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Short Stories

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Grades 1–3
Lessons
Fairy Tale Mad Libs: Retelling Classic Fairy Tales
by by Brandan Pierce, 826michigan

Fee-fi-foe-fum, writing with adjectives can be lots of fun! In this lesson, students will grow their understanding of descriptive language while retelling a classic fairy tale.

Narrative

Fee-fi-foe-fum, writing with adjectives can be lots of fun! In this lesson, students will grow their understanding of descriptive language while retelling a classic fairy tale.

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Grades 7–9
Lessons
Meet Your Protagonist!
by Ryan Harty, 826 Valencia

By examining patterns in engaging published stories and applying a set of meaningful prompts, students will learn how to develop well-rounded characters that readers really care about.

Narrative

By examining patterns in engaging published stories and applying a set of meaningful prompts, students will learn how to develop well-rounded characters that readers really care about.

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Grades 3–5
Lessons
From Bad to Worse: Murphy’s Law Conflict
by Amani Nephew, 826NYC

Have you ever had a day go from bad to worse? Blame it on Murphy’s Law! In this lesson, students will create snowballing conflicts for their character to confront.

Narrative

Have you ever had a day go from bad to worse? Blame it on Murphy’s Law! In this lesson, students will create snowballing conflicts for their character to confront.

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Grades 6–8
Videos
Character Choices
by Sarah Richman, 826DC

Through a series of meaningful prompts, students develop an authentic character to use in their next story.

Narrative

Through a series of meaningful prompts, students develop an authentic character to use in their next story.

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Grades 6–8
Sparks
Authentic Dialogue
by Leah Tribbett, 826 Digital Educator Leader

Students will learn how to write authentic dialogue that reveals information about the characters, plot, and conflict.

Narrative

Students will learn how to write authentic dialogue that reveals information about the characters, plot, and conflict.

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Grades 9–12
Lessons
Fairy Tale Reconstruction
by Marini Drobish, 826 Digital Educator Leader

This lesson invites students to rewrite a classic fairy tale, with a modern day twist.

Narrative

Students will reconstruct classic fairy tales by choosing to focus on altering one story element: setting, point of view, or resolution.

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Grades 4–8
Sparks
Setting the Tone
by Aarti Monteiro, 826NYC

This activity explores the way emotions change how we perceive settings. Students work in groups to create descriptions of apartments based on an emotion they draw from a hat.

Narrative

This activity explores the way emotions change how we perceive settings. Students work in groups to create descriptions of apartments based on an emotion they draw from a hat.

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Grades 3–5
Lessons
Writing Alternate Worlds
by Andrea Nelson, 826DC

Students will produce a short story that includes a setting in an alternate world.

Narrative

Students will produce a short story that includes a setting in an alternate world.

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Grades 4–7
Sparks
Character-O-Matic
by 826CHI, with inspiration from Ryan Harty

In this activity, students will practice analyzing a character’s internal motivations and fears before they develop their own original characters.

Narrative

In this activity, students will practice analyzing a character’s internal motivations and fears before they develop their own original characters.

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Grades 7–9
Lessons
Details (Golden), Character (Immortal), and Setting (Rural India)
by Dave Eggers, 826 Valencia & 826 National

Over a flexible series of activities, students will learn to draw details from real life to create unforgettable characters and compelling stories.

Narrative

Over a flexible series of activities, students will learn to draw details from real life to create unforgettable characters and compelling stories.

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Grades 4–7
Sparks
Setting-O-Matic
by by the team at 826CHI

Students learn to incorporate setting as a key element of a story, starting with inspiration from collages.

Narrative

Students learn to incorporate setting as a key element of a story, starting with inspiration from collages.

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