Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson.
 
Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout.
 
These activities support Gary Soto's recent short story 'Seventh Grade', which can be found free online by searching for the title.
 
Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks.
A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding
Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique
Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies.
Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively.
 
Soto's endearing character-driven story has been successfully used with a Stage 4 / Year 7 class (11-12 years).