How to Read a Short Story
Go to the web site below and print out the one page document How to Read a Short Story. You will be using the information on this page as you read the three stories and as you make comments in your Readers Notebook. howtoreadastory.pdf
Step 3: Formative Assessment Make predictions and define literary terms.
On Line Readers Notebook
In your notebook using the titles for the three stories, make a prediction about what the three stories will be about. Also, using the Terms to Know from How to Read a Short Story document, in your on line notebook write a word or phrase that best defines seven of the fourteen literary terms (character, conflict, conventions, imagery, metaphor, mood, motif, plot, repetition, structure, suspense, symbol, theme(s), tone)
My Readers Notebook
|
Fourteen Terms |
Word or Phrase that Defines |
|
Mood |
The feeling within the story (scary, happy, sad etc) |
|
Motif |
Where the story takes place (woods, beach, city etc) |
|
Character |
The people in the story |
Step 4: Formative Assessment Character Descriptions, Character Attributes, Conflict, Problem, Personal Opinion
As you are reading or listening to the three stories, you will form an opinion about the main characters Rainsford, and General Zaroff in Most Dangerous Game as well as Della in Gift of the Magi and Mme Loisel in The Necklace. In your on line notebook, write a description of each of these four characters identifying who they are, what their role in the story is, what conflict or problem they face in the story and what you personally think of each of them. As you are reading the stories, underline the key words or phrases the author uses that let you know just what kind of person each one is.
Following is an example created in Bubbl.us for identifying the main characters in the three stories and the conflicts they faced.
Step 5: Formative Assessment Short story, character and conflict web
You can access Bubbl.us by going to the following web site http://www.bubbl.us/ . You will need to log in and using the tutorial there, create your own Bubbl.us web for inclusion in your notebook.