Great Short Stories (and lesson plans) for the End of the School Year

Although we all love National Poetry Month, we love when it ends because that means summer vacation approaches. But there’s still a month left. May is not the time for English Romantic poetry, Victorian novels, or James Joyce. May is the time for high interest short stories. May is the time for short stories easy […]

Realism in Mark Twain’s Short Stories: The Realism of “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”

The Notorious Principal of Wastemytime School District In compliance with the request of an administrator of mine, who sent me in an e-mail, I called on good-natured, garrulous old Mr. Teachtoolong, and inquired after my administrator’s favorite writer, Leonidas W. Smiley, as requested to do, and I hereunto append the result. I have a lurking […]

Conflict in Literature: 7 Great Short Story Upsets

In honor of the Rhinos 2-0 upset victory in the Henderson Parks and Rec U10 soccer league, I bring you the seven greatest upsets in literature. Before we get to our list of the greatest short story upsets of all time, I want to make sure you get something useful for your classroom: Understanding Conflict […]