an ooligan teacher's guide

An Ooligan Teacher’s Guide

Genre: Flash Fiction (short stories under 500 words)

Grade Level: Advanced High School and College

Topics:

• Flash Fiction

• Global Literature

• Relationships

• Identity

• Personal Loss

• Anxiety

• Disillusionment

• Fantasy

You Have Time for This edited by Mark Budman

and Tom Hazuka

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You Have Time For ThisTeacher’s Guide

Book Description

Urge your busy students to rediscover the joys of reading by introducing them to the briefest of liter-ary commitments: flash fiction. This collection of fifty-three short stories—each under 500 words—is an exciting cross section of the flash fiction genre, exploring life through folk tales, fantastic metaphors, and the quiet lens of everyday humanity. Perfect for emerging writers, or as an introduction to the realm of contemporary short fiction, You Have Time for This is a quick read full of tension and conflict, as well as the simple desires and endeavors of life. Take a minute to sample a story—you’ll be hooked, and so will your students.

About the Editors

Mark Budman co–edits Vestal Review, a flash fiction magazine, and has been published widely. His first novel was released in May 2008. Budman has taught extensively on the subject of flash fiction at colleges and universities on the East Coast.

Tom Hazuka co–edited the first major flash fiction anthology, Flash Fiction, in 1992, as well as authoring three novels, one work of nonfiction, and more than thirty stories. He teaches English at Central Connecticut State University.

Introduction

You Have Time for This contains fifty-three pieces of flash fiction of 500 words or less. Brief yet dense, flash fiction is a wonderful way to engage students with reading and writing. Each of the following lessons may be easily adapted to the time constraints of a busy classroom.

You Have Time for Thisedited by Mark Budman

and Tom Hazuka

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You Have Time for This: DictionBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham

Grade Level: 11th–12th

Estimated Time: Each activity is given an estimated time allotment. Teachers can divide activities between class days as they choose.

Materials Needed: Read one of the following stories from You Have Time for This:

• “Reunification,” Steve Almond (p. 16)

• “Skins on Sule Skerry,” Sonya Taaffe (p. 72)

• “The House Broods Over Us,” Bruce Boston (p. 96)

• “Wrong,” Aimee Bender (p. 102)

Prerequisites

Students will need some prior knowledge of the conventions of fiction, such as plot, figurative language, diction, imagery, and perspective.

Overview

Because flash fiction is defined by its limited word count, attention to word choice is vital. Each word must pull its own weight. The author must make a choice: to use the broad or narrow, the curious or the understood. Diction must be considered when analyzing flash fiction, because no words were chosen on accident; flash fiction authors must prune their tales in order to pack all of the meaning into less and less space.

Activities

Pre-Reading Activity

(30 minutes): Compile a list of words that are typically devoid of specific meaning: “sad,” “mad,” “fun,” “bad,” “good,” etc. Have students write more descriptive words for each word and then share in groups or as a class. What are the differences between their answers? Why does one student write “furious” when another writes “irate”? What do the two words have in common? What makes them different?

Journal Entries/Prompts

(20 minutes): Have students choose one word from the list they created and write a piece of flash fiction based on the meaning of that word. They may brainstorm about what their word means to them. Have volunteers share their writing. Allow time to ask questions of the author.

(20 minutes): Have students read a short instruction manual, and have them use what they know about dic-tion to rewrite the manual using more effective language or word choice. Encourage students to choose a time period, an audience, or a setting to write their instructions. Have students share what they wrote and encour-age the class to discuss what the changes meant for the piece of writing.

Post-Reading Activities

(20 minutes): Have students choose one story and analyze it for diction. What was the author’s purpose? Did the word choice convey that purpose? What words were most interesting or relevant in the story?

(20 minutes): If all of the students read the same stories, compile a list of 7-10 words from each story. Have stu-dents work in groups of 2-4 and try to figure out which story each grouping of words belongs to. Which stories did each group choose and why? How did they know which words were in which story?

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You Have Time for This: DictionBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham

Oregon State Standards

EL.HS.RE.01 Read at an independent and instructional reading level appropriate to grade level.

EL.HS.RE.11 Identify and use the literal and figurative meanings of words and phrases.

EL.HS.LI.09 Identify various literary devices, including figurative language, imagery, allegory, and symbolism; evaluate the significance of the devices, and explain their appeal.

EL.HS.LI.13 Evaluate the impact of word choice and figurative language on tone, mood, and theme.

EL.HS.WR.01 Use a variety of strategies to prepare for writing, such as brainstorming, making lists, mapping, outlining, grouping related ideas, using graphic organizers, and taking notes.


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• “The Dead,” Beverly A. Jackson (p. 18)

• “Clawd,” G.W. Cox (p. 22)

• “All It Loves,” Avital Gad-Cykman (p. 46)

• “Memento Mori,” Susan O’Neill (p. 54)

• “Nebraska Men,” Sherrie Flick (p. 82)

Prerequisites

Prior knowledge would include an understanding of imagery in literature, how it is used effectively, and how it adds to or changes meaning for a story. These lessons do not cover the foundational concepts of imagery in literature; stu-dents should enter these activities ready to analyze.

Activities

Pre-Reading Activities

(20 minutes): Have students look at an image and write about what they see. Tell students that with this piece of writing, they want to be telling their readers what the picture they see looks like so the reader can recreate that image. When the students are finished, have them share their descriptions with the class. What was important in their image? What did some students see and not see? Were all of the images the same?

(30 minutes): Have students get in groups of five or more. Give one student a whole sheet of paper that has a line of imagery written on the top. None of the other students may see this line. Have the student with the paper sketch a picture of the line. Have that student then fold the paper over so that the line is hidden and only the image can be seen. The student will pass the image to the left. The second student will then write a line of text that they think describes the image the first student drew. The second student will fold the image so that it is hidden but that their line of text is still showing, and pass it to the third student. The third student will then draw a picture based on the line the second student wrote. Continue alternating between drawing and writing until all students have gone. Have the groups look at the sequence and discuss what happened, explain their choices, and analyze the original text. Have the groups present their experience to the class, discussing what went missing, what got exaggerated, and what stayed the same.

Journal Entry/Prompt:

(20 minutes): Have students choose a story and analyze the imagery. What are the images used in the story? What do they add? What would be missing without them? How does the author create these images in so few words?

Post-Reading Activity:

(15 minutes): Hand out colored pens or pencils and blank paper. Have students illustrate an image from one of these stories. Have students share their selections with the class, first showing the picture, then reading the lines aloud.

You Have Time for This: ImageryBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham


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You Have Time for This: ImageryBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham




EL.HS.LI.06 Identify themes in literary works, and provide support for interpretations from the text.




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You Have Time for This: Figurative LanguageBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham





• “Maybe a Superhero,” Deb Olin Unferth (p. 20)

• “Indian Casino,” David Schuman (p. 24)

• “The Man with the Shovel,” Chauna Craig (p. 26)

• “The Argument for a Shotgun,” L. E. Leone (p. 38)


• “Sleep-over,” Bonnie Jo Campbell (p. 60)

• “The Curse of Fat Face,” Michael A. Arnzen (p. 98)

• “La Luna de los Tres Limones,” Steve Frederick (p. 118)

Prerequisites

Prior knowledge would include a rudimentary knowledge of the terms and uses of figurative language. The following activities should be taught to students who have already covered the conventions and definitions of figurative lan-guage and are able to begin looking at how it functions in flash fiction.

Overview

Figurative language, such as metaphor, simile, metonymy, etc., is used often in flash fiction to expand the space of the story beyond the constraints of the literal.

Activities

Pre-Reading Activity:

(30+ minutes): Place five large pieces of parchment paper at various places around the room. On the top of each paper, write one type of figurative language; on the bottom, write a line from a story that contains that piece of figurative language. Divide the students into groups and have one group go to each piece of paper. Each group will rewrite the line without using figurative language. When finished, have students fold the paper so that only their line is showing and the phrase with the device is no longer visible. Have the groups switch. The students will now have the task of rewriting the line they see using figurative language. Have them fold the paper so that the figura-tive line they just wrote is showing. Continue this until every group has been to every paper. Bring the class back together and unfold the papers so that the back and forth translation can be seen step-by-step. Discuss what hap-pened, what changed, and the meaning behind the language.

Journal Entry/Prompt:

(30 minutes): Fill three bowls full of scraps of paper with words on them. Have one bowl be filled with nouns, the sec-ond with adjectives, and the third with phrases, clichés, or famous lines. Have students take two slips of paper from the first two bowls and one from the last. Explain that the phrase or sentence is the title of their short story and that the other four words need to be in the story. Have students pay attention to the figurative language in their stories. Have


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students share their stories with the class. Who used their words literally and who used them figuratively? Why were these choices made?

Post-Reading Activity:

(15 minutes): Have students pick a story from the reading list that is heavy with figurative language. In pairs, have students discuss what purpose, image, or feeling was accomplished by using figurative language instead of literal.

You Have Time for This: Figurative LanguageBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham







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You Have Time for This: Shifting TensesBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham


Estimated Time: 20-50 minutes

Materials Needed: Read “Lamp” by Sarah Arellano (p. 74) in You Have Time for This

Prerequisites

Students should be familiar with how verb tense and point of view are used in writing.

Overview

Students will experiment with multiple verb tenses within their writing.

Activities

Discuss:

Look closely at how the author uses the present, past, and future tenses to describe this woman and the memories of her. There is a complex use of perspective: while the woman holds the lamp, the speaker remembers the past and looks forward to the future. How realistically does this represent the thoughts of a disappointed lover?

Write:

Use multiple tenses to write a story like “Lamp.” You may have a character watching another character, as in “Lamp,” while imagining the past and looking forward to the future.




EL.HS.LI.11 Explain how voice and the choice of a narrator affect characterization and the tone, plot, and credibility of a text.


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You Have Time for This: Limited Omniscient Point of ViewBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham



Materials Needed: Read “Damn Irene” by Susan O’Neill (p. 40) in You Have Time for This

Prerequisites

Students should be familiar with point of view.

Overview

Discuss the implications of point of view in a literary text and be able to consciously employ the use of omniscient point of view in writing.

Activities

Discuss:

This story is told from third person point of view, but is limited to Harry’s perceptions of Irene. We are not privy to Irene’s thoughts, memories, and reactions to the action in the story. Is the point of view sympathetic to Harry, or to Irene?

Write:

Write a story with a limited omniscient point of view. You may provide a window into only one character’s experi-ence and thoughts. Will you be sympathetic to this character, or will you be condemning?



EL.HS.LI.09 Identify various literary devices, including figurative language, imagery, allegory, and symbolism; evaluate the significance of the devices and explain their appeal.

EL.HS.LI.11 Explain how voice and the choice of a narrator affect characterization and the tone, plot, and credibility of a text.


EL.HS.LI.15 Analyze the impact that literary form has on the author’s message or purpose.


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You Have Time for This: TitlesBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham




• “The Dark Side of the Moon,” Mark Budman (p. 34)

• “Utilitarianism,” Tom Hazuka (p. 122)

Prerequisites

Students should be able to identity themes and topics in literature.

Overview

Students analyze titles and the influence they have on a work of literature.

Activities

Discuss:

Titles can be very important to works of art. Take a short poem, and discuss how its title reveals or creates the meaning in the poem.

Write:

Write a short story whose title reveals or creates meaning, or revisit a previous story you’ve written and see if you can improve the story with a different title.



EL.HS.LI.06 Identify themes in literary works, and provide support for interpretations from the text.


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You Have Time for This: Suspense, Withholding InformationBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham


Estimated Time: 20–50 minutes


• “Sleeping,” Katharine Weber (p. 14)

• “Buddha’s Happy Family Jewels,” Vylar Kaftan (p. 58)

• “Family Therapy,” Pamela Painter (p. 66)

• “Snapdragons,” Alex Irvine (p. 86)

• “The Lothario,” M. J. Rose (p. 114)

Prerequisites

Students should be able to understand devices of plot, identify topics and themes in literature, and provide textual support.

Overview

Students will explore what makes stories suspenseful and how authors withhold information.

Activities

Discuss:

What is revealed at the end of this story? How is it revealed? How does this revelation change the entire story?

What is the reader’s experience while reading a story like this?

Think of these stories as answering a question at the end that the reader may or may not have had as they read.

Think of these stories as perhaps having a hidden plot or meaning that the author reveals at the end.

Write:

Students should write story with a twist or surprise at the end that answers a major question in the story or reveals a hidden plotline or meaning.



EL.HS.LI.10 Interpret and evaluate the impact of subtleties, contradictions, and ironies in a text.

EL.HS.LI.11 Explain how voice and narration affect characterization and the tone, plot, and credibility of a text.

EL.HS.LI.12 Analyze an author’s development of time and sequence, including the use of complex literary devices, such as foreshadowing or flashbacks.


EL.HS.LI.15 Analyze the impact literary form has on the author’s message or purpose.


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You Have Time for This: ReflexivityBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham



Materials Needed: Read “In Flight” by Michelle Richmond (p. 44) in You Have Time for This

Prerequisites

Students should have an understanding of literary devices and be able to provide textual support.

Overview

Students will analyze the literary device of reflexivity and apply it to their writing.

Activities

Discuss:

Reflexivity is a modern and postmodern device where art calls attention to itself as being “art.” In “In Flight,” the story looks at itself and announces its artifice and artificiality. It seems as if the author herself is speaking to us as we read along. What is the effect of these reflexive moments in the story? Do they make it less believable, or more? What are we being led to believe? How do we believe stories? How do we believe fiction?

Write:

Have students write their own reflexive story and think about the following questions in relation to their writing: Do you reveal the artifice of your story? Is this revealing an artifice of its own?







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You Have Time for This: Second Person Point of ViewBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham



Materials Needed: “7:23 p.m.” by Sherrie Flick (p. 62) in You Have Time for This

Prerequisites

Students should understand point of view.

Overview

Students will analyze the effect of second person point of view in writing and apply it to their writing.

Activities

Discuss:

This story is written in the form of a how-to essay, or process essay, using the second person point of view. This point of view is most commonly used to give instructions or advice. Consider the following questions: How is it used to tell a story? What is the story? Would the story be as effective as a first person narrative?

Write:

Have students write a story in the form of a how-to essay in the second person. Students may draft the sequence of events of their story first, and then translate it into the second person perspective. Have students reflect upon the following question: Do you think more of the reader when you write in this point of view?








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You Have Time for This: First and Last SentencesBy Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham



Materials Needed: Read “Skin Deep” by Robert Boswell (p. 126) in You Have Time for This

Prerequisites

Students should have a basic awareness of how literary devices work and familiarity with finding meaning within texts.

Overview

Students will explore how the first and last sentences of a story can be used as a literary device.

Activities

Discuss:

The word “coffee” is in the first and last sentences in “Skin Deep” and does not occur anywhere in between. How does the author use this cup of coffee to bookend the action in the story? How does it create meaning?

Write:

Write a story that contains an ambiguous object where the object is hinted at in the first sentence, mentioned in the last sentence, and does not appear in the rest of your story. This object may appear to have nothing to do with the action in the story. How does it alter, represent, or create the meaning of the action?








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You Have Time for This: What Can You Learn?By Miranda Cryns and Brian Graham



Materials Needed: Read “What You Can Learn in a Bar” by Robert Reynolds (p. 116) in You Have Time for This

Prerequisites

Students should be able to find meaning in a text as well as have basic familiarity with literary devices.

Activities

Discuss:

The narrator may not have expected to be taught anything. Have you ever learned something from an unexpected source? Describe a time where someone tried to teach you something.

Write:

Write a situation where one character tries to teach another character a lesson. Setting: Where does the story take place? Why are they there (you may not say, but you will know)? Characters: Who are they? What do they know?






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Other Potential Lesson Topics

Ambiguity


Characterization

• “Clawd,” G. W. Cox (p. 22)

Climax

• “Headless Angel,” Tom Hazuka (p. 50)

• “La Guaca,” Daniel A. Olivas (p. 52)

Description


• “Clawd,” G. W. Cox (p. 22)


• “Gatwick Blues,” Kay Sexton (p. 112)




• “A Room of Frozen Dust,” Marge Ballif Simon (p. 70)

Dialogue

• “Beer and Gunplay,” Neno Perrotta (p. 78)



• “Homeward Bound,” Tom Hazuka (p. 36)

• “The House and the Homeowner,” L. E. Leone (p. 88)


• “Rapture,” Gayle Brandeis (p. 90)

• “Skin Deep,” Robert Boswell (p. 126)


Foreshadowing


Grief




Memoir

• “Clawd,” G. W. Cox (p. 22)

• “The Diary of a Salaryman,” Mark Budman (p. 84)



Metaphor








Relationships

• “Bleached,” Jessica Treat (p. 76)

• “The Illustrated Woman,” Pedro Ponce (p. 80)

• “Lamp,” Sarah Arellano (p. 74)


Scene

• “Divadlo,” Dave Fromm (p. 106)


Tone

• “Damn Irene,” Susan O’Neill (p. 40)


Voice

• “Clawd,” G. W. Cox (p. 22)


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2nd Person

• “7:23 p.m.,” Sherrie Flick (p. 62)

3rd Person Omniscient

• “Bleached,” Jessica Treat (p. 76)


• “Exercise,” Bruce Taylor (p. 64)

• “The House and the Homeowner,” L. E. Leone (p. 88)

• “In Flight,” Michelle Richmond (p. 44)

• “La Guaca,” Daniel A. Olivas (p. 52)

• “The Man With the Shovel,” Chauna Craig (p. 26)

• “The Mouth,” Lincoln Michel (p. 100)

• “Nebraska Men,” Sherrie Flick (p. 82)

• “Skin Deep,” Robert Boswell (p. 126)


3rd Person Limited

• “Centerfold,” John Briggs (p. 104)

• “Damn Irene,” Susan O’Neill (p. 40)

• “Gatwick Blues,” Kay Sexton (p. 112)

• “The Lothario,” M.J. Rose (p. 114)



Stories by Point of View

1st Person Present



• “Beer and Gunplay,” Neno Perrotta (p. 78)



• “Divadlo,” Dave Fromm (p. 106)

• “Family Therapy,” Pamela Painter (p. 66)


• “Infarction,” Kellie Wells (p. 56)

• “Lamp,” Sarah Arellano (p. 74)

• “A Room of Frozen Dust,” Marge Ballif Simon (p. 70)


• “Three Soldiers,” Bruce Holland Rogers (p. 124)

• “What You Can Learn in a Bar,” Robert Reynolds (p. 116)

1st Person Past

• “Black Silk,” Ian Randall Wilson (p. 42)

• “Clawd,” G. W. Cox (p. 22)


• “The Diary of a Salaryman,” Mark Budman (p. 84)




• “The Human Pyramid,” Neno Perrotta (p. 94)

• “The Illustrated Woman,” Pedro Ponce (p. 80)

• “La Luna de los Tres Limones,” Steve Frederick (p. 118)


• “No Questions Asked,” Patrick Weekes (p. 128)

• “On Holiday,” Chauna Craig (p. 108)

• “Parting Ways,” Randall DeVallance (p. 30)

• “Rapture,” Gayle Brandeis (p. 90)



• “The Story of You,” Justine Musk (p. 32)


• “Wrong,” Aimee Bender (p. 102)

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