Special Collection: Top Stories for Teaching Mood
Our top stories, videos, lesson plans, and activities for exploring mood
Hunting a Snake-Headed Monster
A thrilling play based on the Greek myth of Perseus and Medusa
Learning objective: to consider the mood of a single scene in a drama
The Nothing
Whatever you do, don’t look behind you.
Learning objective: to identify the mood in a work of fiction and explore how the author creates that mood, then write a sequel staying true to the mood of the story
Frankenstein
This thrilling adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic horror story is paired with an editorial about the possible ramifications of developing super-smart artificial intelligence.
Learning objective: to consider the mood of a single scene in a drama
Lost in the Woods
Two kids are lost in a terrifying forest. Can a golden retriever find them before it’s too late?
Learning objective: to explore how author Lauren Tarshis creates mood in the introduction of a narrative nonfiction article
Mountain of Doom
Journey 2,000 years into the past, to the day Mount Vesuvius erupted.
Learning objective: to explore how author Lauren Tarshis creates mood in 2 sections of a narrative nonfiction article
Bearing Up
A boy comes face to face with his worst nightmare.
Learning objective: to consider the mood of a passage from a work of fiction
Hunting a Snake-Headed Monster: Allan Davey; The Nothing: Mimadeo/Shutterstock.com (background); JETACOM AUTOFOCUS/Shutterstock.com (branch); Jean du Boisberranger/Getty Images (tree trunk); Frankenstein: Allan Davey; Lost in the Woods:Stone36/Shutterstock.com (woods); Jeka/Shutterstock.com (girls) ; Mountain of Doom: Gary Hanna; Bearing Up: Gary Hanna