Lumen Learning
Lumen: Reading and Interpreting Literary Texts: How to Analyze a Short Story
This lesson focuses on analyzing a short story including all of the elements of a short story such as setting, plot and structure, and characterization.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Interactives: Literature: What Makes a Good Short Story?
This interactive exhibit takes learners on a literary journey through the classic short story.
Ted Nellen
Cyber English (By Ted Nellen): Fiction: Short Story & Novel Fact Sheet
This is a short story or novel fact sheet offered as a Word document or a PDF. It includes places for title; author; URL; list of important nouns, verbs, phrases, and clauses; setting (includes definition); characterization (including...
Yale University
Yale University: Elements of the Short Story
This unit from the Yale University on elements of the short story is designed to develop student comprehension skills, particularly making inferences and generalizing. It also involves students in reading a number of short stories to...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Holt, Rinehart and Winston: Elements of Literature: The Short Story [Pdf]
A short group of exercises for students concerning the elements of a short story. Allows students to examine the major story elements, then apply those elements to a given piece of literature.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Literature: Describing Setting
Short explanation of setting as a literary term. Written in the context of "What makes a good short story?" A link at the bottom of the page leads to additional information about setting.
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Story, Identity, Unity
Delve into the art of storytelling in this self-guided unit. Multiple topics are covered such as literary genres, the 7 elements of fiction, figurative language, theme, characterization, etc. At the end of the unit, write your own flash...
Fun Trivia
Fun Trivia: Short Story Elements Trivia Quiz
This site shares a short story elements trivia game. Examples of short story elements are applied to high school classic literature.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Elements of a Story Interactive
Explore different ingredients, or elements, that go into stories and make them so much fun. Read the story, "Cinderella," and look at all the different pieces of the tale to see how they all fit together.
Other
Fiction Writing Tips: Creating a Vivid Setting
Some excellent guidelines to consider when evaluating your setting in a short story or novel. Discusses the importance of setting, some examples, as well as practical advice in setting your story. W.11-12.3d Sensory/precise lang narratives
Blackdog Media
Classic Reader: From the Memoirs of a Minister of France by Stanley J. Weyman
This is the full text of From the Memoirs of a Minister of France by Stanley J. Weyman. A collection of twelve short stories set in the backdrop of Henry IV's reign. These historical romances chronicle the various thrilling experiences...
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago: Art Access: Write a Short Story
Compare and contrast two works of art that show groups of people in two different settings. Then choose one of the paintings to write a short story.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Interpreting Characters, Setting, Plot, & Theme: Triangle...
Middle schoolers will view video documenting the real-life story of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911. Students will complete a story elements graphic organizer. This organizer will help them distinguish various story elements...
Blackdog Media
Classic Reader: "A Bivouac of the Dead" by Ambrose Bierce
This is the text of the short story "A Bivouac of the Dead" by Ambrose Bierce, a story with an ironic twist set in the Allegheny mountains, in Pocahontas county, West Virginia.
Wisconsin Response to Intervention Center
Wisconsin Rt I Center: Story Writing Frames [Pdf]
Teachers will learn how to use story writing frames with their students. Teachers will learn how to implement story frames; measure progress with story frames; and find research to support using story frames. A reproducible story frame...
Quizlet
Quizlet: Story Elements (1St Grade) Match
This interactive game of "Match" assesses students' knowledge of story element definitions. Students will match the correct definition of a story element to its corresponding definition. Picture cues are provided on this review resource.
Michigan State University
Michigan State University: Intervention for Reading: Group Story Mapping
This intervention, which is based on Schema Theory, emphasizes linking previous knowledge structures (schemata) with reading materials. A pre-reading technique (see "My Story Map") provides a framework that directs young scholars'...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Using Fairy Tales to Teach the Short Stories
Familiar fairy tales are used as guides to help students analyze the elements of the short story: plot, theme, setting, point of view, and character.
Blackdog Media
Classic Reader: The Setness of Theodosia by Lucy Maud Montgomery
The full text of the short story The Setness of Theodosia by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Register for a free account to unlock annotation tools, printing, and more.
Read Works
Read Works: Setting 3rd Grade Unit
[Free Registration/Login Required] This is series of two lesson plans designed to teach young scholars to visualize the setting and determine its effect on characters in a fiction text. Lessons are based on two short texts and the book...
Read Works
Read Works: Fourth Grade: Two Lesson Unit: Setting
[Free Registration/Login Required] A two-lesson unit on setting where students use book The Three Brothers: A German Folktale by Carolyn Croll to show how the setting effects the plot of a story, and the book Even More Short and Shivery:...
Read Works
Read Works: Jack's Lost Kite Passage & Question Set
[Free Registration/Login Required] This literary text passage shares the story of a boy named Jack who has lost his kite. This passage reinforces essential reading comprehension skills. Opportunities for vocabulary acquisition are also...
Read Works
Read Works: "Jose and the Blue Crayons" Passage & Question Set
[Free Registration/Login Required] This literary text passage shares the story of a boy who listened to his teacher during a lesson about "sharing" and then shared a crayon with his classmate. This passage reinforces essential reading...
Blackdog Media
Classic Reader: The Goal Keeper and the Plutocrat by p.g. Wodehouse
Read the full text of the short story "The Goal-Keeper and the Plutocrat" by P.G. Wodehouse about the drama of love, football, and politics.