Short Story Unit
For the Teacher (25 days – 5 weeks)
Day 1 – Introduce Scavenger Hunt, Short Story Unit Introduction
1. Help students become adjusted to the textbook.
* Use “Scavenger Hunt” on page xxxvii (prior to Unit 1)
2. Introduce “The Cornell Note Taking System”
* Use Active Learning and Note Taking Guide
* Introduction (p. vii-x)
3. Introduce Short Story Unit (p. 1)
* Active Learning and Note Taking Guide (p. 1)
Day 2 – Elements of a Short Story
1. Introduce “Elements that shape a short story (p. 2-3) – form included
* Students will begin to write definition to short story terms
* Active Learning and Note Taking Guide (p. 2-3)
2. Discuss how literary elements function in a short story
* Use “The Jump” by Leo Tolstoy (p. 4-5)
* Active Learning and Note Taking Guide (p. 4-5)
Day 3 – Quick Quiz & Introduction to Part 1
1. Introductory Quiz – Active Learning and Note Taking Guide (p. 10)
2. Discuss Part 1 – Matters of Life and Death
* Active Learning and Note Taking Guide (p. 11)
3. Introduce “Plot and Setting” (p. 10-11)
* Plot Diagram – form included
* 5 elements: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution
* Active Learning and Note Taking Guide (p. 12-13)
Matters of Life and Death
Days 4-6 – Short Story #1 (“The Lady or the Tiger?” – p. 12)
* Read info about author (p. 12) and Literature Preview (Building Background & Setting Purposes
for Reading)
* Hand out worksheet that goes along with story
* Use Read Aloud, Think Aloud Transparency to help students understand a short story
* Literary element: conflict (p. 13)
* Vocabulary words (impartial, emanate, dire, fervent, novel)
* Q&A: Students will answer questions on p. 20
* Plot diagram – form included
* Activity: Finish the story
Days 7-8 – Short Story #2 (“The Most Dangerous Game” – p. 22)
* Read info about author (p. 22) and Literature Preview (Building Background & Setting Purposes
for Reading)
* Hand out worksheet that goes along with story
* Read story – students should answer questions as they go along
* Literary elements: suspense (p. 23 & p. 42), foil (p. 28), setting (p. 36), foreshadowing (p. 43)
* Vocabulary words (tangible, discern, condone, imperative, zealous)
* Q&A: Students will answer questions on p. 41
* Plot diagram
*Activity: Map of the Island
Days 9-10 – Short Story #3 (“The Cask of Amontillado” – p. 55)
* Read info about author (p. 55) and Literature Preview (Building Background & Setting Purposes
for Reading)
* Hand out worksheet that goes along with story
* Read story – students should answer questions as they go along
* Literary element: mood (p. 56 & p. 64), irony (p. 58)
* Vocabulary words (preclude, impunity, accost, explicit, implore)
* Q&A: Students will answer questions on p. 63
* Plot diagram
*Activity: Create a family coat of arms & motto (p. 58)
Day 11 – Part 1 Quiz & Introduction to Part 2
1. Quiz – Vocabulary, literary terms, short story info (70 points)
2. Introduce Part 2 – Rewards and Sacrifices
* Active Learning and Note Taking Guide (p. 24)
3. Introduce “Character and Theme”
* Active Learning and Note Taking Guide (p. 25-26)
Rewards and Sacrifices
Days 12-13 – Short Story #4 (“The Gift of the Magi” – p. 121)
* Read info about author (p. 121) and Literature Preview (Building Background & Setting Purposes
for Reading)
* Hand out worksheet that goes along with story
* Read story – students should answer questions as they go along
* Literary element: symbol (p. 122 & p. 130), point of view (p. 126)
* Vocabulary words (imputation, parsimony, depreciate, prudence)
* Q&A: Students will answer questions on p. 129
* Plot diagram
*Activity: Free write about sacrifices
Days 14-15 – Short Story #5 (The Scarlet Ibis” – p. 160)
* Read info about author (p. 160) and Literature Preview (Building Background & Setting Purposes
for Reading)
* Hand out worksheet that goes along with story
* Read story (Should students answer questions as they go along?)
* Literary element: characterization (p. 161 & p. 174), simile (p. 162), symbol (p. 175)
* Vocabulary words (careen, serene, blighted, reiterate, precariously)
* Q&A: Students will answer questions on p. 173
* Plot diagram
*Activity: As the character Doodle, write a letter to your brother (p. 175)
Day 16 – Part 2 Quiz & Introduction to Part 3
1. Quiz – Vocabulary, literary terms, short story info (50 points)
2. Introduce Part 3 – Dreams and Reality
* Active Learning and Note Taking Guide (p. 28)
3. Introduce “Narrator and Voice”
* Active Learning and Note Taking Guide (p. 29-30)
Dreams and Reality
Days 17-18 – Short Story #6 (“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” – p. 208)
* Read info about author (p. 208) and Literature Preview (Building Background & Setting Purposes
for Reading)
* Hand out worksheet that goes along with story
* Read story (Should students answer questions as they go along?)
* Literary element: diction (p. 209 & p. 216)
* Vocabulary words (distraught, haggard, craven, pandemonium, disdainful)
* Q&A: Students will answer questions on p. 215
* Plot diagram
*Activity: Free write about daydreams
Days 19-20 – Short Story #7 (“The Necklace” – p. 219)
* Read info about author (p. 219) and Literature Preview (Building Background & Setting Purposes
for Reading)
* Hand out worksheet that goes along with story
* Read story (Should students answer questions as they go along?)
* Literary element: point of view (p. 220 & p. 229), irony (p. 227)
* Vocabulary words (incessantly, disconsolate, aghast, gamut, privation)
* Q&A: Students should answer questions on p. 228
* Plot diagram
*Activity: Free write about borrowing or lending
Day 21
QUIZ – Vocabulary, literary terms, short story info (40 points)
Days 22-24
Major Writing
* Compare/Contrast Essay (informal)
~ Use Venn diagrams?
~ Della from “The Gift of the Magi” & Mathilde from “The Necklace”
~ Rainsford vs. Zaroff from “The Most Dangerous Game”
~ Narrator vs. Doodle from “The Scarlet Ibis”
~ Other? P. 280 – responding to a short story
Day 25
Short Story Test – vocabulary, literary terms, short story info, including practice test on p. 292-294.