Less than $5 Middle School Short Stories Assessment (by date, oldest first)

This set of 12 Speed dating questions are a fun alternative to a traditional class discussion and will help your students analyze "Dark They Were, and Golden- Eyed", originally published as "The Naming of Names", by Ray Bradbury!

In order to prepare, you simply have to copy the 12 discussion prompts below and cut them into separate strips. You can laminate them if you’d like! Arrange your classroom so pairs of students will be facing one another. My classes have about 24 students in each, so I set up my desks facing one another down the center of the classroom. Alternatively, you could do two concentric circles depending on the space you have to work with!

When it’s time for the speed dating to begin, each “couple” will flip over their question and discuss it. I usually set a timer for 60 seconds, but you can do longer or shorter depending on the needs of your students. When the timer buzzes, one row (or circle) moves one way, and the other goes in the opposite direction. In this way, each student will have the opportunity to discuss every question.

I've included a reflection/ ticket out the door half sheet question for afterwards if time allows!

Please let me know if you have any questions about this activity! I’d love to hear your feedback after you complete it in your classroom. Thank you so much!

Are you looking for a fun, interactive, student-led activity/ assessment for the end of Stephen King's "Quitters, Inc." from Night Shift?

This resource contains two different packets of Socratic Seminar packets- packet A and packet B. Each packet contains three different discussion questions that require students to answer and provide two quotes from the text to back up their answers. Students are also required to come up with three additional questions they will ask if there’s time in their seminar. Finally, the packet has a page where each student will monitor a partner in the opposite seminar. They will make a check each time their partner speaks, and paraphrase meaningful comments their partner makes. The file also contains a rubric for you to use while your students are discussing!

When you print out the file, you’ll see packet A on the top half of the sheet, packet B on the bottom half, and then the rubric as the last page of the file. Remove the rubric and print one out for each of your students. Copy the rest of the pages, cut them in half, and staple them. Each student will receive one half-sheet booklet; packet A or packet B.

Give your students adequate time to plan for their Seminar! I usually give them a full class period (40 minutes for me), but you could have them do it for homework, or over the course of a few days. The day of the Seminar, you’ll assign partners with opposite packets. Let A discuss for as long as they need (usually 25 to 30-ish minutes for me!), then flip-flop your circles and have B discuss afterwards.

My students LOVE Socratic Seminars! I have found the fishbowl discussion format works much better when you give each group three different questions so you don’t hear the same discussion two times, which is how this product is set up. I have used Socratic Seminars in small literature circle groups, as well as with the whole class at once. Please ask if you have questions!

Are you looking for a fun, interactive, student-led activity/ assessment for the end of Stephen King's "The Reaper's Image" from Skeleton Crew?

This resource contains two different packets of Socratic Seminar packets- packet A and packet B. Each packet contains three different discussion questions that require students to answer and provide two quotes from the text to back up their answers. Students are also required to come up with three additional questions they will ask if there’s time in their seminar. Finally, the packet has a page where each student will monitor a partner in the opposite seminar. They will make a check each time their partner speaks, and paraphrase meaningful comments their partner makes. The file also contains a rubric for you to use while your students are discussing!

When you print out the file, you’ll see packet A on the top half of the sheet, packet B on the bottom half, and then the rubric as the last page of the file. Remove the rubric and print one out for each of your students. Copy the rest of the pages, cut them in half, and staple them. Each student will receive one half-sheet booklet; packet A or packet B.

Give your students adequate time to plan for their Seminar! I usually give them a full class period (40 minutes for me), but you could have them do it for homework, or over the course of a few days. The day of the Seminar, you’ll assign partners with opposite packets. Let A discuss for as long as they need (usually 25 to 30-ish minutes for me!), then flip-flop your circles and have B discuss afterwards.

My students LOVE Socratic Seminars! I have found the fishbowl discussion format works much better when you give each group three different questions so you don’t hear the same discussion two times, which is how this product is set up. I have used Socratic Seminars in small literature circle groups, as well as with the whole class at once. Please ask if you have questions!

Hello!

This is a Write The Room Silent Discussion activity that will aide your students in analyzing Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil"! It's an alternate way to do a station rotation and will foster a deep- thinking discussion that takes place on chart paper!

To set up, you’ll need to copy the large questions and paste them onto larger poster size paper. (I like to use those giant Post-Its so I can hang them up afterwards!) I have included 7 questions so that you can place one at each table or station. You will also need to project the page of directions onto your Smart Board, or make a copy of them and put them where students can see. My students like to write their comments in colored ink, marker, or colored pencil in order to make it a little more fun.

To begin this discussion, students will first read the question. Then they will scan the answers their classmates have already written, and write an answer that hasn’t already been said. They may put a hashtag comment for fun after their comment. As the activity goes on, they have the option of responding to a comment that a classmate has already made instead. After a set time you deem appropriate for your students has elapsed, direct them to silently move to the next station.

This set of 12 Speed dating questions are a fun alternative to a traditional class discussion and will help your students analyze "Button, Button" by Richard Matheson!

In order to prepare, you simply have to copy the 12 discussion prompts below and cut them into separate strips. You can laminate them if you’d like! Arrange your classroom so pairs of students will be facing one another. My classes have about 24 students in each, so I set up my desks facing one another down the center of the classroom. Alternatively, you could do two concentric circles depending on the space you have to work with!

When it’s time for the speed dating to begin, each “couple” will flip over their question and discuss it. I usually set a timer for 60 seconds, but you can do longer or shorter depending on the needs of your students. When the timer buzzes, one row (or circle) moves one way, and the other goes in the opposite direction. In this way, each student will have the opportunity to discuss every question.

I've included a reflection/ ticket out the door half sheet question for afterwards if time allows!

Please let me know if you have any questions about this activity! I’d love to hear your feedback after you complete it in your classroom. Thank you so much!

This set of 12 Speed dating questions are a fun alternative to a traditional class discussion and will help your students analyze "Quitters, Inc." from Night Shift by Stephen King!

In order to prepare, you simply have to copy the 12 discussion prompts below and cut them into separate strips. You can laminate them if you’d like! Arrange your classroom so pairs of students will be facing one another. My classes have about 24 students in each, so I set up my desks facing one another down the center of the classroom. Alternatively, you could do two concentric circles depending on the space you have to work with!

When it’s time for the speed dating to begin, each “couple” will flip over their question and discuss it. I usually set a timer for 60 seconds, but you can do longer or shorter depending on the needs of your students. When the timer buzzes, one row (or circle) moves one way, and the other goes in the opposite direction. In this way, each student will have the opportunity to discuss every question.

I've included a reflection/ ticket out the door half sheet question for afterwards if time allows!

Please let me know if you have any questions about this activity! I’d love to hear your feedback after you complete it in your classroom. Thank you so much!

This is a 10-question quiz for Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder". This text-based quiz asks about symbolism, characterization, elements of suspense, figurative language, syntax, and foreshadowing. An answer key is included for your convenience!

This is a sample station from my A Sound of Thunder Escape Room! The Escape Room includes 7 stations; this is the one that analyzes Bradbury's use of diction and syntax. Hopefully it will give you a taste of what the whole product is like! Please check it out in a separate listing.

This is a partner or small group activity that will have students answering 15 questions related to many different literary devices in the short story "The Birthmark". The questions are on a Google Slideshow and the answer sheet is a Google Form, so you can post the whole digital activity to Google Classroom! Perfect for virtual, distance, hybrid, or in- person instruction!

The product contains 15 multiple questions that have at least 4 answer choices. Each answer will direct students to the next question they should answer. The correct answers will lead the students to each of the 15 questions exactly once. Only by getting the correct answers will students be able to complete the circle trail successfully!

The questions address literary devices such as author's word choice, figurative language, irony, foreshadowing, and characterization.

If you'd prefer this Question Trail as an activity that you can use for 100% in-person instruction that will get your students up and moving around the classroom, please check out the exact same product as a PDF that you will print and hang around your room. Birthmark Question Trail for In-Person Instruction

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Hello!

This is a Table Top Twitter/ Silent Discussion activity that will aide your students in analyzing chapter 5 of Stephen King's The Mist! It's an alternate way to do a station rotation. The questions focus on the development of Mr. Norton and Ms. Carmody and how they contribute to the SUSPENSE!

To set up, you’ll need to copy the large questions and paste them onto larger poster size paper. (I like to use those giant Post-Its so I can hang them up afterwards!) I have included 7 questions so that you can place one at each table or station. You will also need to project the page of directions onto your Smart Board, or make a copy of them and put them where students can see. My students like to write their comments in colored ink, marker, or colored pencil in order to make it a little more fun.

To begin this Tabletop Twitter discussion, students will first read the question. Then they will scan the answers their classmates have already written, and write an answer that hasn’t already been said. They may put a hashtag comment for fun after their comment. As the activity goes on, they have the option of responding to a comment that a classmate has already made instead. After a set time you deem appropriate for your students has elapsed, direct them to silently move to the next station.

Table Top Twitter is a fun way for students to have a discussion. The only catch is that it is SILENT, and takes place completely on large poster paper. It's an alternate way to do a station rotation!

To set up the activity, you’ll need to copy the 10 large quotes and paste them onto larger poster size paper. Place one at each table or station. You will also need to project the directions onto your Smart Board, or make a copy of them and put them where students can see.

To begin this Tabletop Twitter, students will first read the quote, then write an insightful comment about the quote. I suggest that they can remark on the quote’s significance to the plot, theme, conflict, mood, setting, or characterization. I also insist that they cannot summarize the quote; instead, they must DELVE DEEPER and make an insightful comment! They may also put a hashtag comment for fun after their comment. After a set time you deem appropriate for your students has elapsed, direct them to silently move to the next station.

After visiting all 10 stations, students will return to the station where they began. They will read all the comments and come to a consensus about which comment was the most thought-provoking or insightful. They can also decide which hashtag was the cleverest. Afterwards, you can have them report out to the rest of the class, or do a gallery walk to the other tables to see the final products!

"Speed Dating" is a fun alternative to a traditional class discussion. Students have a set amount of time to discuss a question with their partner, then quickly move onto the next partner and question. This product includes directions and 12 "big idea" discussion questions for Ray Bradbury's short story "A Sound of Thunder". I have also included a reflection question as a ticket out the door for after the activity.

Please let me know if you have any questions! Thank you!

Please check out my video preview for my line of Socratic Seminars!

This file contains 2 different packets of Socratic Circle questions- packet A and packet B. Each packet contains 3 different questions that require students to answer and provide two quotes from the text to back up their answers. Students are also required to come up with 3 additional questions they will ask if there's time in their circle. Finally, the packet has a page where each student will monitor a partner in the opposite circle. They will make a check each time their partner speaks, and paraphrase a meaningful comment their partner made. Lastly, the file contains the socratic circle rubric.

When you print out the file, you'll see packet A on the top half of the sheet, packet B on the bottom half, and then the rubric as the last page of the file. You'll need to cut each packet page in half after you print them out, as each booklet you give to the students is only half a page. They are labeled A and B. Give half your class A, half B, and allow them to plan! The day of the circle, you'll let A discuss for maybe 20-30 minutes, then flip-flop your circles and have B discuss.

My students really enjoy Socratic Seminars! I have found it works better when you give each group three different questions, so you don't see the same discussion 2 times, which is how this packet is set up. I used the Socratic Circle as their "final test grade" for the short story. The students need to have finished the story to answer the questions included in the packet. Please email me if you have questions about this product! Thank you! sarajoy916@gmail.com

Interested in a fun, active, quote- sorting foreshadowing activity? Check out my store's #1 BEST-SELLING product!

Foreshadowing in "The Landlady"

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Are you looking for an interactive, student-led activity/ assessment for the end of Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "The Birthmark"?

This file contains two different packets of Socratic Seminar packets- packet A and packet B. Each packet contains three different discussion questions that require students to answer and provide two quotes from the text to back up their answers. Students are also required to come up with three additional questions they will ask if there’s time in their seminar. Finally, the packet has a page where each student will monitor a partner in the opposite circle. They will make a check each time their partner speaks, and paraphrase meaningful comments their partner makes. The file also contains a rubric for you to use while your students are discussing!

When you print out the file, you’ll see packet A on the top half of the sheet, packet B on the bottom half, and then the rubric as the last page of the file. Remove the rubric and print one out for each of your students. Copy the rest of the pages, cut them in half, and staple them. Each student will receive one half-sheet booklet; packet A or packet B.

Give your students adequate time to plan for their Seminar! I usually give them a full class period (40 minutes for me), but you could have them do it for homework, or over the course of a few days. The day of the Seminar, you’ll assign partners with opposite packets. Let A discuss for as long as they need (usually 30-ish minutes for me!), then flip-flop your circles and have B discuss afterwards.

My students LOVE Socratic Seminars! I have found the fishbowl discussion format works much better when you give each group three different questions so you don’t hear the same discussion two times, which is how this product is set up. I have used Socratic Seminars in small literature circle groups, as well as with the whole class at once. Please ask if you have questions!

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Are you looking for an activity that will help your students review and analyze "The Birthmark" before completing their Socratic Circle? Check out my Question Trail for Literary Analysis!

The Birthmark Question Trail

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Did you know that you can receive $ credit towards future TeachShare purchases by reviewing this product? Please leave a review at the product page or through "My Purchases" under "My Account" at TpT. Thank you!

Socratic Seminar Materials for Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

A Socratic Seminar (or a "Fish Bowl" Conversation as I like to call them with my students) is a higher order way of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class texts. These seminars rely on the power of inquiry and allow students to take the lead in their learning and discussion. The only problem? They require a great deal of preparation. Fortunately, this student-tested resource was created to include everything you need to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom surrounding The Lottery by Shirley Jackson... with very little preparation required on your end.

Product Includes:

• Assignment Directions with step-by-step instructions on how to conduct fishbowls in your classroom

• Engaging Introductory Activity for Conversation Building

• 5 Discussion Questions for each “Fishbowl” conversation

• “Fishbowl” Preparation Sheet

• Conversation Builder Prompts

• Observation Sheet

• Rubric

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Also, check out these great resources to complement your unit on The Lottery by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Introduction to Dystopia Powerpoint Presentation

⭐ The Lottery Literature Guide

⭐ The Lottery ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ The Lottery "Tossing Lines" Pre-Reading Activity

⭐ The Lottery Social Media Activities

⭐ Escape from Dystopia ESCAPE ROOM

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This product features all the materials you need to assign a compare/contrast essay for two classic tales of irony: O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi and Guy de Maupassant's The Necklace.

For this assignment, students will need to think critically and specifically about the similarities and differences between the two famous stories. Two comprehensive literary device charts are provided to prompt students to take a close look at both tales and to think beyond the obvious (like the fact that they are written by different authors) and consider the deeper similarities and differences differences (like plot structure, values of the characters, and lessons the stories try to teach) between them. These thoughtfully-constructed materials will help students develop exemplary compare/contrast essays that they can be proud of!

Product Includes:

• Complete assignment directions
• 2 Literary device worksheets
• Venn diagram chart
• Essay graphic organizer (Block Method)
• Rubric
• Teacher key for charts

This assignment is perfect during the holiday season or can be used as a part of any short story unit!

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Also, check out these resources to round our your unit on The Gift of the Magi:

⭐ The Gift of the Magi Anticipation Guide & Lesson Plan

⭐ The Gift of the Magi ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ The Gift of the Magi Socratic Seminar Materials

More great holiday products by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Christmas ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Christmas Poetry ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ A Christmas Carol ESCAPE ROOM

⭐‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Figurative Language Lesson Plan

⭐ The Little Match Girl Sensory Details Lesson Plan

⭐"Christmas Talk" Lesson Plan

⭐Figurative Language in Christmas Songs Task Cards

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Socratic Seminar Materials for Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart

A Socratic Seminar (or a "Fish Bowl" Conversation as I like to call them with my students) is a higher order way of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class texts. These seminars rely on the power of inquiry and allow students to take the lead in their learning and discussion. The only problem? They require a great deal of preparation. Fortunately, this student-tested resource was created to include everything you need to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom surrounding The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe... with very little preparation required on your end.

Product Includes:

• Assignment Directions with step-by-step instructions on how to conduct fishbowls in your classroom

• Engaging Introductory Activity for Conversation Building

• 5 Discussion Questions for each “Fishbowl” conversation

• “Fishbowl” Preparation Sheet

• Conversation Builder Prompts

• Observation Sheet

• Rubric

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Check out these great products to supplement your study of The Tell-Tale Heart:

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Literature Guide

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Anticipation Guide and Lesson Plan

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Creative Writing Assignment on Perspective

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Figurative Language Challenge Activity

⭐ Unreliable Narrator of The Tell-Tale Heart Lesson Plan

More resources to round out your Edgar Allan Poe unit:

⭐ Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe PowerPoint

⭐ Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe Scavenger Hunt

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Bell Ringer Journal Prompts

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Crossword Puzzle

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Brochure

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe's Obituary

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Quote Posters

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Resource Bundle

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This product features an engaging final project that meaningfully incorporates technology in a culmination of your unit on Edgar Allan Poe.

For this final assignment, students will showcase their knowledge of Edgar Allan Poe, his works, and his life by creating brochures using Microsoft Word. Students will love the chance to practice using technology with this project as opposed to writing the same-old same-old essay and if they are like my students, will not even realize how much research and writing they are actually accomplishing with this project.

Product Includes:

• Complete Assignment Directions
• How to Make Brochure Directions
• Scoring Rubric
• Teacher Model including proper Works Cited Page using Microsoft Word
• Pictures of Exemplary Student Examples

This project works for any of the stories you read during your Edgar Allan Poe unit.

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Save 20% off this resource when you purchase as part of a bundle of Edgar Allan Poe products:

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Resource Bundle

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Also, check out these great products by Language Arts Excellence to supplement your Edgar Allan Poe unit:

⭐ Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe PowerPoint

⭐ Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe Scavenger Hunt

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Bell Ringer Journal Prompts

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Crossword Puzzle

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Brochure

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe's Obituary

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Human Tic Tac Toe Review Game

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Quote Posters

Chilling literature guides to frighten your students for months:

⭐ The Raven Literature Guide

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Literature Guide

⭐ The Black Cat Literature Guide

⭐ The Pit and the Pendulum Literature Guide

⭐ The Cask of Amontillado Literature Guide

⭐ The Fall of the House of Usher Literature Guide

⭐ The Masque of the Red Death Literature Guide

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Short Story BUNDLE

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This resource features a comprehensive test covering Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s chilling dystopian tale, Harrison Bergeron. The test covers vocabulary, plot, characters, themes, vocabulary, and 3 short answer questions and is fully editable so that you can determine point value and/or change questions to reflect what you've taught.

Resource Includes:

• 23 Question Test (5 Vocabulary, 15 Multiple Choice, 3 Short Answer)
• Answer Key

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Also, check out these great resources to supplement your unit on Harrison Bergeron by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Harrison Bergeron "Silent Conversation" Quote Pass Activity

⭐ Harrison Bergeron ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Harrison Bergeron Human Tic Tac Toe Review Game

⭐ Harrison Bergeron Literature Guide

⭐ Harrison Bergeron Pre-Reading Activity

⭐ Harrison Bergeron Socratic Seminar

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Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence

Socratic Seminar Materials for Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat

A Socratic Seminar (or a "Fish Bowl" Conversation as I like to call them with my students) is a higher order way of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class texts. These seminars rely on the power of inquiry and allow students to take the lead in their learning and discussion. The only problem? They require a great deal of preparation. Fortunately, this student-tested resource was created to include everything you need to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom surrounding The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe... with very little preparation required on your end.

Product Includes:

• Assignment Directions with step-by-step instructions on how to conduct fishbowls in your classroom

• Engaging Introductory Activity for Conversation Building

• 5 Discussion Questions for each “Fishbowl” conversation

• “Fishbowl” Preparation Sheet

• Conversation Builder Prompts

• Observation Sheet

• Rubric

___________________________________________________________________________

Check out these great products to supplement your study of The Tell-Tale Heart:

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Literature Guide

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Anticipation Guide and Lesson Plan

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Creative Writing Assignment on Perspective

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Figurative Language Challenge Activity

⭐ Unreliable Narrator of The Tell-Tale Heart Lesson Plan

More resources to round out your Edgar Allan Poe unit:

⭐ Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe PowerPoint

⭐ Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe Scavenger Hunt

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Bell Ringer Journal Prompts

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Crossword Puzzle

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Brochure

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe's Obituary

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Quote Posters

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Resource Bundle

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Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence