Welcome to The Art of Literature: Famous Short Stories Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

What makes literature an art form? Just as artists use various media to prompt thought and evoke emotion, writers use words to paint mental pictures for readers to imagine and reflect upon. Through twenty-four stand-alone units, students learn to recognize the themes of famous short stories and explore how to express them through art projects. Complete directions for the projects are included, along with discussion points, quizzes, and answer keys.

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The Art of Literature: Famous Short Stories

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Length: 24 weeks
Content type: Text based
Grades: 9–12


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Getting Started with The Art of Literature: Famous Short Stories Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

The Art of Literature: Famous Short Stories investigates twenty-four well-known stories through art projects and thematic investigation. The stories are presented in stand-alone units, so they may be done in any combination or order.

Overview

  • 24 weeks
  • Text based
  • Grades: 9–12

Supplies Needed

Corresponding lessons on SchoolhouseTeachers.com; Internet access or library books; a wide variety of art supplies

What to Do

Go to Class Lessons and download the lesson plan and lessons. Start with Week 1 Day 1. If using the lesson plan, follow the instructions each day on the lesson plan and check them off when completed.

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Course Sample for The Art of Literature: Famous Short Stories Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

To view a full sample of this course, click here.

The Art of Literature: Famous Short Stories
by Gena Suarez

“The Celestial Railroad” by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Where to Find: The Celestial Railroad* on Project Gutenberg

Overview

Written in Massachusetts in 1843, “The Celestial Railroad” is an allegorical short story, serving as a satirical reimagining of John Bunyan’s “The Pilgrim’s Progress.” With approximately 6,300 words, it critiques modern Christianity and the idea of an easy path to salvation.

Themes

  • Faith versus Convenience (Matthew 7:13-14, James 1:22)
  • True Spirituality versus Superficial Religion (Matthew 23:27-28, Isaiah 29:13)
  • Progress and Modernization in Religious Context (Jeremiah 6:16, Hebrews 13:8)
  • Summary

The narrator embarks on a train journey to the Celestial City, a modern alternative to the arduous pilgrimage in Bunyan’s tale. Along the way, he encounters various characters and locations from “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” now altered to reflect a more comfortable and less spiritually demanding journey. The train passes through places like the Slough of Despond (now bridged) and Vanity Fair (now a respectable town). However, as they approach the final river crossing, the narrator realizes the train cannot reach the Celestial City, and the easy journey has been an illusion.

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Transcript Information for The Art of Literature: Famous Short Stories Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

The Art of Literature: Famous Short Stories homeschool language arts course is worth between 0.5 and 1.0 academic credits upon successful completion of all twenty-four units, depending on how many hours are devoted to the course. Typically, 160 to 180* hours represent a full credit.

*Please be informed of your state’s academic requirements.

Visit our High School Help page for resources and information about:

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Course Outline for The Art of Literature: Famous Short Stories Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

The units in this course may be done in any order or combination. The units may also take longer than a week if needed.

  • Week 1: “The Celestial Railroad” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • Week 2: “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
  • Week 3: “A Scandal in Bohemia” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
  • Week 4: “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • Week 5: “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe
  • Week 6: “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving
  • Week 7: “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen
  • Week 8: “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry
  • Week 9: “The Selfish Giant” by Oscar Wilde
  • Week 10: “An Angel in Disguise” by T.S. Arthur
  • Week 11: “The Happy Prince” by Oscar Wilde
  • Week 12: “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury
  • Week 13: “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant
  • Week 14: “The Ransom of Red Chief” by O. Henry
  • Week 15: “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain
  • Week 16: “A Retrieved Reformation” by O. Henry
  • Week 17: “The Open Window” by Saki (H.H. Munro)
  • Week 18: “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs
  • Week 19: “The Fun They Had” by Isaac Asimov
  • Week 20: “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” by James Thurber
  • Week 21: “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry
  • Week 22: “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • Week 23: “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut
  • Week 24: “There Will Come Soft Rains” by Ray Bradbury

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More About The Art of Literature: Famous Short Stories Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

With art projects ranging from painting and multi-media collages to sculpting and dioramas, this course is perfect for the high-school hands-on learner to appreciate literature through the lens of art.

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Quick Start

1.  Bookmark the course for easy access during instruction.

2. Click “View Lesson Plan” and organize as desired (on computer desktop or in a printed format). 

3.  Gather necessary resources as listed in the lesson plan.

4.  Click “Go to Class Lessons” and get started.

5.  Enjoy the course!

6.  Utilize Applecore or your own record keeping system throughout the course.

7.  Print a certificate of completion.

Need help? Check out our tutorials or click the live chat box in the corner of your screen.

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