Secondary ELA: Sample Realistic Fiction Story w/ Analysis Activities

Embrace the world of realistic fiction with "The Best Friend", a captivating short story accompanied by ready-to-use analytical activities. Ideally suited for a 1-2 day substitute plan or as a prelude to an expansive realistic fiction writing unit, this resource includes comprehensive response queries and a detailed essay task designed to refine analytical prowess and expository writing abilities.

Penned by Richard Post, "The Best Friend" immerses readers in an arena of believable characters and genuine life scenarios. As students explore the narrative, they will decipher its underlying themes, examine its characters and dissect the storyline. Stimulating response questions will encourage critical analysis and enhance students' comprehension of the narrative. In addition, the integrated essay assignment nurtures robust analytical and expository writing skills, empowering students to articulate their perspectives with eloquence and exactness.

"The Best Friend" provides more than mere entertainment; it serves as an invaluable exemplar of student writing. Engaging with this narrative, students can glean inspiration for their realistic fiction writing and adopt the author's techniques. They will investigate character evolution, plot architecture, and the crafting of relatable narratives, equipping them to become accomplished storytellers.

Whether you're in search of an intriguing substitute plan or a compelling primer for realistic fiction writing, "The Best Friend" and its attendant analytical activities are poised to stimulate and challenge your students. Immerse them in the realm of realistic fiction and observe their critical thinking and writing capabilities bloom.

Your download package includes the following components:

• The exclusive short story, "The Best Friend," authored by Richard Post for The Language of Educational Art.

• Nine inclusive response questions (inclusive of answer key) aimed at deepening students' understanding of the structure and thematic concepts present in realistic fiction narratives.

• A self-verifying Easel activity iteration of the analytical questions.

• A comprehensive literary analysis essay task that builds on students' thematic comprehension of "The Best Friend" and the structural facets of fictional narratives (valued at 40 points and linked to four Common Core Standards).

SYNOPSIS OF ‘THE BEST FRIEND':

Ryan and Ben take a study break to challenge each other on a disorienting race around Ben's family home. While their competition unfolds, the narrative explores the dynamics and importance of enduring friendship.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Richard Post came late to writing YA literature, but he has been a storyteller and raconteur his entire life. When he’s not writing short stories for The Language of Educational Art, he enjoys fishing for rock bass on Higgins Lake, hunting pheasants on the farms of mid-Michigan, bottling sun pickles (here's his famous recipe), hosting “whoopie” parties for his grandchildren, and playing cribbage. He lives with his wife Beverly in St. Louis, Michigan and Orange Beach, Alabama.

Although this resource can be fitted for any secondary Language Arts classroom, it has been carefully designed to work best in grades 9 through 12. The included activities and rubric are subtly but specifically tied to Common Core ELA Standards for Language (1 and 2), Reading Literature (2), and Writing (2). This resource is provided as a print-ready, bookmarked, and adjustable PDF file.

This resource contains 9 pages.