Description
“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry is a timeless short story that fits perfectly into Christmas and holiday season lessons. With its focus on love, sacrifice, and generosity, this classic text consistently resonates with students and sparks meaningful discussion.
In this short story literary analysis and reading guide, students use a side-by-side format that places the full text in one column and guiding questions in the next. This structure makes it easy for students to pause, annotate, and cite textual evidence as they read, while also supporting close reading and comprehension in real time.
The resource includes the complete short story, along with during-reading and after-reading questions that guide students through both comprehension and literary analysis. Clear answer keys are provided to support instruction and assessment.
To build background knowledge and extend learning, students also complete an academic vocabulary graphic organizer, a before-reading journal prompt, and an after-reading creative project that allows them to reflect on the story’s themes in a more personal and engaging way.
This lesson is ideal for middle school or high school ELA, especially during the holiday season, and works well as either a stand-alone short story study or part of a larger literature unit focused on theme, irony, and character development.