The Overcoat Lesson Plan

Stories without Endings

Kind of Activity:

Creative Writing

Objective:

Students will experiment with writing ambiguous endings for stories.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3

Structure:

“Ivan Fyodorovich Shponka and His Aunt” begins with the disclaimer that there is no ending to the story. Indeed, the story ends on a cliffhanger. In this activity, students will work with stories that do not have endings.

Begin the activity with a short discussion about “Ivan Fyodorovich Shponka and His Aunt.” Ask students some or all of the following questions:

-What is the effect of the story not having an ending?

-Why are endings in stories important?

-What are some...