Short Stories unit of work

This comprehensive unit lasts approximately one term and includes a variety of short stories from acclaimed authors. Each story has related comprehension and writing (both fiction and non-fiction) activities, as well as some grammar, spelling and related research tasks. Taught to a mixed ability Year 7 class, but could easily be adapted for Y6-Y8.

Unit includes:

Key Ingredients of story writing**

• Key ingredients of short stories looking at ‘Boo’ by Kevin Crossley-Holland
• Spotlight on vivid characters, looking at various extracts
• Spotlight on evocative settings, looking at various extracts
• Spotlight on engaging openers, looking at various extracts

A selection of short stories and related activities

• ‘Charles’ by Shirley Jackson (comprehension questions and letter writing activity)
• ‘The Doll’ (analysing the author’s use of foreshadowing and writing a story)
• ‘I Used to Live Here Once’ by Jean Rhys (comprehension questions and story from the POV of a ghost)
• ‘The Wife’s Story’ by Ursula le Guin (comprehension questions and a twisted fairytale)
• ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ by Roald Dahl (comprehension questions and a story focusing on dramatic irony)
• ‘Examination Day’ by Henry Slesar (comprehension questions, script writing and a discursive essay)
• ‘All Summer in a Day’ by Ray Bradbury (comprehensive analysis of figurative language)

PLUS Short Stories extended reading list to allow pupils to read around the topic

Look at my free resource ‘Spotlight on engaging openers’ to preview content in this pack
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12952918