the genre of short stories with sixth graders. They discuss the characteristics of short stories from the book America Street. Then, they compare and contrast movies and television shows and chart story characteristics. Various...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
National Endowment for the Humanities

Character in Place: Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path” for the Common Core

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How do writers use the interaction between elements like characterization and setting to create meaning? Readers of "A Worn Path" create a series of comic book-style graphics of Eudora Welty's short story and reflect on how Welty uses...
+
Lesson Plan
Film English

My Shoes

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Engage your pupils in short story and short film. Using a still from the film as inspiration, pairs compose short stories, which they later share and compare with other members of the class. They then watch the film and respond to a...
+
Organizer
Curated OER

Fiction, Poetry, and Drama Part 1

For Students 5th - 8th
Similar to a textbook, this resource includes multiple texts, plenty of explanation, lots of practice, and several graphic organizers. Use all of the materials, or pick and choose from such texts as "The Circuit," "Shoes for Hector,"...
+
Activity
Curated OER

Hero Myth Creative Writing Assignment

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Send your pupils on a hero's journey! Individuals must compose a story that includes six key elements of the hero's journey. In order to determine the basics of the content of their stories, class members use the included grid to circle...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
Curated OER

Edgar Allan Poe Short Story WebQuest

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Introduce your class to Edgar Allan Poe with a series of mostly self-guided tasks and assignments. Class members follow the list of tasks, starting by watching a video with background information and ending with a compare-and-contrast...
+
Organizer
Curated OER

Mirrors & Windows: Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”

For Students 8th - 10th
“Mirrors” or aspects from a story that reflect a personal text-to-self connection, and “windows,” an aspect that gives insight into a different way of being, are the focus of an activity designed for Alice Walker’s story. Readers select...
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

"The Most Dangerous Game" Study Guide

For Students 7th - 12th
After reading Richard Connell's best known work, "The Most Dangerous Game," have your class complete the 12 study questions included here. Readers answer plot related questions, compare and contrast characters, and analyze story elements. 
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: Bringing Back the Sun: The Story of Jaguar Inspiring Student Stories

For Teachers K - 5th
What on earth is that jar for? It was an ancient incense burner used by the Maya, that was inspired by the myth of the sun god. Young analysts hear the story of the Mayan sun god, analyze the story through the artistry in the jar, and...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: Possible Perspectives

For Teachers K - 5th
Visual art is the inspiration for a creative writing activity focused on having learners write from different perspectives. They analyze the image Yellow Rain Jacket, picking out details to help their storytelling. They use the details...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: While You Were Sleeping....

For Teachers K - 5th
Imagine you are a bug living on a leaf in the painting, Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase by Maria van Oosterwyck. This is what you'll tell your class as they analyze the lovely image. They list details in the painting, find two insects in...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: All in the Family

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Who was the Radcliffe family? Young learners find out about the life and times of a family from long ago. They analyze the family portrait, write a story about the family, and then use their story to create thought or word bubbles which...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: Who Are You Supposed to Be?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
A new way to connect visual art and creative writing is on the horizon. Kids first identify the characters in the painting Rabbit Hunt, then write narrative from the perspective of one of the characters in the painting. They combine...
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

"Ursula Pugh"

For Students 8th - 9th
Intermediate English language learners read the short, page-long story "Ursula Pugh" and answer the multiple choice questions that follow. Most of the questions focus on vocabulary development and understanding of the story. An answer...
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

"Guermo's Surprise"

For Students 6th - 8th
Have you ever thrown a surprise party? Use this question to engage your intermediate English language learners. After a brief discussion, read the passage "Guermo's Surprise," and have learners answer the 10 multiple-choice questions...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Adventures in Toyland

For Teachers K - 5th
There are many ways to tell a story; Richard Patterson's three-dimensional painting If serves as the inspiration for some creative storytelling for elementary school writers. They watch a clip from Toy Story (you'll need to bring this),...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"

For Teachers 11th
Do you want to live forever? After reading Kurt Vonnegut’s short story, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” class groups adopt the roles of an ethics committee, product manufacturers, concerned scientists, and potential users of an...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Short Story Lesson Plan: "The Californian's Tale"

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Middle schoolers read the short story "The Californian's Tale" by Mark Twain and complete related activities. They discuss vocabulary for the story and complete a vocabulary matching definition activity. They complete  writing activities...
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

Reading Practice: Boris the Brainiest Baby

For Students K - 2nd Standards
Boris is the smartest baby around! Beginning readers can use this short story excerpt to practice reading comprehension and fiction elements. They read the story and then discuss what they think he will do next. Scholars create an...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A House for Hermit Crab

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Make predictions and recall details while reading A House For Hermit Crab. While you read the story, discuss aspects of the plot and encourage listeners to respond. Extension activities such as crafts, counting, puppets, and using your...