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?