Over the course of a school week, high school students will analyze American short stories. On Day 1, they will receive an overview and materials. Each subsequent day focuses on a different short story: on Day 2 they will analyze "Sea Oaks" and use Tumblr for character analysis; on Day 3 they will closely read "The Paperhanger" and do an illustration assignment; on Day 4 they will analyze "Pet Milk", select a related song, and do a peer review; and on Day 5 they will closely read "Why Don't You Dance" and do a tableaux exercise, with a final draft due. Low-stakes assignments provide feedback, while a high-stakes assignment is due on the last

1. ASSURE Method
Day by Day Breakdown

2. Main Objective
 For this unit plan a group of high school students from ranging
from grades 9-12 will analyze the genre of American Short Stories
as a literary genre. This task will be spread over a school week, and
each day is dedicated to a specific short story.

3. Day 1
 Analyze Learners: High School students
 State Objectives: Main objective, find materials, lecture, handout
on high stakes assignment
 Select Materials: Computers, Dropbox,
 Require Learner Participation: Peer groups, Q&A, 1 low stakes
assignment (feedback)
 Evaluation and Revise: low stakes

4. Day 2
 Analyze Learners: High School students
 State Objectives: Go over Intro and Sea Oaks, close reading, use
tumblr for characterizations
 Select Materials: Short story packet, computer, tumblr.com
 Require Learner Participation: Peer groups, Q&A, 1 low stakes
assignment (feedback)
 Evaluation and Revise: low stakes

5. Day 3
 Analyze Learners: High School students
 State Objectives: Go over the story The Paperhanger, close reading,
illustration
 Select Materials: Short story packet, colored pencil/markers
 Require Learner Participation: 2 low-stakes assignments
(illustration and feedback), Q&A,
 Evaluation and Revise: low stakes, feedback

6. Day 4
 Analyze Learners: High school students
 State Objectives: Go over the story Pet Milk, close reading, song
selection
 Select Materials: Short story packet, computer, youtube.com
 Require Learner Participation: peer review, oral feedback
 Evaluation and Revise: Draft Due on high stakes, low stakes,
feedback

7. Day 5
 Analyze Learners: High school students
 State Objectives: Go over the story Why Don’t You Dance, close
reading, tableaux exercises
 Select Materials: Short story packet
 Require Learner Participation: tableaux exercises, drafts, Q&A
 Evaluation and Revise: Final copy due on high-stakes

8. Works cited
 Marcus, B. (Ed.). (2004). The Anchor Book of New American Short Stories. New York: Anchor
Books.