Teaching Short Story Writing

Middle School Short Stories
Teaching Students
To Read and Write
Short Stories
A Sample Unit of Lessons for

Middle School Teachers
Jefferson County Public Schools

Version 2.0
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TEACHING STUDENTS TO READ LITERARY TEXT

AND WRITE A SHORT STORY
This unit combines a group of lessons designed to teach students the skills and
strategies involved in reading literary text and writing short stories. It incorporates
lessons previously published on the JCPS website which focused only on writing short
stories. The unit was designed for middle school students, but lessons can easily be
adapted for use with older or younger students. In addition, teachers may find it useful to
adapt short story lessons published in the High School English Core Content Guide and
available electronically at http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/corecontent.
Lessons vary in length: some will take 15 minutes or less; others will take several
periods to complete. The length of the lesson will depend on what your students already
know how to do and the depth at which you want to take the lesson. These lessons
address several key areas of Kentucky Core Content for Assessment.
In planning your unit, you will want to read through all of the lessons first to get
an overall picture of unit. Then, you may choose to eliminate some lessons and/or add
lessons of your own to address the areas of Core Content most needed by your students.
This unit is just one sample. There are many combinations of lessons that will make a
successful unit.
The lessons do not depend on a particular textbook. Materials needed for each lesson
are listed and include materials typically found in a middle school language arts
classroom.
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The following lessons are included in the unit:
Lesson 1 List-Group-Label Reading Strategy

Lesson 2 Embedded Questions Reading Strategy
Lesson 3 Team Retell Reading Strategy
Lesson 4 Analyzing the Use of Foreshadowing and Symbolism
Lesson 5 Taking on a Character's Perspective While Reading
Lesson 6 "To Tell the Truth": Character Role Playing
Lesson 7 Getting Ideas for Plot
Lesson 14 Mapping Ideas for Plot
Lesson 17 Getting to Know Your Character
Lesson 22 Dividing the Story Into Scenes
Lesson 23 Drafting the Story
Lesson 24 Writing an Effective Lead
Lesson 25 Showing, Not Telling
Lesson 26 Showing Action
Lesson 27 Using Dialogue to Advance the Plot
Lesson 28 Punctuating Dialogue
Lesson 29 Writing Authentic-Sounding Dialogue
Lesson 30 Using Interior Monologue
Lesson 31 Exploding the Climax
Lesson 32 Concluding the Story
Lesson 33 Varying Sentences
Lesson 34 Using Powerful Language
Lesson 35 Writing a Title
Lesson 36 Editing and Publishing the Story
Appendix Extensions and Accommodations for ECE/Other Diverse

Learners
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UNIT: Literary Reading/Writing a Short Story
TOPIC: List-Group-Label Reading Strategy, Lesson 1
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will “file” new vocabulary related to short stories and
accompanying concepts into existing schema through categorization.
CORE CONTENT:
RD-M-1.0.12 Identify characteristics of short stories, novels, poetry, and plays.
RD-M-1.0.13 Describe literary elements (e.g. characterization, setting, plot, theme, point
of view) in a passage.
RD-M-1.0.10 Connect information from a passage to students' lives and/or real world
issues.
VOCABULARY: Will vary according to what the students generate during the lesson.
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS:

List-Group-Label handouts for students
Overhead transparency of List-Group-Label handout
TEACHING STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES:
• On the overhead, write the word “story.” Ask students to think about words they
might associate with the idea of story reading and writing. The students, either
individually or in pairs, will formulate a list of words on their handout in the “List”
section. Ask students to try for at least 25-30 words.
• Record the associations students have made on the overhead transparency until 25- 30
words are recorded.
• Ask the students to return to their handouts to construct smaller lists of words from
the large list. They will need to provide a label to categorize each grouping. A
statement should follow each group, explaining the rationale for why the words have
been grouped in this particular manner.
Example of how a grouping might appear:
List: tale, characters, setting, hero, science fiction, theme, villain,

tone, mood, lead, dialogue, horror, drama, introduction, prologue,
narrator, mystery, plot, moral, protagonist, conflict, epilogue,
ending, suspense, foreshadowing, title, book, chapters, novel,
author, romance, people, problems.
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Group and Label:

*character, villain, hero, people, protagonist, narrator = the people in the
story
*title, ending, introduction, chapters, book, epilogue, prologue = parts of a
story
*conflict, problems, suspense, mystery, villain, romance = complications
in a story
• A word wall could easily be created from the lists generated, with additional words
being added throughout the unit as students learn new vocabulary associated with
stories.
ASSESSING THE LEARNING:

The lists generated by students serve a way to gather information on what students
already know about short stories. They also provide direction on other components of
story writing that may need to be introduced.
Adapted from:
Readance, John E. Prereading Activities for Content Area Reading and Learning.
International Reading Association, 2000.
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List-Group-Label Strategy:
STORY
List
Make a list of as many words you can think of that might be associated with the topic,
“Story.”
1. 11. 21.
2. 12. 22.
3. 13. 23.
4. 14. 24.
5. 15. 25.
6. 16. 26.
7. 17. 27.
8. 18. 28.
9. 19. 29.
10. 20. 30.
Group and Label
Do you see some logical groupings of the words that were generated? Label the different
configurations of words as appropriate.
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TOPIC: Embedded Question Reading Strategy, Lesson 2
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will activate metacognition strategies to achieve

higher levels of comprehension.
CORE CONTENT:
RD-M-1.0.8 Make predictions, draw conclusions, and make generalizations about what
is read.
RD-M-1.0.14 Analyze the relationship between events in a story and a character's
behavior.
RD-M-1.0.16 Identify literary devices such as foreshadowing, imagery, and figurative
language (e.g. similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole).
RD-M-1.0.15 Explain how a conflict in a passage is resolved.
RD-M-1.0.12 Identify characteristics of short stories, novels, poetry, and plays.
RD-M-1.0.9 Reflect on and evaluate what is read.
VOCABULARY:
metacognition, prediction, self-monitoring, sensory imagery, visualization
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: Copies of “Revenge” or another short story with

embedded questions related to key literary elements (see "Guidelines for Writing
Embedded Questions for Literary Text")
• Begin the lesson by explaining that good readers use metacognition strategies before,
during, and after reader. Metacognition, in essence, is the act of thinking about your
own thinking practices. Good readers generally carry out an internal dialogue with
themselves as they move through new material.
• The following fundamental inquiry questions might be posted somewhere in the

room:
How can we know if we understand what we read?

What can we do to make sure we understand what we read?
• In addition, the following list of strategies may be posted to emphasize that skillful,
effective readers use a variety of strategies to make sure they understand what they
read:
* self-monitoring for understanding

* making, confirming, or disproving predictions
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* formulating and answering questions

* rereading, retelling, or mentally replaying a story
* employing sensory imagery
* noticing organizational patterns of text
* making connections between story features and personal
experience
Guidelines for Writing Embedded Questions for Literary Text
When to embed a question
Draw attention to (especially at the beginning of a story):

-details related to the establishment of setting
-character descriptions, relationships, and reactions
-text features, such as italics or line breaks, that indicate a shift in time
-unreferenced events (i.e., things the reader is expected to make sense of as new
details are revealed in subsequent paragraphs)
-conclusions that are implied, not stated directly
Include several prediction points:

-when conflict begins to develop
-just before the climax
-just before the resolution
-when a time shift occurs
Ask students to pose questions about and identify:

-historical or cultural references that may be unfamiliar (e.g., Jim Crow laws,
manga, fleur de lis)
-unclear pronoun reference (i.e., Warren was sure he had seen her before, but
where?)
-figurative language
-the more confusing sections of the story and how they coped with the
confusion
-speakers in dialogue with no tag lines
Have students highlight:

-unfamiliar vocabulary
-words that establish tone or mood
-evidence and clues to support answers to inferential questions
Ask students to paraphrase long, difficult sentences or retell incidents
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Typical embedded questions
What do you think will happen next? Make a prediction.

Stop and visualize X. Draw a sketch of your visualization.
What are you wondering at this point? Write a question.
What time period is this?
How did Mr. Jacobs “turn the tide in New Albany?”
• Explain that students are about to read a short story that has had a variety of questions
embedded throughout. These questions offer opportunities for students to summarize,
self-question, and predict.
•EXTENSIONS/ACCOMODATIONS FOR ECE/OTHER DIVERSE

LEARNERS: (See Appendix for additional extensions/accommodations.)
For students needing intervention to bypass memory and comprehension difficulties,
teach how to memorize small chunks of information by reading, covering information
up and saying orally, checking self, writing down key words and connections to
personal experience.
ASSESSING THE LEARNING: Students should share their responses to the

embedded questions with a partner, small group, or the whole class. Listening and
reading the student responses should provide the teacher with information about areas in
which students may need additional guided instruction.
Adapted from:
Weir, Carol. “Using Embedded Questions to Jump-Start Metacognition in Middle
School Remedial Readers.” Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 41 (6),
458-467, March 1998.
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Revenge
2. While reading, highlight any unfamiliar words.
“Hey, Rusty,” called Jacob Salsbury, the biggest bully in town, from across
the street.
“Yeah?” answered Rusty as he exited the candy shop.
“Go check out your bike. See how you like it.”
“What did you do to it, Jacob?”
“Oh, I just made a few adjustment. I know you’ll like it. Ha-ha-ha!”
Rusty sprinted behind the candy shop where he had left his bike. He was
devastated at what he saw. Jacob had slashed the tires so that they were now flat.
On top of that he had turned the seat around backwards and taken the chain off.
“Oh man! My parents are going to be furious!”
2. Write one question you have at this point.

_________________________________________________________________.
The sad thing was that Rusty was completely defenseless, at least
physically. Rusty was a genuine nerd. His moppy brown hair flopped into his
eyes as he walked home, which was more than a mile away. Everyone who was
not Rusty's friend picked on him, especially Jacob Salsbury.
3. Underline the quality about Rusty that the author emphasized in the above
section.
At the time, Rusty was not thinking about this. He had his mind focused
on how to gain revenge on Jacob.
"Rusty, where on earth have you been?" questioned Mrs. Felps, his mom,
as he trudged into the kitchen.
"Walking home."
"But I thought you rode your bike…."
"Yeah, I did, but Jacob slashed my tires."
"He did what?" she yelled.
"He also turned the seat around and took the chain off."
When Rusty told her this, she grabbed him by the arm and went out to the
garage. He showed her the damage and she was outraged.
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3. Why do you think Rusty’s mother reacted in this

way?_______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
"I gotta get Jacob back somehow," said Rusty quietly as he walked
upstairs to his room. He sat down at his desk and began playing Alien Invader III,
his new video game. After about two hours, Mr. Felps came up and made Rusty
get in bed. He could not fall asleep, so he just lay there looking at his glow-in-
the-dark map of the universe brainstorming ways to get Jacob back. He was
going to get him good, really good. While sleeping, Rusty came up with a plan
that would make Jacob miserable.
The next morning, Rusty took a shower and got ready for school. He
stuffed a tube of superglue into his pocket as he walked out the door. He left
earlier than usual to make sure that Jacob would not be there when he arrived.
4. What do you predict Rusty might do with the tube of

superglue?______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
"Hi, Mr. Slack," said Rusty cheerfully as he passed the principal in the
hall. There were very few other students around, which was to his advantage.
Rusty walked straight to Mrs. Turner's class and she was not there, so he had the
room all to himself. He found the desk where Jacob sat and pulled out the chair.
Then, he smeared superglue all over his seat. It was clear, and hardly noticeable.
After doing this, Rusty went and sat down at his own desk.
Jacob was the last person to enter the room. When he did, Rusty started
sweating and his glasses slid down his nose. Rusty was relieved when Jacob sat
down, not noticing the glue. The bell rang a few moments later and class was in
session.
"Class, the first thing we are going to do today is grammar, so get out your
grammar books," said Mrs. Turner, "Yes, Jacob what is it?"
"Umm.. I left my grammar book in my locker. May I go and get it?"
"Yes, but hurry back. Next time, bring it with you, okay?"
Jacob tried to get out of his seat, but he couldn't. His rear end was stuck.
"Mrs. Turner," he pleaded, "I can't get up. I'm stuck.
"Oh stop being silly, of course you can."
"But…"
"Jacob if you do not want to receive a zero for today's daily grade, I
suggest that you get out of your seat and go to your locker."
6. Stop and visualize this last scene. Draw a quick sketch of your visualization below.
"I can't get up. Come over here and have a look for yourself."
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Sure enough, Mrs. Turner saw that Jacob was superglued to his chair. By
this time, a few of the students were giggling. "Well, I suppose you will have to
take your pants off in order to get loose," said Mrs. Turner.
"What?" exclaimed Jacob.
"I don't know anything else that we can do. If you do, I'd be happy to let
you try it."
Unwillingly, Jacob did as he was told. The class broke out into a roar of
laughter, especially Rusty. Jacob turned red as a strawberry. He ran to the office
in his boxer shorts and called his mom to come and pick him up.
Rusty was very pleased with himself. Rather than using strength, Rusty
relied on his brain to gain revenge on Jacob. He had a feeling that Jacob would
not be bothering him anymore.
7. What is the theme of this

story?_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
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TOPIC: Team Retell Reading Strategy, Lesson 3
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students learn to retell a story focusing on important aspects

of the story.
CORE CONTENT:
RD-M-1.0.13 Describe literary elements in a passage.
RD-M-1.0.9 Reflect on and evaluate what is read.

story structure cards
literature textbooks
• Briefly discuss the elements of story structure (plot, theme, problem, solution, etc.)
• Read a short story aloud to the class; have the students refer to the story identifying
the elements of the story structure.
• Under each element, record students’ reflections on chart paper.
• Divide students into groups of 4 or 5 students, assigning each group one or two
elements on which to focus.
• Assign each group a story from the literature text. After reading the story, each group
will prepare to retell the story with primary focus on the group’s assigned story
element.
• Groups take turns retelling their story with an emphasis on their assigned element.
EXTENSIONS/ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ECE/OTHER DIVERSE

LEARNERS:
For those students struggling with essential vocabulary comprehension of the
elements of story structure (plot, theme, conflict, solution, main idea, etc.), give
additional instruction using repetition, simpler explanations, more examples, and
modeling.
ENRICHMENT:
For homework, have students prepare a retelling of their favorite book, focusing
on one short story element.
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TOPIC: Analyzing the use of foreshadowing and symbolism in a short story, Lesson 4
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will begin to understand how authors use

foreshadowing as a literary device in story writing.
CORE CONTENT:
RD-M-1.0.16 Identify literary devices such as foreshadowing, imagery, and figurative
language (e.g. similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole).
VOCABULARY: foreshadowing, symbolism, representation

Copies of the story "The 'Jumping' Rock" or another story which contains the use of
foreshadowing.
• Write the following passage on the board for students to observe:
My father and I watched an old monster movie last night. He said it was one of his favorites
when he was a young boy. He kept pointing out certain scenes, telling me they were examples
of foreshadowing. Like, when the music started speeding up, he'd tell me to "Watch out."
Whenever the camera focused on the "Lake Closed for the Season" sign, he told me it would
mean something later.
• Ask students for a definition of foreshadowing based on the context in which it is

used in the passage.
• Have students provide examples of foreshadowing they have noticed in film or books.
• Tell students that writers often use symbols to represent mood or emotion. The
symbol may offer hints about what is yet to come in a story. Classic examples might
include a dog representing loyalty or a rainbow representing hope. Ask students to
think of the symbols they have noticed in film or books.
• Ask students to read the short story "The 'Jumping' Rock" and answer embedded
questions related to the author's use of foreshadowing.
EXTENSIONS/ACCOMODATIONS FOR ECE/OTHER DIVERSE

LEARNERS:
(See Appendix for additional extensions/accommodations.)
To bypass reading and writing difficulties, pair diverse learners with a more
competent students. Have that student read aloud the materials and scribe the
responses of the ECE student.
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ENRICHMENT: Have students create a classroom bulletin board, poster, or

anthology of commonly used foreshadowing symbols and examples of places
where they've been used.
EXAMPLE:
Object… Symbolizes… Example…
Sunglasses coolness; aloofness Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in

the movie, Men in Black

Discuss students’ responses to the embedded questions in “The ‘Jumping’ Rock.”
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The "Jumping" Rock
Every day she waited for him on the "Jumping Rock."
* * * * *
"Josh?!" Amy yelled. "Where are you?!" Silence.

Where is he? Her pulse began to quicken. He's been gone longer than usual. Oh well,
Amy thought. This hide-and-seek game is so childish. But for some reason we always
end up playing it. I'll find him soon. He knows that no matter what he does I'll always
forgive him and love him. After all, best friends can't get much closer than us. Her heart
continued to race.
Why is the author putting so many of these sentences in italic print?____________

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
Amy turned, sighed, and hurriedly walked up the rocky beach shore, her eyes
scanning the murky water that seemed to stretch on forever.
The sun was not its vibrant orange color anymore. Instead, it hid behind the dark
and heavy clouds hanging so low in the sky they almost made Amy clausterphobic. The
obnoxious squawking sound of gulls had stopped and the people were gone. She could
hear the faint rumbling sound of thunder in the distance. It was eerie, feeling alone on
the beach. But she wasn't alone. Josh was there…somewhere.
Write one question you have at this point.___________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
"Josh?" Her voice quivered slightly. She looked at her bare legs. They were
covered with little prickly bumps and were shaking.
It's cold out here for a day in August, she thought. Something wasn't right. She
could sense it.
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Write one example of foreshadowing the author has used to let the reader know
something is about to happen.______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
Amy stopped at the edge of a wide, tall rock. The "Jumping" Rock. She and Josh
had named it that years ago when her family had first moved to Long Island. The rock
was a part of their lives now. They did homework after school on it. They jumped off of
it when the water was deep enough. And, if ever any of them got lost or needed to talk
about something important, they would always meet each other at the rock. The weather
was always beautiful when Amy and Josh talked there. The days were always warm and
sunny and perfect. Days completely opposite of today. Today was a dark, cold day.
Today the waves were angrily splashing against the rock, and the sky looked like it was
about to open up and dump rain on everything under it. It was such an ugly, mean day.
What do you think Amy's relationship is to Josh?_____________________________

________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
"Josh!" she yelled again. But her voice seemed to drown in the wind. Now she
was scared. Frantically, her eyes swept along the dark ocean. They came to rest on a
limp figure floating in the distance. She held her breath, her heart pounding so hard she
could almost hear it. Her eyes strained to focus.
What do you predict is going to happen next?_________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
Josh. First the recognition. Then the shock. Then the panic. Her mind whizzed
with so many ideas it made her dizzy. She jumped off the rock, stumbling into the sea,
her gaze fixed on what lie ahead of her.
The water felt thick. Trudging through it was like lifting weights that got heavier
and heavier by the step. The small rocks and broken seashells on the ocean floor pricked
Amy's feet. Her long, wet hair slapped against her back, stinging her skin.
She grimaced, and could taste the salty air.
With every pull, her arms and legs felt weaker as she struggled to move forward.
It was getting deeper…
Minutes seemed like hours. Amy's body was throbbing with pain. But she was
getting close to him.
The water was past her nose now. She could hardly breathe and stand on her feet
at the same time.
The wind started picking up. It forced the ocean waves to swell like a great,
angry beast, churning and roaring, proving its fierceness. Amy was in a daze, overcome
with fear. Choking and spitting up the salty water, she held her breath and desperate for
sanity, tried to grasp something to hold on to as towering waves rushed over her.
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She was under the water. She didn't even open her eyes, but she could hear the
fizzing sounds of bubbles rising to the surface around her and she could feel the pressure
of the water filling her ears.
O, God, help me, she pleaded.
Stop and visualize this last scene. Draw a sketch of what you see in your mind
below.
She wondered what it would be like to drown.

To know you're dying. To know this is the end of your life. But not being able to
say or do anything about it…the terror of the screaming in your head, but your
mouth…silent. And all the piercing pain…your ear drums popping, your lungs
exploding. And then you could feel nothing…because you are dead. She wondered….
Why do you think the author is sharing Amy's internal thoughts?_______________

________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
* * * * *
A deafening crack of thunder woke her. She was breathing again. She was
moving again. Amy opened her eyes. Everything was just like it had been. The
darkness, the crashing waves, the thunder and lightning. It was all the same. But now
she was on the rocky sand beach instead of in the middle of the ocean.
Why am I here? She wondered.
Then she remembered. Josh.
Struggling to get up, she propped herself up on a nearby rock. Her body ached.
But she had to find Josh.
Amy stood up and looked around. There was no one. Nothing in the ocean. No
Josh. No anything but the never-ending sea before her. She knew this was the end. He
was gone. She could never go back. She would have to bear living without him.
It started to rain. At first little droplets, but then bigger ones, and bigger ones,
each of them falling faster and harder than the one before. They beat upon her head and
shoulders, pounding on her back, and chiseling their way down to her heart. She
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screamed and slammed her fists into a rock, then down into the sand, wishing it would
swallow her up. She bawled sitting there, in the rain. Now she was really alone.
What does the rain represent or symbolize in this story?_______________________

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
* * * * *
Even though he never showed up, she returned day after day, watching the gray
sea, its soothing tide moving in and out. She waited there, thinking of all the times they
had spent lazy, summer days together on the rock, knowing that one day she'd find him
again, smiling and safe in his hiding place.
What do you think happened to Josh?_______________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
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TOPIC: Taking on a character's perspective while reading, Lesson 5
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will be engaged in the process of looking at a story

through the perspective of one or more characters
CORE CONTENT:
behavior.
is read.
VOCABULARY:
perspective, mutual, third-party, narrator, observer, empathy, relationship, extenuating
circumstances
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: a short story which involves several key characters
“Proficient readers possess the ability to take on the perspective of multiple characters
while reading. A reader must consider what characters might be seeing, thinking, or
feeling as the story unfolds. In most cases, a reader will have a preferred perspective
throughout the story (strongly identifying with one character more so than others).
However, readers should also be encouraged to take on other perspectives throughout the
reading of a text. The experience of taking multiple perspectives and of shifting
viewpoints is critical to the development of more sensitive and powerful readings that
lead to greater understanding of self and other.” (Wilhelm, pg. 59)
• Begin by explaining that, as a reader, you should be mindful of the perspective you
are taking and make attempts to shift perspectives throughout your reading. This may
allow you to interpret situations and characters differently.
• Ask students to think about the characters in their short story. In journals and/or
discussion groups, students should be asked to reflect on their characters using one or
more of the following guiding questions:
Do you like the character? For what reasons?
What do you think the character will do? What problems will she have? What are
the character's problems? How are they solved? How are they not solved? What
would you do differently?
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What feelings are you experiencing as you read? How did you feel when X happened
to the character? Are you feeling pleased or irritated with the character?
How would it feel to be one or more of the characters?
What personal experience have you had that helps you to better understand these
characters?
What character interests you most? Is that character the most important character?
Or is the story really about someone else?
What characters didn't you like? Which bored you? Did any characters remind you
of someone you know?
Did you ever get to know what the characters were thinking about? Did you agree
with what character X thought about character Y?
• One or more of the following activities could be used to help students explore the
idea of character and perspective:
°Retell episodes of the story from different perspectives
°Write character diaries
°Discuss characters in terms of whether you would like to know, meet, or be
that person
°Write a letter to a character; a classmate could answer the letter as the
character
°Write a story about the character if she were in your town today

For those students experiencing difficulty identifying and labeling feelings, create
a Feeling Word List. Such a list might include words such as suspicious, elated,
optimistic, concerned, confused perplexed, and discouraged. Teach and practice
the use of a thesaurus.

Collect and review journals or listen to discussion groups.
Adapted from:
Wilhelm, Jeffrey. (1997) "You Gotta BE the Book": Teaching Engaged and Reflective
Reading with Adolescents. New York: Teachers College Press and NCTE.
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TOPIC: "To Tell the Truth": Character Role-Playing, Lesson 6
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will be engaged in the process of looking at a story

through the perspective of one or more characters.
CORE CONTENT:
behavior.
is read.
VOCABULARY:
Perspective, role, panel, evidence
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: a short story, play, novel or other literary text
material which involves several key characters
• Before reading the final section of the literary text, arrange students into groups to
play a variation on the old "To Tell the Truth" game.
• Select four students each one playing the part of one character of their choice from
the text. Their job is to do the best possible job of becoming the character.
• Four more students play the part of the "expert panel," determining which student of
the first group responds to questions most like the character.
• The other students in the class can play additional characters from the text, asking
questions of the first four students.
• After a set amount of time (to be determined by the teacher), the expert panel votes
on which student is most like the character he or she claims to be.
• This role-playing experience affords students the opportunity both to become a

character and to play the part of an expert reader, testing elaborated ideas of what a
character in a text is like.
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ASSESSING THE LEARNING: By observing student questions and reactions, the

teacher can determine the level of comprehension that has taken place. Subsequent
instruction may focus on areas of difficulty.
Adapted from:
Wilhelm, Jeffrey. (1997) "You Gotta BE the Book": Teaching Engaged and Reflective
Reading with Adolescents. New York: Teachers College Press and NCTE.
23
TOPIC: Getting Ideas for Plot, Lesson 7
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will understand the meaning of plot idea.
CORE CONTENT:
WR-M-1.3 Literary Writing
VOCABULARY: plot idea, situation, complication, character

overhead transparency listing plot ideas for familiar stories
chart paper
overhead transparency of discussion questions
notecards
• Define plot idea as a sentence or two which includes the situation, character(s), and
complication for a short story. A plot idea does not solve the problem or complication; it
just articulates it for the writer to develop.
• On the overhead, show a few plot ideas from familiar short stories. Point out the part of
the plot idea which describes the situation, the part which identifies the main character,
and the part which describes the complication or problem.
Example: Two families from Verona are bitter enemies. The daughter of one
family falls in love with the son of the other family.
Example: A poor girl dreams of escaping her life as a maid for her stepmother
and stepsisters. Her stepmother does not allow her to attend the prince’s ball at
which he will choose his bride.
• Create additional examples of plot ideas from some stories your students have read in
class so far this year.
• Put students in groups of 4 or 5 students. Assign each group to write the plot idea for
each of the following stories:
•Goldilocks and the Three Bears
•Little Red Riding Hood
•Rumplestilzken
•The Three Little Pigs
•The Frog Prince
• The Emperor’s New Clothes
24
• You may substitute title of other tales if your students are not familiar with all of
these stories. Label one piece of chart paper for each story and hang around the
room. Groups will post their plot ideas on the appropriate chart papers.
• After all groups have posted their plot ideas assign one of the stories from the
previous activity to each group. Have them analyze each of the plot ideas for that
story, using the following questions you can display on the overhead projector:
• Does each plot idea for this story include only the situation, character, and
complication?
• How are the plot ideas different?
• Do any of the plot ideas tell too much?
• Do any of the plot ideas tell too little?
• Groups will report their finding to the entire class.

Choose one short story that all of the students have read recently. Have the students
write the plot idea for the story on a notecard. Collect the plot ideas and check them to
make sure that all students understand what a plot idea is.
25
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will build a bank of plot ideas.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: plot idea

overhead transparencies of pictures or paintings
literature textbook
notecards
• Return plot ideas written in the previous lesson. Ask one student to read the plot idea
he/she wrote. Review the elements of plot idea: situation, character(s), complication.
If you have a few students who did not understand plot idea, be sure to place them in
a group for this lesson with students who do understand the concept.
• Show a picture on the overhead projector or choose a picture in a textbook which all
students have. The picture must focus on one of more people in a discernable setting.
You may want to use one of the art transparencies which accompany your literature
text. You can also make a transparency of a greeting card, magazine or newspaper
picture, or family photo.
• Ask students to write a plot idea for the person or persons in the picture. The students
should write the idea on a notecard.
• Ask students to read their ideas aloud quickly, one after the other with anyone making
a comment.
• After all ideas have been read, discuss the similarities and differences of the ideas.
Which ideas could develop into good stories? Which ideas are not promising? Why?
• Collect in a box the notecards on which were written plot ideas the class deemed as
promising. By the end of this series of lessons, the box will be filled with many plot
ideas that can be developed into good short stories.
• You may want to repeat the above activity with one or more other pictures.
• Put students in pairs. Give each pair a different one of the art transparencies that
accompany your textbook or a transparency you have made from a picture from
26
another source. Ask each pair to write on a note card a plot idea for the picture. Have
the pairs take turns showing their transparency and telling their plot idea.
• Ask students to respond to the plot ideas as promising for short stories or not likely to
develop into good stories.
• Collect in a box the note cards on which were written plot ideas the class deemed as
promising.
• EXTENSIONS/ACCOMODATIONS FOR ECE/OTHER DIVERSE

LEARNERS:
Have both visual and auditory formats for plot ideas.
ASSESSING THE LEARNING: Observe students in groups and provide feedback on

work.
27
CORE CONTENT:

collection of headlines from the newspaper or magazines
note cards
• Demonstrate how you can write a plot idea from a headline from the newspaper or
magazine.
Headline: Frostbite ends attempt to ski to North Pole.”

Plot Idea: A woman attempts to be the first to ski to the North Pole alone.
She begins to notice that her fingers and toes are frostbitten.
Point out to students that it is not important that they know the details of the original
newspaper story in order to make up their plot idea. For example, you could write a
completely different idea for the same headline:
Plot idea: Two male friends are known as daredevils and have tried a number
of daring feats together during the past few years. They decide to
attempt to ski to the North Pole. Halfway there, one of the men
begins to notice that his fingers are frostbitten.
• Distribute a collection of headlines. (You can find headlines that might inspire story
ideas in all parts of newspapers or magazines, but you may have the most success in
the “news brief” columns. The “drama in real life” stories in Reader’s Digest also
have headlines that can inspire story ideas.) Ask students to work in pairs to write
one or two plot ideas for several of the headlines.
• Ask students to read their plot ideas aloud quickly without comment. When they
have finished, discuss which ideas would make good short stories and which ones
might not develop into good stories. Collect the ideas that the class has deemed as
promising and put them in the plot idea box.
28
• ENRICHMENT: For homework, have students collect a headline and write a

story plot.
• TECHNOLOGY CONNECTIONS: Create titles from web processor with

a variety of fonts, size, bold, italics, etc.
29
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will build a bank of plot ideas
CORE CONTENT:

enough fortune cookies for each student to have one
notecards
TEACHING STARTEGIES AND ACTIVITIES:
• Demonstrate how you can write a plot idea from the fortune in a fortune cookie:
Fortune: “You will be called upon to help a friend in trouble.”

Plot Idea: A teenage Taco Bell employee receives a page from her best friend
while working the busy dinner shift. After calling her friend, she
discovers her friend is in desperate need of help. Her manager
will not let her leave work.
• Give each student a fortune cookie and have students read the fortune inside. Ask
students to work in pairs to write one or two plot ideas for their fortunes.
• Ask students to read their plot ideas aloud quickly without comment. When they
might not develop into good stories. Collect in the plot idea box the ideas that the
class has deemed as promising.
30
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will build a bank of plot ideas
CORE CONTENT:

A collection of horoscopes
Note cards
TEACHING STARTEGIES AND ACTIVITIES:
• Demonstrate how you can write a plot idea from a horoscope:
Horoscope: “Fulfilling the needs of others is they key to getting what you
want.”
Plot Idea: Monica and Stacy are both trying out for cheerleading. Monica
is very talented; Stacy isn’t very coordinated. Stacy asks Monica
to help her practice for the tryouts. Monica doesn’t want to waste
her time working with Stacy or perhaps hurt her own chances of
making the squad.
1. Give each student a horoscope. Ask students to work in pairs to write one or two plot
ideas for their horoscopes.
1. Ask students to read their plot ideas aloud quickly without comment. When they
might not develop into good stories. Collect in the plot idea box the ideas that the
class has deemed as promising.
31
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: prop, plot idea

a collection of props
notecards
• Bring in to class a collection of props. Go through your house and collect things that
might have an interesting “back story”: old clothes, shoes, purses, wallets, costume
jewelry, a book with an intriguing inscription, a cane, ticket stubs, postcards, unusual
dinnerware, a birth certificate, a diploma, etc.
• Demonstrate how you can write a plot idea from one or more of the props you have
brought:
Prop: a pressed corsage

Plot idea: An unpopular girl longs to go to the senior prom, but no one has
asked her.
Prop: an old letter sweater

Plot idea: The high school football hero is offered a scholarship to the state
university, but he is afraid that he cannot pass the college entrance
exam.
• Let students work in pairs to select several props about which they will write one or two
plot ideas.
• Ask students to read their plot ideas aloud quickly without comment. When they have
finished, discuss which ideas would make good short stories and which ones might not
develop into good stories. Collect in the plot idea box the ideas that the class has deemed
as promising.
32
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will select several plot ideas from the bank of plot
ideas.
CORE CONTENT:

box of plot ideas
overhead transparency of questions
• If your students have completed the previous lessons, you will have a box filled with
many ideas for the plot of a short story. Although all of the cards will have been read
aloud in the class in which they were written, other classes’ plot ideas will be in the box
also. Therefore, students will not have heard all of the ideas in the box.
• Spend a class period allowing students to read the plot ideas in the box. You can start by
giving each student 5 - 10 notecards. After each student has read the set you have given,
each student can pass the set to the next student in the row. This way you can set up an
organized method of allowing everyone to see all of the ideas.
• Tell the students to copy down in their notebook any plot idea they think they may want
to develop into a short story. Tell students to ask themselves these questions as they
choose ideas:
• Do I know enough about the situation in this plot idea, or do I know how to find out
information about it?
• Do I know enough about the type of person in this plot idea, or do I know how to find
out information about him or her?
Additional plot ideas may occur to students as they read the cards. It doesn’t matter if two
students select the same idea to develop, because the ways they develop the idea will be
different.

At the end of the period, collect the cards. Also collect the paper from each student on
which he/she has written at least three plot ideas he/she chooses to develop. As you
respond to each student’s ideas, note those which seem to be a good fit with what the
student knows. Discourage students from pursuing any ideas that will call upon the
student to do extensive research in order to develop the story.
33
TOPIC: Mapping Ideas for Plot, Lesson 14
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will recognize a plot pattern in a short story.
CORE CONTENT:
RD-M-1.0.13 Describe literary elements (plot) in a passage.
VOCABULARY: literary elements

literature texts
handout on plot patterns
• Distribute the handout on plot patterns included with this lesson. This handout does not
include all patterns that a story plot can follow. You and your students may want to add
to the list. Be careful, however, not to list so many plot patterns that the students are
overwhelmed with choices.
• Discuss the plot patterns and the questions that the author must answer in developing
the plot. Ask students if they can think of other patterns or other questions to add to the
list. Ask students to think of stories or movies that fit into each of the plot patterns.
• Select 3 to 5 short stories from your literature text or from another source. These stories
will serve as “touchstone” texts for the remainder of the unit; that is, you and the students
will refer often to elements of these stories as models for their own writing. Therefore,
choose stories that have all or most of the following characteristics:
• well-developed characters (only a few characters)
• interesting lead
• logical plot that takes place in a brief space of time (Most of the stories should
fit one of the plot patterns or a pattern you will have already added to the list.
• well-developed setting
• dialogue that advances the plot
• thoughtshots, snapshots, exploded moments
• effective language and sentence structure
• effective conclusion
• interesting title
• Ask the students to read the first of the stories you have selected. Have the students
identify which of the plot patterns describes this story. How has the author answered the
questions for that plot pattern? Are there other questions the author answered that need
to be added to this plot pattern?
34
• Repeat the above discussion with each of the touchstone stories you have chosen for
this unit.

LEARNERS:
Demonstrate the concept in digestible chunks and repeat as often as necessary
to enhance comprehension.
35
"PLOT PATTERNS"
The main character wants something. He/she sets out to get it, encountering obstacles
along the way. He/she overcomes the obstacles and gets what he/she wants.
• What does he/she want? Why?
• What are the obstacles? How does he/she overcome them?
• How does he/she feel when he/she finally gets what he/she wants?
The main character wants something. He/she overcomes all of the obstacles and gets
what he/she wants. Then he/she loses it.
• How does he/she feel when he/she finally gets what he/she
wants?
• How does he/she lose what he/she gained?
• How does he/she feel when he/she loses it?
The main character wants something. He/she overcomes all of the obstacles and gets
what he/she wants. Then he/she realizes that what he/she wanted wasn’t so wonderful
after all.
• How does he/she feel when he/she finally gets what he/she
wants?
• How does he/she discover that what he/she wanted wasn’t so
wonderful?
• How does he/she feel at the end?
The main character wants something. He/she tries to overcome all of the obstacles, but
he/she can’t get want he/she wants. In the end, he/she doesn’t care because he/she has
gained something better.
• What are the obstacles? Why doesn’t he/she overcome them?
• How does he/she feel when he/she doesn’t get what he/she wants?
• What does he/she gain?
• How does he/she realize that what was gained was better than
what as wanted in the first place?
The main character has something. He/she is motivated to give it up for the sake of
someone else.
• What does he/she have? How did he/she get it?
• For whom will he/she make the sacrifice? Why?
• How does he/she make the sacrifice?
• How does the story end for the other character?
• How does the story end for the main character?
36
The main character is wronged by someone. Then he/she gets even.

• How is the main character wronged? By whom? Why?
• How does he/she get even?
• How does the story end for both characters?
The main character is faced with a mystery or puzzle. The character solves the mystery or
puzzle.
• What is the mystery?
• How does the character find out about the mystery?
• What does the character do to solve the mystery?
• How does the story end for the character?
37
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will use plot patterns to develop their own plot ideas.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: plot idea, plot pattern

each student’s list of three plot ideas
• Demonstrate how students can take one plot idea and make different stories out of it by
fitting it in to different plot patterns. A sample follows, but it will be more effective with
your students for you to demonstrate this concept with an idea of your own that you will
actually develop into a short story as the students are writing their own stories.
Plot idea: Monica and Stacy are both trying out for cheerleading. Monica is
very talented; Stacy isn’t very coordinated. Stacy asks Monica to
help her practice for the tryouts. Monica doesn’t want to waste her
time working with Stacy or perhaps hurt her own chances of
making the squad.
Plot pattern: The main character wants something. He/she sets out to get it,
encountering obstacles along the way. He/she overcomes the
obstacles and gets what he/she wants.
Rest of the story: Stacy always shows up at Monica’s locker to beg her for
help.The cheerleading coach also asks Monica to help Stacy.
Monica’s best friend tells her not to waste time with Stacy, but
Monica decides to work with Stacy anyway. In the end, both
Monica and Stacy become cheerleaders.
Plot pattern: The main character wants something. He/she overcomes all of the
obstacles and gets what he/she wants. Then he/she loses it.
help. The cheerleading coach also asks Monica to help Stacy.
Monica’s best friend tells her not to waste time with Stacy. Monica
is selfish and ignores Stacy’s requests for help. In the end, Monica
becomes a cheerleader; Stacy is the alternate. On the way home
from the competition, Monica falls and breaks her leg. She can’t
cheer this season, and Stacy takes her place.
38
Plot pattern: The main character wants something. He/she overcomes all of the
obstacles and gets what he/she wants. Then he/she realizes that
what he/she wanted wasn’t so wonderful after all.
Monica’s best friend tells her not to waste time with Stacy. Monica
is selfish and ignores Stacy’s requests for help. Monica becomes a
cheerleader. She discovers, however, that practices don’t allow her
much time for her old friends, She also discovers that lots of girls
at school make up mean-spirited gossip about her. In the end, she
wishes she had never tried out for cheerleading.
Plot idea: The main character wants something. He/she tries to overcome all
of the obstacles, but he/she can’t get want he/she wants. In the end,
he/she doesn’t care because he/she has gained something better.
Monica’s snobbish best friend tells her not to waste time with
Stacy, but Monica decides to work with Stacy anyway. Stacy and
Monica work together every day on the cheerleading routines.
They become very good friends. In the end, neither of them
becomes a cheerleader, but they don’t care because they have
become very good friends.
• Ask students which story sounds more interesting. Why? Which questions have you
answered so far in each story? Which questions still need answers?
• Ask the students to look at their three plot ideas. For each idea, choose at least 3 plot
patterns and write the “rest of the story” for that pattern.

LEARNERS:
Requirements of the assignment can be modified to selection of one favorite
idea instead of three so as to avoid overload and allow for developmental
mastery. Use of one-on-one can be utilized for students requiring additional
support to increase success level in completion of task.
39
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will use plot patterns to develop their own plot ideas.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: plot patterns, plot ideas

each student’s list of three plot ideas
each student’s list of nine “rest of the story” ideas
• Put students into groups of 4 or 5. Have each student select his or her three favorite
story ideas from his/her list of nine to share with the group. After each story idea has
been read, the rest of the group will use the questions on the plot patterns list and other
questions that occur to them to help the writer complete the story idea.
• When all groups have finished, ask students to circle the story idea on his list of nine
which he/she intends to develop into a short story during the remainder of this unit.

LEARNERS:
Pair or small group students (4 students maximum), carefully considering
different reading and writing abilities to maximize opportunities for direct
instruction and participation.

• Collect the story ideas to make sure that each student has an idea that he/she will be
able to develop effectively.
40
TOPIC: Getting to Know Your Character, Lesson 17
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will engage in several activities designed to help

them get to know the main character in their story.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: distinguishing features, physical traits

each student’s story idea
overhead transparency of list of physical traits
lots of magazines that can be cut up
drawing materials (crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc.)
scissors
tape or paste
list of journal topics
TEACHING STRATEGIES AND MATERIALS:
• Ask students to describe what their character looks like. Display on the overhead
projector this list of physical traits:
• approximate age
• eye color
• hair color and style
• type of body or build
• skin tone
• shape of face
• type of clothes he/she typically wears
• distinguishing features
Ask students to add to their list other physical traits they should know about their
character.
• They can choose to draw a picture of the character or cut one out of a magazine. You
should draw or cut out a picture of the main character in your story.
• For homework, students will start a nightly journal which they will keep from the point
of view of their character. They will write in the journal 4 or 5 nights. Here are some
journal topics they can choose from or they can choose their own topics: (Remember, “I”
refers to the student’s character.)
• What did I do today for fun? What was fun about it? What was the
worst thing that happened to me today? Why was it so bad?
41
• What is my biggest secret and why don’t I want anyone to know it?
• What is the best thing I have ever done? What was so good about it?
• What are three things I would like to change about myself? Why?
• Who is my best friend? What is this person like?
You and your students can add to the list of topics. Students will want to keep the journal
in the voice of their story’s main character.
42

CORE CONTENT:

each student’s picture of the character
each student’s character journal
• Begin the lesson by reading aloud the entry you wrote in your character’s journal.
Remind the students of your story idea before you read. Ask for volunteers to share their
journal entries.
• In this lesson, students will select a name for their character if they have not already
done so. Look at the names in your touchstone stories. Do the names fit the characters?
What does a name tell us about someone? Read a list of names, asking students to make
a guess about what each person is like. Ask students to support their guesses. You can use
the telephone book, an old class roll book, the cast list from a play, or any other list of
names for this activity.
• Students will select a name for their character. Go around the room, asking each student
to complete the following sentence aloud:
My character’s name is ____________________, and he or she is named that because

________________________________________________.
• Ask each student to complete the chart on the next page. Ask students if they would like
to add any categories to the chart. When they complete the chart, they should put it in
their notebook.
43
My Character
Name:
Family members
Favorites
color:
music:
food:
hobby:
prized possession:
Background
hometown:
type of house:
religion:
education:
finances:
Other
44

CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: setting, descriptions

each student’s character chart
setting cards
blank transparency

• Begin the lesson by reading aloud a new entry you wrote in your character’s journal.
journal entries.
• This lesson will help students think about their character in a variety of settings. Give
each student a note card on which you have written a setting. Some examples are:
park subway laundromat country road
beach athletic contest church grocery store
alley restaurant lake hospital waiting room
mountain top cattle ranch public library amusement park
bank shopping mall casino airport writing area
museum forest court room high rise parking lot
barn doctor’s office theater top floor of a skyscraper
Add settings to the list until you have enough for each student to have a different setting.
• First, select a setting for yourself and demonstrate by writing on the overhead how your
character would describe the setting.
• Give each student one setting card. Have that student write for 5 minutes describing the
setting from the point of view of his/her character.
• Ask each student to trade setting cards with another student. Now students will write for
5 minutes describing the new setting from the point of view of their character.
45
• Each pair of students should then compare their descriptions of the two settings. What
was the same about the descriptions? What was different? What was there about their
characters that made them see the setting in different ways?
• If time permits, collect the cards and redistribute them. Students can then repeat the
activity. They should keep all of their own setting descriptions in their notebooks.

For those learners having difficulty providing sufficient descriptors to clarify
ideas have the students engage in the following game of “Who Am I?” Allow
students to think of their character within various scenarios (e.g., the character in
a park, laundromat, church, and/or grocery store.
46

CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: Venn diagram
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS NEEDED:

each student’s setting descriptions
handout of a blank Venn diagram
journal entries.
• Demonstrate using the Venn diagram by comparing yourself and your character.
• Ask students to fill in the Venn diagram comparing themselves to their character.
• Ask for volunteers to share their diagrams.
• Students should keep the Venn diagram in their notebooks.
47
UNIT: Literary Writing/Writing a Short Story

CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY:

each student’s setting descriptions
each student’s Venn diagram
blank transparency
journal entries.
• On the overhead projector, write a letter from your character to another character in
your story. Your letter can be for the purpose of sharing information, apologizing, asking
for help, saying goodbye, celebrating something, or any other purpose that makes sense
in your story idea.
• Ask students to write a letter from their character to another character in the story. This
letter will probably not appear in the story, but it will help students think about the
relationship between the two characters.
• When students have finished their letters, ask for volunteers to share the letters. Ask the
class to discuss what each letter says about the relationship between the two characters.
48
TOPIC: Dividing the Story into Scenes, Lesson 22
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will divide their story idea into scenes.
CORE CONTENT: WR-M-1.3 Literary Writing
VOCABULARY: scenes, plot holes

copies of “The Haunted Christmas”
copies of “The Dead”
literature texts
blank transparencies
• Ask students to read “The Haunted Christmas Tree.” As they read, they should draw a
line between each scene.
• On the overhead projector, ask students to summarize each scene of the story.
1. Introduction - Mary takes care of Sara.
2. Noise awakens Sara; Mary gets her back to sleep.
3. Noise awakens Sara; she talks Mary into investigating.
4. They go downstairs to investigate; tree shakes; they run to the bedroom.
5. Mary decides to go downstairs alone.
6. Mary hides in closet, creeps out to investigate, and discovers Chowder.
7. Mary, Sara, Chowder fall asleep.
• Put students in groups of 4 or 5. Each group will choose one of the touchstone stories.
The group will divide their story into scenes and summarize each scene. Groups will
share their summaries with the class.
• Point out that good stories do not have many scenes. Ask the class to read “The Dead”
and draw a line after each scene. Summarize the scenes on the overhead:
1. During a storm, Marques and Mikel were playing video games.
2. Mariah (Mikel’s girlfriend) arrives and they pop popcorn.
3. The lights go out and they hear a moaning sound.
4. 20 people that look like zombies are beating on the door. They go upstairs.
5. They find a deed saying the house belongs to Henry Hall, who is dead.
6. Something crashes, then a scream. Mariah and the people disappear.
7. Mikel and Marques follow them to the graveyard. Marques grabs her.
8. They run home; no one believes them.
9. Mikel sees them 2 months later.
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• Ask students what they notice about the scenes in “The Dead” as compared to the
scenes in the touchstone story and in “The Haunted Christmas Tree.” (They should
notice that nearly every scene in “The Dead” is one or two sentences instead of a well-
developed scene. The story is little different than the summary of scenes.) Caution
students not to let that happen with their story.
• You can demonstrate how you are going to turn your story idea into a list of scenes.

Students will now turn their story idea into a list of scenes. You will need to collect this
and respond before they go further. Be sure that students have a logical plot with no
gaping holes.
50
THE HAUNTED CHRISTMAS TREE
It was a cold blustery night, every child on Side-street was supposed to be in bed.
Most were asleep dreaming of the toys that would await them in the morning. In the
Keeps house hold 7 year-old Mary and 4 year-old Sara Keeps are wide awake when
everyone else is asleep (or so they thought).
“Mary, button my nightgown,” Sara asked frustrated.
“Sara you’ve ripped the top button. Wait here, I’m going to get a safety pin to
close the hole,” Mary answered, gently chuckling as she walked down the hall to the
bathroom.
Sara sat down on the edge of her bed, grabbed her pillow, and snuggled her face
into the soft, flannel, pillow case and surprisingly went to sleep.
When Mary returned she noticed that Sara had fallen asleep. She gently laid Sara
down, tucked her in tight, and softly kissed her forehead. Mary walked over to her bed
on the other side of the room and laid down. She turned off the lamp on her night stand
beside her bed and then realized that the lamp on her sisters little pink painted night stand
was burning dimly. Mary got up once more, went over to Sara’s bed and turned the
carrousel lamp off. A few hours later…
“Mary,” Sara said, “Mary did you hear that.”
“Hear what,” replied Mary.
“That noise it sounded like it came from the living room. I hope the Christmas
tree is still there,” said Sara in a scared voice.
“Don’t worry, at least it was when I went to the bathroom about 10 minutes ago.
Besides it’s so big you would have to take it down to get it out the door,” Mary reassured
Sara.
“Maybe you heard Santa, let’s go to sleep fast. If he knows we are awake he
might take our presents back,” Mary used as a excuse to get Sara to go to sleep.
Without a word Sara ran to her bed and laid down and went to sleep with a smile
on her face. Mary walked over to her bed and laid down too, but did not go to sleep. She
laid on her side facing Sara and tried her best to listen for any unusual noises before she
drifted off to sleep herself.
Later that night, Sara was awakened again by the same noise she heard earlier.
“Mary, wake up, Mary,” Sara said in a quiet yet threatening voice. “Are you
awake!, Did you hear it!, Are you awake!”
“I am now,” replied Mary in a harsh but quit tone, as she tried to get her eyes
open.
“You don’t sound like you are,” Sara said giving her a I-don’t-think-so look.
“I am, okay. Now what do you want,” Mary demanded.
“I heard that noise again, please go look. I’ll go with you if you will, please,”
Sara pleaded.
“Okay, if you’ll quit bothering me, I’ll go. Get a flashlight.” Mary said.
“Got it, let’s go,” said Sarah excitedly.
Slowly, they crept through the hall, trying to be as quite as possible so they
wouldn’t wake momma and poppa. They could see the angel on top of the Christmas tree
from the hallway. The angel glowed in the darkness. It was holding a candle and had
51
wings that moved as if it was flying. Ribbons were flowing down her dress like the small
pink streamers at Sara’s birthday party, but smaller. Mary and Sara could see more and
more of the Christmas tree as they tiptoed slowly toward the living room.
Quietly Mary tugged at Sara’s nightgown and started to whisper to her, but before
she could say anything the tree started shaking. The ornaments were swinging back and
forth and some fell to the floor and rolled by their feet. The floor rattled and shook as the
ornaments bounced tragically off the floor. The girls stood there with their mouths open
and couldn’t make a sound they were so scared. All at once Sara made a dash back
toward the bedroom and Mary followed on her heels.
When they reached their room and had the door locked, Mary said, “What in the
world is going on.”
Sara replied breathlessly, “I don’t know but I’m not going back out there,
Christmas or not.”
Sara ran to her bed and buried herself under the covers. Mary stood by the locked
door trying to figure out what could have happened. She wondered if she should wake
momma and poppa but was afraid she would get in trouble for being up herself. After a
while she decided she would wait and see if anything else happened. Meanwhile Mary
noticed Sara had fallen back asleep with her face red from where she had cried. Mary
walked over to the dresser and grabbed a tissue from the candy cane decorated tissue box
and wiped Sara’s face. The she sat on the end of her bed with her head in her hands
listening. For what, she wasn’t sure. Different things ran through her mind. Could it
have been Santa, an earthquake or had someone broken into the house and stolen all the
presents? The only way she would know was if she went back out there.
Mary decided that’s what she would do, without Sara this time. She was a scardy
cat anyway and would not be much help except for getting them both in trouble for
waking up momma. Very quietly Mary unlocked the bedroom door and listened. When
she didn’t hear anything she slowly started down the hallway toward the living room
again. So far everything was still and quiet. The angel on the tree glistened in the
moonlight but was still. The Christmas tree was just like it was supposed to be, sparkling
and shining and all the presents were piled underneath. Mary stood thinking and quickly
decided she would hide in the living room closet for awhile and see if anything happened.
She slowly made her way to the closet, opened the door, slipped in and closed the door
quietly behind her. It sure was dark. Mary almost decided it wasn’t a good idea after all
but since she was there she might as well wait awhile. She tried to get comfortable
among the coats and clutter in the closet.
All of a sudden she heard noises again. Mary peeped through the door, got scared
and closed it again. Mary had to settle herself down so she wouldn’t run out screaming.
After a while she got enough courage to peep through the door again. The tree shook and
rustled noisily but not as much as before. She slowly inched out of the closet, looked
around and made her way to the tree. She saw a dark shadow between the lower
branches of the tree as it slowly moved upward. By now she was more curious than
scared. Mary quietly made her way to the tree and peered into the branches but before
she could see what was there, she heard a cry from the bedroom. Sara awoke and called
her name. Paying no attention to her, Mary took a deep breath for courage and parted the
branches of the tree.
Two bright green eyes peered back at Mary.
52
“Chowder, is that you?” Mary said.

“All this time it’s been you that’s made the tree shake and the ornaments fall off.”
Mary said relieved.
She picked up Chowder and took her into the bedroom.
“Look Sara, here is our ghost of Christmas.”
“Chowder,” Sara cried.
It was the only family cat. Chowder was about a year old and full of mischief.
She was light brown in color and not really a very pretty cat but we loved her just the
same.
“That was you all this time.” Sara took Chowder into her arms and kissed her on
the top of her head. She took Chowder to her bed and sat her down. Mary sat down on
the end of the bed. Chowder walked over to her and curled up on Mary’s lap and went to
sleep. Even though it was 7 am Sara laid down in her soft sheets and soundlessly went to
sleep. Mary gently pushed Chowder off her lap and onto the end of the bed. Chowder
didn’t pay any attention to the change, but went to sleep if she was still in Mary’s lap.
Mary walked over to her bed laid down and drifted off to sleep once more.
53
The Dead
It was the worst storm of the year. Marques and Mikel was in the house playing
video games. That’s when it all started.
As Marques lite a cigarette the door bell rang. It was Mariah (Mikels girlfriend).
“Hey guy’s,” she said. They popped some popcorn when the lights went out. The rain
and thunder was scary. Then they heard a moaning sound. Mariah looked out the
window, and there were about 20 people in Mikel’s backyard. They were beating on the
door. Marques thought they were zombies. But one man said “I want my house back.”
They went up stairs to get away from them.
In an old trunk in the attic was a deed. It read this house belongs to Henry Hall.
“But Henry Hall died 2 years after I bought this house.” I bought it 8 years ago.
I guess he’s back from the dead to get his house” said Mariah. “Dang man, we
gotta get outa here” said Marques.
Then they heard a crash, then a scream down stairs. When they got there the
banging stopped. Mariah was gone. So were the people. They took her out the window.
Mikel and Marques followed them to a graveyard. They could hear Mariah
screaming. Then Marques ran out and grabbed her.
They ran home as fast as they could. The people never came back. No one ever
believed the 3 kids, they said it was their imagaration. When they went to the graveyard,
it was gone. Nothing was there.
Then 2 months later, Mikel saw them at a house down the block. Then an old
man walked up to hime. Mikel asked him who the people were.
The man said “Every 2 months they come to a hoose to terrize the people who
live there, they rise from the dead. Then the 3 kids never saw them again.
54
TOPIC: Drafting the Short Story, Lesson 23
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will draft their story.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY:

each student’s list of scenes
all other materials students have written during this unit
• Return to each student the list of scenes they wrote in the previous lesson. You may
need to form a small group of those students whose lists of scenes need work before they
begin to draft.
• Give students one or two class periods to complete a draft of their story. Encourage
students to draft scene by scene. Caution them that this is just the first draft and that they
will have additional lessons that will help them to improve their story during the
remainder of the unit.
• You will want to draft your story at home so that you can spend the class periods
reading over students’ shoulders and being available for assistance.

Use of a word processing program will allow for ease of revision as the unit
progresses.
TECHNOLOGY CONNECTIONS: Students should use a word processing

program to draft their short stories.
55
TOPIC: Writing an Effective Lead, Lesson 24
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will write a good beginning for their story.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: lead

literature text
all materials students have written during this unit
blank transparency
• Look at the leads of the touchstone stories. What strategies does each author use to
begin the story? Begin a list of these strategies on an overhead transparency.
• Look at stories in the textbook which you have not assigned to the class. Ask for
volunteers to read the leads of those stories aloud to the class. What strategies does each
of those authors use to begin the story?
• You can add to the list by using Barry Lane’s categories of leads to help students see a
variety of strategies for beginning a story:
• Big Potato Leads - Jump into the middle of your story and leave the reader
wanting more.
• Snapshot Leads - Create a picture in the reader’ mind.
• Talking Leads - Start with a line or two of dialogue.
• Thinking Leads - Start with a thought inside a character.
• Misleading Leads - Set up expectations, then surprise the reader.
- Barry Lane, Reviser’s Toolbox. Discover Writing Press, 1999.
• Read aloud the lead of your story. Demonstrate on the overhead projector how you
could use one of the strategies to write a different lead. Ask students which lead is better
and why.
• Using one of the strategies discussed in class, students will revise the lead of their story
by beginning it in a different way.
• When they have finished the new lead, put students in pairs. Have each student read
both leads to his/her partner. Partners will respond by saying which one they like best and
why.
56
• Students should keep both leads for now. They can decide later which lead to use or,
perhaps, they will choose to write a new lead.

LEARNERS (See Appendix for additional extensions/accommodations.)
• Provide examples for each of Barry Lane’s categories of leads to increase
comprehension of strategies.
• Pair students according to ability in order for the diverse learner to receive peer
tutoring and/or assistance with assignment to reduce frustration and confusion.

• Each night, select 4 or 5 drafts from each class to take home to respond to the writing.
Point out areas of strength and one or two places that need improvement.
57
TOPIC: Showing, Not Telling, Lesson 25
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will include specific details to develop their story.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: showing, telling

highlighters
Showing, Not Telling handout

• Students will begin this lesson by rereading all of the materials they wrote for Lessons
17-21 (Getting to Know Your Character). On those materials, they should highlight
everything that is included in the story. Then they should choose a highlighter of a
different color to mark anything about their character that is not yet in the story but needs
to be. They should go through the draft and find places to insert these details. Remind
them the reader should be able to see what the character looks like, how the character
acts, what the character thinks, and how the character feels.
• Students will work on revising their stories to develop the main character.
• If you have found a good example of showing instead of telling in the stories you have
already read from the class, use that as an example to demonstrate this skill.
• Demonstrate how to turn the telling sentences into showing sentences. You may use a
sentence from the story you are writing or the one below.
Telling sentence: It was spooky.
Showing sentences: The wind whistled through the cracks in the windows. Tree
branches scraped against the window screens. The door
creaked open. I crept into the eerie house. The smell of dust
hung in the air. A slight breeze rustled the tattered curtains.
Suddenly the sound of bats flapping their wings pierced the
silence. I ducked under the rickety stairs and threw my
arms over my head.
• Give students the list of telling sentences on the handout. Put students in pairs or small
groups and have them rewrite the telling sentences as showing sentences.
58
• Ask students to share their responses to the handout when all have finished.
• Have students trade their drafts of their stories. Each student should read the draft,
looking for places that show instead of tell. If they find sentences that tell, they should
underline those sentences and write SHOW! in the margin. They can then return the
drafts to the authors and discuss what they have found. The writers can then work on
revising these sentences to show instead of tell.
TECHNOLOGY CONNECTIONS: Students should revise drafts using a word

processing program.
ASSESSING THE LEARNING: Again, select 4 or 5 drafts from each class to take
home to respond to the writing. Point out areas of strength and one or two places that
need improvement.
59
SHOWING, NOT TELLING
Telling sentence: She was pretty.
Showing sentences:
Telling sentence: He was unhappy.
Showing sentences:
Telling sentence: The person is weird.
Showing sentences:
Telling sentence: It was a nice house.
Showing sentences:
Telling sentence: He has a good personality.
Showing sentences:
Telling sentence: Pat is an awesome athlete.
Showing sentences:
Telling sentence: My room is messy.
Showing sentences:
60
TOPIC: Showing Action, Lesson 26
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will include specific details to show action.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY:

copies of “The Haunted Christmas Tree”
• If you have found a good example of using specific details to show action in the stories
you have already read from the class, use that as an example to start this lesson.
• Remind students of the list of scenes from “The Haunted Christmas Tree.” For each
scene, show students the strategies that the author used to develop the scene:
1. Introduction - Mary takes care of Sara.

showing action
using dialogue
2. Noise awakens Sara; Mary gets her back to sleep.
using dialogue
showing action
3. Noise awakens Sara; she talks Mary into investigating.
using dialogue
4. They go downstairs to investigate; tree shakes; they run to the bedroom.
showing setting
showing action
5. Mary decides to go downstairs alone.
showing action
showing Mary’s thoughts
6. Mary hides in closet, creeps out to investigate, and discovers Chowder.
showing action exploding a moment
showing Mary’s thoughts
7. Mary, Sara, Chowder fall asleep.
circular ending
• Point out the following areas in which the author does a good job of showing the action:
61
Paragraph beginning “When Mary returned she noticed . . .”

The action shows that Mary is the protector of Sara and sets up the entire
idea of the story. A novice writer might have written the entire paragraph
in this way: “Mary and Sara went to sleep.” Have the students point out
the details of this piece of action.
Paragraph beginning “Quietly Mary tugged at Sara’s nightgown and . . .”
The novice writer might have written: “The tree shook back and forth. The
girls were scared and ran away.”
• Ask students to locate other paragraphs in this story that effectively show the action.
• Now the class should look at this scene from “The Dead.”
“Mariah looked out the window and there were about 20 people in Mikel’s
backyard. They were beating on the door. Marques thought they looked like
zombies. But one man said, ‘I want my house back.’ They went upstairs to get
away from them.”
• In small groups, have students rewrite this scene showing the action instead of telling
the action. Share with the class.
• Students should now trade the drafts of their short stories with a student with whom
they have not traded before. The responder should look for places in the story where the
student has merely TOLD the action instead of SHOWED it. If they find sections that tell
the action, they should underline those sections and write SHOW! in the margin. They
can then return the drafts to the authors and discuss what they have found. The writers
can then work on revising these sections to show action.

processing program.

Again, select 4 or 5 drafts from each class to take home to respond to the writing. Point
out areas of strength and one or two places that need improvement.
62
UNIT: Literary Reading/ Writing a Short Story
TOPIC: Using Dialogue to Advance the Plot, Lesson 27
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will use dialogue to advance the plot of their stories.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: plot, dialogue

literature texts
• If you have found a good example of using dialogue to advance the plot in the stories
you have already read from the class, use that as an example to start this lesson. You can
also demonstrate how you have used dialogue to advance the plot of the story you are
writing.
• Choose one of your touchstone stories that is rich in dialogue. Ask for volunteers to
read the story aloud, omitting all of the dialogue as well as the tag lines (he said, etc.).
What happens without the dialogue?
• Ask for student volunteers to read aloud the first two pages (down to “Slowly, they
crept . . .”) of “The Haunted Christmas Tree,” leaving out all of the dialogue. What
happens without the dialogue?
• Look at the few places in “The Dead” in which the writer has used dialogue. Does the
story suffer without the dialogue? (not really) Where could dialogue be added to advance
the plot?
Example:
Mikel unfolded the brittle paper. “It looks like a deed to this house,”
Mikel explained.
“Don’t you have the deed you signed when you bought the house?” asked
Mariah.
“Yes, but my deed is downstairs in my desk. I wonder if the guy I bought
the house from even knew about this deed.”
“What does it say, man? Read it to us!” Marques begged.
“It says, ‘This house belongs to Henry Hall. The house is not to be sold to
anyone else, ever! If anyone buys this house, Henry Hall will haunt the
63
owner.’ It’s dated August 19, 1992, and signed by Henry Hall. That’s two
years after I bought this house!”
“And that’s also two years after Henry Hall died!” shrieked Mariah.
“Dang man, we gotta get outa here!” Marques yelled.
student could add dialogue to advance the plot. If they find sections that need dialogue,
they should underline those sections and write DIALOGUE! in the margin. They can then
return the drafts to the authors and discuss what they have found. The writers can then
work on revising these sections to add dialogue.
TECHNOLOGY CONNECTIONS: Students should revise drafts using

a word processing program.

• Again, select 4 or 5 drafts from each class to take home to respond to the writing. Point
64
TOPIC: Punctuating Dialogue Correctly, Lesson 28
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will punctuate dialogue correctly in their story.
CORE CONTENT:
(WR-M-1.1) Literary Writing
VOCABULARY: Dialogue
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS :

Write Right!
Punctuating Dialogue overhead transparency
• Ask students to look at page 3, numbers 13 and 14 of Write Right! Discuss the rules
that govern each of the example sentences.
• Use the Punctuating Dialogue transparency to allow students to take turns correcting the
lack of punctuation. They should circle letters that need to be capitalized; insert commas,
periods, quotation marks, and other punctuation marks in the correct places; and draw an
arrow on the lines that need to be indented. Students should explain why they have made
the corrections.
(This exercise will also give you a chance to teach other punctuation and capitalization
rules needed to correctly punctuate this story.)
student needs to punctuate dialogue correctly. If they find sections of dialogue that need
correcting, they should place a check mark in the margin on each line that contains an
error. They can then return the drafts to the authors and discuss what they have found.
The writers can then work on correcting these sections.

processing program.
need improvement.
65
PUNCTUATING DIALOGUE
“The Visit” by Ruth Kim, an 11th grade student
what is it like to be old asked the curious little boy
well the old woman said i don’t have to go to school and i
don’t have to work really you must have fun all the time
oh yes i don’t have to be responsible for little children who
go poking their funny little heads into everything there just
isn’t much that i have to do.
i wish i could be old too the little boy said wistfully
you will . . . someday when i get old, will i ever get to live
in a nice place like this the little boy asked you are friends
with all these people aren’t you you are a smart little man
yes we are all friends maybe someday she explained after
your children are all married they will send you to a place
like this did your children put you in this nice place i
would like to live with my friends that would be fun
wouldn’t it the boy giggled yes is it fun the old woman said
her voice quiet and emotionless maybe a long time from
66
now you will be just like me . . . perhaps even doing the
same things
oh boy i can’t wait until i’m old you really have it great
grandma the old woman breathed a sigh and waited for him
to continue the little boy glanced past his grandmother and
out the window a car was pulling up at the curb
i’m sorry i can’t stay longer grandma but it’s time for me to
go now maybe i can see you again next year if mommy
and daddy decide to visit the little boy stretched up and put
his arms around the old woman’s neck he gently kissed her
on the cheek she hugged him tightly and whispered her
farewell then he ran out the door
she went to the window and in a moment saw him running
out to the car he did not see his grandmother standing at
the window hand upraised in a last wave he was too busy
telling his mother and father how great old age would be
67
TOPIC: Writing Authentic-Sounding Dialogue, Lesson 29
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will use dialogue that sounds like the main character
in their story and punctuate it correctly.
CORE CONTENT:
(WR-M-1.1) Literary Writing
VOCABULARY: Dialogue, Authentic

Write Right!
blank overhead transparency for each group
overhead markers
• If you have found a good example of dialogue that replicates real conversation in the
stories you have already read from the class, use that as an example to start this lesson.
You can also demonstrate how you have used dialogue that replicates real conversation in
the story you are writing.
• Sometimes student writers fail to make dialogue sound authentic. People often speak in
fragments and run-on sentences. Sometimes people interrupt each other. Sometimes
people don’t finish a thought. Look at the touchstone stories to see examples of dialogue
that sounds like real conversation.
• Divide students into groups of 3. One student will be the writer and the two other
students will be speakers.
• The two speakers will have a conversation about any topic. The writer will quickly jot
down everything they say, paying no attention to punctuation and speaker tags.
• After 5 minutes of conversation, the group will work together to add speaker tags and
correct punctuation. Students need to be encouraged to vary the placement of speaker
tags and try to use verbs that show the reader how the line was spoken (instead of always
using said).
• Each group will write their conversation on an overhead transparency.
• Each group will present their transparency to the class. The class will comment on the
following:
• Does the dialogue sound like real conversation?
68
• Are the tag lines varied?

• Is the dialogue punctuated correctly?
• Students will read their own drafts to make sure that their dialogue sounds the way a
real person would speak. They will also look for varied placement of speaker tags and at
correct punctuation of the dialogue. They should revise any sections of dialogue that do
not sound like real people.
• Again, select 4 or 5 drafts from each class to take home to respond to the writing. Point

processing program.
need improvement.
69
TOPIC: Using Interior Monologue, Lesson 30
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will use interior monologue to show what the
character is thinking
CORE CONTENT:

literature text
Craft Lessons by Ralph Fletcher (if available)
• If you have found a good example of an interior monologue in the stories you have
already read from the class, use that as an example to start this lesson. You can also
demonstrate how you have used an interior monologue in the story you are writing.
• Select one of the touchstone stories which includes an interior monologue. Discuss with
students how the author shows what the character is thinking.
• Read aloud the following advice that Ralph Fletcher gives to young writers in Craft
Lessons (Heinemann, 1998, page 92).
“Sometimes in a poem or story a character silently speaks without saying any

actual words. This is called an interior monologue, and it’s an excellent way to
give readers a window into a character’s inner thoughts, emotions, and conflicts.
“Interior monologue can take several forms. Sometimes the character
addresses the reader in a short speech. Other times it’s closer to an interior
dialogue in which different parts of the same character talk (or even argue) back
and forth, showing the reader different sides of him or herself.
“ . . .[C]onsider writing an interior monologue in the story you’re working on.

Take the most important character at a crucial moment, and get that character
silently talking, using language that’s most natural for him or her. Even a short
interior monologue can help readers enter into the inner life of a character.”
• If you have a copy of Craft Lessons, you can read Appendix S on page 132 to show
students a good example of an interior monologue. If you don’t have that book, you can
use this example from the story about Monica and Stacy trying out for cheerleading. This
is what Monica is thinking as she takes her turn before the judges.
70
Don’t trip while you’re walking up there. Oh, that would be great! Remember to
smile. Yes, a big smile. They really like that. Arms at the waist, toes pointed,
shoulders straight, head up — okay, I’m ready. Start the music. Start the music!!
What’s wrong with the music? Don’t panic. Don’t stop smiling. Don’t look like
anything’s wrong. Finally . . . okay, let’s really show ‘em!
student could use an interior monologue. If they find one or more, they should write I.M.!
in the margin next to the place where an interior monologue would help develop the
story.
• When students return the drafts to the authors to discuss what they have found, the
writers can practice an interior monologue by saying it aloud to his/her response partner.
The response partner can assist by writing down the key words as the writer says it. The
writer can then work on revising his/her stories to include interior monologues.

processing program.
ASSESSING THE LEARNING: By now, you have probably responded to all of the
stories at least once. Now, you will want to select the 4 or 5 drafts from each class that
needed the most attention. You can take these home to respond to the writing. Praise
areas that the student has improved and point out one or two more areas for improvement.
71
TOPIC: Exploding the Climax, Lesson 31
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will “explode” the climax of their story.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: Story climax, plot

literature text
blank transparency
• If you have found a good example of an “exploded” climax in the stories you have
already read from the class, use that as an example to start this lesson. You can also
demonstrate how you have written the climax of the story you are writing.
• Ralph Fletcher calls this strategy “slowing down the hot spot”; Barry Lane calls it
“exploding the moment.” Writers shouldn’t rush through the climax of the story. Yet
often students are tired by the time they get to the climax when drafting, and they write
boring climaxes. Select one of the touchstone stories which does a particularly good job
of slowing down the climax of the story. Discuss with students how the author uses
specific details to build up the most important part of the story.
• Look at the climax of “The Haunted Christmas Tree.” It begins on page 135 with the
paragraph beginning “Mary decided that’s what . . .” Have students list all of the details
that the writer uses to slow down the climax. Record these on an overhead transparency
so that students can see how many details the author used. Students also might have fun
rewriting the climax as a novice writer would write it.
• Ask students to visualize the climax of their own story as a movie. They should pretend
to be behind the camera shooting in slow motion. What details do they see? What is the
character thinking? Does anyone say anything? Students should revise the climax of
their stories, adding details to slow it down. After they have revised, ask for volunteers to
share the “before and after” climaxes.

processing program.
72
TOPIC: Concluding a Story, Lesson 32
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will write an effective conclusion for their story.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: conclusion, circular ending, surprise ending

literature text
Charlie Anderson by Barbara Abercrombie, if available

• If you have found a good example of a good conclusion in the stories you have already
read from the class, use that as an example to start this lesson. You can also demonstrate
how you have concluded the story you are writing.
• One kind of ending is a circular ending. Point out to students how the end of “The
Haunted Christmas Tree” circles back to beginning. Mary and Sara finally get to sleep,
which is what they were beginning to do at the start of the story.
• Another kind of ending is the surprise ending. Students like this ending, but they have
to make sure that they have planted a clue somewhere in the story. If you have the picture
book, Charlie Anderson by Barbara Abercrombie, you can read that book to students.
After you finish, point out the place where the author planted the seed for the surprise
ending. If you don’t have that book, perhaps one of your touchstone stories has a surprise
ending.
• Look at the endings of the touchstone stories. What kinds of endings do these authors
write? What are some common characteristics of the endings? Here is a list of
characteristics that your students may notice. You and your students can add to this list:
• short (doesn’t drag the story on and on and on . . .)
• ties up loose ends (answers any questions the reader has)
• makes sense to the reader
• keeps characters in character (no sudden, unprepared for changes in
character just to make the story come out all right
• doesn’t end with “ . . . and then I woke up!”
• Students should revise the conclusion of their story, keeping in mind the
characteristics learned in this lesson
73
•EXTENSIONS/ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ECE/OTHER DIVERSE

LEARNERS: Provide students with a list of the types of story endings,
increasing understanding of assignment through a reference sheet.
•TECHNOLOGY CONNECTIONS: Students should revise drafts using a word

processing program.
74
TOPIC: Varying Sentences, Lesson 33
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will write sentences with a variety of lengths and
structures.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: Sentence variety, sentence combining

each student’s story draft
• Ask students to number a piece of paper from 1 to 100 down the left margin. They
should then draw a line vertically down the middle of the paper. One column will be
labeled length; the other column will be labeled first word.
• Students should go through the most recent draft of their story and count the number of
words in each sentence. They will write the number of words next to the number on their
paper which corresponds to the number of the sentence in the story. Then they will write
the first word of that sentence.
Here is an example from “The Haunted Christmas Tree”:
length first word
1 17 It
2 14 Most
3 27 In
4 7 Mary
5 6 Sara
6 26 Wait
7 27 Sara
Here is an example from “The Dead”:

length first word
1 8 It
2 10 Marques
3 5 That’s
4 9 As
5 5 It
6 4 Hey
7 9 They
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• Students should notice a variety of sentence lengths in their stories. If many

sentences in a row are of a similar length, they should mark these and write
VARIETY! in the margin to remind them revise by combining some sentences or
breaking apart some long ones.
• Students should also look at first words. Do lots of sentences begin with the, I, she,
he, they, then, there, it? Are there other words that often show up as the first word in
the sentence? If so, students should mark those words in the story and write
VARIETY! in the margin. They can then try to rewrite some of the sentences so that
fewer sentences begin with these words.
• Students should revise their story to maintain sentence variety.

processing program.
76
TOPIC: Using Powerful Language, Lesson 34
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will use effective language in their story.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: verbs (dead and lively)

literature text
highlighters
• Verbs are the power of any story. Stories that depend on is, are, was, were, had, have,
went, go, did, do, etc. are as dead as these words.
• Give each student highlighters of two different colors. Ask students to go through their
story and highlight in one color any of the “dead verbs” listed above. You may want to
add to the list.
• Look at the words which are circled in the Marker Paper version of “The Haunted
Christmas Tree.” These words add life to the story. You can also choose a section from
one of the touchstone stories that demonstrates powerful words, paying particular
attention to the verbs.
• In a different color from the color used to highlight dead verbs, students should
highlight all of the words that add life to the story, that is, words that are specific, vivid,
or otherwise interesting.
• Ask students to volunteer to read some of their “lively” words aloud.
• Students should revise their stories to eliminate as many dead words as possible.
Note: If your students have a very pedestrian vocabulary, consider making a word wall
of lively words. You also can ask students to keep a lively word list in their notebooks.
As they read, they should write down interesting words that they notice. You should keep
them cognizant of interesting words by pointing them out in shared reading and by
keeping your own personal lively word list on a chart or paper in the room.
77
•EXTENSIONS/ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ECE/OTHER DIVERSE

LEARNERS: Assist students in the use of a thesaurus as a resource for selecting
alternate vocabulary. Model replacing “dead verbs” with “ovely” words to
eliminate frustration and confusion.

processing program.
78
TOPIC: Writing a Title, Lesson 35
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will write an effective title for their story.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: Title, touchstone stories

time in the school library
literature texts
• The last step in writing a short story is typically writing the title. Gregory Denham in Sit
Tight, and I’ll Swing You a Tail . . . (Heinemann, 1991) suggests an interesting activity
which deals with title. Divide the class into small groups. Take the students to the library
and assign each group a different section of fiction books. The group will write down a
list of 5 “best titles” and 5 “worst titles.”
• Reconvene the class in the classroom and have the groups present their lists. The groups
should be able to talk about why they liked the best titles and what was wrong with the
worst titles. Make a class list of the characteristics of the best and worst titles.
• Look at the touchstone stories. How did the authors of these stories create the titles? Do
the titles fit with the characteristics on the class list? Are there other characteristics to
add?
• Ask students to think of 4 or 5 different titles for their story. Pair the students with
someone who has read a draft of their story before to work together to select the best title
for the story.

• Collect the stories and read them for editing errors only. Mark only one or two patterns
of errors, even though students may still make many errors. Remember not to correct the
errors for the student; you may, however, point out the errors by circling them or using
some other method of indicating the place where an error occurs.
79
TOPIC: Editing and Publishing the Story, Lesson 36
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will edit and publish their short story.
CORE CONTENT:
VOCABULARY: editing, publishing

each student’s story marked for editing errors
Write Right!

• You will have marked all of the stories for editing errors. You may decide to form a
small group of students needing the same specific mini-lesson on an editing concern. You
may decide to teach a whole-class lesson on an editing concern that nearly everyone has.
If your students are used to using Write Right!, they may be able to use that or your
grammar textbook to correct their own errors.
• When students have corrected the editing concerns that you have marked, you may
decide to have them trade papers and work as partners to find additional errors.
• Students should write a final draft of their story. You should find a way to “publish”
their stories. Here are a few examples:
• Give one class set of short stories to another of your classes to read. Have the
students write a note to the author telling what they liked about the story.
• Create a class anthology by putting the stories in a binder and making a
decorative cover for the binder. The anthology can stay in the classroom or in the
school library.
• Enter the stories in a contest such as Young Authors.
• Submit the stories to magazines such as Merlyn’s Pen and The 21st Century’s
Teen Ink.
Ask your librarian for a copy of Magazines for Kids and Teens (published by the
International Reading Association) to find out other magazines that publish
student writing.
EXTENSIONS/ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ECE/OTHER DIVERSE

LEARNERS: Using spell check, note words that are frequently misspelled.
From this list, generate a vocabulary bank for future reference.
TECHNOLOGY CONNECTIONS: Students should edit their stories using a

word processing program.
80

• You will need to assess the short stories. You can use the Holistic Scoring Guide as it
is, or adapt it specifically for short stories. If you adapt it, you will want to include
criteria which match the strategies and skills you have taught. A sample adapted guide
appears on the next page.
81
A SAMPLE HOLISTIC SCORING GUIDE FOR SHORT STORIES
Distinguished
• The story is clearly focused on a main idea.

• Characters are well-developed with depth and complexity; the reader can see the characters’ appearance,
thoughts, actions, behavior through rich, engaging, and/or pertinent details.
• Dialogue sounds authentic and advances the plot.
• Plot is carefully, subtly organized and developed with depth and complexity.
• Lead and conclusion are intriguing.
• Sentences enhance the effect of the story.
• Language is rich and precise.
• The story contains no patterns of errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
Proficient
• The story is focused on a main idea.

• Characters are well-developed; the reader can see the characters’ appearance, thoughts, actions, behavior.
• Dialogue sounds authentic and advances the plot.
• Plot is logically organized and well-developed.
• Lead and conclusion are effective.
• Sentences are controlled and varied.
• Language is effective and acceptable.
• The story contains few errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
Apprentice
• The story shows evidence of a main idea but has some lapses in the focus.
• Characters are unelaborated; the reader can not always see the characters’ appearance, thoughts, actions,
behavior.
• Dialogue sometimes sounds stilted or simplistic; some of the dialogue gets in the way of the plot.
• Plot has lapses in organization; parts of the plot are unelaborated.
• Lead and conclusion are simplistic or tacked on.
• Sentences are simplistic and/or awkward.
• Language is simplistic and/or awkward.
• The story contains some errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization that do not interfere with
communicating the idea.
Novice
• The story shows little or no evidence of a main idea.

• Character development is limited; the reader can rarely see the characters’ appearance, thoughts, actions,
behavior.
• Dialogue usually sounds stilted or simplistic; most of the dialogue gets in the way of the plot.
• Plot has weak or random organization; most of the scenes consist of only a few sentences.
• Lead and conclusion are ineffective.
• Sentences are incorrect and/or ineffective.
• Language is incorrect and/or ineffective.
• The story contains many errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization that interfere with
communicating the idea.
Extensions/Accommodations for ECE and other Diverse Learners
82
Students with disabilities may require additional accommodations.

Refer to IEP (Individual Education Plan)
Organize and Structure
• Establish routines to insure that students have consistent opportunities to

process information and to maintain an effective learning climate.
• Activate prior knowledge with a written or verbal review of key concepts at the
beginning of class.
• Present the agenda for the lesson and task expectations verbally and in written
form.
• Establish well-defined classroom rules. Have students model and rehearse
behavioral expectations.
• Set clear time limits. Use a timer to complete tasks.
• Utilize student’s peak learning times to teach important lessons.
• Use verbal/nonverbal cues and frequent breaks to keep students focused.
• Plan and organize classroom arrangement to minimize disruptions and enhance
efficiency.
• Allow adequate space for effective traffic patterns, furniture, and equipment.
• Arrange classroom to limit visual and auditory distractions.
• Provide preferential seating (near teacher, good view of board, special chair or
desk) to increase attention and reduce distractions.
• Keep student’s work area free of unnecessary materials.
• Display and use visuals, posters, objects, models, and manipulatives to increase
memory, comprehension and establish connections to core content. Examples
include….
• Mnemonic devices such as COPS (Capitalization, Organization, Punctuation,
Spelling).
• A model of the final product before beginning an experiment, project, lab, etc.
• Posters of steps for specific learning strategies (open response, writing process,
formulas).
• Use varied student groupings to maximize opportunities for direct instruction
and participation.
• Use of one-on-one and small group instruction for students who require additional
support.
• Carefully consider student abilities, learning styles, role models, type of
assignment, etc., when grouping students for cooperative learning and with peer
partners.
• Collaborate, co-teach, or consult with ECE, Comprehensive Teachers, etc.
• Prior to instruction, design and organize content to strengthen storage and
retrieval of information.
• Design instruction that incorporates a multi-sensory approach (visual, auditory,
tactile/kinesthetic) to insure that all learning styles are accommodated. Include
demonstrations, simulations, hands-on activities, learning strategies, and
mnemonic devices.
83
• Identify and focus on information critical for mastery. Determine the content
students need to know (vs. what is nice to know). Organize instruction around the
big ideas.
• Design an agenda showing exactly what the students will learn.
• Sequence presentation of content from easier to more difficult.
• Prepare study guides, a copy of class notes, or graphic organizers ahead of time.
Allow some students to use partially completed copies during the lesson.
• Provide simplified versions of books and materials with similar content.
• Design specific management procedures to insure acquisition of content and task
completion using…
• Planners, agendas, assignment sheets, homework/personal checklists, folders,
notebooks, and/or parent notes.
• Written as well as verbal cues/prompts, color-coding, symbols, picture clues.
Instruct Explicitly
• Present and pace explicit instruction to reinforce clear understanding of new

concepts and make connections to prior learning.
• Teach, model and rehearse learning strategies pertaining to the content of the
lesson including organizational guides, cooperative learning skills, and
memory/mnemonic devices. (KWL, Venn Diagrams, SQRW = Survey Question,
Read, Write, etc.).
• Introduce new concepts by clearly connecting them to prior knowledge using key
vocabulary, chapter review questions, agenda, syllabus, etc. Present in both
written and verbal form.
• Present assignments/directions in small steps/segments.
• Use short phrases, cue words, and signals to direct attention (my turn, your turn,
eyes on me).
• Adjust the volume, tone, and speed of oral instruction.
• Frequently monitor students to enhance memory, comprehension, and attention
to content.
• Use frequent and varied questioning strategies. Target higher order thinking
skills.
• Call on students by name. Restate student responses. Provide positive and
corrective feedback.
• Use and model ‘think aloud,’ self-questioning, problem solving, and goal setting
techniques.
Reduce
• Condense main ideas and key concepts to avoid overload and allow for
developmental mastery.
• Modify requirements of assignments based on information critical for mastery.
• Provide clear, visually uncluttered handouts/worksheets.
• Adapt assignment and test formats. Use alternate modes such as short answer,
matching, drawing, true/false, and word banks.
84
• Break tasks into manageable segments. Adjust duration of instruction and

independent work.
• Reduce redundancy and unnecessary practice.
• Use activities that require minimal writing. Avoid asking students to recopy
work.
• Adjust amount/type of homework and coordinate assignments with other teachers.
• Provide credit for incremental learning.
Emphasize and Repeat
• Use repeated practice/targeted cues to increase retention of essential concepts

and to develop ability to monitor own learning.
• Provide frequent, but short, extra practice activities in small groups.
• Have student read/drill aloud to self or peer partner.
• Highlight text or use coding methods for key concepts.
• Use bound notebooks and/or learning logs to store vocabulary, facts, references,
and formulas.
• Allow students guided practice and test taking strategies before assessments.
• Frequently restate concepts/directions using short phrases.
• Use computer activities, games, and precision teaching drills for practice activities
instead of worksheets.
Motivate and Enable
• Enhance opportunities for academic success to remediate faulty

learning/thinking cycles and to reduce failure.
• Create unique learning activities including skills, posters, clay models,
panoramas, dramatizations, etc. (see textbook manuals for alternative activities).
• Offer students choices of topics/projects and alternative methods to demonstrate
knowledge (oral tests/presentations, illustrations, cooperative groups, etc.).
• Allow flexible timelines for assignment completion, homework, and testing with
retakes.
• Consider the students learning styles when designing extent of involvement in a
learning activity.
• Extend time for students to process ideas/concepts, which are presented in
lectures/discussions.
• Use technology such as taped text, word processors, scanners, and audio feedback
software.
• Provide spare material and supplies.
• Provide personal word lists/spelling aids for written assignments.
• Adjust grading procedures to reflect individual goals, only correct answers, and
percent of completed work. Allow extra credit projects to bring up grades.
• Enhance opportunities for behavioral success to reduce frustration and

confusion.
• Increase positive comments and student interactions (make 3 positive statements
for every one negative statement).
85
• Use positive and specific verbal/nonverbal praise. Provide immediate feedback.

• Review rules regularly. Provide varied rewards and consequences.
• Maintain close physical proximity to students especially during independent work
sessions.
• Alert students several minutes before transitions occur.
• Use personal contracts and goal setting which match the student’s needs, interests,
and abilities.
• Teach self-monitoring skills using progress charts/reports. Gradually wean
students from artificial incentives.
• Maintain regular communication with parents.
References
Rief, Sandra and Heimburge, Julie, How to Reach and Teach all Students in the Inclusive
Classroom (1996).
Hawthorne Educational Services, Inc., The Pre-Referral Intervention Manual (1993).
Choate, Joyce, Successful Inclusive Teaching (1997).
Winebrenner, Susan, Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom
(1996).
Inspiration Software, Inc., (1999), www.inspiration.com
Phillips, Vickie and McCullough, Laura, SST/Staff Support Teams (1993).
Moll, Anne, Collaborative Strategies, (2001).
Adapted from Student/Staff Support Teams, Phillips, McCullough 1993

and Collaborative Strategies, Mall (2001)
86
87

Teaching Short Story Writing

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Middle School Short Stories

A Sample Unit of Lessons for

Jefferson County Public Schools

TEACHING STUDENTS TO READ LITERARY TEXT

The following lessons are included in the unit:

Lesson 1 List-Group-Label Reading Strategy

Appendix Extensions and Accommodations for ECE/Other Diverse

UNIT: Literary Reading/Writing a Short Story

TOPIC: List-Group-Label Reading Strategy, Lesson 1

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS:

TEACHING STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES:

Example of how a grouping might appear:

List: tale, characters, setting, hero, science fiction, theme, villain,

Group and Label:

ASSESSING THE LEARNING:

Group and Label

UNIT: Literary Reading/Writing a Short Story

TOPIC: Embedded Question Reading Strategy, Lesson 2

LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will activate metacognition strategies to achieve

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: Copies of “Revenge” or another short story with

TEACHING STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES:

• The following fundamental inquiry questions might be posted somewhere in the

How can we know if we understand what we read?

* self-monitoring for understanding

* formulating and answering questions

Guidelines for Writing Embedded Questions for Literary Text

When to embed a question

Draw attention to (especially at the beginning of a story):

Include several prediction points:

Ask students to pose questions about and identify:

Have students highlight:

Ask students to paraphrase long, difficult sentences or retell incidents

Typical embedded questions

What do you think will happen next? Make a prediction.

•EXTENSIONS/ACCOMODATIONS FOR ECE/OTHER DIVERSE

ASSESSING THE LEARNING: Students should share their responses to the

2. While reading, highlight any unfamiliar words.

2. Write one question you have at this point.

3. Why do you think Rusty’s mother reacted in this

4. What do you predict Rusty might do with the tube of

7. What is the theme of this

UNIT: Literary Reading/Writing a Short Story

TOPIC: Team Retell Reading Strategy, Lesson 3

LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students learn to retell a story focusing on important aspects

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS:

TEACHING STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES:

• Under each element, record students’ reflections on chart paper.

EXTENSIONS/ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ECE/OTHER DIVERSE

UNIT: Literary Reading/Writing a Short Story

LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will begin to understand how authors use

VOCABULARY: foreshadowing, symbolism, representation

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS:

TEACHING STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES:

• Write the following passage on the board for students to observe:

• Ask students for a definition of foreshadowing based on the context in which it is

EXTENSIONS/ACCOMODATIONS FOR ECE/OTHER DIVERSE

ENRICHMENT: Have students create a classroom bulletin board, poster, or

Object… Symbolizes… Example…

Sunglasses coolness; aloofness Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in

ASSESSING THE LEARNING:

The "Jumping" Rock

Every day she waited for him on the "Jumping Rock."

"Josh?!" Amy yelled. "Where are you?!" Silence.