by Kristin | Oct 1, 2024 | Short Stories, Teaching the Standards, Test Prep
I can clearly remember reading The Lottery story by Shirley Jackson in 11th grade. My English teacher, Mr. Canning, gave us zero background information, previewed nothing, and just read the story aloud to us. And I still remember the shock the whole class felt at the...
by Kristin | Sep 17, 2024 | Reading Comprehension, Short Stories, Teaching the Standards
When it comes to selecting what we want to read in our classrooms, we should consider several things like our students’ reading level, text language/vocabulary, complexity, literary value, and engagement. Short stories popular with middle and high school...
by Kristin | Sep 10, 2024 | Reading Comprehension, Short Stories, Test Prep
While searching for short stories my students would love for Halloween, I stumbled upon Neil Gaiman’s “Click Clack the Rattlebag.” With great pleasure, I sat and read it within 10 minutes. And I was sold! Sometimes, you find a short story that is...
by Kristin | Sep 3, 2024 | Reading Comprehension, Short Stories, Teaching the Standards
During the fall, creepy short stories catapult into the English classroom with fun and excitement. Who doesn’t love a spooky tale around Halloween? Creepy short stories let the readers experience what we fear without the negative side effects of death,...
by Kristin | Aug 6, 2024 | Reading Comprehension, Short Stories, Teaching the Standards
If you have never read, the O Henry Gift of the Magi short story, you and your students are in for a treat! This classic short story is traditionally taught in both middle and high school, and there are several reasons for that. The writing is simply that good!...
by Kristin | Jul 30, 2024 | Reading Comprehension, Short Stories, Teaching the Standards
By the time we got to high school, it was assumed we would have to read a lot. In science, history, and especially English, we were assigned so many chapters and books to read both inside and outside of class. So it was refreshing when a teacher began a class or...
