Suspense is the easiest way to get a whole class reading closely. These stories teach irony, foreshadowing, mood and unreliable narrators better than any worksheet, and students actually want to talk about them.
The Tell-Tale Heart and The Lottery units come with separate middle school and high school tracks, two slide decks each, and full answer keys. Pair them with the quick SCR and ECR prompts for the other stories.
12 resources, each one yours to keep once you buy it
The ultimate unit for Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart": the full story in 4 versions, separate middle school (7–8) and high school (English I & II) tracks, unreliable narrator, irony, suspense, symbolism, a Detective's Case File, tests, SCRs, ECRs and two slide decks. CCSS + TEKS.
Curriculum unit · 7–10 · $14
The ultimate unit for Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" with separate middle school (7–8) and high school (English I & II) tracks: irony, foreshadowing, symbolism, allegory, author's craft, historical context, tests, SCRs, ECRs, projects and two slide decks. CCSS + TEKS.
Curriculum unit · 7–10 · $14
Eight original suspense stories with inference questions, SCRs, ECRs and creative prompts.
Short story unit · 6–10 · $9.99
Five gothic Halloween projects plus an ELL-friendly "House of Usher" reading week: a symbolism jack-o'-lantern, an omen exhibit with "The Raven," a legend research lab, a design-a-haunt writing project and a ghost story contest with awards.
Project pack · 7–12 · $8
A tradition-themed quick write, mystery-tradition game, and prediction exit ticket before "The Lottery."
Pre-reading activity · 8–10, Higher Ed · $5
Seven SCR prompts for "The Lottery," on slides and in a printable doc.
Writing lesson · 8–10 · $4
A survival-themed warm-up, island scenario, and predator/prey game to set up "The Most Dangerous Game."
Pre-reading activity · 8–10 · $4
Five SCR prompts for "The Most Dangerous Game," on slides and in a printable doc.
Writing lesson · 8–10 · $4
A Mystery Box game, warm-up prompts, and a prediction exit ticket to open "Lamb to the Slaughter."
Pre-reading activity · 8–10 · $5
Eight SCR prompts for "Lamb to the Slaughter" with a CER walkthrough and SCR rubric slides.
Writing lesson · 8–10 · $5
Five SCR prompts and slides for Roald Dahl's "The Landlady," with an SCR walkthrough.
Writing lesson · 8–10 · $5
Your teacher has been cursed into a ghost: 12 Halloween ELA puzzle stations to save them.
Escape room · 5–8 · $9.99
Christmas & Winter
STAAR Prep
SCR & ECR Writing
TSI Essay Prep
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