EA 1: Short Story
• Complete a short story that develops:
– Plot- conflict, rising action, climax and resolution.
– Characters- at least one character fully developed and
complex.
– Setting- described
– POV – consistent and purposeful.
– Literary narrative elements/techniques used: one type
of irony and at least 3 others literary
elements/techniques (underlined!)
– There is a “theme” within your story that the reader
can identify through your sequence of events (plot),
and use of literary narrative techniques, and effective
details. (Write the theme of your story as a separate
sentence at the bottom of your essay in bold!)
Short Story- Ideas
• Focus on setting, character, events and ideas: setting is
described in a way that is fluent with the story telling.
Character development is presented through
description, action, motivation and narration. Plot is
told as a story. Conflict is not stated, but rather shown.
• Presents thought provoking details, conflict and
resolution: conflict and resolution goes beyond the
basic “perfectly good versus perfectly bad.” A message
is presented through the story.
• Develops engaging and authentic characters: character
(as least one) grows through the story, either as a
character, or in complexity (more is revealed).
Short Story: Structure
• Follows the structure of the genre: what genre would your
short story fall into: horror, suspense, action, romance,
archetypal, etc.). Follow expectations of that genre (look it
up if you don’t know). All genres demand a conflict,
resolution, rising action, character development, etc.
• Engages the reader and uses a variety of techniques to
sequence events and create a coherent whole:
foreshadowing, irony, flashbacks, flash-forwards, narrator
choice, etc.
• Provides an insightful conclusion with a clear and
reasonable resolution: climax and resolution resolve
conflict, and then gives the reader a sense of the ending of
the story.
Short Story: Use of Language
• Purposefully uses precise language, telling details, and
sensory language to enhance mood or tone: use of
imagery, description, narration.
• Effectively uses a range of narrative techniques and
literary devices to enhance the plot: imagery, irony,
figurative language, symbolism, allusion. You are
required to use irony and at least 3 other techniques.
• Demonstrates technical command of spelling and
standard English conventions: dialogue format,
paragraph format for stories, as well as correct basic
conventions -period, commas, capitalization,
apostrophes, WODs - and grade level conventions dash, semi-colon, colon, parallel structure, etc.
Short Story Step 1: Planning
• Plan/Brainstorm (on your own paper – due Monday)
– Character- Names, personality traits, motivations, descriptions
of at least 2 characters.
– Conflict Part 1: Brainstorm ideas for both an external conflict
(person vs. person; person vs. society; person vs. machine;
person vs. nature), and an internal conflict (person vs. self;
person vs. fate).
– Conflict: For each of the two conflicts above answer the
following questions: How did the conflict come to be? What
are some logical resolutions for the conflict (positive
resolution, negative resolution, acceptance, etc.).
– Potential Literary Element (s): a possible symbol, an ironic
situation/dramatic irony, an allusion, etc. Then explain what
role they could play in the story – how they could develop the
plot, characterization, or theme.
Short Story Step 2 Plot Diagram
• Create a plot diagram, outlining the important elements
of your story (on own paper - due Monday)
– Exposition: identify conflict, setting, character introduction.
– Rising Action: significant events that will happen to your
character(s).
– Climax: event or situation that will lead to the resolution of the
conflict.
– Falling Action/Denouement: how will the story end? How do
characters react and deal with resolution?
– Resolution: How the conflict is resolved- final outcome of the
conflict (positive, negative, acceptance, etc.)
Interactive/On-line Plot Diagram:
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/plotdiagram/
EA 1: Short Story
• Complete a short story that develops:
–
–
–
–
–
Plot- conflict, rising action, climax and resolution.
Characters- at least one character fully developed and complex.
Setting- described
POV – consistent and purposeful.
Literary narrative elements/techniques used: one type of irony
and at least 3 others literary elements/techniques (underlined!)
– There is a “theme” within your story that the reader can
identify through your sequence of events (plot), and use of
literary narrative techniques, and effective details. (Write the
theme of your story as a separate sentence at the bottom of
your essay in bold!)
Timeline/Due Dates
• Friday 3/27: review rubric, go over expectations for short story
• Weekend: create a planning/brainstorm sheet following the instructions
provided in my PPT AND draw and label a plot diagram with each element
of plot (hand drawn or use online diagram)
• Monday, 3/30: Ms. M stamp planning sheet and Plot diagram. Begin
drafting short story in GoogleDoc provided by Ms. M
• Tuesday, 3/31: continue working on short story. Your rough draft should
be done by Wednesday to begin peer review Wednesday/Thursday.
• Wednesday 4/1-Thursday 4/2: finish short story rough draft and begin
Writing Group Revision process with your writing group (see handout for
instructions and GoogleDoc shared with you).
• Friday, 4/3: Final short story due in GoogleDoc I created for you by 11:59
pm.
• MANAGE YOUR TIME WISELY EACH DAY – YOUR GROUP IS DEPENDING
UPON YOU TO BE READY FOR THE WRITING GROUP REVISIONS PROCESS
BY WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY!