Mr. Steel
Overview:
During this unit of study, students will read a
broad selection of short stories. They will have the opportunity to write about
these stories, assessing them both on the simple level of summarization as well
as on the deeper level of thematic analysis. Students will gain working
familiarity with literary terminology and the general structure of stories.
This unit will also provide students with the opportunity to gain more
experience with multiple choice reading comprehension tests, which figure
prominently both in departmental as well as provincial examinations. Finally,
students will also have the opportunity to work on their essay composition
skills during this unit of study.
Assessment:
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Short Daily Written Submissions:
In complete sentences and paragraph form, all students will be required to
write daily story notes that summarize their understanding of what happens in
each story. At the end of these notes, students should include a list of at
least FIVE challenging words with their definitions. Also, students will be
expected to end these brief written submissions with an explanation of what
they perceive to be a major theme, question, problem, or lesson in the story.
Student investigation of themes after the summary should demonstrate
significant development and reliance on evidence from the text (1 page
double-spaced). These story notes and the accompanying thematic analysis will
help students remember the stories for exams at the end of the semester, and
they will act as preliminary work for their thematic essay writing.
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Daily Multiple Choice Reading Comprehension
Questions: after we have completed each short story as a
class, students will be able to practice for their departmental exams (and
provincial exams in the long term) in the form of short open-book quizzes.
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In-class Personal Response/Critical Essay: Students
will write either a personal response or a critical essay (as assigned by the
teacher in class) on a stipulated theme.
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Short Story Terminology Test: Students
will be responsible for basic knowledge of short story terminology.
Itinerary of
Readings:
Author and Title of Story
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1. Susan Kerslake, “Choices” |
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2. Margaret Laurence, “To Set Our House in
Order” |
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3. Sinclair Ross, “The Lamp at Noon” |
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4. Frank Roberts, “The Inheritor” |
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5. Arthur C. Clarke, “The Portable Phonograph” |
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6. Budge Wilson, “The Metaphor” |
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7. Kurt Vonnegut, “Harrison Bergeron” |
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8. Isaac Asimov, “All the Troubles of the World” |
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9. Shirley Jackson, “The Possibility of Evil” |
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10. Hernando Tellez, “Ashes for the Wind” |