Short Story Assignment – Reader Engagement · Short Story Assignment – Reader Engagement...
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Short Story Assignment – Reader Engagement Assignment: Develop an activity/task to engage readers in a short story. Method: • Know your short story well. Read it at least three times. • Decide on an activity, game, task, or exercise that will push readers back into the story. • What does “engage” mean? To connect; to reconsider; to explore; to alter perspectives; to empathize, to expand thinking. • State your task. Explain the connection to your task and the story. Explain the purpose of this task. List materials needed for the task. Write out the instructions for that task. Provide an example/proof of testing from fellow students. Below is one of my activities for “Flowers for Algernon”. FOLLOW this FORMAT ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Task: Write a T.A.T. (Thematic Apperception Test). Connection to “Flowers for Algernon”: Prior to his intelligence surgery, Charlie must participate in a number of intellectual and creative tests. The tests confuse Charlie. He especially dislikes the T.A.T because it requires him to create stories about images. He sees it as “making up lies about people.” Purpose: This task will both enable readers to understand the T.A.T. (many will have never done this test) and to empathise with Charlie. It also acts as short-story writing practice. Materials: • T.A.T. images. These can be printed hard copies or projected from a computer. • Writing materials: paper and pens. Instructions: 1. The leader/teacher shows an example of a T.A.T. image. Have students verbally create a story about the image. 2. Remind students to create a story. They are not describing the image. 3. Encourage details. In particular, it helps to name the “characters” in the T.A.T. image. 4. After practicing verbally, distribute paper and pens. 5. Show a new T.A.T. image. 6. Give a time limit to complete the story. (Recommended time: 6-8 minutes.) 7. After writing, have students swap their stories and read them. Ask for individual students to read the most interesting or creative responses. Example/Proof of testing: On the next page is an example from a student, Bill Shaw.
Transcript of Short Story Assignment – Reader Engagement · Short Story Assignment – Reader Engagement...
Short Story Assignment – Reader Engagement
Assignment: Develop an activity/task to engage readers in a short story. Method:
• Know your short story well. Read it at least three times. • Decide on an activity, game, task, or exercise that will push readers back into
the story. • What does “engage” mean? To connect; to reconsider; to explore; to alter
perspectives; to empathize, to expand thinking. • State your task. Explain the connection to your task and the story. Explain
the purpose of this task. List materials needed for the task. Write out the instructions for that task. Provide an example/proof of testing from fellow students.
Below is one of my activities for “Flowers for Algernon”. FOLLOW this FORMAT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Task: Write a T.A.T. (Thematic Apperception Test). Connection to “Flowers for Algernon”: Prior to his intelligence surgery, Charlie must participate in a number of intellectual and creative tests. The tests confuse Charlie. He especially dislikes the T.A.T because it requires him to create stories about images. He sees it as “making up lies about people.” Purpose: This task will both enable readers to understand the T.A.T. (many will have never done this test) and to empathise with Charlie. It also acts as short-story writing practice. Materials:
• T.A.T. images. These can be printed hard copies or projected from a computer. • Writing materials: paper and pens.
Instructions: 1. The leader/teacher shows an example of a T.A.T. image. Have students verbally create a story about the image. 2. Remind students to create a story. They are not describing the image. 3. Encourage details. In particular, it helps to name the “characters” in the T.A.T. image. 4. After practicing verbally, distribute paper and pens. 5. Show a new T.A.T. image. 6. Give a time limit to complete the story. (Recommended time: 6-8 minutes.) 7. After writing, have students swap their stories and read them. Ask for individual students to read the most interesting or creative responses. Example/Proof of testing: On the next page is an example from a student, Bill Shaw.
T.A.T. Image
Student story by Bill Shaw
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"GRADING"–"You"will"be"graded"according"to"the"following"criteria:""
1. Your"chosen"activity"has"a"valid"connection"to"the"short"story."2. Your"activity"is"well!planned"and"will"engage"readers."3. You"have"followed"the"format"listed"in"the"instructions."Your"instructions"are"clearly"
written"and"easy"to"follow."4. Your"activity"has"proof"of"testing."
" Martha Vajda is Roy’s mother. Martha has always expected Roy to follow in her footsteps and take over the family bakery. “Vajda’s Pies and Sourdough” is a hundred year old family legacy. It was opened pre-World War I and is the reason that the family didn’t starve to death during hard times. Roy, however, has no wish to be a baker. At this moment he’s just told his mother that he intends to return to school in order to gain his M.B.A. and become and accountant. Martha turns away, ashamed that her only son would abandon his heritage. Roy realizes that although it’s breaking his mother’s heart, he must follow his own heart’s desire. Additionally, Vajda’s bakery is failing from poor financial practices. With a strong education in business and financial practices, Roy believes he can save the bakery and his family legacy.
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