Lesson:

I. Short stories

Learning objectives:

At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:

A. Identify what are the elements and characteristics of short story

B. Classify the different genre of short story
C. Create their own short story

Motivation Activity

CHECKLISTS!

Every students is given with the checklists, when they are able to accomplish the
checklists they are given plus for their class participation

This checklists applies to all lesson for short stories

 Recite in classes at least 1 time

 Volunteer to read the text
 Listen very well to the class and when teacher asked to repeat what they say,
student is able to recall and say what teacher said
 Taking lectures during classes

Developmental Activity

Discussion 1: what is a short story?

Short story is a literature that can be read in one sitting, the time duration
ranges from 20 minutes to an hour and because it is short on length it focus on one
plot, one protagonist with few minor characters and centers around one theme.

Short story is a uniquely crafted form. Short stories utilizes plot, resonance,
and other dynamic elements like novels but lesser in extent. Despite the fact that the
short story is largely distinct from the novel or novella, authors typically employ a
number of literary techniques that are shared by both genres. As part of the artistic
and personal expression of the form, short story writers may define their works. They
might also attempt to defy genre and fixed formation.

Lenght of short stories:

It is hard to determine the short stories from long fictional formats, according
to Edgar Allan Poe’s essay “The Philosophy of composition” (1846) short story
should be able to read in one sitting, but this standard had problem because the length
of “one sitting” may become different from Poe’s era.
 There is no lenght and word count set in anecdote, short story and novel. The
rhetorical and practical context in which a story is produced and considered sets the
form's parameters. As a result, the definition of a short story can vary across genres,
countries, eras, and commentators. The short story, like the novel, has a predominant
form that reflects the needs of the markets in which it can be published. This form
seems to be closely linked to the development of the publishing industry and the
submission guidelines of its constituent houses. The Science Fiction and Fantasy
Writers of America's definition of short story length in the Nebula Awards submission
guidelines as having a word count of fewer than 7,500 words serves as a guide for
genre writers.

Longer works that cannot be considered novels are sometimes referred to as

"novellas" or "novelette" and, like short works, may be collected into the more
marketable form of "collections," which frequently include works that have not yet
been published. Authors who lack the time or money to write a novel or novella
sometimes decide to write short stories instead, negotiating a deal with a well-known
website or magazine to have them published for a profit.

History of short stories:

Short stories can be followed back to old legends, folklore, old stories, and
tales tracked down in networks everywhere. Many of these tales were told orally,
although some were recorded in writing. From the Indian epics Ramayana and
Mahabharata to the Homeric epics Iliad and Odyssey, ancient literature contains a
large number of such tales. The 1001 Arabian Nights, which were probably written
down for the first time in the eighth century, also contain fairy tales and folk tales
from the Middle East.

In early 19th century, the publication of individual author short story

collections became more common. The Brothers Grimm's fairy tales were first
published, followed by Gothic fiction by Edgar Allen Poe and stories by Anton
Chekhov, who is frequently credited with creating the modern short story.

Activity: listening to the short story

Instruction: Students will listen to the short story My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken by
Alejandro R. Races and after they listen they will answer the question asked by the
teacher

My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken (Alejandro R. Races)

My brother Kiko once had a very peculiar chicken. It was peculiar because no one
could tell whether it was a rooster or a hen. My brother claimed it was a rooster. I
claimed it was a hen. We almost got whipped because we argued too much.

The whole question began early one morning. Kiko and I were driving the chickens
from the cornfield. The corn had just been planted, and the chickens were scratching
the seeds out for food. Suddenly we heard the rapid flapping of wings. We turned in
the direction of the sound and saw two chickens fighting in the far end of the field.
We could not see the birds clearly as they were lunging at each other in a whirlwind
of feathers and dust.

“Look at that rooster fight!” my brother said, pointing exactly at one of the chickens.
“Why, if I had a rooster like that, I could get rich in the cockpits.”

“Let’s go and catch it,” I suggested.

“No, you stay here. I will go and catch it,” Kiko said.

My brother slowly approached the battling chickens. They were so busy fighting that
they did not notice him. When he got near them, he dived and caught one of them by
the leg. It struggled and squawked. Kiko finally held it by both wings and it became
still. I ran over where he was and took a good look at the chicken.

“Why, it is a hen,” I said.

“What is the matter with you?” my brother asked. “Is the heat making you sick?”

“No. Look at its face. It has no comb or wattles.”

“No comb and wattles! Who cares about its comb or wattles? Didn’t you see it in
fight?”

“Sure, I saw it in fight. But I still say it is a hen.”

“Ahem! Did you ever see a hen with spurs on its legs like these? Or a hen with a tail
like this?”

“I don’t care about its spurs or tail. I tell you it is a hen. Why, look at it.”

The argument went on in the fields the whole morning. At noon we went to eat lunch.
We argued about it on the way home. When we arrived at our house Kiko tied the
chicken to a peg. The chicken flapped its wings and then crowed.

“There! Did you hear that?” my brother exclaimed triumphantly. “I suppose you are
going to tell me now that hens crow and that carabaos fly.”

“I don’t care if it crows or not,” I said. “That chicken is a hen.”

We went into the house, and the discussion continued during lunch.

“It is not a hen,” Kiko said. “It is a rooster.”

“It is a hen,” I said.

“It is not.”

“It is.”
“Now, now,” Mother interrupted, “how many times must Father tell you, boys, not to
argue during lunch? What is the argument about this time?”

We told Mother, and she went out look at the chicken.

“That chicken,” she said, “is a binabae. It is a rooster that looks like a hen.”

That should have ended the argument. But Father also went out to see the chicken,
and he said, “Have you been drinking again?” Mother asked.

“No,” Father answered.

“Then what makes you say that that is a hen? Have you ever seen a hen with feathers
like that?”

“Listen. I have handled fighting cocks since I was a boy, and you cannot tell me that
that thing is a rooster.”

Before Kiko and I realized what had happened, Father and Mother were arguing about
the chicken by themselves. Soon Mother was crying. She always cried when she
argued with Father.

“You know very well that that is a rooster,” she said. “You are just being mean and
stubborn.”

“I am sorry,” Father said. “But I know a hen when I see one.”

“I know who can settle this question,” my brother said.

“Who?” I asked.

“The teniente del Barrio, chief of the village.”

The chief was the oldest man in the village. That did not mean that he was the wisest,
but anything always carried more weight if it is said by a man with gray hair. So my
brother untied the chicken and we took it to the chief.

“Is this a male or a female chicken?” Kiko asked.

“That is a question that should concern only another chicken,” the chief replied.

“My brother and I happen to have a special interest in this particular chicken. Please
give us an answer. Just say yes or no. Is this a rooster?”

“It does not look like any rooster I have ever seen,” the chief said.

“Is it a hen, then?” I asked.

“It does not look like any hen I have ever seen. No, that could not be a chicken. I have
never seen like that. It must be a bird of some other kind.”
“Oh, what’s the use!” Kiko said, and we walked away.

“Well, what shall we do now?” I said.

“I know that,” my brother said. “Let’s go to town and see Mr. Cruz. He would know.”

Mr. Eduardo Cruz lived in a nearby town of Katubusan. He had studied poultry
raising in the University of the Philippines. He owned and operated the largest poultry
business in town. We took the chicken to his office.

“Mr. Cruz,” Kiko said, “is this a hen or a rooster?”

Mr. Cruz looked at the bird curiously and then said:

“Hmmm. I don’t know. I couldn’t tell in one look. I have never run across a chicken
like this before.”

“Well, is there any way you can tell?”

“Why, sure. Look at the feathers on its back. If the feathers are round, then it’s a hen.
If they are pointed, it’s a rooster.”

The three of us examined the feathers closely. It had both.

“Hmmm. Very peculiar,” said Mr. Cruz.

“Is there any other way you can tell?”

“I could kill it and examined its insides.”

“No. I do not want it killed,” my brother said.

I took the rooster in my arms and we walked back to the barrio.

Kiko was silent most of the way. Then he said:

“I know how I can prove to you that this is a rooster.”

“How?” I asked.

“Would you agree that this is a rooster if I make it fight in the cockpit and it wins?”

“If this hen of yours can beat a gamecock, I will believe anything,” I said.

“All right,” he said. “We’ll take it to the cockpit this Sunday.”

So that Sunday we took the chicken to the cockpit. Kiko looked around for a suitable
opponent. He finally picked a red rooster.
“Don’t match your hen against that red rooster.” I told him. “That red rooster is not a
native chicken. It is from Texas.”

“I don’t care where it came from,” my brother said. “My rooster will kill it.”

“Don’t be a fool,” I said. “That red rooster is a killer. It has killed more chickens than
the fox. There is no rooster in this town that can stand against it. Pick a lesser
rooster.”

My brother would not listen. The match was made and the birds were readied for the
killing. Sharp steel gaffs were tied to their left legs. Everyone wanted to bet on the red
gamecock.

The fight was brief. Both birds were released in the centre of the arena. They circled
around once and then faced each other. I expected our chicken to die of fright.
Instead, a strange thing happened. A lovesick expression came into the red rooster’s
eyes. Then it did a love dance. That was all our chicken needed. It rushed at the red
rooster with its neck feathers flaring. In one lunge, it buried its spurs into its
opponent’s chest. The fight was over.

“Tiope! Tiope! Fixed fight!” the crowd shouted.

Then a riot broke out. People tore bamboo benches apart and used them as clubs. My
brother and I had to leave through the back way. I had the chicken under my arm. We
ran toward the coconut groves and kept running till we lost the mob. As soon as we
were safe, my brother said:

“Do you believe it is a rooster now?”

“Yes,” I answered.

I was glad the whole argument was over.

Just then the chicken began to quiver. It stood up in my arms and cackled with
laughter. Something warm and round dropped into my hand. It was an egg.

Questions:
1. Who had a peculiar chicken?
2. Who claimed it was hen?
3. What did the mother said about a chicken?
4. What did the father said about the chicken?
5. What happened to red rooster?
6. What did the chicken do at the end?

Discussion 2: Elements and Characteristics of Short Story

Activity: Telephone game

Instruction: students is divided in to three columns and teacher will give the
paragraph to the first speaker, then the first speaker will say the paragraph to next
student until it goes to last student sitting at the back. When the paragraph reaches to
the end student will go to the front and say the paragraph, if the paragraph matches
with the first student they win

Paragraph 1: There are five elements for short story, Plot, Setting, Character, Point of
view, Theme
Paragraph 2: character development is important because it makes the character alive
Paragraph 3: we consider the characteristics of a short story for good short story
making

Elements:

There are five elements for short story, Plot, Setting, Character, Point of view,
Theme

I. Plot - how the author arranges events to advance the fundamental concept; It is
the order in which a play or story unfolds. It is planned in logical series having a
beginning, middle, and end.

Five essential parts of plot:

i. Exposition - where story begins, the characters and settings are revealed
here
ii. Rising Action - the problem of a story is revealed here. It shows a
conflict

 Conflict - It is essential because opposition connects events and

moves the plot. Not only restricted to contentions, conflict can
be any of battle the characters faces. In a short story, there may
only be one major conflict, or there may be numerous minor
conflicts within a single major conflict.
 Two types of conflict

 Internal - struggle within one’s self

 Character vs. Self - it takes inside of a mind of
characters, having a struggle with their own nature
 External - struggle with outside force
 Character vs. Character - struggle with other
character
 Character vs. Nature - struggle against
environment
 Character vs. Society - struggle with government
or unfair community mindset

iii. Climax - the most intense part of a story, the turning point
iv. Falling Action - this is a part where resolustion begins the problem
starts to fall in to places
v. Resolution - the final outcome of a story
II. Setting - it tells where story takes places and when it started, there are numerous
factor to consider
a. Place - where the story take place?
b. Time - when the story take place?
c. Social conditions - how is the character’s daily life?
d. Mood - how the story started? Cheerful or eerie?

III. Character - the people who appear in the story

 Protagonist - leading character of a story

 Antagonist - character who oppose to protagonist, it gives struggle
 Foil Character - any character that contrast to another character, usually the
protagonist highlighting their traits
Character Development:
 Round - character that has personalities, it goes under development
 Flat - character that only has few personality, opposite of round character
 Static - character that doesn’t change the entire story
 Dynamic - character that goes some important changes during the story

IV. Point of view - this tells from what angle the story is told
a) First Person - story uses the pronouns “I”, “me”, “we” reader only know
what they feel
b) Second Person - uses the pronoun “you”, “your”, “yours” it addresses the
reader
c) Third Person - uses the pronoun “he”, “she”, “it”, “they” this point of view
can sees all. There are two types of third person POV
i. Limited - the easiest POV for a beginning writer, reader only see
what narrator see
ii. Omniscient - it is a God-like, the narrator sees and know everything
V. Theme - The story's main idea or meaning; the moral lesson the narrative is
attempting to convey. It is a message that expresses a viewpoint regarding
humanity, society, or life.

Characteristics of short story:

A good story is one that is concise and has a story with a plot. It means good
story should fulfill specific necessities of structure and narration
1) Singleness of Aim and Effect - According to Stevenson “there are three ways
only, of writing a story. You may take a character and choose incidents and
situations to develop it or lastly you may take a certain atmosphere, and get
actions and persons to realize it” Stevenson thought about that the author should
have an "impression" or "thought" to convey, which ought to connect with his
consideration from the first to the last. The structure of a short story is what gives
it its shortness. A good story's "singleness of aim" and "singleness of effect" are
what give it its shortness or conciseness.Plot, setting, or character can all be
selected by a short story author from among the options available to him. The
writer needs to continually take care that the singleness of impact go on all
through the story
2) Art of Narration - The excellent artistic treatment is required for the short story.
When telling a story, narration is very important. According to Hugh Walpole, a
short story should be a story, a record of events filled with occurrences and
accidents, swift movements, unexpected development leading to a climax and
satisfying conclusion.
3) Plot - Plot refers to the logical arrangement of events. The author ought to pick
the most striking occurrences which might wrest the consideration of the readers.
The plot should be so tightly intertwined that it can be read by a single person in
a single sitting. Because they are unable to describe every event in detail, the
author must provide a bird's-eye view with the greatest artistic economy. The
short story is compared to a horse race, according to some. What matters is the
beginning or the end.
4) Characterization - The character are what the reader is most interested in. A
character's artistic delineation can make the character and the story memorable.
This character takes on the role of a symbol for human experience. The author
should be cautious in choice of his characters. The first requirement for a short
story is for the characters to be likable and consistent. This implies they should be
chosen from reality. Even though the story involves multiple characters, the
author should concentrate on a single one.
5) Setting - The author should be cautious in choice of his characters. The first
requirement for a short story is for the characters to be likable and consistent.
This implies they should be chosen from reality. Even though the story involves
multiple characters, the author should concentrate on a single one.
6) Suspense - A short story's suspenseful element can pique the reader's interest in
the plot's future developments. By exciting such an oddity, the essayist can win
the interest of the reader. The writer should withhold information to accomplish
this. Keeping of data about the happenings of the story will bring inquiries up in
the reader's mind
7) Conflict - There are many conflicts in every person's and society's lives. These
conflicts can take many forms, such as good vs. evil, man vs. nature, society vs.
man, or man vs. himself. The way these conflicts are told makes the reader feel
 like they are a part of the story. The story's circumstances must be such that
conflict emerges naturally from them.
8) Message - There must be a message in every short story. The story's overall
meaning or purpose is referred to as the message. Through the theme, the author
conveys his message to the readers. message of patriotism, the importance of
virtue, love's triumph, etc. could be the story's main point.
9) Unity - Despite all of these aspects, it is important to keep in mind that unity and
limited focus require proper care. When writing a short story, all of the elements
should be introduced, and irrelevant material should be cleverly removed. With
these elements, a short story can become a successful work of art and be
remembered for its unity and harmony.

Discussion 3: Genres of Short Story

Activity: Listen and Draw

Instruction: Students will listen to the description of what teacher says and draw,
when the teacher finished saying the descriptions students will answer what they
drawn

Topic 1: wedding (love story)

 Woman in a dress
 Man in a suit
 Arch with flowers
 People standing

Topic 2: hare and tortoise (fable)

 Road
 Goal line
 Rabbit
 Turtle

Topic 3: detective (crime and mystery story)

 A man with a coat
 Desk full of papers
 Magnifying glass

Genre is a type of composition of literature that has a particular style, shape, or

content. Listed below is the major short story genres

1. Fable - Fables are stories with characters who are animals, plants, or natural
forces. There is an moral at the end of the story

2. Folktakes and fairy tales - Traditional narratives like myths, legends, fables,
fairy tales, and stories about ordinary people are all included in the category of
 folktales. While Fairy tales are folktales that highlight fanciful characters such as
pixies, goliaths or talking creatures. The narratives will quite often be about
sovereignty and the occasions are enchanted.

3. Ghost stories - Ghosts or other supernatural beings are featured in ghost stories.
They exploit people's superstitious beliefs and fears.

4. Horror stories - horror stories investigate the dark side of human instinct. They
play on people's psychological fears.

5. Crime and mystery stories - crime stories or mystery stories frequently

highlight a sharp criminal investigator who goes after a crime. Detective stories
are another name for these stories.

6. Adventure stories - Strong characters in adventure stories fight against the

forces of nature, typically.

7. Love stories - A romantic tale includes a heartfelt connection between a man and
a lady. Before finding their happily ever after, romantic lovers frequently face
challenges.

8. Science fiction - The effects of science and technology on the future are typically
the focus of science fiction stories. Characters can incorporate outsiders, robots or
different types of artificial intelligence

9. Modern stories with a ‘twist’ - Some contemporary stories end with a "twist" or
a surprise and have a distinct plot structure (rising action, climax, falling action).

10. Modern ‘slice-of-life’ stories - A "slice-of-life" is another modern story with

little plot structure but a strong emphasis on character development.

Discussion 4: Tips on writing short stories

1. Understand that a short story is not the same as novel

Short stories and novels share a few characteristics. They must be coherent,
grammatically sound, and spelled correctly. Additionally, they must tell a story
regardless of the length. It means they must both have these elements: exposition,
rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. Short story writers must work
within a given word count, whereas novelists determine the length of their works.
They have to cut down their narratives to the essentials, leaving out all unnecessary
details, in order to convey a full story on a smaller scale. Additionally, they must
resolve issues quickly. Therefore short stories, in contrast to books, as centers around
one part of a person's life, or one part of an issue/relationship in a person's life.

2. Start as close to the end as possible

One way to let a reader know if they want to continue reading is to give them
the information right away. This is also done by good short story writers, who
improve their opening lines and paragraphs to draw readers in and keep them
reading.to get the reader directly into your story. Avoid the snapshots that say
"before," "also related," and "vaguely interesting thing that is also true of my
character's life." make it obvious

3. Keep up the pace

Short stories need to move quickly. Usually, the pace picks up as the hero gets
closer to the last fight. A short story needs to jump right into the action from the first
page because it starts so close to the end of the conflict.

4. Keep the number of characters small

It is hard keep track of characters if there are many of them, protagonist,

antagonist, and what is referred to as a wrench or relationship character are at least
required for a short story. The reader needs a hero, a villain, and occasionally
someone who helps the protagonist or antagonist develop as a character. Even a single
character is acceptable in a short story. In the Tom Hanks film Cast Away, the
principal character is distant from everyone else for a large portion of the film. This is
a great illustration of how a story can be constructed around a single character.

5. Give the reader someone to root for

There has to be a hero in every story. Try to make the reader care about that
person. There are a few ways to make your protagonist and the reader feel more
connected.

Give your main character a passion that you hope the reader will share. Give
your character the drive to push them outside of their comfort zone. Give your
character a flaw that only the reader will notice. Another good strategy is to provide a
glimpse into the mind of your character. This will entice the reader and make your
character seem more real.

6. Create conflict

There must be a single point of conflict in every short story. A short story
usually doesn't need more than one.

The person ought to have either a situation, a disclosure, or be confronted with a

choice or some likeness thereof. Tension ought to be present in the atmosphere
surrounding that conflict. Conflict and tension keep readers interested in your story
and invested. According to Kurt Vonnegut, authors should be sadists. Giving terrible
things going for your main characters to show readers what lies under the surface for
them. There can never be too much tension in a short story.

7. Suggest a backstory but don’t elaborate

You don't have the space to sort through a person's history. Therefore, if in
doubt, eliminate it. Each sentence should count. It must be eliminated if even one
word appears redundant.
You need to have the backstory figured out in your head, even if you don't write much
about it. To write a compelling story, you must comprehend a character's motivation.
Instead, use tight dialogue, tension, and sensory engagement to captivate your readers.

8. Appeal to the five senses

Readers should have more than just the ability to see your story. Transport
them into your reality by allowing them to contact, smell, taste and hear it. When we
say, "Show, don't tell," we mean this. As if they were actually there, encourage your
readers to explore every aspect of your world.

9. Dialogue should bring your story to life

Because a short story must conclude quickly, don't spend too much time
setting the scene. The characters, and the story as a whole, can come to life with good
dialogue.

Give your characters something to do, like washing the dishes, when you put them in
a scene. But then concentrate on the dialogue to establish conflict and advance the
story.

10. Edit until it hurts

Regardless of how great an writer thinks their story is, it very well may be
made more compelling and convincing. One must be a ruthless editor to be a good
writer.

 Combine characters where possible

 Delete transitory, get to the scene
 Delete repetitive words
 Delete unnecessary adverbs and adjectives
 Make every sentence count

This is an ideal opportunity to take a look at the history and conclude its
amount is basic to the story. Keep in mind, since short stories are short, they aren't
really more straightforward to compose.

Activity: Popcorn Storytelling

Instruction: teacher will start a short story providing setting and characters, then
select one student to continue the story. In this activity student will have to listen well
of what student telling a story and know what to continue when they were selected to
add the story. Every students will be picked and required to speak

Reference:
Belcastro, M. (2023). The Top 10 Tips For Writing Great Short Stories. So You Want

to Write? https://soyouwanttowrite.org/blogs/syww/the-top-10-tips-for-

writing-great-short-stories

Five Elements of Fiction: Plot, Setting, Character, Point of View, Theme (n.d.)

https://www.rcboe.org/cms/lib010/GA01903614/Centricity/Domain/4395/Ele

ments%20of%20a%20Story.pdf

Introduction to short story. (n.d.).

https://uomustansiriyah.edu.iq/media/lectures/8/8_2020_03_04!

09_52_49_PM.pdf

Raval, A. P. (2019). Chief Characteristics of Short Story. Journal of Emerging

Technologies and Innovative Research, 6(3).

https://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1903K93.pdf

Short Stories: Definition, Characteristics & Examples. (n.d.). Study.com.

https://study.com/academy/lesson/short-stories-definition-characteristics-

examples.html#:~:text=Key%20characteristics%20of%20the%20short,'

Short Story Genres. (n.d.). https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/curriculum-

development/resource-support/net/handout%201.9-%20short%20story

%20genres.pdf

What is a short story? (2023) Blurb Blog. https://www.blurb.com/blog/what-is-a-

shortstory/#:~:text=What%20are%20the%20different%20types,thriller%2C

%20tragedy%2C%20and%20Western.