Janelle Leegstra

English Language Arts

Grade 9
Short Story Unit September 18 October 13

Overview
In this unit we will explore the importance of a short story and discuss why we
read and write down our stories.

Objectives
This unit will touch on GLOs 1-5, with focus on 2 & 3

SLOs listed in UAP

Essential Knowledge
Students will be evaluated on

Deep reading and comprehension of short stories

Literary elements involved in writing short stories
The writing process and how to create a final, written narrative.

Other understandings:

The importance of personal writing

An appreciation for what writing can explore.

Prior Knowledge
A basic knowledge of reading/interpreting stories
Practice in personal writing from Unit #1
Understandings Essential Questions
Students will understand that: How do stories impact readers in a
positive way?
Short stories are important How does understanding the perspective
Different perspectives can influence the of others help us to come to new
impact of a story understandings?
Writing is a great outlet for the How can we use writing to express
exploration of self. ourselves and our ideas?

Students will know Students will be able to

How to analyze short stories Pull together elements of short stories
The important elements of a short story and use them to build a bigger
How the writing process can be translated understanding
into narrative writing Use the elements of short stories to their
advantage
Apply the writing process in an effective
way.

Summative Assessment: Formative Assessment:

Final short story project POV Mountain Activity/Graphic
Literary Elements Project Organizers
Writing Workshop Project Dialogue Journal (Mood/Tone)
Literary Elements Quiz Characterization Charts
Theme Trade-off exercise

Final reflection:
At the end of the unit, students will have the opportunity to reflect on the learning process during the unit and
will be given the opportunity to give feedback on the effectiveness of the materials.
 Lesson Plans Date: Sept 18-Oct 13

Date Description Ess. Question(s) Outcomes

- What are stories an how - 1.1
Lesson 1 do they impact us? - 1.2
Oct 2 - What are the elements
Pixar Intro Activity Students will watch the beginning of the UP involved in creating a
movie and will be given notecards on which they must record their good story and how
understandings of the element assigned to them (Both characters, does that impact our
mood, color, perspective, theme, etc.) reading?

Oct 3 - How does conflict set up - 2.1

Lesson 2 the intrigue of the story - 2.2
and keep us interested? - 2.3
Plot/Conflict Most Dangerous Game - How does conflict relate
1. Introduce the idea of conflict by talking about conflicts in to character
our own lives development?
2. Ask why its important to storytelling
3. Give the example of Aladdin he had 2 conflicts, inner
(release genie) and outer (against Jafar)
4. Ask students to consider what life would have been for
Aladdin without Jafar. Would that be a good story?
5. Read TMDG
6. Discuss the conflict in this story why is it interesting?
7. Have students map out the plot of the story including
details about what led to the conflict and how it was
resolved.
8. Discuss the difference between conflict and story climax
Oct 4 - How do the m, t, and s - 2.1
Lesson 3 affect our - 2.2
understanding and - 2.3
Mood, Tone and Setting Lamb to the Slaughter enjoyment of the story?
1. Introduce the terms Mood and Tone and explain the - Why is it important to
difference distinguish between
2. Refer back to Up intro and how the author may have authorial intention and
intended it vs. how we perceive it reader understanding?
3. List the 5 ways that authors provide mood and tone
(Diction, Imagery, Details, Language, and Syntax).
4. Introduce Dialect Journal Activity
5. Read Lamb to the Slaughter and have students record in
their journals each description.
6. Create a collection of words on the board after reading and
discuss.
7. Have students use this collection of words to create a
movie poster for this story
8. Discuss the importance of mood/tone.

Oct 5 - How do different - 2.1

Lesson 4 character types impact - 2.2
our perceptions of the - 2.3
Character Thank you Mam story?
1. Introduce character by going through the choices we - Why is it good to have
make activity. opposing character
2. Go through terms on the Scholastic Characterization types?
Terms sheet
3. Using Despicable Me, fill in class examples
4. Have students come up with their own examples
5. Read Thank you Mam and fill in the character analysis
sheet.
6. Discuss the character types we see in this story.
7. How would you react in that situation?
8. Why is it important to know about the character in a story?

Oct 10 - How does POV affect - 2.1

Lesson 5 our understanding of - 2.2
the storys events - 2.3
POV, Gore: - How might changing the
POV affect the
1. Students will use a selection of photographs to explore
progression of the
point of view and perspective. (See online lesson plan).
story?
2. Read Gore in class.
- How does an
3. Vocab/Reading Comp.
untrustworthy narrator
4. Class discussion on the POV of the main character.
affect our relation to the
a. Is this a trustworthy perspective?
storys events?
 b. Can we believe what she is telling us?
c. Why/why not?
5. Day in the Life of an inanimate object.
6. Discuss the importance of who is telling the story. What
would this story sound like from the brothers POV.

Oct 11 - Why might an author - 2.1

Lesson 6 use foreshadowing to - 2.2
give away details? - 2.3
Foreshadowing/Flashback - How can predictions
1. Watch movie clips and for each, recall what the help us better
foreshadowing is pointing to understand a story?

Foreshadowing:
Lion King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRVRxvNYR7Y
Finding Nemo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGu18iqJt-w

Flashback:
Rattatouille https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVd6CnKLPgY

CharlieATCF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxCKyZSZnio&list=PLEwt0b6Vaau1DpSUENX8B_EIWZhvb

slPP

- Why is it important to
distinguish between
Theme theme and topic?
- How do tone and theme
1. Discuss theme vs. topic first, use Frozen as an example. interact?
2. Do the theme circle activity.
3. Discuss the importance of theme within a text.

Oct 16 - How can we combine all - 2.1

Lesson 8 of these elements into - 2.2
one story? - 2.3
Writing Process/Combine all elements - Why would we write - 4.1
1. Follow the writing process workshop our own ideas into a - 4.2
(Teacherspayteachers) story?
2. Discuss - How can following the
writing process benefit
our writing?
Oct - How do we combine all - 2.1
17-27 Lesson 8 of these elements into a - 2.2
short story? - 2.3
Writing the Short Stories: - 2.4
1. Plan - 4.1
2. Draft - 4.2
3. Revise
4. Final