Happy Halloween: Tag Someone

Looking for something Halloweeny and fun as we nudge our way through the final term of the year? Today's post features a Stage 4 or 5-aimed story (depending on ability) that would work as part of a wider Horror-themed unit that aims to teach generic conventions, or even just as a stand-alone lesson focused on creative writing.  

Before looking at the story, students will need to be primed on short story structure. If they're not familiar, this could involve brainstorming or copying some notes that covers the following:

Structuring a Short Story

There are three main parts to every short story: a beginning, a middle, and an ending. These parts are referred to by these terms:

1. Orientation = the beginning. This should contain enough information for the reader to know what is going on, who the characters are, what the setting is, etc.
2. Complication = the middle. This presents a problem to be solved, increases tension, and requires a response.
3. Resolution = the ending. This is where the complication gets resolved.

Sometimes a story can move these three parts around; some stories begin with the complication and then have a flashback to an orientation. The resolution can also take one of the four main following forms:

• Cliffhanger: a story that ends by resolving one complication with the addition of a new one, or leaves a key question unanswered.
• Twist: something unexpected and surprising happens; usually foreshadowed.
• Reflection: the protagonist (or another character) thinks back on the events of the story and considers what they have learned.
• Circular: the story ends where it began.
  

Reading a Short Story

The story is only three pages long so it's easy enough to cover in one lesson with time for some follow-up. Read through 'Tag Someone' with the students (you would probably want to do this soon, I suspect the technology referenced in the story will become out of date before we know it) and then have some time discussing it a little. 

Story is here: Tag Someone.

Analysing a Short Story

Students then analyse the components with some connection to thinking about the horror genre in particular. The worksheet below covers the purpose of an orientation, how the complication functions as a reflection of the horror genre and the way it explores the fears of our times, and the type of resolution that has been used by the author. 

Worksheet here: Tag Questions.

If you have more time afterwards, students could be asked to start thinking of their own short horror story, the fear they'd like to explore, and how they would structure it.

Happy Halloween :) 

Disclaimer: The above activity was written specifically for this blog.