Project:

INVITATION

How can we help students develop a clear understanding of the literary elements of a short story? How can we guide students in the inquiry of what makes a short story a timeless masterpiece? How can we encourage students to write creative short stories to publish on the Internet for a wide audience?

TASKS

In this project, students analyze the literary elements of a short story: setting, plot, characterization, conflict, resolution, and theme. Small groups of students read different classic short stories and analyze the elements. They also create a concept map during the analysis phase. Students have the opportunity to work in different groups and focus on a particular element and then report back to their original group or to the entire class. Finally, students rewrite the short story, modifying one element, and post their stories on a class Web site.

TOOLS

Computers; the Internet; iMovie (optional).

AppleWorks; Inspiration; a Web page editor, such as Adobe PageMill or Netscape Composer; The Writing Trek.

HyperStudio (optional).

Library reference materials; digital video camera (optional).

INTERACTIONS

Students primarily work in groups using the jigsaw method of cooperative learning. Each person is assigned a literary element to focus on while reading a short story, for example plot or setting. Then students regroup so all of the students focusing on the plot form a new small group and replicate this for the other five elements. Students work individually to write a revised short story and to publish it on their Web page. The teacher collaborates with the library or media specialist to gather resources about classic short stories and authors that can assist students during this project. Students work with the media specialist to create an area on the school Web site to post their rewrites of classic short stories.

STANDARDS

To identify the curriculum standards for your state that correlate to this student project, select the state in the popup menu below and then click the Go button.

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SITUATIONS

Students are introduced to this project by listening to a short story read by the teacher during one class session. Then students individually read short stories at home. Over the next two class sessions, in small groups in the classroom, students create a spreadsheet of elements, definitions, and examples. Afterwards, different members from each group meet in the classroom or the media center for two class sessions to compare the elements of selected short stories.

During the second week of the project, students work in pairs in the classroom, at home, and in the library or media center to conduct research. Since students are reading the selections individually in class and at home, the section on short stories should take about three to four class sessions. In the third week, students rewrite the short story and work with partners to peer edit them and post them on the class Web site. It should take about three to four weeks to complete the project.

ASSESSMENT

For Phase 1, the class (along with the teacher) develop a checklist that student groups use in creating their spreadsheets for comparative analysis of literary elements in a short story. The checklist should include the following items: definitions and examples of plot, setting, characterization, conflict, resolution, and theme.

For Phase 2, the teacher and the class work together to develop a checklist of elements they want to compare between stories. These elements may include setting (atmosphere and mood), theme, character traits, conflicts, and resolution.

For Phase 3, a teacher-created rubric is used for evaluating the rewrite of the short story. The rubric assesses ideas, organization, voice, sentence fluency, word choice, and conventions as evidenced in their written story. Print student stories to place in their portfolios or save them in electronic portfolios.

For Phase 4, the "Web Page Design Checklist" can be used to help students in creating their Web pages.

The teacher uses a rubric to assess the quality of the final Web site and its various pages of stories. Is it easy for the user to choose to read different stories? Do the links create logical pathways with which to navigate the site?

Web Page Design Checklist

As we think about some favorite short stories, many of the classics come to mind, such as The Tell-Tale Heart, The Lottery, and The Gift of the Magi. What makes a particular story a classic? When fiction is introduced to our students, there are many ways we can emphasize the important elements that make a story a timeless masterpiece. Fiction refers to imaginative works of prose, including the short story and the novel. Even though fiction comes from the imagination of the writer, it may be based on actual events and real people. The main purpose of fiction is to entertain; however, it has been known to instruct, enlighten, and even frighten a few readers. Typically, a short story can be read in one sitting and usually focuses on one or two major characters and one major conflict. Think about what might happen if just one element in the classic short story was modified? Would it still be a classic?

Working in small groups, students analyze the literary elements of classic short stories and chart the elements, definitions, and examples on a spreadsheet in AppleWorks. Afterwards, students have the opportunity to compare the elements of classic short stories by different authors as they regroup in a jigsaw method of cooperative learning. Therefore, students work in two different groups as they study and analyze these literary elements. Students also rewrite the story changing one element and then post their new stories on a school Web site to share with others.

Phase 1: Analysis of literary elements

Introduce this project by reading a classic short story to your class, such as The Tell-Tale Heart, The Lottery, or The Gift of the Magi. After reading the story, have a class discussion about the literary elements of a short story: setting, plot, characterization, conflict, resolution, and theme. Discuss how the author crafted the story by weaving in the various elements to write a classic piece of literature. Then assign each group of six students a different short story to read and discuss from a list of classics. After members have finished reading the story individually, ask each group to discuss the story they have read and to analyze the literary elements of the story with each person focusing on a different element.

Next, guide students to the Story Place in The Writing Trek to learn more about some of the literary elements in a short story. As a group, they will create an AppleWorks spreadsheet of these elements along with definitions and some examples found in the short story they were assigned to read. Each person in the group is responsible for a different literary element to fill in on the spreadsheet. They can then use this spreadsheet as a resource when writing their own short story or for other writing projects.

Have students create a visual representation of the particular story they read using Inspiration. They can use the "Getting Started With Inspiration" Step-by-Step Card for help with this activity. Outlining the events in a story is similar to putting a puzzle together; therefore, creating a map or a flowchart can help with understanding the story sequences and visually seeing how the author develops characterization and complex plots. Students can add on to this story map as they discuss how these events are related to the theme of the short story.

Getting Started With Inspiration

Phase 2: Element groups

After discussing the story with their group, students then switch into "element groups." For example, all of the students who were responsible for the plot will regroup and compare and contrast the plots of the different stories. All of the students responsible for the setting will regroup and compare and contrast the settings of each story, and so on. In these small group discussions, students compare the elements of classic short stories to see the commonalties as well as the stark differences. The groups then create a table in AppleWorks to chart the comparisons of the stories. Students may want to use the "Creating Tables With AppleWorks 6" Step-by-Step Card for help with this activity. Afterwards, students report back to their original small groups to discuss how important each element is and the combinations of elements in a classic short story.

Creating Tables With AppleWorks 6

Phase 3: Rewriting a classic

Once students have compared the elements across different stories, they will gain a deeper insight into the importance of the combination of elements which make a story a classic. What constitutes a literary classic? Is it the right combination of the various elements? Is it one outstanding element, such as a compelling chain of events? Or is it an unforgettable main character?

After this discussion, students use AppleWorks to individually rewrite the classic short story they have read and analyzed, modifying the element they focused on. For example, the students in the setting group change the setting of the story, perhaps the time of day, the time of year, or the location. The students in the plot group may decide to modify some of the events. The students in the characterization group may change the gender or age of the character. The conflict may change from an internal conflict (character versus self) to an external conflict (character versus nature). The theme may be stated implicitly instead of as clues embedded within the story or visa versa. The students in the resolution group may decide to offer a contrary resolution to the conflict.

Before writing, have students visit the Story Place in The Writing Trek to learn more about the concepts of setting, dialogue, theme, plot, character, and narrator. In the Almanac within the Writer's Resources, students can learn more about authors and characters, which may assist them while writing their stories. Additionally, have students use the Thesaurus, Writer's Handbook, and the Lexicon as resources while writing.

Have students select writing partners during the writing process to assist with the editing and revising phases of writing. Writing partners can meet during class time or online, in which case students can respond through comments and critiques electronically or by using the Stickie notes found in the Mac OS. Writing partners can encourage one another to become better authors through the positive feedback and the critical analysis of their written works. If iBook computers are available, students can finish writing or editing at home or in the library.

Phase 4: Class Web site of short stories

When students are finished writing their stories, they each create a Web page using a Web page editor, such as Adobe PageMill or Netscape Composer, which will become part of a class Web site. Students using PageMill can go to the Web Page Construction Site for help creating their Web pages. For help using Netscape Composer, direct students to the online help by having them choose Help from the Help menu, then selecting Creating Web Pages from the menu on the left side of the screen.

On their Web page, students post their rewritten versions of classic short stories. Each short story group creates a page with links to stories that have a different element changed. For example, the page created by the group that read The Gift of the Magi will have links to all of the related stories; one story will have a different setting, another will have a different plot, and so on. Students design the page so the user can read the new versions of the stories with one of the elements changed. Students create links to other pages of information on the author, additional short stories, or the concept maps created in Phase 1. They can also create links to pages with photos and images related to the stories. Students using PageMill can go to the "Adding Links" section of the Web Page Construction Site for help with this activity. Students using Netscape Composer can visit the "Linking and Publishing Your Web Page" section of the online help system for assistance. Posting their stories on a Web site allows for a larger audience to read the stories and share ideas and comments. The writing process is enhanced when students write for a world-wide audience.

Web Page Construction Site

Phase 1: When students create their visual representations, remind them to begin with the Main Idea symbol as the starting point for their diagram. They can type the main idea in the symbol; then add connected ideas to it. They can use the Create tool to add a related idea to the diagram.

Phase 3: The Writing Trek also has a Notebook for students to take notes in while reviewing the Story Place concepts. Students can import these notes into their AppleWorks document as they rewrite their stories.

Phase 4: As students create their Web pages, they can import graphics and sound effects from the Internet or other software programs. They should download graphics in either JPEG or GIF graphic formats for use in their Web pages.

In the Help section of the PageMill CD or through the Online Help, PageMill includes a tutorial that guides you in the creation and posting of a Web site.

Even without an online connection, the Web pages students create can be viewed using any browser. Students can simply open the browser, then open the site as a file.

If the Web pages are posted to a school intranet or to the Internet, they will generally be available to all users of those systems at any given time.

If your students will be using several standalone (or not networked) computers for this project, all files will eventually need to be transferred to one computer. Ask students to complete the research, diagrams, and Web pages (all except the links) on other computers, then copy their work to the "linking computer" where they will finish the project by creating the links between the stories.

PREPARATION

Together with the school librarian, gather a collection of classic short stories written by the authors your students are studying or movie versions of the short stories.

Preview the Internet sites relating to the famous authors of classic short stories and download information that will help students better understand the stories.

Make copies of any of the Step-by-Step Cards that students might need in carrying out the project tasks.

If using PageMill to create the Web pages, review the sections of the Web Page Construction Site and make copies of any of the pages that groups may need for guidance in creating their Web pages. For Netscape Composer, you may want to review and print any of the online help pages that may be useful.

OPTIONS AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

If an iMac DV computer and a digital camera are available, students can videotape the reading of their new stories and use iMovie to create a desktop movie to include on their Web page or on the school's Web site. For help using iMovie, go to the Desktop Movies in Education Web site.

Students can use AppleWorks or HyperStudio to create a slideshow presentation about the literary elements included in the short story as well as authors of famous short stories. They can then discuss why these short stories are considered to be classics.

Encourage students to submit their rewrite of a classic short story to an electronic literary newsletter or magazine for students.

THE HOME-SCHOOL CONNECTION

Invite family members to make a list of favorite short stories and take turns reading and discussing them with the family. Have family members explain why the short stories are favorites and discuss what the story might be like if one element were modified.