Short Stories Unit
Created by Miss Carrington
Subject- English Language Arts Grade Level-8th Duration- 4 weeks
Reading Objectives
Students will use multiple reading strategies in order to comprehend the text.
Students will be able to identify and analyze literary elements/devices in a given text.
Students will understand the theme, author's purpose, and point of view.
Students will connect past or contemporary world issues to the text.
Students will use and develop critical thinking skills based on issues and topics raised in the text.
Students will view and compare visual adaptations to the text in order to strengthen meaning and
comprehension.
Writing Objectives
Students will write periodically throughout the unit in order to build up to the final writing
assignment.
Students will identify thesis statements and develop their own.
Students will review the correct way to outline and set up a thematic essay (MLA format).
Students will choose the appropriate evidence for their claim by finding supporting details in the
literary text.
Students will cite textual evidence to support claim
Students will strengthen their editing and revising skills
Standards
Standards are met through direct instruction and various assessments throughout the unit.
Key: Reading Standards, Writing Standards, Speaking/Listening Standards
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly
as well as inferences drawn from the text. (RL.8.1) (DOK 1,2,3)
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the
text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary
of the text. (RL.8.2) (DOK 2,3)
Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal
aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. (RL.8.3) (DOK 2,3)
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone,
including analogies or allusions to other texts. (RL.8.4) (DOK 1,2,3)
Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure
of each text contributes to its meaning and style. (RL.8.5) (DOK 3,4)
Analyze how differences in the points of view (perspectives) of the characters and the audience
or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or
humor. (RL.8.6) (DOK 3,4)
Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or
departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors. (RL.8.7)
(DOK 3,4)
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. (W.8.1) (DOK 3,4)
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (W.8.4) (DOK 3,4)
With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well
purpose and audience have been addressed. (W.8.5) (DOK 1,2,3,4)
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the
relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with
others. (W.8.6) (DOK 1,2)
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter
time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes,
and audiences. (W.8.10) (DOK 1,2,3,4)
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-
led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly. (SL.8.1) (DOK 1,2,3)
Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning
and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is
introduced. (SL.8.3). (DOK 2,3,4)
Assessments
Pre-assessment to answer the following questions:
Can students identify and analyze literary elements?
Can students write a thematic response to literature using supporting details from the text?
Responses to the text to check for understanding and comprehension.
Various discussion activities
Short essay responses to literature.
Final thematic essay
Week One
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Professional Rules/Procedures Group Work Cont. Pre-reading Post read
for the new Create a Story Map assignment: discussion
Development Day
semester. Lottery anticipation-
(No school) Lottery film
guide
adaptation
Intro short stories
unit/activity Present Stories Close-read "The Film Link
Lottery" (students
Pre-reading Pre-reading fill out annotation Discuss (page-to-
lesson (story lesson (The worksheet) screen reflection)
elements review) Dangers of
Tradition) Audio Link Activity Model
Group Work: Independent
Create a Story Map Assignment(Lottery
Week Two
"A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Discuss Journal Discuss Journal Mini-Grammar Mini Lesson Mini Lesson
Lesson Sentence Researching Skills Presenting Skills
Short Story Continue Group
Study
Reveal: Read Continue Group Continue Group
Watch "The Research Research
Click Here for Trailer Listen to "A Sound Butterfly Effect" by Assignment Assignment
of Thunder"
CG Meetup
Group Read "A
Sound of Thunder" (Events Assignment Introduce Group
Due) Research
Click for Comic
Assignment: The
Click Here for Audio
Click for Doc Butterfly Effect
Class Discussion
Group Work:
Sequence of Events
Worksheet
Week Three
"Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Continue Group Review audience Mini Lesson: Continue Close Continue Vocab
Research expectations Google Classroom Read: Lamb to the assignment (due
Assignment Writing Responses Slaughter at the end of class)
Group
Determine when Presentations Close Read: Lamb During read: Vocab activity
groups will present to the Slaughter Know/Wonder
on Tuesday Pre-read lesson: charts Watch Film: Click
Lamb to the During Read: for Link
Expectations for Slaughter Know/Wonder Exit Ticket: Text
Independent/group
Presentation day charts Dependent
Question work: Police
Exit Ticket: Investigation
Know/Wonder Cont. Vocabulary Report
charts Assignment
Introduce
Assignment:
Vocab
Week Four
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Short stories Writing process Mini lesson- Introductions mini- Body paragraph
reaction model lesson: Extending lesson and conclusion
discussion outline sentences & mini-lesson
paragraphs Writers workshop
How to look for Start writing the day (work on Writers workshop
theme mini-lesson outline for theme Turn outline into essay's) and peer review
essay: Due at the essay (MLA) day
Introduce essay end of the block
assignment
Thesis model and
exit ticket
