This document summarizes a study of the short story genre. It discusses key aspects of short stories like their varied styles, prevalent themes, and origins. Short stories expose students to different writing techniques and cultures. They often raise more questions than answers and teach literary concepts. The document analyzes several short stories and their lessons. It emphasizes including diverse stories, connecting themes to students, facilitating discussion, and having students write their own stories to make short stories accessible.

1. Holes & Goals:
A Short Study of the Short Story
By Stefanie Wells

2. Why Short Stories?
• Past emphasis on novels
• Short stories prevalent in curriculum
• Exposure to a wide variety
– Writing styles
– Genres
– Multicultural literature

3. Essential Questions
• What defines the genre of the short story and
what are its origins?
• What makes a short story “great”?
• What are some common themes among short
stories that are often taught?
• Why teach short stories?

4. Enduring Understandings
• Short stories are extremely varied, but are typically
characterized by a sense of artistic whole.
• Commonly taught short stories often have widely
applicable themes and incite more questions than
they answer.
• Short stories can be used to teach a variety of
literary concepts and to expose students to a wide
assortment of authors and writing styles.

5. What stories did I read?
• “The Tell-Tale Heart,” by • “The Necklace,” by Guy de
Edgar Allan Poe Maupassant
• “The Cask of Amontillado,” by • “The Open Window,” by Saki
Edgar Allan Poe
• “Thank You, Ma’am,” by
• “Hills Like White Elephants,” Langston Hughes
by Ernest Hemingway
• “The Looking Glass,” by Anton
• “The Lottery,” by Shirley Chekhov
Jackson
• “Just Lather, That’s All,” by
• “Harrison Bergeron,” by Kurt Hernando Téllez
Vonnegut, Jr.
• “The South,” by Jorge Luis
• “The Gift of the Magi,” by O. Borges
Henry
• “The Ones Who Walk Away
• “Where Are You from Omelas,” by Ursula K.
Going, Where Have You LeGuin
Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates

6. Favorite Resource
• “Just Lather, That’s All,” by Hernando Téllez
• Intensity of a moment
• Inner conflict
• Question of morality
• Applicable beyond story
• Ending prompts
reconsideration

7. Overview of Products
• Short Story Theme Journal
• Pecha Kucha about Short Stories
• Original Short Story
• Poe Mobile

8. What I’ve learned/been reminded
about English/Language Arts
• Exposure to a variety of new (for me) authors and texts
• Greatness in writing can be achieved in many different
ways
• Sometimes what is left unsaid is more powerful than
what is said
• Stories help us to put the world in perspective, to see
through the eyes of others, and to reflect on ourselves

9. Myself as a Learner
• Active learning
– Short stories vs. sources on the short story
– Creating my own story
• Social learning
– Discussion as a processing aid
• Mulling it over
– Rereading, reflecting

10. Making Short Stories Accessible to
Students
• Include a diverse selection of stories
• Connect story themes to student lives
• Have students write stories
• Discussion!!!

11. Continuing my study…
• Read more short stories!
– Melville, Tolstoy, Asimov, Mansfield, O’Connor
• What are good ways to introduce short stories
when teaching?
• How do teachers decide what to emphasize
when teaching a specific short story?
– Time limitations
• What are strategies to help students write
their own short stories?