Unit Rationale

Title: Short Stories (Plot Structure)

Unit Length: 19 Days

Overview
This unit centers around plot structure and responding to a variety of texts in order to
develop the student’s individual opinions and perspectives. They will study a variety of short
stories with varying plot structure, theme, and character. In exploring these short stories,
students will have the opportunity to have group and class discussions on their opinions on the
stories. Students will also examine how the plot structure of each story strengthens the overall
text. The students will expand their scope of understandings of plot structure, theme, and
character while they achieve the intended outcomes for the unit. The content will take
approximately 19 classes which will include personal responses and reading comprehension
assessments. The students will also have the chance to engage with the story in alternative
media creation leading up to the unit final of creating a short story.

Rationale
The “Short Story” unit serves to develop the student’s understanding of plot structure
while improving their reading comprehension skills. They will also learn to develop their
thoughts and opinions on texts as they come up with their own understandings of theme and
character. The comprehension practice that the students will be participating in will also help
them in all other classes as they read textbooks, lab reports in science, and word problems in
mathematics. Along with these cross-curricular benefits, students will be exploring many short
stories to find ones that they appreciate and foster a love for literacy outside of the classroom.

Focused Outcomes Language Arts Demonstrations of Learning

1.1 Discover and Explore Reading - Writing form/grammar
1.2 Clarify and Extend Writing exercises
2.2 Respond to Texts Speaking - Plot structure project
2.4 Create Original Text Listening - Book Jacket project
Viewing - Write a Short Story
Representing Project
- Personal/Critical
Responses
- Writing prompts and
exercises.
- Group Discussions and
Writings
Essential Questions:
- How does plot structure work to create a cohesive story?
- What strategies can be used to help with reading comprehension?
- How can you utilize literary conventions to strengthen writing?

Specific Learning Outcomes:

- 1.1
o 1.1.1.a. Students will talk with others and experience a variety of oral, print and
other media texts to explore, develop and justify own opinions and points of
view.
o 1.1.1.b. Students will explore and explain how interactions with others and with
oral, print and other media texts affect personal understandings.
o 1.1.1.c. Students will extend understanding by taking different points of view
when rereading and reflecting on oral, print and other media texts.
o 1.1.3.a. Students will explain preferences for texts and genres by particular
writers, artists, storytellers and filmmakers
o 1.1.4.a. Students will reflect on own growth in language learning and use, by
considering progress over time and the attainment of personal goals.
- 1.2
o 1.2.1.a. Students will integrate own perspectives and interpretations with new
understandings developed through discussing and through experiencing a
variety of oral, print and other media texts.
o 1.2.2.a. Student will examine and re-examine ideas, information and experiences
from different points of view to find patterns and see relationships.
o 1.2.3.a. Students will assess whether new information extends understanding by
considering diverse opinions and exploring ambiguities.
- 2.2
o 2.2.1.b. Students will identify and discuss how timeless themes are developed in
a variety of oral, print and other media texts
o 2.2.1.d. Students will compare and contrast own life situation with themes of
oral, print and other media texts.
o 2.2.1.e. Students will express the themes of oral, print or other media texts in
different forms or genres.
o 2.2.1.f. Students will consider peers’ interpretations of oral, print and other
media texts, referring to the texts for supporting or contradicting evidence.
o 2.2.2.a. Students will analyze how the choices and motives of characters
portrayed in oral, print and other media texts provide insight into those of self
and others.
o 2.2.2.c. Students will discuss and explain various interpretations of the same
oral, print or other media text.
o 2.2.3.b. Students will discuss character development in terms of consistency of
behaviour and plausibility of change.
- 2.4
 o 2.4.1.a. Students will generalize from own experience to create oral, print and
other media texts on a theme.
o 2.4.2.a. Students will create oral, print and other media texts on common literary
themes.
o 2.4.3.a. Students will create oral, print and other media texts that interrelate
plot, setting and character, and reveal the significance of the action
o 2.4.3.b. Students will create oral, print and other media texts that include main
and minor characters, and show how the main character develops and changes
as a result of the action and events

Meta-Concepts
- Irony - Setting
- Slang - Flashback
- Sarcasm - Foreshadowing
- Conflict - Mood
- Imagery - Suspense
- Symbolism

Unit Organizer
Opening Developmental Culminating
Opening
Introduction to Plot Mini- Writing Prompt #1 (Free Short Story and Plot Diagram
Lesson Write) Assignment (Summative)
Using All Summer in a Day by Ray “What was a story, movie, or T.V.
Bradbury show that you really connected to Final Class
the characters? Why do you think Discussions/Reflections of
Group and Class Discussions this was?”
Essential Questions
o What makes a story
compelling? Literary Concepts Mini-Lesson
o Exit Slip on thoughts about
What are the key components #2
of a plot? - Irony
how plot structure is integral to
o Why should characters - Slang the function of a story OR
develop through a plot? - Sarcasm reflections on how their
o How can you develop and Using The Stolen Party by Liliana thoughts and opinions on
strengthen your personal Heker fiction has changed.
interpretations of a text? (Formative)
Book Jacket Project
Literary Concepts Mini- (Summative)
Lesson #1
- Conflict General Writing Conventions
- Imagery
Practice Activity (Formative)
- Symbolism
- Flashback
Using All Summer in a Day by Ray Plot Structure Mini-Lesson
Bradbury Using The Sniper by Liam O’Flaherty
Creating Interpretations and
Opinions on Texts Mini- Class Discussion and Group
Lesson/Activity (Formative) Discussion/Notes on Plot
 Using All Summer in a Day by Ray Structure
Bradbury and All Summer in a Day Using The Sniper by Liam O’Flaherty
Short Film
https://vimeo.com/96548125 Plot Structure Project
(Summative)
Personal Response to All
Summer in a Day Writing Prompt #2 (Free Write
(Summative) then Discussion)
“What makes a plot exciting to you?
What could one of the stories we
studied do to their plot structure to
make it more engaging?”

Literary Concepts Mini-Lesson

#3
- Setting
- Mood
- Suspense
- Foreshadowing
Using To Build a Fire by Jack London

Personal Response on To
Build a Fire by Jack London /
Peer Review (Formative)

Review of all Terms Studied

Introduction to Writing a Short

Story Project

Unit-at-a-Glance
Short Stories
ELA 9
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

WEEK 1 Introduction to Plot Literary Concepts Writing Prompt Literary Flex Day
Mini-Lesson Mini Lesson #1 #1 (Free Write) Concepts
Using All Summer in a Using All Summer in a The students will be Mini-Lesson A day that allows
Day by Ray Bradbury, Day by Ray Bradbury given 15 minutes to #2 students to work
the teacher will give a the teacher will give a write down their Using The Stolen on their
mini-lesson on how mini-lesson on conflict, answer to the Party by Liliana assessments,
plot functions in a imagery, symbolism, following question: Heker, the catch up on
short story as well as and flashbacks. The “What was a story, teacher will give a late/missed
some basic plot students will then go movie, or T.V. show mini-lesson on work, or catch
structure concepts. through the story again that you really irony, slang, and up on missed
and see if they can connected to the sarcasm. The readings.
Re-Read/Group identify some of the characters? Why do students will then
Discussion concepts. you think this was?” work together to Personal
Students will read All This free write identify these Response to
Summer in a Day and Creating activity is intended to terms within the All Summer in
mark up some portions Interpretations and be done as a stream- story before
a Day
that they think might Opinions on Texts of-conscious writing coming back
style where the together as a Assessment
be integral to the plot. Mini- students will attempt class to go over DUE
They will then talk to Lesson/Activity
their classmates on to continuously write how the terms (Summative)
Using All Summer in a whatever comes into function within Students who
their first impressions Day by Ray Bradbury
of the story and what their minds. This is a the story. have not finished
and All Summer in a great activity to this assessment
they found. Day Short Film practice Utilizing the yet can use this
https://vimeo.com/965 flex day to finish
Class Discussion 48125 the teacher will
brainstorming and Literary
getting past writer’s up this
The teacher will then give a mini-lesson on Devices
block. assignment and
get the class back how to make evidence- (Formative) ask for help from
together and lead the based claims on a text Students will get
class in a larger Group and Class a few sets of
the teacher. It is
in order to back up due at the end of
discussion about the your opinions and Discussion dialogue and
Students will get into the class.
story and if they interpretations of a narration where
identified any of the text. There will be an groups to discuss they will have to
plot elements emphasis on making their responses and identify which
discussed in the mini- their own opinions and see if there are any device is being
lesson. being able to back up common reasons used. There will
their interpretations, that they chose the then be a few
rather than making the characters they did. more sets of
interpretations for They will record a dialogue and
them. few of the similarities narration which
Students will then and then the class do not use these
collect information and will come together literary devices.
quotations that would for a teacher-led The students will
be good as evidence discussion on what be given the
along with a loose- they wrote. challenge to
position on their change them to
interpretation of the use each literary
story and hand it in to Time to Work on device. The
the teacher for Personal students may
formative assessment. Response Project work in groups
Students will have for this activity.
Introduction to the rest of the class
Personal Response to work on their Time to Work
to All Summer in a assessments, ask for on Personal
Day Assessment
help, or peer review Response
each other’s work. Project
(Due Friday)
The teacher will Students will have
introduce the students the rest of the
to their first class to work on
assessment which is a their
 personal response to assessments, ask
All Summer in a Day. for help, or peer
They will be writing review each
their opinions and other’s work.
interpretations on the This assignment
text and will be will be due the
required to provide next day at the
text-based evidence to end of class.
back up their writing.
The formative
assessment handed in
earlier will be handed
back the next day so
that the students will
know if they are on the
right track.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

WEEK 2 Introduction to General Writing Plot Structure Writing General
Book Jacket Conventions Mini-Lesson Prompt #2 Writing
Project (Due Next Practice Activity Using The Sniper by (Free Write Conventions
Wednesday) #1 Liam O’Flaherty the then Practice
For this assignment The teacher will go teacher will give a Discussion) Activity #2
students will be over sentence mini-lesson on the Students will The teacher will
working on creating a structure with the basic structure of respond to the go over the
book jacket for either students: subject, plot in a story. The following usage of colons
All Summer in a Day or predicate, objects AND students will then question in the and semi-colons
The Stolen Party. They (if students get the work together as a same manner as with the
may make this using first ones quick), class to create a plot the previous free students. The
any medium they compliments, structure graph of write: students will
would like. There is modifiers. The Sniper along with “What makes a then attempt to
also an accompanying The students will then the teacher. plot exciting to fix sentences
rational for the project get to play a Kahoot you? What could that have used
(half a page). These game where they must Plot Structure one of the stories them in the
book covers will identify the highlighted Practice we studied do to wrong way. Then
attempt to capture the parts of the sentences Assignment their plot the students will
essence of the plot as correctly. (Formative) structure to make play a Kahoot
per the student’s Then, the students will Working in groups, it more game in which
interpretations. The go into the stories that students will graph engaging?” they identify the
rationale will be they have read and the plot structure of The class will then proper usage of
describing the details identify parts of the both All Summer in a have a discussion colons and semi-
on the cover and sentences within the Day and The Stolen on their answers colons.
relating them to first two paragraphs of Party. These will be and will talk
specific text-based each. handed in after the about what Time to Work
evidence from the work time is over and makes good plot on Book
story. structure.
will be used as a Jacket Project
Students will have two Time to Work on formative Time to Work Students will
full class periods to Book Jacket assessment tool for on Book Jacket have the rest of
work on the project as
Project the teacher to plan Project the class to work
 well as multiple partial Students will have the and adjust future Students will have on their projects.
periods. rest of the class to lessons. the rest of the
work on their projects. class to work on
Time to Read and Time to Work on their projects.
Review All Book Jacket
Summer in a Day Project
and The Stolen Students will have
Party the rest of the class
Students will get some to work on their
time to read whichever projects.
story they chose for
the project and take
some notes on their
interpretations as well
as some text-evidence
to support their
interpretations. They
can review these notes
with each other or the
teacher.

Time to Work on
Book Jacket
Project
Students will have the
rest of the class to
work on their projects.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
WEEK 3 Literary Concepts Personal Response Book Jacket Flex Day Review of all
Mini-Lesson #3 on To Build a Fire Project DUE Terms Studied
Using To Build a Fire by by Jack London / (Summative) A day that allows The teacher will
Jack London the Peer Review Students will have students to work do a review of all
teacher will give the (Formative) the rest of the class on their the literary
students a lesson Students will have 50 to work on their assessments, devices that
about setting, mood, minutes in class to projects and get peer catch up on have been
suspense, and write a personal review. It is due at late/missed work, studied during
foreshadowing. response on To Build a the end of class when or catch up on the unit. There
The teacher will then Fire and come up with it will be taken in for missed readings. will be a quick
go through each term an interpretation on marks. refresher, a word
in context of To Build a the story. The allotted cloud activity,
Fire with the students time is expected to Introduction to and a Kahoot
and ask questions look like: 20 minutes Writing a Short game at the end.
while giving feedback This activity is
on understanding.
for planning and Story Project intended to
evidence finding, 30 For this project
The students will then minutes for writing. refresh the
students will be
get the chance to try Students will then get students on
writing a short story
and find one example the chance to share what they
on whatever they
of each of the devices what they wrote with learned so that
would like (must be
in the short stories that their classmates for they may use
approved by the
have been written peer review. The them in the final
teacher first). The
 before, describe the teacher will walk story must include at project.
effect it gives, and around while they are least 4 literary Time to Work
hand it in to the reviewing to take a devices that have on Short Story
teacher at the end of look at the writing as a been discussed in Project
the class for formative form of formative class and utilize Students will
assessment. assessment. Students proper sentence have the rest of
will have been told of structure and plot the class to work
this assignment the structure. The stories on their projects.
day before and will must be a minimum
know that it will not of one page (12pt
have to be handed in. font, double spaced)
and have the literary
Time to Work on devices highlighted.
Book Jacket There will be a small
Project rationale to do in
Students will have the which the students
rest of the class to explain why they
work on their projects. used the highlighted
devices and what
effects they produce.
They must also hand
in a simple plot
diagram with the
project.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

4 Time to Work on Free Write Peer Review for Short Story
Short Story Project Reflection Short Stories and Plot
Students will have the Students will write a Students who have Diagram
rest of the class to reflection on the finished a rough draft Assignment
work on their projects. following question: of their short story DUE
“What was the will have the
(Summative)
Ask Teacher favourite story that opportunity to bring
Students will have
Questions on their you read during this it in a peer review it
the rest of the
unit and why?” by swapping with
Grades/ The class will then two separate
class to finish up
Assignments come together as a students. Students
their assessments
Although students are which are due at
group and to a who participate in
welcome to discuss at 11:59pm
Mentometer activity to this peer review will
any time their grades visualize what the be able to receive an
or questions they have student’s favourites extra 5% on their Final Class
about any course were. There will then assessment. Discussions
related material, it may be another (Students will have /Reflections of
be helpful for the
students to have more
Mentometer section this info given to Essential
where students will them when they are Questions
structured time to get select which literary introduced to the
some work done. Here, devices were the most assignment.
students will get the useful for them. Differentiation for
Exit Slip on
opportunity to book 15 exceptional students thoughts about
minute slots to bring
So What? Activity will be implemented how plot
the teacher’s attention once the teacher has structure is
Students will be given
to anything they may a good idea of their
 need. The student and 10 minutes to think classroom) integral to the
teacher can then about why this unit Students who have function of a
discuss the best course may have been useful not finished their story OR
of action for that to them in their future rough drafts will have
particular student’s lives. It could be the class period to do
reflections on
situation. something as small as so. how their
a grammar skill to as thoughts and
big as learning how to opinions on
be a better writer. It is fiction has
okay to not come up changed.
with an answer as class (Formative)
discussion will be
voluntary with the aim
of highlighting some of
the key takeaways.

Time to Work on
Short Story Project
Students will have the
rest of the class to
work on their projects.

Assessment Sketch
Assessment
Assessment
Assessment Tool Brief Description FOR
OF Learning
Weighting
Learning
Creating Students will learn to back up their own opinions
Interpretations and on texts with text-based evidence, allowing them to N/A
X
Opinions on Texts better develop their interpretations while remaining
Mini-Lesson/Activity true to the text.
Students will apply what they have learned about
Utilizing the Literary literary devices in the matching mini-lessons to N/A
X
Devices better cement their understanding through: recall,
application, and creation.
Students will work in groups to collaboratively
build plot diagrams of stories that have already
Plot Structure
been looked at in class in order to further their X N/A
Practice Assignment
understanding of both the function of plot structure
and the stories themselves.
These activities are designed to teach and reinforce
General Writing proper writing form and grammar. They are
Conventions designed to be interactive through the use of X N/A
Activities technological tools as to keep students engaged in
these important, but less exciting, topics.
 This activity sees students writing a personal
response on to Build a Fire by Jack London. This
Personal Response on
is a timed activity which is intended to ready N/A
To Build a Fire by
students for their PATs (there is ample time for the X
Jack London / Peer
paragraph required) and to apply what they have
Review
learned about plot and literary devices while
developing their interpretations.
The students will periodically be asked to complete
short exit slips which will ask questions that
require more critical thinking about what they have
Exit Slips X
learned in class so that the teacher can have a N/A
better idea of how the class is progressing in the
unit.
There will be a multitude of teacher led discussions
which will see the students expanding their
Class Discussions understanding and exploring various aspects of X N/A
poetry. The teacher will take notes based on the
discussion to better know how to move forward.
This assessment will see students applying the
Personal Response to gathering of text-based evidence to support their 20%
X
All Summer in a Day claims on the interpretations that they are
developing
Students will get the opportunity to create a visual
representation of a short story by including
elements to represent what they believe to be the
Book Jacket Project most important elements of the book. There will be X 30%
an accompanying half-page rationale for students
to describe and explain their projects in relation to
text-based evidence and literary terms.
For this project students will be writing a short
story on whatever they would like (must be
approved by the teacher first). The story must
include at least 4 literary devices that have been
discussed in class and utilize proper sentence
Short Story and Plot structure and plot structure. The stories must be a
X
Diagram Assignment minimum of one page (12pt font, double spaced) 35%
and have the literary devices highlighted. There
will be a small rationale to do in which the students
explain why they used the highlighted devices and
what effects they produce. They must also hand in
a simple plot diagram with the project.
Peer Review Sessions Interpreting others’ ideas and iterating on one’s X
for Written and own interpretations when given new information or
Alternative Media perspectives is an important component of the
Assessments Grade Nine Program of Studies. This activity gives 15%
students the opportunity to practice these skills
while improving their own work.