A two-page handout introduction to the modern short story, which can be given to students with one of Diving Bell’s Short Story Study texts, or used separately.

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Gary Soto’s recent short story ‘Seventh Grade’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Soto’s endearing character-driven story has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 7 class (11-12 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Lesley Namioka’s recent short story ‘The All-American Slurp’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. * A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Namioka’s cross-cultural character-driven story has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 7 class (11-12 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Gillian Rubenstein’s recent short story ‘The Owl Boy and the Goddess Athene’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Rubenstein’s comical character-driven story has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 7 class (11-12 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Cecil Castellucci’s recent short story ‘We Have Always Lived on Mars’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Castellucci’s sci-fi story has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 8 class (12-13 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Amy Tan’s recent short story ‘The Rules of the Game’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Tan’s story about growing up Chinese-American has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 8 class (12-13 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Fritz Lieber’s short story ‘A Pail of Air’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Lieber’s sci-fi story has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 8 class (12-13 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Deborah Ellis’s recent short story ‘Boot Camp’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Ellis’s story about growing up and making mistakes has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 9 class (15 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Gary Paulsen’s recent short story ‘Wolfdreams’. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Paulsen’s beautiful character-driven story has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 7 class (11-12 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Leah Silverman’s recent short story ‘Lenses’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Silverman’s sci-fi story has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 8 class (12-13 years).

Ray Bradbury’s seminal novel Fahrenheit 451 is a perennial favourite for middle schoolers. This 13-slide ppt presentation gives a background to the ideas of fire as a medium of purification and protest, and the major book-burners of history. It can be used in a study of power and control, and with Ray Bradbury’s novel.

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Amy Bloom’s recent short story ‘Silver Water’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Bloom’s tragic story about a young girl watching her sister’s struggle with schizophrenia has been successfully used with a Stage 5 / Year 10 class (16 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Ray Bradbury’s short story ‘The Garbage Collector’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Bradbury’s story about the plans for a nuclear attack has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 9 class (15 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Ted Chiang’s recent short story ‘The Great Silence’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Chiang’s story about the terrible cost of our search for intelligence has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 9 class (15 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Robert Cormier’s short story, ‘The Moustache’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Comier’s story about growing up and discovering secrets has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 9 class (15 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Margo Lanagan’s recent short story ‘Singing my sister down’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Lanagan’s confronting story about facing the death of a sibling has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 9 class (15 years).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. These activities support Ray Bradbury’s story ‘The Last Night of the World’, which can be found free online by searching for the title. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Bradbury’s moving short story about a couple facing the unthinkable has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 9 class (15 years).

Short films can be engaging texts from which to construct a whole unit, or as reward breaks for single lessons. The rich variety of styles and stories in short films from around the world will appeal to even the most disengaged or low-ability student. This single-lesson activity comprises questions for the 7 minute short animated film ‘The Coin’, directed by Siqi Song. The film is suitable for students 8+. Please note this file does not include the film itself, nor can we guarantee that the film will remain at that site permanently. We advise teachers to check the link above, or make sure that they can view the film before purchasing.

HSC Module C: The Craft of Writing offers students complex texts from which to draw for their own writing. Because of their complex construction and ideas, students can be at a loss for ‘ways in’ to the text, and teachers can often struggle to break down these complex texts in the time available. This product contains questions for Peter Carey’s short story, ‘A Report on the Shadow Industry’ and links to online resources which explain the Platonic allegory of the cave. It is designed to lead students to writing their own brief and creative allegory of life.

Victorian poetry regularly makes the top ten poems in public surveys, and much of our conception of what makes ‘good’ poetry was shaped by poets like Tennyson, Browning, Rossetti, and Arnold. This period formed the emotional and social attitudes which linger today – even in post-modern texts which claim to have moved beyond them. While the Romantics were read by the literati, the Victorian poets in this unit formed the core of public poetry consumption. An understanding of this period is essential for students who will read Edwardian and Modernist literature in later terms, by showing them what these writers and artists reacted against. This activity comprises two poems by Lear and Carroll with questions which require students to make a close analysis and interpretation suggestions for extension reading to extend their knowledge of the poets a creative writing task which helps them to engage laterally and personally with the ideas in the poetry.