Curriculum / ELA / 8th Grade / Unit 16: Twisting Expectations: Horror Short Stories / Lesson 2
ELA
Unit 16
8th Grade
Lesson 2 of 20
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Analyze the development and impact of the twist ending in "Click-Clack the Rattlebag."
Short Story: “Click-Clack the Rattlebag” by Neil Gaiman
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Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved.
How does the twist at the end of Gaiman's "Click-Clack the Rattlebag" support the idea that things are not always as they seem?
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Questions about the text that will help guide the students understanding
How is the boy characterized in the first twenty paragraphs of the story? What specific lines of text develop the reader's understanding of the boy?
Reread paragraphs 24–42. How does the narrator feel about the boy in these paragraphs? What specific lines of text develop the reader's understanding of the narrator's feelings?
What does the narrator think of the Click-Clacks as the boy describes them? Provide at least two pieces of evidence from the text to support your answer.
Why does the author include paragraph 52 in this story? How does it connect to the ending of the story?
Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text
horror
a genre of literature, film, and television that is meant to scare, startle, shock, or even disgust the audience
twist (ending)
n.
when the ending of a text is significantly different from what was expected, which causes the reader to view prior events and/or characters from a different perspective. A twist ending is often a result of information that is withheld for the majority of the text and then revealed.
Reading and/or task to be completed at home in preparation for the next lesson.
Reread "Click-Clack the Rattlebag."
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RL.8.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.8.3 — Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit
L.8.6 — Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
RL.8.1 — Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.8.10 — By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6—8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
SL.8.1 — Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.8.6 — Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
W.8.1 — Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
W.8.1.a — Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
W.8.1.b — Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
W.8.4 — Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.8.9 — Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
W.8.9.a — Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new").
W.8.10 — Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Next
Explain how author Neil Gaiman develops suspense in "Click-Clack the Rattlebag."
Explain the science behind why many people enjoy scary stories, experiences, and movies.
Standards
RI.8.2
RL.8.2RL.8.3
RL.8.3RL.8.4RL.8.6
Analyze the impact of the lottery tradition on the mood and actions of townspeople in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery."
RL.8.3RL.8.4
Identify examples of foreshadowing and analyze the message Shirley Jackson is trying to convey about human nature in her short story, "The Lottery."
Explain how characters' perspectives differ in "The Monkey's Paw."
Unpack a prompt, study a Mentor Text, and gather evidence in preparation for writing a paragraph response.
W.8.1W.8.5
Outline and draft a paragraph response, including a strong claim statement, quoted textual evidence, and a concluding statement.
W.8.1W.8.1.aW.8.1.cW.8.1.e
Draft and revise a paragraph response, focusing on writing strong analysis.
W.8.1W.8.1.aW.8.1.b
Analyze Ursula K. Le Guin's use of foreshadowing, perspective, and situational irony to create meaning in "The Wife's Story."
RL.8.3RL.8.6
Explain how Shane Hawk develops suspense in "Behind Colin's Eyes."
RL.8.4RL.8.6
Analyze the impact of Shane Hawk's resolution in "Behind Colin's Eyes".
Analyze how Poe develops the character of the narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart" and determine whether the narrator is reliable or unreliable.
Engage in a Socratic Seminar with peers, responding directly to others by rephrasing and delineating arguments, determining the strength of evidence, and posing clarifying questions.
SL.8.1SL.8.1.aSL.8.1.bSL.8.4
Unpack a prompt, study a Mentor Text, and begin a plan for rewriting a scene from a horror story.
W.8.3W.8.5
Brainstorm and create an outline for a scene from a horror story rewritten from the perspective of the villain.
W.8.3W.8.3.aW.8.3.bW.8.5
Draft the first part of a horror story rewritten from the perspective of the villain and include sensory details.
W.8.3W.8.3.aW.8.3.bW.8.3.d
Complete a draft of your horror story and add linking words.
W.8.3W.8.3.c
Provide and incorporate peer feedback, and self-assess using a rubric.
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