This course is designed for students who like to read but don't want to necessarily delve into a novel.  Short stories are a great way to improve reading comprehension as well as literary-analysis skills. 

Each class, we will read together a famous short story; I will stop at certain points and check for understanding.  After reading, I will allow time for students to discuss their thoughts and feelings about the story's plot.  We will then analyze the story for literary elements such as symbolism, figurative language, tone/mood, irony, and theme.  Because this is an ongoing class, learners can feel comfortable joining at any point in the schedule.

The schedule for this class is as follows:

February 16: "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros
February 23: "The Flowers" by Alice Walker
March 2: "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
(we will not meet on March 9)
March 16: "All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury
March 23: "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
March 30: "Thank You, M'am" by Langston Hughes
April 6: "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl
April 13: "An Hour With Abuelo," by Judith Ortiz Cofer