Subject(s): Language Arts Grades(s): Junior High/High School

Title – Unit Overview, Short Story
By – Melanie Marchand
Primary Subject – Language Arts
Secondary Subjects – Language Arts
Grade Level – 11-12
Unit Overview – Short Story

Short Story Unit Contents:

• Short Story Unit Overview
• Lesson 1 – Elements of the Short Story
• Lesson 2 – A Ghost Story
• Lesson 3 – Modern Fear and Suspense
• Lesson 4 – Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery
• Lesson 5 – The Most Dangerous Game
• Lesson 6 – Conclusion
• Culminating Activity

Purpose: It is important that students are exposed to many different aspects of writing. The short story is a very manageable segment of writing; therefore the quick progression that is possible with short story should keep the students interested. As well, this unit gives the students a chance to cultivate writing skills in a creative way. This unit also enhances students’ analytical skills by identifying the various elements contained within the short story.

Objectives: When this unit is finished, the students will have:
1. Been exposed to the elements of the short story.
2. Further developed functional writing skills in accordance with their ability.
3. Read a selection of short stories.
4. Had experience in creatively writing a short story.

Grade: 11-12

Resources: Stories (Mark Twain, Ghost Story; Stephen King, The Reaper’s Image; Shirley Jackson, The Lottery; Richard Connell, The Most Dangerous Game); Movie (either The Blair Witch Project or Hitchcock’s Psycho); Various Web-sites (see lesson plans).

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