Name: Ron Lane
School District: Greater Egg Harbor School District
Category: 9 to 12
Title of Plan: The Short Story Unit


 Goals and Objectives of Lessons

  • Students will understand and be able to select examples of the different elements of the short story.Their knowledge of the elements and structure of a short story.

  • Students will be able to open and operate an E-mail account, they will understand it as an important method of communicating with others, especially in research.

  • Students will be able to construct the correct form of a block-style business letter.

  • Students will understand and be able to construct questions in a way to solicit the appropriate response.

New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards
3.3, 3.4, & 3.5


Equipment, materials, and other technology needed

A computer, the internet, the computer lab, a word processor, a unit attached to a computer that will project, a floppy disk for each student, and a printer.

Summary of the Lessons

Lesson 1

Students will be instructed in the elements of the short story or fiction. Examples will given from various stories.

Lesson 2
(This will actually be a series of short stories with the emphasis placed on one or two elements of fiction.(i.e. plot and setting.)

*Lessons 3, 4, & 5 may take place anywhere between each of these stories. There will be one short story assigned per day. The placement of Lessons 3,4, & 5 will often be determined by the availability of the computer lab and may take from three to five days in the computer lab. Students will read approximately 18 short stories. I retain all floppy disks for security reasons.(They do not go home until unit is complete.)

Lesson 3
Students will be instructed in the correct form of a block-style business letter and will practice writing one.

Lesson 4
Students will be supplied with 10 questions and the websites or E-mail addresses of a short story writer. Explain the type of questions that would be appropriate and instruct the students in the use of a word processor.

Lesson 5
*Students will be instructed in the use of the internet. When students start to use the internet, pair the student with little or no experience with those who are experienced in the use of the internet.


Details of Activities
Detailed in the lesson above.


Student Feedback and Assessment

Evaluation of a printed copy of the final E-mail message. Objective test on the elements of the short story and the selected short stories. A take-home essay test on the short story. Students will have several essay questions from which to chose. Students will submit a final copy of a business letter for evaluation. The final evaluation will be a short story written by each student.