The rich language of O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" is only appreciable if you understand the words. A short instructional activity reviews 13 words from the story and prompts class members to apply each word and its definition to other situations.

Concepts

the gift of the magi, irony, dramatic irony, o. henry, Vocabulary

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Have learners read the story at home before coming to class the next day to discuss vocabulary
• Include the listed words in your weekly vocabulary list

Classroom Considerations

• Lesson is designed for high school, but would more appropriate for middle school classes
• The first few steps on the lesson plan procedure are self-explanatory, such reading the text itself, and making class sets of the worksheet
• The two days allotted for the lesson seems long for a straightforward vocabulary review, particularly for a pre-reading activity

Pros

• Provides all worksheets necessary for the lesson
• Uses a story commonly found in school anthologies

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.8.4