Curated OER
Hemingway's Short Stories - Essay Questions
Ernest Hemingway is one of America's great writers. After reading one (or several) of his short stories, visit this list of 24 questions relating to at least 10 of his short stories. Some of the questions are basic recall questions, and...
Pinecrest Preparatory Middle and High School
Short Story Planning Guide
A short story is only as strong as its characters, development, and conflicts. Encourage the young authors in your class to plan their stories based on the elements of narrative writing, all provided in brainstorming graphic organizers.
Teacher's Corner
Dr. Seuss Story Map
Guide young readers through their first book report with a story map designed for a Dr. Seuss book. After your class finishes their story of choice, they list the title, characters, conflict, and other elements of literature on the book...
Curated OER
Illustrating the Elements of a Story
Explore the elements of a story with this two-page graphic organizer. Readers write and draw descriptions of each element, including setting, plot, conflict, rising action, climax, dialogue, and narration.
IPDAE
Themes in Short Stories
"What is the theme of this story?" The very question can spark fear in the minds of readers and incinerate confidence. Here you will discover an exercise that shows how writers use the tools of setting, plot, conflict, and...
Curated OER
Making A Story Map
Sixth graders learn to plan a story by using a story map. They analyze a detailed sample story map and answer 5 questions about it. Then, plan their own story using a story map template.
Curated OER
Recognizing Elements of a Short Story
In this short story elements worksheet, students recognize the elements of short story by reading the sentences and selecting the correct story element. Students complete 10 online questions.
Curated OER
Recognizing Elements of a Short Story
In this elements of a short story activity, students are given definitions and must choose the element being defined. Students are also given a selection to read and answer questions about.
E Reading Worksheets
Climax, Structure, and Elements of a Story
Appropriate for any short story, this worksheet asks readers to identify key elements and then analyze the structure of a short story.
Curated OER
The Works of Edgar Allan Poe
Quiz your class with a review of the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe. These reading comprehension questions cover a breadth of ideas but aren't overly detailed. Questions come from The Tell-Tale Heart, The Masque of the Red Death, The...
Curated OER
The Tales and Poems of Poe
Four short stories, two poems, and biographical information about Edgar Allan Poe make up this quiz. Questions about The Cask of Amontillado, The Masque of the Red Death, The Raven, The Black Cat, Annabel Lee, and The Tell-Tale Heart...
Curated OER
Getting to Know Characters
This set of worksheets constitutes enough work and materials to be considered a lesson. They guide readers through a process of exploring characters and their motivations, and writing a paragraph about them. Here are seven handouts that...
Curated OER
The Too Small House: Story and Craft Activity
Engage students in setting and character with this story and craft activity set. To begin the activity, learners read the short story "The Too Small House." They then cut out and color a picture of the house and paper figures of the...
Read Works
Sam’s Helicopter Ride
First graders read a short story and answer questions based on what they read. The question set includes multiple choice and short answer questions.
K5 Learning
Damon and Pythias
True friendship is priceless. Fourth graders read a short story about two friends who are willing to give up everything for each other — even their lives.
Curated OER
You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover… But Can You Judge a Book by Its First Line?
In this literary prediction activity, students predict the topic, genre, setting, characters, and interest level of a book based on its first line. They research the title and author of the book using the line. They write a short story...
Mrs. Mann
Mice and Beans
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...
Writing Educators Symposium
Asking the Right Questions
It can be difficult to find the theme of a book or story if you don't know the questions to ask. Teach your kids to discern the universal theme in works of literature with a set of activities that promote critical thinking and active...
Curated OER
Fiction, Poetry, and Drama Part 1
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,"...
Curated OER
"A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury: Questions
These questions are designed to accompany Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder," and could be used to guide and focus readers or as an assessment of reading skill and knowledge of the elements of a story. Page one focuses on questions of...
Curated OER
Edgar Allan Poe Realty: Fun Trivia Quiz
Often these Fun Trivia quizzes are low-quality and have questionable educational merit. However, this interactive online instructional activity provides a clever way to test understanding of setting in various Edgar Allan Poe stories.
Fabius-Pompey School District
Paired Passage Practice and the Extended Response Question
How do pupils relate paired passages to each other? Here's a resource that helps! The lesson includes a short story and a poem as a set of paired reading passages, followed by some analysis questions. It also includes an essay template...
Curated OER
Make Up Your Story
Putting together an interesting story can be hard, but this set of worksheets will guide your writers into the depths of their own creativity as they characterize both their main character and villain. Using humor to keep learners...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Three Skeleton Key
Encourage your students to interact with the text as they read. While reading "Three Skeleton Key," class members note predictions, define words and study their meanings, take notes on how the suspense builds, and jot down ideas about...