Curated OER
Water and Ice
Young scholars examine how water changes state, from a liquid to a solid. In this water lesson students study the water cycle and how temperature and pressure effect it.
Curated OER
Jack-O-Latern Lesson
Have a Happy Halloween and build strong oral language skills. Special needs Pupils functioning at a moderate level can practice sequencing, writing lists, and using oral language by explaining how they carve a pumpkin.
Curated OER
Do a Ditty
Fourth graders work in cooperative groups to create a ditty to teach the characteristics that distinguish literary forms to younger students. The ditty is performed before the class.
Curated OER
Folktales Reflect Daoist and Buddhist Traditions
Tenth graders compare three Chinese folktales for their "messages" and literary techniques to see how they reflect Chinese Confucian and Taoist values. They discuss how folktales share certain subjects, characters, plots and themes.
Curated OER
I Heard the Owl Call My Name
Tenth graders read I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven. They share interpretations and conclusions in either oral or written form. They deliver a speech that conveys information using clear and concise language.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Translating Short Stories Into Original Short Films
After reviewing the elements of the short story, students develop a script and storyboard from a published or original story. Students then film and edit a video of the story to present during a class film festival.
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.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Story Elements
During this lesson, students will analyze what distinguishes the stories they love. Reading and reviewing their favorite books will help students begin to identify elements of a story. Students have the opportunity to navigate the...
Love To Know Media
Your Dictionary: Lesson Plans on Writing Short Stories
This instructional activity focuses on teacher preparation of lesson plans before attempting to teach pupils to write short stories. It includes questions to ask yourself, ideas for activities, and a sample lesson plan.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Using Fairy Tales to Teach the Short Stories
Familiar fairy tales are used as guides to help young scholars analyze the elements of the short story: plot, theme, setting, point of view, and character.
Other
Mo Dept. Of Ed.: Analyzing and Evaluating Literary Works
Lesson plan designed for eleventh graders. Students analyze and evaluate a short story for elements of literary works such as theme, mood, word choice, imagery, tone, and main idea. Includes a student handout and a scoring guide. It...
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 students' attention to...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Taking the Mystery Out of Writing a Mystery
This mystery-writing lesson plan focuses on the structure of a short story and the elements of a mystery in particular. Middle schoolers complete the entire writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing....
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Interpreting Characters, Setting, Plot, & Theme: Triangle...
Students 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 and put...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Math + Arts: Jack & the Zero Clan
In this lesson, students will create and solve a word problem related to adding and subtracting within 1,000, develop a script for a short scene using dialect, and perform it using the elements of performance, specifically acting,...
Other
O.henry: The Last Leaf Lesson and Activities
The ELLSA site offers this very complete set of lessons about The Last Leaf, focusing on setting, but including vocabulary and other elements.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Voice Building Poetry Lesson: Comparison & Contrast Poems
In this lesson, students examine multiple mentor texts to help drive them toward the final persuasive writing assignment: comparison and contrast poems written from a parent and a child's perspective. A short story, two poems, and a song...