The Monkey’s Paw Short Story Unit – 24 Pages of Activities, Printables & More

Description

Use the classic creepy three-wishes short story, “The Monkey’ Paw” to teach your high school and advanced middle school students literary analysis while practicing critical ELA standards and skills–from foreshadowing and theme to vocabulary, textual evidence and more.

This engaging 24-page “Monkey’s Paw” unit includes a wide variety of activities, including:

• Full text of the story so that students can read closely and annotate the text as they go

• Thought-provoking pre- and post- reading journal prompts and discussion questions

• An engaging anticipation guide to activate students’ prior knowledge and introduce themes

• A pre- and post- vocabulary inventory to gauge student understanding of words and monitor growth

• A vocabulary builder graphic organizer to help students connect to and remember new words

• Comprehension questions to ensure students understand key events and characters

• A plot diagram that students can use to summarize the story and identify critical events

• Foreshadowing and Textual Evidence close reading activity and graphic organizer in which students cite passages within the story that foreshadow future events

• A theme activity in which students analyze multiple themes from the story, then connect them to contemporary music of their choice

• An extended thinking activity in which students use creative and critical thinking to create their own wish list along with possible consequences

The vast array of activities for this classic horror story make differentiation easy! The versatile “Monkey’s Paw” unit can be used for individual or group assignments, interventions and/or extension activities, or even as stations through which students can rotate. Great for Halloween or any time of year!

Detailed answer keys are, of course, included, to help make busy teacher lives easier–all with no-prep, print-and-go convenience.

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WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Amazing resource! The best thing out there for this story!” –Lyndsey C.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This was an awesome no prep support for our reading of The Monkey’s Paw. I found it had more than enough challenging and interesting activities for the whole unit so I didn’t have to spend nights and weekends creating my own because my school curriculum options were less than engaging.” —Angela L.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The A.P who was doing a walkthrough 🙂 loved it, and my students had a blast!” —Imani A.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “My students really enjoyed reading this story for our Halloween unit in October. They were really engaged by the story and I loved the questions that went with it. They really helped get them thinking critically! I didn’t have to make any adjustments for my 11th grades with learning disabilities or EL students – thanks for a great resource with minimal prep work!” –Jen A.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Everything was easy to use and engaging for my students with special needs.” –Kristin G.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “My students were engaged from beginning to end.” –Anitress G.

Common Core Standards Covered:

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.