Semi-Detailed Lesson Plan about Five Essential Elements of a Short Story

intended for 2nd Year Junior High School Students

By: Rechelle Sarili & Kelvin Rex Sumayao
I. Objectives
At the end of the lesson the students shall;
1) Identify the five (5) Essential Elements of the Short Story.
2) Determine these elements in the sample short story.
3) Discuss the importance of being strong and brave in facing the challenges of life.
II. Subject Matter
Topic: Five Essential Elements of a Short Story
Listening Text: “The Story of a Carrots, an Egg and the Coffee Beans” by: Kayla
Fioravanti
References: https://www.google.com/search?
rlz=1C1NDCM_enPH831PH831&ei=5S87XMe4IMug-
QaDwJPwBg&q=carrots+egg+and+coffee+bean+story+author+and+book&oq=carr
ots+egg+and+coffee+bean+story+author+and+book&gs_l=psy-
ab.3..33i160.200164.204025..204448...0.0..0.469.3352.0j10j2j3j1......0....1..gws-
wiz.......0i71j0i22i30j33i22i29i30j33i10j33i21.xVasu9smXQo
Materials

 PowerPoint (short story, pictures showing the sequence of the elements of a short
story)
 Television
 HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)
 Laptop
 Manila paper
 Whiteboard Marker
III. Preliminary Activities:

Teacher’s Activity Student’s Activity

“Before we Start the Class…”

(One of the students will lead the
“Let us pray First…” Prayer.)

“Good Morning Class…” “Good Morning Sir/Ma’am…”

(Checking of Attendance) (One student will stand and say the

“Can you tell us who are the Names of the Absentees for today”)
Absentees of today, ….”

“Class, before you sit, can you pick

the pieces of trash under your (Students will Pick the pieces of
chairs” trash)
 “Class, after you pick the pieces of
trash you can now sit” (Students will now sit)

Motivation
“Pass Your Story”
- The facilitator will divide the class into three (3) groups. Each group will
form a line in every isle of the classroom. The Last student in the line will
share a story about “what happened to his/her valentine’s day?” and will
pass it throughout the line. The student in front of the line will write the
story on the manila paper, then post it on the whiteboard. The first group
that will post their story on the board will win. This activity will boost the
confidence of each student and it will help the students to create a short
story of their own. The Motivation that we did is also connected to the
lesson.
IV. Presentation of the Lesson

Now class we will read a Story entitled “The story of Carrots, an Egg and the
Coffee beans”.

(The whole class will read the short story)

“A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how
things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it
and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed
as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and
placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she
placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed
ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots
out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in
a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to
her daughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do you see?” “Carrots, eggs, and
coffee,” she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did
and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take
an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled
egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter
smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What does it
mean, mother?”
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same
adversity – boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong,
hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it
softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell
had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its
inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however.
After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your
door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?”

Are you the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity wilts,
becomes soft, and loses strength? Are you the egg that starts with a
malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Does your shell look the same,
but on the inside are you bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened
heart?

Or are you the coffee bean? Actually, changing the hot water, the very
circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the
fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst,
you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the
darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another
level?”

Now class we are going to talk about the Five Essential Elements of a
Story:

First the Character; A character is a person, or sometimes even an animal,

who takes part in the action of a short story or other literary work.

Second is the Setting; the setting of a short story is the time and place in
which it happens. Authors often use descriptions of landscape, scenery,
buildings, seasons or weather to provide a strong sense of setting.

Third is the Plot; plot is a series of events and character actions that relate
to the central conflict.

Fourth is the Conflict; the conflict is a struggle between two people or

things in a short story. The main character is usually on one side of the
central conflict.

On the other side, the main character may struggle against another
important character, against the forces of nature, against society, or even
against something inside himself or herself (feelings, emotions, illness).
 Lastly is the Theme; the theme is the central idea or belief in a short story

Now the class will identify the elements of a short story present in given
short story of their classmate.
Now class the class will be divided into 3 groups and they will answer the question
“Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?”

After 5 minutes each group will have a representative to deliver their answer.

Generalization
 After all the discussion, the Students are able to summarize the lesson that is
presented by the instructor.
 They can now describe each element of a short story
V. Evaluation
The Class will be Divided into 3 groups. Each Groups will identify the Elements of a
short story in present in the story of “The story of Carrots, an Egg and the Coffee
beans”. Each group will be given 5 minutes to work on question and then we will ask
them to present their work by calling their representative for each element.

Rubrics
Identification of all the Elements 70%
Pronunciation of Each word 20%
Delivery of the Answer 10%
Total: 100%

VI. Assignment
Now that you know the elements of a short story will create your own short story.

Create a short story about the special event in your life and make sure that each
element is there in your story.