SECTION B

Unit and Lesson Planning Alternative

UNIT PLAN
Class: Form 2

Number of students: 35

Time frame: 35-70 minute sessions, 8 lessons, 2 weeks

Topic: The Short Story

Unit Goals

At the end of this unit, I want students to

 Write vivid short stories.

 Distinguish types of conflicts in a short story.
 Appreciate characters in a short story.
 Craft believable settings which reflect an intended mood

UNIT OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

1. Identify the elements of a short story.

2. Identify the different types of characters.
3. Fashion characters based on people they may know.
4. Classify different types of conflict.
5. Assess different types of conflict in given texts.
6. Identify setting in written texts.
7. Discuss the impact of setting on mood and atmosphere
8. Identify the components of plot.
9. Critique the effectiveness of plot in a story
10. Examine how themes are intertwined in a story
11. Judge how the elements of a short story work together to create a cohesive narrative.
12. Construct a short story based on a dissected version.
13. Compose a complete short story.
LESSON 1

Date:

Class: Form 2

Teacher: Ms. Lewis

Lesson Duration: 35

Lesson: Narrative writing - Introduction

Content strand: reading, listening, speaking

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to foster creativity in students writing.

Rationale: Narrative writing differs from other forms of writing. Eg

expository

Teaching point: The elements of prose work together to form a cohesive essay.

Anticipated difficulty: Disinterest as students have done creative writing at the primary
level and in form one.

Prior knowledge: Creative writing at the primary school level and narrative writing
in form one.

Resources: Concept map, whiteboard, marker, projector, 1st person and 3rd
person narrative handout.

Instructional objectives

Students will be able to,

1. Identify elements of a narrative.

2. Grasp that all elements of prose work together as a cohesive unit.
3. Distinguish 1st person narratives from 3rd person narratives.

Set induction: Show YouTube video on the power of team work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4duPBWzf46E

PROCEDURE

Teacher Activity Student Activity

Field questions from class about the

importance of working together.
Display concept map on board and link team
work to the elements of the concept map
working together.

Teacher guides students through each element Two students supply examples from their
with brief definitions where necessary. Doing favourite book or movie after each element is
point of view last. discussed.

Teacher distributes handouts with a mini 1st Volunteers read passages aloud then pronouns
person narrative and a mini 3rd person indicating point of view are identified.
narrative.

Class discussion on which they think makes a

story easier to explore.

Working in pairs, use a coloured ink pen and

identify and underline characters and setting
in the story based on the concept map on the
board.

Teacher calls out an element and groups

volunteer items found in any of the passages.

CLOSURE: Take concept map off of board and ask students to recap the elements
of the narrative.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
1. Ability to identify elements in selected pieces.
2. Ability to distinguish first person narratives from third person narratives.

CONTINGENCY PLAN [your plan ‘b’ in case something goes wrong]

1. If technology fails teacher will stick printed copy of concept map on board and forego
video.
LESSON 2

Date:

Class: Form 2

Teacher: Ms. Lewis

Lesson Duration: 70

Lesson: Narrative Writing - Characterization

Content strand: writing, speaking, vocabulary, grammar

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to show students how to create vivid
characters.

Rationale: Characters are an integral part of narratives and they must be

believable.

Teaching point: Characters are not only what they say or do but what others in the
story say about them and how they react to them.

Anticipated difficulty: Reluctance to write.

Prior knowledge: Students are exposed to creative writing in primary school and
know how to describe characters.

Resources: Projector, laptop, YouTube video, white board, markers, movie

poster

Instructional objectives

Students will be able to

1. Differentiate between major and minor characters.

2. Distinguish between direct and indirect characterization.
3. Relate to characters in given stimuli.
4. Write a character sketch which continues a given story.

Set induction: Draw 2 columns on board and label ‘Major’ and ‘Minor’. Show students movie
poster of Black Panther and ask them to identify the main character and the supporting characters.
List answer in columns.
PROCEDURE

Teacher Activity Student Activity

Ask one student per row who likes T’challa best Students answer questions using stem.
in the Black Panther and why. Student must
begin answer with “T’challa is an awesome
character because…”

(average 5 students)

Ask a different student in the row who likes one Students answer questions using stem.
of the supporting characters best and why.
Students must begin answer with “… is an
excellent minor character because…”

Show YouTube video on characterization Students view video

Lesson/ Using Disney’s Frozen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
ZnD0AGqQ7I

Write list of indirect characterization on board.

(looks, speech, relationships, actions and
thoughts)

Give students handout with short story Volunteers to read aloud.

‘Ekwefi”.

Write responses in the same table used for set Class identifies 2 main and 1 supporting
induction. character from extract.

Place class into groups of 3. Each group must underline one sentence
that is an example of direct characterization
and 2 examples of indirect characterization

Teacher uses Okonkwo (a minor character) as

an example and constructs a paragraph on the
board in which Okonkwo enters the story and
his character is further developed.

Group exercise: In class notebook, write

one paragraph which continues this story
using either Ekwefi or Ezinma following the
example from the board. (The character
must speak, act, interact with another, think)

The first two groups to finish, get to present

to the class.

CLOSURE: Teacher reminds class that characterization can be done directly and indirectly.
Holds up five fingers and asks class for the 5 ways in which characterization can be done
indirectly.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT: Oral questioning, class presentation, ability to rationalize why a

character is relatable.
CONTINGENCY PLAN [your plan ‘b’ in case something goes wrong]

1). If technology fails, teacher will define direct and indirect characterization and list types of
indirect characterization on board.

2). If students do not complete class assignment on time, let them finish it for homework.
LESSON 3

Date:

Class: Form 2

Teacher: Ms. Lewis

Lesson Duration: 35

Lesson: Narrative writing – Dialogue in a story

Content strand: reading, listening, speaking, writing

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to help students understand how

dialogue can be used to develop characters.

Rationale: Characters reveal aspects of themselves to each other through

conversation.

Teaching point: Dialogue is a technique used to create conversation in a story and

follows a specific layout.

Anticipated difficulty: Disinterest as students have done creative writing at the primary
level and in form one.

Prior knowledge: Students are familiar with the elements of the short story and
methods of characterization.

Resources: Written dialogue punctuation rules handout, whiteboard, marker,

projector, video, police hat and bandana.

Instructional objectives

Students will be able to,

1. Define ‘dialogue’ and explain the relationship between dialogue and character
development.
2. Write a short dialogue that helps develop a character.

Set induction: Teacher performs a skit where she pretends to be two characters, an unintelligent
police officer and a cunning thief who gets away despite being caught red handed.
PROCEDURE

Teacher Activity Student Activity

Class conversation which centers on

describing the characters in the set induction.
Focus is placed on the language used in the
skit.

Teacher explains that conversations like these

can be included in stories in order to bring
characters to life; making them real and
credible. Teacher gives definition of the word
dialogue and writes it on the whiteboard.

Teacher shows YouTube video T’Challa and
Shuri full lab scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulcbLwL-
u8Y
Students pay attention to what is revealed
about the characters (brother and sister)
through their discussion.

Teacher constructs table on board with 2 Students fill out table and then class
headings discussion on what is revealed about the
characters through their dialogue.
Character Dialogue What did we learn

Shuri: “The real She is playful

question is, What
are those?”

T’Challa: “I wanted He is respectful of

to go old-school for tradition and the
my first day.” past

Teacher distributes ‘Written dialogue

punctuation rules’ handout to students.

Teacher draws two stick figures on the board In pairs, students compose a brief dialogue
and names them ‘Big mouth Shirley’ and ‘Sly between the characters. The dialogue must
Timmy’. reflect the description of the character given
by the teacher.

All groups are allowed to present their

dialogue to the remainder of the class.

Teacher collects books to ensure that

punctuation rules are followed.

CLOSURE: Exit slips: Students must complete the sentence, “A character’s dialogue can
reveal ______________ to the reader.”

STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
1. Ability to compose short dialogue.
2. Ability to discern character traits based on language used in a skit.

CONTINGENCY PLAN [your plan ‘b’ in case something goes wrong]

1). If technology fails teacher will do chart based on set induction skit.
LESSON 4

Date:

Class: Form 2

Teacher: Ms. Lewis

Lesson Duration: 70

Lesson: Narrative writing – Creating conflict

Content strand: reading, listening, speaking, writing

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to help students help students identify
major conflict in a story and create believable conflicts in their
own stories.

Rationale: Learning about conflict in story writing will help students see that
it is an inevitable aspect of human existence.

Teaching point: Story conflict may be external or internal to the character. There
must be a logical reason behind the conflict.

Anticipated difficulty: Students may not remember rules for dialogue format.

Prior knowledge: Students are familiar with the elements of the short story and
methods of characterization.

Resources: Video, projector, whiteboard, markers, sample text dialogue,

Instructional objectives

Students will be able to

1. Define the term story conflict and its role in a story.

2. Identify major conflict in a familiar story.
3. Develop logical reasons for conflict in a story.
4. Produce a short dialogue that reflects external conflict.

Set induction: Teacher shows clip of T’challa meeting Killmonger and asks what about the scene
is appealing to them https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw_a0HC6f1s
PROCEDURE

Teacher Activity Student Activity

Teacher defines conflict and explains that there are
two main types of conflict (internal and external)
Youtube clip showing conflict in movies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dM6x1O9ZHg
Students work in pairs and draw identify
the type of conflict presented in each of
the movies.

Teacher distributes graphic organizer to help

students explain conflict in the movies shown. What does main What hinders
character want? main character?

←-------- --------→

Students complete the organizer then

compare their answers with the person
sitting next to them.

Teacher shows video then offers an illogical reason Students discuss more plausible reasons
for conflict presented in the video. for conflict in the video in pairs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29VjYkPPY2s

Class game ‘NO YOU CAN’T’

Teacher orally presents sentences

starting with “I want to do…” and
students must answer with “You can’t
because…”

Students continue the game in pairs and

at the end, students discuss how this
‘conversation’ can lead to conflict.

Teacher projects sample text dialogue between Two volunteers read dialogue.
T’Challa and Killmonger where their speech
escalates the conflict in the movie. The text excerpt
is from the set induction.

Teacher presents class with a picture stimuli and Three volunteers are allowed to read
they must create a dialogue where the language their story aloud to the class.
escalates the conflict in the story.

CLOSURE: Teacher raises two fingers and asks for volunteers to list the two types of
conflict that can be found in short stories. Teacher then raises three fingers and other
volunteers list the types of external conflict.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
1. Ability to distinguish between internal and external conflict.
2. Ability to discern logical reasons for conflict.
3. Ability to create external conflict in a story using dialogue.

CONTINGENCY PLAN [your plan ‘b’ in case something goes wrong]

1. If technology fails teacher written text will be used to achieve various objectives.
2. If students struggle to write dialogue, let them use ‘Written dialogue punctuation rules’
handout given during previous lesson.
LESSON 5

Date:

Class: Form 2

Teacher: Ms. Lewis

Lesson Duration: 35

Lesson: Narrative writing – Setting in a story

Content strand: reading, listening, speaking

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to teach students how to write

descriptively in relating the setting of a story.

Rationale: Vivid setting in a story can be used as a tool for

developing/exploring a theme.

Teaching point: The description of setting helps the reader to envision both
physical and emotional representation of a place in a story.

Anticipated difficulty: Disinterest as students have done creative writing at the primary
level and in form one.

Prior knowledge: Students are familiar with the elements of the short story and how
to utilize a concept map.

Resources: Whiteboard, markers, projector, video.

Instructional objectives

Students will be able to,

1. Create a setting that is relatable and imaginable to the audience.

2. Use descriptive language to influence mood and atmosphere.

Set induction: Show students a clip from Wonder Woman where Steve and Diana enter London
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1OKqIcj07UZzykiHwPHAi2y80OuiC2l-I

PROCEDURE

Teacher Activity Student Activity

Teacher engages class in discussion on what

they have just seen.
 Teacher draws two columns on board and Students supply answers to fill out the
write label them Time and Place. columns with information from the video.

Teacher sticks 4 emotions on the board Students work in pairs and discuss which
emotion best captivates the scene shown in
i). angry ii). sad iii). happy iv). amazed the set induction. Each pair must complete the
sentence using the stem

‘This scene takes place in (place) and at

(time) and evokes a feeling of (emotion).

Teacher uses projector and shows sample Volunteer reads passage out loud.
paragraph which focuses on setting in a short
story.

Teacher asks class Students get back into pairs and come up with
discuss possible answers.
i). Are there any details in the extract that
help you to get a better image in your mind?

ii). Which senses do the writer appeal to in

the extract?

iii). What is the mood or feeling evoked by

the setting in this extract?

Pair volunteer answers.

CLOSURE: Exit slip: In one sentence, students write what they learned about how the setting of
a short story.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
1. Ability to list different times and different places based on the same stimuli.
2. Ability to deduce a mood based on the time and place

CONTINGENCY PLAN [your plan ‘b’ in case something goes wrong]

1. If technology fails, teacher will post screen shot of video on board and engage class in
discussion on the scene.
LESSON 6

Date:

Class: Form 2

Teacher: Ms. Lewis

Lesson Duration: 35

Lesson: Narrative writing – Creating effective plots

Content strand: reading, listening, speaking, writing

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to teach students how to develop trace
the plot development in a short story.

Rationale: In narrative writing, plot development is essential as it acts as a

quick reference during the writing process.

Teaching point: The plot outlines the major events in a story and develops the
theme.

Anticipated difficulty: Disinterest as students have done creative writing at the primary
level and in form one.

Prior knowledge: Students are familiar with the elements of the short story,
particularly creating conflict and how to utilize a concept map.

Resources: Projector, video, whiteboard, marker, Bristol board, World of

Prose ‘Septimus’ by John Wickham

Instructional objectives

Students will be able to

1. Outline the plot of a given story

2. Create a linear plot for a very short story.

Set induction: Teacher shows video ‘Plot diagram using Pixar’s Mike’s New Car’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRX0tXX2U18
PROCEDURE

Teacher Activity Student Activity

Teacher draws plot diagram on board. Five students come to board to label parts
based on the video.

Teacher gives mini note on the plot and its

subcomponents

1. Exposition
2. Rising Action
3. Climax
4. Falling Action
5. Resolution

Teacher distributes copy of short story Volunteers take turns reading the extract.
‘Septimus’ to class.

Teacher walks around and offers assistance
where needed.
Students get into deliberate groups of 3 (weak
and strong are mixed) each group is given a
sheet of bristol board and coloured markers.
Groups must draw a plot diagram and
deconstruct the story.

Groups are allowed to present their plot

diagrams to the class.

CLOSURE: Teacher asks series of yes or no questions relating to the order of linear plots.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
1. Ability to deconstruct sample passage into plot components.

CONTINGENCY PLAN [your plan ‘b’ in case something goes wrong]

1. If groups do not finish their diagram in time, they will have to complete the assignment in
their notebooks for homework.
2. If technology fails, teacher will read a short fairytale to start the class.
LESSON 7

Date:

Class: Form 2

Teacher: Ms. Lewis

Lesson Duration: 70

Lesson: Narrative writing – The model short story

Content strand: reading, listening, speaking, writing

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to expose students to a well done

model short story.

Rationale: Students often struggle to obey the rules of dialogue when writing
short stories, fail to incorporate all aspects of plot or struggle to
maintain characterization because they look at these aspects in
isolation. By viewing or dismantling a model essay, students
understand that the different parts of the story must be presented in
a cohesive manner.

Teaching point: A good short story must reflect knowledge of the appropriateness
of structure and character development.

Anticipated difficulty: Students might struggle to use appropriate tense or point of view
that reflects the given prompt.

Prior knowledge: Students are familiar with the elements of the short story and how
to utilize a concept map.

Resources: Whiteboard, World of Prose ‘Mom Luby and the Social Worker’
by Kristin Hunter, short story prompts.

Instructional objectives

Students will be able to,

1. Identify the different parts of a short story.

2. Plan out an essay using a concept map.
3. Write a short story.

Set induction: Students will be given a dismantled version of the short story ‘Mom Luby and the
Social Worker’ by Kristin Hunter and asked to comment on the dismantled version of the short
story.
PROCEDURE

Teacher Activity Student Activity

After students comment on the dismantled

version of the story, the original version will
be re-read to the class.

Teacher writes any comment that reflects an Students highlight differences between
understanding of the negative effects of the original story and the dismantled version at
dismantled version on the board. the start of the class.

In groups of three, students use a concept map

to deconstruct Kristin Hunter’s ‘Mom Luby
and the Social Worker’ by identifying
characters (major and minor), plot, setting,
conflict, point of view and they will be asked
to hypothesize a theme explored in the story.

Each group will be called upon to present

their answers and when they are done, they
must offer two sentences that change the
ending of the story.

Students will be presented with 2 essay Students take 5 minutes and draw up a rough
prompts (one picture and one sentence) from story map and plan out their story.
which they must write a short story.

Teacher walks around and offers help to Students write the short story based on either
students where necessary. of the prompts.

CLOSURE: Students will briefly recount in their own words the importance of planning their
essays before they begin to write.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
1. Ability to compose short story.
2. Ability to contrast ‘Mom Luby and the Social Worker’ and a deconstructed version of
‘Mom Luby and the Social Worker’.
3. Ability to deconstruct ‘Mom Luby and the Social Worker’ into its elements.

CONTINGENCY PLAN [your plan ‘b’ in case something goes wrong]

1. If students do not finish essay within allotted time, it will still be collected and corrected
and individual discussions with students about plans to end the essay will occur in a
subsequent class.
 Appendix
LESSON 1

Sample handout of narratives

Here is an example of a 3rd person narrative

There was no finer young man, said the people of Maycomb, than Henry Clinton. Jean Louise
agreed. Henry was from the southern end of the county. His father left his mother soon after Henry
was born, and she worked night and day in her little crossroads store to send Henry to school.
Henry, from the time he was twelve, boarded across the street from the Finch house. Henry was
also four years her senior, which made a difference then. When he was fourteen his mother died,
leaving him next to nothing. Atticus Finch looked after what little money there was from the sale
of the store and Henry got a part-time job as a store clerk. Henry graduated and went into the army,
and after the war he went to University and studied law.
Just about that time, Jean Louise’s brother dropped dead in his tracks one day, and after
the nightmare of that was over, Atticus, who had always thought of leaving his practice to his son,
looked around for another young man. It was natural for him to engage Henry, and in due course
Henry became Atticus’s leg man, his eyes, and his hands. Henry had always respected Atticus
Finch; soon it melded to affection and Henry regarded him as a father.
 CONCEPT MAP

Types of characters in a Individual (round),

work of fiction – developing and static
Antagonist & Protagonist (stereotype) characters

CHARACTERS

Man vs. Himself

Time/Place

Man vs. Society

CONFLICTS WRITING A
SHORT SETTING
STORY
Man vs.
Circumstances

Mood/
Man vs. Man -
Atmosphere

What is a
theme?
THEMES PLOT

Stated or
implied themes Plot Sequence

Exposition, Rising Action, Climax,

Falling Action, Resolution.
LESSON 2

Set induction image

Activity story
LESSON 3

Written dialogue punctuation rules handout

LESSON 4
LESSON 5

Sample paragraph focusing on setting

LESSON 6

Sample short story ‘Septimus’

LESSON 7

‘Mom Luby and the Social Worker’