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.
Each classic story is copyright free in Australia, the U.K. and U.S. Paragraphs are numbered for ease of reference.
There are four activities, corresponding to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks.
A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding
A close reading task assists development of textual analysis
A writing at length task involves considering the story’s effect, mood, or technical strategies.
A choice of two creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively.
This folklore-style short story, ‘Tiger, Tiger’, by Chen-Yao Wang is around 1400 words and has been successfully used with a Year 7/8 class (age 11-13).
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.
Each classic story is copyright free in Australia, the U.K. and U.S. Paragraphs are numbered for ease of reference.
There are four activities, corresponding to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks.
A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding
A close reading task assists development of textual analysis
A writing at length task involves considering the story’s effect, mood, or technical strategies.
A choice of two creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively.
This short philosophical story, ‘The Law of Life,’ by Jack London, is around 2800 words and has been successfully used with a Year 10 class (age 15-16).
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.]https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564488)
Each classic story is copyright free in Australia, the U.K. and U.S. Paragraphs are numbered for ease of reference.
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.
Maupassant’s psychological short story has been successfully used with a Stage 5 / Year 10 class ( 15 years).
Short stories are an effective way to illustrate the key concepts and reading strategies in the HSC Texts and Human Experience module. These short stories can be used to introduce the module, to supplement the prescribed text, as a standby lesson, or as part of an assessment task.
Questions ask students to apply concepts from the rubric to the story, and sample answers on separate pages which the teacher may detach for teaching.
Miriam Marshall’s ‘A Breath of Wind’ reflects on an encounter between a young white woman and an Aboriginal man. It is around 1368 words long and has been used successfully with a senior class (16-18 years).
Short stories are an effective way to illustrate the key concepts and reading strategies in the HSC Texts and Human Experience module. These short stories can be used to introduce the module, to supplement the prescribed text, as a standby lesson, or as part of an assessment task.
Questions ask students to apply concepts from the rubric to the story, and sample answers on separate pages which the teacher may detach for teaching.
This feminist retelling of a famous biblical story, ‘Oath’ by Anton Linn is around 1200 words long and has been used successfully with a senior class (16-18 years).
Short stories are an effective way to illustrate the key concepts and reading strategies in the HSC Texts and Human Experience module. These short stories can be used to introduce the module, to supplement the prescribed text, as a standby lesson, or as part of an assessment task.
Questions ask students to apply concepts from the rubric to the story, and sample answers on separate pages which the teacher may detach for teaching.
This character-driven story, ‘Bequest’, by Alan Stevenson, is around 1400 words long and has been used successfully with a senior class (16-18 years).
Short stories are an effective way to illustrate the key concepts and reading strategies in the HSC Texts and Human Experience module. These short stories can be used to introduce the module, to supplement the prescribed text, as a standby lesson, or as part of an assessment task.
Questions ask students to apply concepts from the rubric to the story, and sample answers on separate pages which the teacher may detach for teaching.
Helen Benedict’s ‘Binocular’ is a character-driven story about a boy’s experience after spying on a girl. It is around 2400 words long and has been used successfully with a senior class (16-18 years).
Short stories are an effective way to illustrate the key concepts and reading strategies in the HSC Texts and Human Experience module. These short stories can be used to introduce the module, to supplement the prescribed text, as a standby lesson, or as part of an assessment task.
Questions ask students to apply concepts from the rubric to the story, and sample answers on separate pages which the teacher may detach for teaching.
Anna Hallett’s ‘A Tempest’ is an inversion of a famous moment from Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It is around 950 words long and has been used successfully with a senior class (16-18 years).
Short stories are an effective way to illustrate the key concepts and reading strategies in the HSC Texts and Human Experience module. These short stories can be used to introduce the module, to supplement the prescribed text, as a standby lesson, or as part of an assessment task.
Questions ask students to apply concepts from the rubric to the story, and sample answers on separate pages which the teacher may detach for teaching.
Peter Gaskill’s story ‘Black Magic’ is about a fighter pilot attempting to make an impossible landing on a Pacific island during WWII. It is around 2226 words long and has been used successfully with a senior class (16-18 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.
Each classic story is copyright free in Australia, the U.K. and U.S. Paragraphs are numbered for ease of reference.
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.
Lawrence’s gothic psychological study has been successfully used with a Stage 5 / Year 10 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 10 minute short satirical film ‘Lena’, directed by Gosha Shapiro. The film was found on Lena by Gosha Shapiro and is suitable for students 14+.
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.
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 4 minute short animated poetry film ‘Verse’, directed by Tony Comley The film is suitable for students 12+.
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.
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 15 minute short satirical film ‘Mast Qalander’, directed by Divij Roopchand. The film is suitable for students 12+.
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.
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 6 minute short animated film ‘A Night in Camp Heebie Jeebie’, directed by Dylan Chase. The film was found on A Night in Camp Heebie Jeebie by Dylan Chase | Horror Short Film (shortoftheweek.com), and is suitable for students 12+.
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.
Fitzgerald’s novel about ‘careless people’ and avarice in the modern era is an established favourite for senior students. These pre-reading research tasks introduce students to the Roaring 20s, and can be given as homework or group work. The four task sheets cover Long Island life; Prohibition; Cars; and Americans in WWI. They involve a link to useful online reading and knowledge-building questions which engage students briefly before they go on to close textual study of the novel. Teachers can differentiate the tasks for students of varying ability.
‘Painter of Antwerp’, by the Australian poet Rosemary Dobson, is a poem suitable for senior study. This set of notes gives a full analysis of the poem with a relevant image and a handy grab-box explaining the key themes, poetic techniques, and related texts which complement the poem for students who may study it in concert with one other text. Important points are in red.
A simple, one-stop analysis of this complex poem which students can work through in class or take home for private study.
'Mending Wall’, by the American poet Robert Frost, is a perennial favourite for senior study. This set of notes gives a full analysis of the poem with a relevant image and a handy grab-box explaining the poetic techniques, and related texts which complement the poem for students who must study it in concert with one other text. Important points are in red.
A simple, one-stop analysis of this complex poem which students can work through in class or take home for private study.
'After Apple Picking’, by the American poet Robert Frost, is a perennial favourite for senior study. This set of notes gives a full analysis of the poem with a relevant image and a handy grab-box explaining the poetic techniques, and related texts which complement the poem for students who must study it in concert with one other text. Important points are in red.
A simple, one-stop analysis of this complex poem which students can work through in class or take home for private study.
‘Fire and Ice’, by the American poet Robert Frost, has been a perennial favourite for senior study. This set of notes gives a full analysis of the poem with a relevant image and a handy grab-box explaining the poetic techniques, and related texts which complement the poem for students who must study it in concert with one other text. Important points are in red.
A simple, one-stop analysis of this complex poem which students can work through in class or take home for private study.
‘Home Burial’, by the American poet Robert Frost, has been a perennial favourite for senior study. This set of notes gives a full analysis of the poem with a relevant image and a handy grab-box explaining the poetic techniques, and related texts which complement the poem for students who must study it in concert with one other text. Important points are in red.
A simple, one-stop analysis of this complex poem which students can work through in class or take home for private study.