These 10 carefully selected short stories are perfect for 6th-grade students, offering relatable and engaging content. Each lesson plan is comprehensive and ready to print, making them an excellent addition to your teaching resources. Short Stories: Raymond’s Run by Toni Cade Bambara Man from the South by Roald Dahl The Smallest Dragonboy by Anne McCaffrey The Treasure of Lemon Brown by Walter Dean Myers On the Sidewalk Bleeding by Evan Hunter Eleven by Sandra Cisneros The Elevator by William Sleator Stop the Sun by Gary Paulsen The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry Seventh Grade by Gary Soto The Jacket by Gary Soto The No-Guitar Blues by Gary Soto Gary Soto Mini Biography and Analysis Worksheets All lesson plans include (+ much more!): Teaching Guides Pre-Reading Activities Vocabulary Worksheets Post-reading Questions (Multiple Choice, Comprehension, Close Reading, and Real-World Connection) Worksheets Written Response Essay Questions + Rubrics Fun Extension Activities Online Jeopardy Games Informational Texts Answers + Common Core Standards

Gary Soto’s stories explore relatable themes of identity, family, and community, encouraging students to reflect on their own experiences. This bundle contains lesson plans for three engaging Gary Soto short stories: Seventh Grade, The Jacket, and The No-Guitar Blues. It also contains a mini-biography. All three lesson plans include (+ much more!): Teaching Guides Pre-reading Activities Vocabulary Worksheets Post-reading Questions (Multiple Choice, Analysis, and Real-World Connection) Worksheets Written Response Questions + Rubrics Extension Activities Online Jeopardy Games Informational Texts Answer Keys to All of the Above + Common Core Standards

⚠️Warning: Engaging Content⚠️ Maximize students’ experience with Gary Paulsen’s classic novel, “Hatchet,” with our extremely comprehensive and ready-to-print study unit that will keep students busy for up to two months! 1. Novel Study This core resource includes worksheets, discussion questions, written response questions, jeopardy games, plot structure worksheets, as well as pre- and post-reading activities. 2. Paired Informational Texts Texts on real-world issues such as survival skills, the Canadian wilderness, and the incredible real-life survival story of Juliane Koepcke illuminate many of the themes explored in “Hatchet.” 3. Paired Short Story - Stop the Sun Both “Hatchet” and “Stop the Sun” have young protagonists and explore themes of personal growth and coping mechanisms. Furthermore, both were written by Gary Paulsen allowing for discussions on the author’s style and background influences. 4. Paired Poem - The Cremation of Sam McGee Both texts deal with themes of survival and isolation in harsh environments, allowing students to compare the psychological and physical responses of characters in extreme conditions. 5. Movie Worksheets (A Cry in the Wild) This resource includes pre-viewing, viewing, and post-viewing worksheets - including an engaging Bear Grylls comparison activity.