BJ Novak Short Stories — Complete Reading & Analytical Writing Unit (Grades 8–10)

A ready-to-teach, 2–3 week sequence that takes students from baseline writing → high-engagement close reading → scaffolded practice → formative & summative analytical writing. Built around short, funny, and incisive stories from B.J. Novak’s One More Thing, this bundle gives you the pacing, slides, printables, Google Docs, and rubrics—so you can focus on teaching.

What’s inside (7 products)

1. Full Pacing Guide & Links
   Day-by-day flow for reading, discussion, mini-lessons, writing practice, and assessments (with direct links to each resource).
2. Analytical Paragraph Pre-Assessment Pack
   Four short, high-interest texts with prompts, organizers, and rubric to quickly baseline claims/evidence/reasoning and analysis.
3. “The Rematch” Lesson Pack
   • Version 1: Reading questions + classwork on characterization, diction, theme
   • Version 2: Adds paragraph structure, CER/Quotation Sandwich, and quotation integration practice
4. “The Girl Who Gave Great Advice” Lesson Pack
   • Version 1: Reading lesson + slide deck (mood, tone, irony, sarcasm)
   • Version 2: Differentiated tone paragraph practice (print + digital)
5. Four-Story Reading Pack
   All You Have to Do, The Beautiful Girl in the Bookstore, The Impatient Billionaire & the Mirror for Earth, Missed Connection
   Reading questions, classwork, and mini-slides to compare tone → theme, allegory/satire, relationships & social dynamics. Includes optional writing prompts page.
6. “I Never Want to Walk on the Moon” Lesson Pack
   Reading questions + mini-lesson on symbolism/irony/tone, bonus passage analysis, and differentiated analytical paragraph options (2-prompt and 3-prompt versions with organizers and sentence frames).
7. Novak Summative Analytical Paragraph Assessment (Differentiated)
   Students choose the story and one of 3 leveled prompts (characterization; irony & theme; language devices → theme). Includes graphic organizers, sentence frames, rubric, and peer review worksheet (print + Google Docs).

Skills & focus

• Close reading; characterization; diction; tone, mood, irony, symbolism, theme
• Evidence selection, quotation integration, CER/quotation sandwich
• Analytical paragraph writing (scaffolded → independent), peer review, and revision

Why teachers love this bundle

• High engagement with short, witty texts students actually read
• Plug-and-play: PDFs, Google Docs, and slide decks are classroom-ready
• Differentiated: leveled prompts, sentence frames, organizers, exemplars
• Works for whole-class, small-group, or independent practice; great for sub days

Length: 2–3 weeks (adjustable) • Grades: 8–10 (adaptable up/down) • Formats: PDF + Google Docs + Slides

Notes

• Texts not included: You’ll need your own copies of the B.J. Novak stories (One More Thing).
• Content note: Some stories include profanity. Materials invite discussion of diction and audience-appropriate language.
• License: Single-teacher classroom use. Digital download; all sales final.

💡 Individually, these resources add up to $84 — but you get the entire unit for just $39.