Short Story Unit
Suzie Myhre, Alex Ward
Overarching questions.
1. How do writers describe the American experience?
2. How do authors create fiction?
Character
Selection: “The Goodness of Matt Kaiser”
Guiding question: How does an author develop a character’s identity?
Worksheet / Vocabulary
Writing assignment: What events made Matt change in the story. Use specific examples. Do you think he’ll stay good? Why/Why not?
(2 days)
Setting
Selection: “All Summer in a Day”
Guiding question: How does the setting affect a story?
Questions in the book, vocabulary
Writing Assignment: How would story change if the setting changed? How would this story be different if it took place somewhere else? What if it took place in present time?
(2 days)
Mini-lesson- plotline
Conflict
Guiding question: Why is conflict necessary to a story?
Selection: “A Game of Catch”
Questions, short vocabulary assignment
Writing Assignment: Of the three boys, whose fault was Scho’s accident? Write a compelling argument using evidence from the text.
Mini-lesson- point of view
Theme
Guiding questions: What’s the difference between theme and main idea? How does an author communicate a theme.
Selections: “Ribbons,” “The Treasure of Lemon Brown.”
Questions, vocabulary
Writing assignment: to be determined
Assessments
Short Story test: Answer all the overacrching and guiding questions.
Write an original short story that takes place in American and has traits of an American Experience. Use all the short story aspects (setting, character, conflict, theme).
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