Description
This product includes a complete set of lesson plans centered on the classic short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs, making it an engaging and structured option for teaching suspense, theme, and cause-and-effect in literature.
Students begin with an activating strategy that introduces key ideas from the story through a word sort, followed by a before-reading journal prompt that builds curiosity and personal connection. Instruction then focuses on essential short story terms, including plot, conflict, mood, setting, and theme, to ensure students have a strong foundation before reading.
As students read “The Monkey’s Paw,” they complete reading comprehension questions and close reading text analysis questions that require careful attention to detail and the use of textual evidence. Students also work through a plot diagram and theme analysis, helping them trace how the story’s events build tension and reinforce its cautionary message.
To conclude the lesson, students choose from a learning menu of final project options, allowing them to demonstrate understanding in a creative and meaningful way. Complete answer keys are included for all activities, along with an editable Word document so teachers can easily modify the lesson to fit their classroom needs. The full text of the story is also provided, making this a ready-to-use resource for middle school or high school ELA units focused on suspense, irony, and classic short stories.