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Hexagonal Thinking Helps Ninth Graders Deepen Their Study of Storytelling and Literary Analysis

Ninth-grade English students are wrapping up their short story unit with a collaborative Hexagonal Thinking exercise that challenges them to see literature through a more analytical lens. 
Working in groups, students arranged hexagons labeled with themes, techniques, and story titles to create a “web of ideas,” justifying how and why particular concepts meaningfully connect. The activity encouraged them to move beyond surface-level observations and prioritize the most compelling, insightful links.
 
Students will now build on this foundation through individual written work. After selecting and explaining three of their group’s strongest connections, supported by textual evidence, they will draw on these insights to craft their own analytical essay. Before doing so, they will also write an original short story, applying the very narrative techniques they’ve been studying.
 
This work sits within a broader course that emphasizes sharpening and refining language skills, including critical reading, literary analysis, and both experiential and imaginative writing. Grammar and usage review are embedded within the writing process, with targeted attention to patterns that emerge in student work. By the end of the year, students are expected to write clearly organized, multi-paragraph essays that develop and support a thesis.
 
Literature study throughout the course explores the theme of storytelling and the many ways people communicate through literature. Texts may include Almost American Girl, Station Eleven, Romeo and Juliet, Packing for Mars, selected poetry, and a range of shorter fiction and nonfiction. Film study and public speaking projects also enrich the curriculum. The culminating project challenges students to consider storytelling from their own perspective as they produce either a formal analytical piece or an original creative work, requiring them to apply associative and critical thinking, creativity, strong written and oral communication skills, and the ability to plan and work independently.
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