Mystery Short Story Unit - WordPress.com · ! 2! 6. Studentswillbeabletoshowandunderstandingofpropereditingtechniquesby utilizing!themwhen!editing!both!their!own!work!and!the!workoftheirpeers.!

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A Frightful Time: Mystery/Horror Short Story Unit By Emily Mannard

Short Story Unit Overview:

Over the course of a month, students will read five mystery short stories in class and

complete a series of activities both individually and in groups. Each of the short stories will focus on different elements (setting/atmosphere, characterization, vocabulary, figurative language, literary devices, and elements of plot) that the students have been introduced to in previous classes.

In order to complete the various activities required for the unit, students will need to use language and talk to communicate and learn both in groups and individually (SSC 1). Students will need to cooperate with others by participating actively and adopting appropriate attitudes and behaviours while doing group work (CCC 8). Students will need to adjust the appropriateness of their message for the context and audience, and use appropriate vocabulary and symbols in both their written and oral communication (CCC 9).

At the end of the unit, students will be asked to write their own short stories while demonstrating an application of knowledge of language and familiar text grammars by incorporating all the short story elements they have learned (SSC 4). This writing task will encourage students to become familiar with numerous elements of the short story, and to use creativity by exploring new ideas (CCC 4). Students will be given time to write their drafts in class. They will then be give the opportunity to have their work peer-‐edited before working on a second draft and bringing their work home to finalize a good copy. This editing process will not only provide students with the opportunity to evaluate their growth as writers, but will also provide them with the support of the classroom writing community in roles of writer and audience (SSC 4). It will also require students to adopt effective work methods by organizing their time appropriately and analyzing their approaches (CCC 5).

Learning Objectives: Students:

1. Students will be able to grasp an understanding of numerous elements of the short story (setting/atmosphere, characterization, vocabulary, figurative language, literary devices, and plot elements) by studying these elements in class.

2. Students will be able to work efficiently, both individually and in groups, by completing a variety of in-‐class activities and projects.

3. Students will be able to communicate appropriately by expressing their ideas and thoughts in a respectful and productive manner when in groups or during class discussion.

4. Students will be able to develop their own creative writing skills by writing their own short stories and incorporating the various elements studied over the course of the unit into their work.

5. Students will be able to adopt effective work methods by organizing their time in an efficient and productive manner.

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6. Students will be able to show and understanding of proper editing techniques by utilizing them when editing both their own work and the work of their peers.

Teacher:

1. Classroom Management: This lesson will provide an opportunity to improve on classroom management skills as it will require smooth transitioning between activities, and proper organization of the readings. The exciting genre off horror may elicit enthusiastic reactions and comments from students, so it will be important to ensure they stay on task throughout the unit.

2. Time Management/Organization: The numerous short stories and activities in this unit will provide an opportunity to practice good time management and proper organization of the class. In order to complete all the activities without rushing the students through the material, the larger unit goals will be kept in mind.

3. Clear Communication: This lesson will provide an opportunity to improve on clear and appropriate oral communication (Competency 2). It will also give me the opportunity to provide feedback on the oral and written communication of the students as they participate in class discussions and submit their written work.

4. Create an Engaging and Diversified Unit: Another goal for the unit is to get students to have fun with their learning. The genre of mystery/horror short stories is exciting, and there is a diverse selection of stories and a wide array of activities to keep students engaged. There is also an emphasis on both individual and group work, and the integration of media and technology.

QEP Competencies:

Subject-‐Specific Competencies:

Competency 1: Uses language/talk to communicate and to learn • Communication of information to a familiar audience • Adaptation of strategies to purpose and audience • Sharing of a point of view with peers • Engagement in a process of collaborative inquiry • Self-‐evaluation of her/his development as a learner

Competency 3: Reads and listens to written, spoken, and media texts

• Use of reading strategies to make sense of texts • Adjustment of reading stance to purpose or task • Discussion of response(s) to initial reading(s) of a text • Construction of interpretations of spoken, written and media texts for a

familiar audience

Competency 4: Writes a variety of genres for personal and social purposes • Adjustment of role as writer to purpose, audience, text and context • Application of knowledge of language and familiar text grammar(s) • Support of the classroom writing community in roles of writer and audience • Adaptation of process and strategies to the writing context

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• Self-‐evaluation of growth as a writer Cross-‐Curricular Competencies:

Competency 4: Uses creativity • Exploration of new ideas • Becomes familiar with all the elements of a situation • Adopts a flexible mode of operation

Competency 5: Adopts effective work methods

• Considers all aspects of a task • Adjusts his/her approach • Analyzes his/her procedure

Competency 8: Cooperates with others

• Appropriate attitudes and behaviours • Active participation in the work of the team • Contribution to improving the way the team works together

Competency 9: Communicates appropriately

• Coherence of the message • Use of appropriate vocabulary or symbols • Observance of practices, codes and conventions • Appropriateness of the message for the context and audience • Self-‐analysis and evaluation

Professional Competencies:

• Competency 1: To act as a professional inheritor, critic, and interpreter of knowledge or culture when teaching students.

• Competency 2: To communicate clearly in the language of instruction, both

orally and in writing, using correct grammar, in various contexts related to teaching.

• Competency 3: To develop teaching/learning situations that are appropriate to

the students concerned and the subject content with a view to developing the competencies targeted in the program of study.

• Competency 4: To pilot teaching/learning situations that are appropriate to the

students concerned and the subject content with a view to developing the competencies targeted in the programs of study.

• Competency 5: To evaluate student progress in learning the subject content and

mastering the related competencies.

• Competency 6: To plan, organize and supervise a class in such a way as to promote students’ learning and social development.

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• Competency 7: To adapt his or her teaching to the needs and characteristics of

students with learning disabilities, social maladjustments or handicaps.

Resources:

• “The Tell-‐Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe • “Night Drive” by Will F. Jenkins • “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs • “The Landlady” by Roald Dhal • “The Sea Devil” by Arthur Gordon

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Lesson 1: “The Tell-‐Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe Elements to focus on: Characterization/Mood

Class One

Today’s class:

1. At the beginning of class, attendance will be taken and a brief explanation of the day’s lesson will be given (3 minutes).

2. Lesson Hook: Students will then be asked to take out their writing journals and given 10 minutes to do a Quick Write that will introduce the topic of the first short story. This will need to be at least 1 page in length and will be marked for completion. Students requiring more time to complete the Quick Write will finish it for homework. Students will choose one of the following questions to answer:

a. Have you ever read a book, or seen a TV show or movie with a memorable character? What about this character made them memorable?

b. Guilt can be an all-‐consuming, overpowering emotion. Have you ever had to live with the feeling of guilt? Explain how you felt and the actions you took to remedy the situation. Do you think guilt is powerful enough to drive some people to madness?

3. Once students have completed their writing, they will be given the opportunity to discuss some of their answers (3-‐5 minutes).

4. The teacher will then begin a discussion on mood and characterization and discuss how both play a particularly important role in “The Tell-‐Tale Heart”. Students will be asked to pay close attention to the both the mood and the actions, thoughts, words, and description of the narrator in the story (3 minutes).

5. The teacher will then distribute a copy of “The Tell-‐Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe to each student and give a brief introduction of the author and story (3 minutes).

6. The class will then begin reading “The Tell-‐Tale Heart” together (15 minutes). Students will be encouraged to volunteer to read the different paragraphs. While reading the story, students will be asked to think about both the mood of the story and the characterization.

7. Once the class has finished reading “The Tell-‐Tale Heart”, students will be encouraged to ask any questions they may have about the text that will be answered by the class as a whole with the time that is remaining (12-‐14 minutes).

8. During the last 2 minutes of class, the teacher will wrap-‐up the lesson and remind students that their Quick Writes must be completed for the following class and will be checked for completion.

Learning Objectives:

1. Students will communicate appropriately while expressing their ideas during class discussion.

2. Students will develop their writing skills while completing their Quick Write activities.

3. Students will be able to grasp a better understanding of mood and characterization while reading “The Tell-‐Tale Heart”.

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Materials: • Writing journals • SmartBoard/Projector for Quick Write Questions • Pens/Highlighters • Copy of “The Tell-‐Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe

Differentiation:

• The students in the class are at varying writing levels, so those requiring more time to finish their Quick Writes will be able to complete them at home.

• The students in the class are at varying reading levels, and not all will be comfortable volunteering to read. Each student will have a copy of the short story so they are able to follow along with the reading. Students will be encourage to ask questions in order to better their understanding of the text as it is read in class.

• The class discussion once the short story is completed is in place to promote a cooperative learning environment in which the more advanced students are able to help their peers understand the short story in greater depth.

Class Two Today’s class:

1. At the beginning of class, attendance will be taken and the teacher will circulate to verify that the Quick Write activity has been completed (3 minutes).

1. Now that the students have finished reading “The Tell-‐Tale Heart”, an assignment sheet will be distributed that outlines the instructions for the two-‐part assignment (see Appendix 1):

a. Part One: Although the narrator of the story admitted that he was nervous, he insisted that he was not insane. Do you believe him? Why or why not? Did you become more convinced of the narrator’s sanity or insanity as the story developed? Why? Support your answer with evidence from the story.

b. Part Two: Rewrite the first two paragraphs of the story in the 3rd person and analyze how the meaning of the story is changed. Pair up and discuss your findings. Does your opinion on the character’s actions and motives change in any way? What affect does 1st person narration have on your interpretation of the events in the text? Provide evidence for your response.

2. Students will be given 30 minutes to work on the first section of the assignment, and will be asked to complete it for homework if it is not finished after this time. Scrap paper will be provided so students are able to work on a draft copy and note down their ideas and quotes. Although a rough copy is not required, students are expected to edit their work for spelling, grammar, and proper sentence structure. With the remaining time (15 minutes), students will work on the second part of the assignment and get into their groups to discuss.

3. During the last 2 minutes of class, the teacher will wrap-‐up the lesson and remind students that their assignments must be completed for the following class and will

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be collected. During the first 15 minutes of the following class, students will be shown an animated interpretation of “The Tell-‐Tale Heart” (see Appendix 3) that portrays the narrator in a distinct fashion. After watching the video, the students will discuss if their opinions on the narrator have changed at all.

Learning Objectives: 1. Students will be able to integrate examples of the learned literary terms into their

assignments. 2. Students will be able to work productively efficiently as they complete the assigned

lesson activity. 3. Students will be able to work cooperatively while paired with a peer, and engage in

meaningful discussion. Materials:

• Loose-‐leaf paper • Scrap paper • Assignment instructions • Pens/Highlighters • Copy of “The Tell-‐Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe

Differentiation:

• The students in the class are at varying writing levels, so those requiring more time to finish their assignments will be able to complete them at home. Having students to get into pairs after they have done work individually will allow them to both reflect on their own interpretations of the text, and to share ideas in a meaningful way. Students will help their peers understand different interpretations and varying layers of the text.

• An assignment sheet will be given out that clearly outlines both the assignment questions and the expectations (see Appendix 2 for Rubric) so students who have processing delays are able to understand the task.

Assessment:

• Quick Write: Marked for completion • Activity:

o Part One: See rubric Appendix 1 o Part Two: Marked for completion

Post-‐Lesson Reflection: Section 1-‐04:

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Section 1-‐03:

Appendix: 1. Activity Instruction Sheet (2 pages)

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2. Rubric for Part 1 of Activity:

3. Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDLLHTdVSgU

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Lesson 2: “Night Drive” by Will F. Jenkins Elements to focus on: Setting/Atmosphere/Suspense

Class One

Today’s class:

1. Lesson Closure Continued (“The Tell-‐Tale Heart”): After students have handed in their assignments, the teacher will show them a short animated adaptation of “The Tell-‐Tale Heart” that depicts the narrator’s character in a distinct fashion. While students are watching the video Quick Writes will be checked, assignments will be collected and attendance will be taken. The class will then have a brief discussion about the video and whether or not their impressions on the narrator changed after watching it (10 minutes).

2. Lesson Hook: Students will then be asked to take out their writing journals and given 10 minutes to do a Quick Write that will introduce the topic of the second short story. This will need to be at least 1 page in length and will be marked for completion. Students requiring more time to complete the Quick Write will finish it for homework. Students will choose one of the following questions to answer:

a. Have you ever met a stranger in a public place who made you uncomfortable, scared, or affected what would have otherwise been a normal atmosphere/setting? How did this stranger make you feel? What actions, if any, did you take? What was the outcome?

b. Can you remember a time when you were very frightened? Write about what happened, how you felt, and the outcome of the situation.

3. Once students have completed their writing, they will be given the opportunity to discuss some of their answers (5 minutes).

4. The teacher will then begin a discussion on setting, mood, atmosphere, and suspense and examine their importance in mystery and horror stories. The students will be asked discuss any movies, TV shows, or books they have seen or read that had particularly impactful suspense (5 minutes).

5. The teacher will then distribute a copy of “Night Drive” by Will F. Jenkins to each student and give a brief introduction of the author and story (5 minutes).

6. The teacher will begin reading the text and ask for volunteers to read as the students in the class are at varying reading levels, and not all will be comfortable reading at this stage in the unit. In addition, students will be encouraged to ask questions should they be confused about the story or need clarification. While reading the story, students will be encouraged to think about how setting and suspense are used throughout in order to heighten the tension. They will be asked to highlight sections of the short story where the setting creates a mood of suspense and rising terror (13 minutes).

7. During the last 2 minutes of class, the teacher will wrap-‐up the lesson and remind students that their Quick Writes are due the following class and will be checked for completion. Although the class will not have completed the whole short story, students will be asked to keep the elements of setting, suspense, and atmosphere in mind.

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Learning Objectives: 1. Students will communicate appropriately while expressing their ideas during class

discussion. 2. Students will develop their writing skills while completing their Quick Write

activities. 3. Students will be able to grasp a better understanding of setting, atmosphere, mood,

and tension and identify these elements while reading “Night Drive”. Materials:

• Writing journals • SmartBoard/Projector for Quick Write Questions • Pens/Highlighters • Copy of “Night Drive” by Will F. Jenkins

Differentiation:


• The students in the class are at varying reading levels, and not all will be comfortable reading at this stage in the unit. Each student will receive a copy of the short story so they are able to follow along with the reading. Students will be encourage to ask questions in order to better their understanding of the text as it is read in class.



2. The teacher will ask students to summarize what was read during the previous class and answer any questions that students may have about the story (6 minutes).

3. The class will continue reading “Night Drive” but students will read the text individually and be asked to think about how setting and suspense are used throughout in order to heighten the tension. They will be asked to highlight sections of the in which the setting creates a mood of suspense and rising terror. Students will also be asked to pay close attention to the end of the story. This individual reading will give students the opportunity to practice the close reading of a text; a skill necessary for their upcoming October Reading Assessment (20-‐30 minutes).

4. Lesson Activities: Once the students have finished reading “Night Drive”, they will be asked to take out loose-‐leaf paper and will be given an instruction sheet that outlines the activity for this short story. Students will be asked to answer one of the two following questions:

a. One of the most outstanding aspects of “Night Drive” is its suspense. Explain and give examples of how setting and descriptive details are used to heighten

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the suspense and tension in the story. What did you think would happen to Madge at the beginning, middle, and end of the story? How did your ideas change as the story progressed? Did anything surprise you?

b. What did you think would happen to Madge in the beginning, middle, and end of the story? How did your ideas change as the story progressed? Did anything surprise you?

c. Pretend you are a lawyer trying to argue that a crime took place in the story. What happened? Who is guilty? What is the evidence? Please argue your case in a persuasive paragraph.

5. Students will be given the remainder of the period (10-‐20 minutes) to work on this assignment, and will be given one additional period to work on it as well. Scrap paper will be provided so students are able to work on a draft copy and note down their ideas and quotes. Students that were unable to finish the reading during class time will be given the assignment instruction sheet at the end of the period and asked to finish the reading for homework and begin to brainstorm their ideas in order to prepare for the following class.

6. Lesson Closure: During the last 2-‐3 minutes of class, the teacher will wrap-‐up the lesson and remind students that they will have an additional period to work on their assignments.

Learning Objectives: 1. Students will communicate appropriately while expressing their ideas during class

discussion. 2. Students will be able to grasp a better understanding of setting, atmosphere, mood,

and tension and identify these elements while reading “Night Drive”. 3. Students will be able to integrate examples of the learned literary terms into their

assignments. 4. Students will be able to work efficiently as they work on the assigned lesson activity.

Materials:

• Loose-‐leaf paper • Scrap paper • Assignment instructions • Pens/Highlighters • Copy of “Night Drive” by Will F. Jenkins

Differentiation:

• The students in the class are at varying reading levels, and those who are unable to finish the reading during class time will be given time to finish it at home in order to remain on track.

• An assignment sheet will be given out that clearly outlines both the assignment questions and the expectations (rubric) so students who have processing delays are able to understand the task.

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Class Three Today’s class:

1. Students will be given 35 minutes to continue working on their activity for “Night Drive” as the teacher takes attendance at the beginning of class.

2. Students will be asked to review their work for spelling and grammar, and are welcome to use the dictionaries and thesauruses in the classroom.

3. Lesson Closure: During the last 15 minutes of class, the teacher will ask students to share some of the ideas they have in their assignments. Once discussion is complete, the assignments will be collected and the students will put their things away. Any students who are unable to finish the assignment by the end of the period will be allowed to take it home to finish for homework.


1. Students will be able to grasp a better understanding of setting, atmosphere, mood, and tension and identify these elements while reading “Night Drive”.

2. Students will be able to integrate examples of the learned literary terms into their assignments.

3. Students will be able to work efficiently as they work on the assigned lesson activity. 4. Students will communicate appropriately while expressing their ideas during class

discussion. Materials:

• Loose-‐leaf paper • Scrap paper • Assignment instructions • Pens/Highlighters • Copy of “Night Drive” by Will F. Jenkins

Differentiation:

• The students in the class are at varying writing levels, so those requiring more time to finish their assignments will be able to complete them at home.

• The students in the class are at varying reading levels, and not all will be comfortable reading at this stage in the unit. Each student will have a copy of the short story so they are able to follow along with the reading. Students will be encourage to ask questions in order to better their understanding of the text as it is read in class.


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Post-‐Lesson Reflection: Section 1-‐04: Section 1-‐03:

Appendix: 1. Assignment Instruction Sheet

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Lesson 3: “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs Elements to focus on: Vocabulary

Class One

Today’s class:

1. At the beginning of class, attendance will be taken and a brief overview of the day’s lesson will be given to students (2 minutes).

2. Lesson Hook: Students will then be asked to take out their writing journals and given 10 minutes to do a Quick Write that will introduce the topic of the next short story. This will need to be at least 1 page in length and will be marked for completion. Students requiring more time to complete the Quick Write will finish it for homework. Students will choose one of the following questions to answer:

a. Have you ever had an experience with a “lucky” charm? If so, write about what happened to you.

b. If you could wish for anything in the world, what would it be? 3. Once students have completed their writing, they will be given the opportunity to

discuss some of their answers (5 minutes). 4. Lesson Activities: The teacher will then begin a discussion on using contextual

clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words. Students will be given a worksheet with several sentences that have difficult words and will be asked to determine their meaning. Students will be given a few minutes to work on the activity, and then it will be reviewed with the class as a whole (15 minutes).

5. The teacher will then distribute a copy of “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs to each student and give a brief introduction of the author and story (5 minutes).

6. The class will then begin to read the first section of “The Monkey’s Paw”. Because the story is split into small paragraphs, each student will be asked to read one based on the order they are seated in. Although the students in the class are at varying reading levels, it is important for students to practice reading in front of their peers in order to work on their public speaking skills (part of the Grade 7 curriculum expectations). Students will be asked to pay attention to the vocabulary in the text, and to highlight any words that they have trouble understanding. Students will be told to ask for the meaning of vocabulary words only if there is a word they do not understand that prevents them from understanding the sentence’s meaning. Other difficult vocabulary words will be dealt with upon completion of reading the story (15 minutes).

7. During the last minute of class, the teacher will remind students that their Quick Writes must be completed for the following class and will be checked for completion. Although the class will not have completed the whole short story, it will be completed during the next class.



2. Students will develop their writing skills while completing their Quick Write

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activities. 3. Students will practice using contextual clues to determine the meaning of difficult

vocabulary words while completing the activity in class. 4. Students will develop their public speaking skills while reading the short story in

class. Materials:

• Vocabulary worksheet • Writing journals • SmartBoard/Projector for Quick Write Questions • Pens/Highlighters • Copy of “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs

Differentiation:




2. The teacher will ask students to summarize what was read during the previous class and answer any questions that students may have about the story (6 minutes).

3. The class will continue reading “The Monkey’s Paw” using the same method as last class. While reading the story, students will be asked to pay attention to the vocabulary, and to highlight any words that they have trouble understanding. Students will be told to ask for the meaning of vocabulary words only if there is a word they do not understand that prevents them from understanding the sentence’s meaning. Other difficult vocabulary words will be dealt with upon completion of reading the story (20 minutes).

4. Once the class has finished reading “The Monkey’s Paw”, students will be encouraged to ask any questions they may have about the text that will be answered by the class as a whole (5 minutes).

5. Lesson Activities: Once the class discussion is complete, students will be asked to take out loose-‐leaf paper and will be given a sheet of paper that outlines the activity for this short story. This activity will have two parts:

a. Part One: Learning New Vocabulary: Select 5 vocabulary words from the text that you had difficulty understanding and define the words. *There are dictionaries in the class that students can use for this activity.

b. Part Two: Creative Writing Assignment: If you had to take the monkey’s paw, what would you wish for? Describe your wishes and the turn of events that follows them. Please incorporate at least 4 of your newly learned

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vocabulary words into your response. 6. Students will be given the remainder of the period (25 minutes) to work on this

assignment, and will take it home to complete it for homework. Scrap paper will be provided so students are able to work on a draft copy and note down their ideas and quotes. Although a rough copy is not required, students are expected to edit their work for spelling, grammar, and proper sentence structure.

7. Lesson Closure: During the last 2-‐3 minutes of class, the teacher will wrap-‐up the lesson and remind students that their assignments must be completed for the following class and will be collected.



2. Students will develop their public speaking skills while reading the short story in class.

3. Students will develop their writing skills while completing their assignments. 4. Students will develop their vocabulary skills as they learn new words and integrate

them into their written assignments. Materials:

• Activity worksheet • Pens/Highlighters • Loose-‐leaf paper • Scrap paper • Copy of “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs

Differentiation:

• The students in the class are at varying writing levels, so those requiring more time to finish their activities will be able to complete them at home.

• An assignment sheet will be given out that clearly outlines both the assignment questions and the expectations (rubric) so students who have processing delays are able to understand the task.


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Appendix: 1. Contextual Clues Activity Worksheet

2. Vocabulary Words Activity Worksheet

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3. Creative Writing Assignment Worksheet

4. Rubric for Creative Writing Assignment

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Lesson 4: “The Landlady” by Roald Dhal Elements to focus on: Foreshadowing/Predicting/Close Reading

Class One

Today’s class:

1. At the beginning of class, attendance will be taken, assignments will be collected, and a brief overview of the day’s lesson will be given to students (3 minutes).

2. Lesson Hook: Students will then be asked to take out their writing journals and given 10 minutes to do a Quick Write that will introduce the topic of the short story. This will need to be at least 1 page in length and will be marked for completion. Students requiring more time to complete the Quick Write will finish it for homework. Students will answer the following question:

a. Have you ever been in a dangerous or difficult situation that was hard to escape from? Explain. How did the events unfold? If you haven’t personally experienced such a situation, think of a TV show or movie you’ve seen or a book you’ve read.

3. The teacher will then begin a discussion on foreshadowing and prediction and discuss how they are important elements in stories of mystery and danger like “The Landlady”. Students will be asked to pay close attention to the text for instances of foreshadowing and to try to make predictions when reading by filling out their prediction worksheets (5 minutes).

4. The teacher will then distribute a copy of “The Landlady” by Roald Dhal to each student along with an assignment page and give a brief introduction of the author and story (3 minutes).

5. Students will then begin reading “The Landlady” individually. The reading they will be given outlines spots in the text where students must pause to reflect on instances of foreshadowing, and must predict what will happen in the story. Students will fill out their answers on the assignment page (27 minutes). Students who have not completed the reading before the end of class will be asked to finish it for homework.

6. During the last 2 minutes of class, the teacher will wrap-‐up the lesson and remind students that their Quick Writes and the reading must be completed for the following class.

Learning Objectives: 1. Students will develop their writing skills while completing their Quick Write

activities. 2. Students will develop their understanding of foreshadowing and predicting while

reading “The Landlady” and completing the corresponding activity sheet. 3. Students will develop their close-‐reading skills as they read and answer questions

about ‘’The Landlady”. Materials:

• Writing journals

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• SmartBoard/Projector for Quick Write Questions • Pens/Highlighters • Copy of “The Landlady” by Roald Dhal • Assignment sheet

Differentiation:


• The students in the class are at varying reading levels, and some may have more practice with close reading than others. The reading instructions given to students along with the short story will help to guide all the students in the class to success. Students unable to finish reading the short story in class will be given the opportunity to finish it at home for homework.


1. At the beginning of class, attendance will be taken, and Quick Writes will be checked for completion (4 minutes).

2. Each students will receive a sheet with several comprehension questions from the short story and will be given time to work on this individually. Students will also be asked to look over the prediction sheets they completed while reading the story and think about what they wrote (Think) (10 minutes).

3. Students will then be put into pairs with those sitting closest to them and will share the ideas they have come up with while reading the short story. Students will discuss both the instances of foreshadowing and prediction, as well as the comprehension questions (Pair) (20 minutes).

4. Once students have finished their discussions, the class will come together and discuss the comprehension questions and instances of foreshadowing and predicting in “The Landlady” (Share) (15 minutes).

5. During the last 2 minutes of class, the teacher will wrap-‐up the lesson and remind students that the comprehension questions and reading worksheets must be completed for the following class and will be collected and marked for completion.


1. Students will develop their close-‐reading skills as they answer comprehension questions about ‘’The Landlady”.

2. Students will be able to work productively as they complete the assigned lesson activity sheets individually.

3. Students will be able to work cooperatively while paired with a peer, and engage in meaningful discussion.

4. Students will be able to express their ideas and opinions in a meaningful and respectful way during class discussions.

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Materials: • Pens/Highlighters • Copy of “The Landlady” by Roald Dhal • Foreshawing/Predicting worksheet • Comprehension question sheet

Differentiation:

• Students unable to finish their comprehension questions in class will be given the opportunity to finish them for homework.

• Because the students in the class are varying levels of comprehension, the Think-‐Pair-‐Share model will allow them to work together collaboratively to answer questions about the reading. It will first require students to think individually which will show individual learning and understanding. It will also give the students an opportunity to work on their close reading skills; a necessary skill for the upcoming grade 7 October Evaluation. Then students will share their ideas with classmates which will improve understanding for both students, and maximize student participation and interaction with their peers. Finally, sharing ideas with the class as a whole will give students the sense that they are part of a learning community that finds answers together.


Appendix: 1. Reading Comprehension Questions

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2. Reading Activity Worksheet

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Lesson 5: “The Sea Devil” by Arthur Gordon Elements to focus on: Plot elements/Imagery

Class One

Today’s class:

1. At the beginning of class, attendance will be taken and a brief overview of the day’s lesson will be given to students (2 minutes).

2. Lesson Hook: Students will then be asked to take out their writing journals and given 10 minutes to do a Quick Write that will introduce the topic of the fifth short story. This will need to be at least 1 page in length and will be marked for completion. Students requiring more time to complete the Quick Write will finish it for homework. Students will choose one of the following questions to answer:

a. Humans have a natural tendency to attempt to control the world around them. Sometimes they succeed, and sometimes nature fights back. Which of the two forces do you feel is ultimately in control?

b. One type of external conflict is that of man vs. nature. Have you read a novel or watched a TV show or movie that is based on this type of external conflict? What happened? What message do these texts convey to the reader?

3. Once students have completed their writing, they will be given the opportunity to discuss some of their answers (5 minutes).

4. The teacher will then distribute a copy of “The Sea Devil” by Arthur Gordon to each student and give a brief introduction of the author and story (5 minutes).

5. The class will then begin to read the short story. This will be done using the “popcorn method”, where the teacher begins by reading the first paragraph and then the students step in to read one after the other. Should two students begin reading at the same time, one student will continue and the other will read the next paragraph. Students will be asked to play close attention to how imagery is used by the author throughout the short story to paint a picture of the scene for readers (28 minutes).

6. During the last minute of class, the teacher will remind students that their Quick Writes must be completed for the following class and will be checked for completion.


1. Students will develop their writing skills while completing their Quick Write activities.


3. Students will develop their public speaking skills while reading the short story in class.

Materials:

• Writing journals • SmartBoard/Projector for Quick Write Questions

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• Pens/Highlighters • Copy of “The Sea Devil” by Arthur Gordon

Differentiation: • The students in the class are at varying writing levels, so those requiring more time

to finish their activities will be able to complete them at home.



2. The teacher will ask students to summarize what was read during the previous class and students will be encouraged to ask any questions they may have about the text that will be answered by the class as a whole. During this time, students will be asked guiding questions about the short story that encourage them to think about the theme of the story as well as the imagery in the text (15 minutes).

3. Lesson Activities: Once the class discussion is complete, each student will receive a copy of a Freytag’s Pyramid and will be asked to fill out the various elements of the graph – exposition, complicating incident, conflict, rising action, turning point, climax, falling action, and resolution. This activity will transition student nicely into the next section of the unit as students will need to write their own short stories and incorporate various plot elements (Think) (10 minutes).

4. Once students have completed their assignments, they will be put into pairs and asked to share some of the answers on their plot graphs (Pair) (10 minutes).

5. Lesson Closure: The class will then come together to go over the plot graph (Share) (11 minutes).


1. Students will become familiar with the elements of plot as they complete a plot graph for “The Night Devil”.

2. Students will work collaboratively as they discuss their plot graphs in pairs. 3. Students will communicate appropriately while expressing their ideas during class

discussion. Materials:

• Pens/Highlighters • Copy of “The Sea Devil” by Arthur Gordon • Freytag’s Pyramid

Differentiation:


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• The students in the class have varying levels of understanding of the elements of plot, so having them get into pairs after they have done their plot graphs individually will allow them to both reflect on their own interpretations of the text, and to share ideas in a meaningful way. Students will help their peers understand different plot elements and varying layers of the text.


Appendix: 1. Freytag’s Pyramid:

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Culminating Activity Writing Mystery/Horror Short Stories

Description:

After students have finished reading the five short stories and have completed the

activities, they will be given several classes to work on writing their own creative mystery/horror short stories. This writing task will encourage students to become familiar with numerous elements of the short story, and to use creativity by exploring new ideas (CCC 4). In addition, it will meet one of the curriculum expectations for the grade 7 ELA classes: “Major writing pieces to cover – Short Story”. In addition, the stories will build on what was learned over the course of the unit as students will be asked to incorporate all the newly learned elements into their short stories:

• A vivid description of setting and atmosphere • Strong characterization • Diverse vocabulary • Literary devices • Elements of plot: Students will be given a Freytag Pyramid in order to get their big

ideas down and ensure they have incorporated all the necessary plot elements.

Once students have finished writing their drafts in class, they will exchange their short stories and edit the work of their peers using common proofreading symbols. Once completed, students will be asked to write a second draft in class, and then take this draft home in order to work on the good copy. This editing process will not only provide students with the opportunity to evaluate their growth as writers, but will also provide them with the support of the classroom writing community in roles of writer and audience (SSC 4). It will also require students to adopt effective work methods by organizing their time appropriately and analyzing their approaches (CCC 5).


1. Students will be able to develop their creative writing skills by writing their own short stories.

2. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of numerous elements of the short story (setting/atmosphere, characterization, vocabulary, figurative language, literary devices, and plot elements) by incorporating these elements into their short story.

3. Students will be able to adopt effective work methods by organizing their time in an efficient and productive manner as they write the various drafts and good copy of the short stories.

4. Students will be able to show and understanding of proper editing techniques by utilizing them when editing both their own work and the work of their peers.

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Assessment – Rubrics:

Content:

CATEGORY Excellent 10 points

Thorough 8 points

Satisfactory 6 points

Minimal 4 points

Incomplete 0 points

Setting and Atmosphere

Numerous vivid, descriptive words are used to describe the setting, atmosphere and mood in the story.

Many vivid, descriptive words are used to describe the setting, atmosphere and mood in the story.

Some vivid, descriptive words are used to describe the setting, atmosphere and mood in the story.

There has been some effort to describe the setting, atmosphere, and mood in the story, but it is minimal.

There is no description of the setting, atmosphere and mood in the story.

Characterization The main characters in the short story are introduced and described with numerous details (either through direct or indirect characterization).

The main characters in the short story are introduced and described with many details (either through direct or indirect characterization).

The main characters in the short story are introduced and described with some details (either through direct or indirect characterization).

There has been some effort to introduce and describe the main characters in the story, but it is minimal.

There is no description of the main characters in the story.

Plot Elements It is very easy for the reader to understand the main conflict in the short story. The many rising actions lead logically to the story’s climactic moment.

It is fairly easy for the reader to understand the main conflict in the short story. There are several rising actions and a climactic moment.

There is an identifiable main conflict. There are some rising actions and a climactic moment.

It is unclear what the main conflict of the story is. There are few to no rising actions that lead to a climactic moment.

There is no main conflict, rising actions, or climactic moment in the story.

Organization of Ideas

All ideas in the short story are well organized. One idea or scene follows another in a logical sequence with clear transitions.

Most ideas in the short story are well organized. Transitions between ideas are mostly clear.

Often, ideas in the short story are organized and have clear transitions.

There is minimal organization of ideas. Transitions between ideas are unclear.

There is no organization or transitioning between ideas in the story.

Creativity The story contains numerous creative details and descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment.

The story contains many creative details and descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment.

The story contains some creative details and descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment.

There has been effort to include creative details and description in the story, but it is minimal.

There are no creative details or description in the story.

Literary Devices The short story contains numerous literary devices (possible examples: imagery, metaphors, similes, symbols, foreshadowing, suspense).

The short story contains many literary devices.

The short story contains some literary devices.

The short story contains very few literary devices.

There are no literary devices used in the short story.

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Process/Formatting: Category Total

1st Draft A first draft is submitted that shows editing from another student in the class. This student’s name should be written on the edited draft.

/3

2nd Draft A second draft is submitted that shows editing from the first draft.

/2

Freytag’s Pyramid Completed Freytag’s Pyramid has been submitted and outlines the plot elements of the short story.

/2

Good Copy All of the written requirements are met:

• Typed or handwritten in blue or black ink (0.5) • Double spaced (0.5) • Page numbers (0.5) • Proper margins (0.5) • Strong title (1) • Course information (Name, course number, teacher’s name, due date) (2) • Writing conventions (spelling, punctuation, and grammar is used

correctly. Vocabulary is diverse.) (8)

/13

Total: /20

Differentiation: Because some students in the class will need more time to complete their drafts (drafts must be written in class as per the grade 7 course expectations), the teacher will be available during various lunch periods so students have the opportunity to complete their drafts in class should they require more time. Perhaps not all students will want to write a horror/mystery short story. Although this was the genre of the unit, students’ creativity should not be limited by it. They can, therefore, choose the genre of short story they would like to produce, but must have it approved by the teacher before writing, and must also incorporate the various elements learned over the course of the unit.

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Unit Sources: 1. Hoopes, Ned. Stories to Enjoy. New York: Macmillan, 1967. Print. 2. QEP – Cross-‐Curricular Competencies: http://www1.education.gouv.qc.ca/sections/programmeFormation/secondaire1/pdf/chapter3.pdf 3. QEP: Subject-‐Specific Competencies: http://www1.education.gouv.qc.ca/sections/programmeFormation/secondaire1/pdf/chapter51.pdf 4. QEP – Professional Competencies: https://www.mcgill.ca/dise/files/dise/qep_competencies.pdf 5. Scheld, Elizabeth. Designs in Fiction. New York: Macmillan, 1968. Print. 6. The Tell-‐Tale Heart by Annette Jung. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDLLHTdVSgU

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Mystery Short Story Unit - WordPress.com · ! 2! 6. Studentswillbeabletoshowandunderstandingofpropereditingtechniquesby utilizing!themwhen!editing!both!their!own!work!and!the!workoftheirpeers.!