Another is 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant. A woman borrows a diamond necklace for a party, loses it, and spends years in poverty trying to replace it. In the end, she discovers the original necklace was fake. This story teaches lessons about vanity and the value of truth.
One interesting middle school level short story is 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry. It tells the story of a young couple who are very poor but deeply in love. They each sacrifice their most precious possession to buy a gift for the other. It shows the selfless nature of love.
One interesting middle school short story could be about a group of friends who form a secret club to save an old tree in their schoolyard from being cut down. They hold rallies and talk to the school board, and in the end, they succeed.
A middle school short story might be about a girl who loves art but is discouraged by her teacher. However, she doesn't give up. She enters an art competition secretly and wins. Her talent is finally recognized, which is a great example of perseverance in the face of discouragement.
There's also 'Cinderella'. It's a well - known story about a kind - hearted girl who is mistreated by her step - mother and sisters. With the help of her fairy godmother, she gets to go to the ball and in the end, marries the prince. This story has elements of kindness, hope and the idea that good things can happen to good people.
They are great for teaching literary devices. For example, students can learn about foreshadowing in a short story like 'The Monkey's Paw'. By analyzing how the author hints at future events, students understand how to create suspense in writing.
Some good high school senior level short stories include 'The Most Dangerous Game'. It's a thrilling story about a man who becomes the prey in a sadistic game on an island. There's also 'The Necklace'. In this story, a woman borrows a necklace to look rich at a party but then loses it, and spends years in poverty trying to replace it, only to find out the original was a fake. 'Flowers for Algernon' is a thought - provoking one too. It follows a man with a low IQ who has an operation to become intelligent, and then experiences the downsides of it.
One of the best middle school short stories is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. It's a thought - provoking story that shows how blindly following tradition can lead to cruel outcomes. The plot is set in a small town where an annual lottery is held, but the 'prize' is not what one would expect.
There was a middle school couple where the girl was really into art and the boy liked music. They often spent their lunch breaks together. The girl would draw pictures for the boy, and the boy would play the guitar for her. However, as they entered different high schools, they gradually drifted apart. It was a bit sad but also a normal part of growing up.
One interesting BuzzFeed middle school story could be about the crazy school pranks that students pulled. For example, there was a story where students switched all the classroom signs around, which led to teachers going to the wrong rooms in the morning and it was total chaos.
One middle school couple story could be about a boy and a girl who were study partners. They would meet in the library every day after school to work on their homework together. Over time, they developed feelings for each other. They would share their snacks and joke around during breaks. Eventually, they went to the school dance together as a couple, and it was really sweet.
One interesting middle school age story could be about a group of friends forming a secret club. They had their own handshake and password, and they met in an old treehouse to talk about their dreams and fears. It was a place where they could be themselves without any judgment from adults or other classmates.