ESL Stories

Here are some stories I've written for English Language Learners. They're all written in simple English and (mostly) fit on one page. Almost all of them have at least one image and new vocabulary definted on the bottom of the page. You're encouraged to change them to match your students and your class. And hey, if you find these useful, email dan@midnightspecial.net and let me know.

Current Events

Revised Coming to America, a story about how immigrants go through coyotes and snakeheads - people who smuggle you in from Mexico and China - to get to the US. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Life here is different for one Laotian Hmong refugee; compare her life in the US and in rural Laos. From The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down ( doc | pdf | odt )
Revised Pardon Me! A story about pardons, including a paragraph about women in California prisons who've been pardoned by Gov. Schwarzenegger for killing their abusive husbands. Goes well with the Watergate story below. ( doc | pdf | odt)
Police in California disagree on enforcing immigration laws. Orange County PD is sending 200 cops to learn how to deport undocumented immigrants, while the LAPD says they have better things to do, and that deporting deters undocumented immigrant victims and witnesses from going to the police. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Who's the Boss?, a story about a bankrupt factory in Argentina that was taken over by its workers and is now run democratically. Goes great before the Haymarket story. ( doc| pdf | pdf )
From gangs to unions, about former gang members joining the building trades in LA. Inspirational and good. From an LA Times story by Sam Quinones ( doc | pdf | odt )
Social Security - do undocumented immigrants avoid taxes? They pay up to $9,000,000,000 a year to Social Security that they'll never get out. ( doc | pdf | odt
Credit Cards - should undocumented immigrants get them? ( doc | pdf | odt )

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US History to 1909

Thanksgiving: a much-abbreviated history of American Indians and Pilgrims. ( doc | pdf | odt )
A story about the Ohlone Indians, the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Bay Area. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Slave ships brought the first slaves to the US. This is a good first Black History story. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Life on a Plantation is a survey of the lives of slaves and poor white people / sharecroppers on plantations. Also details the slave owning status of Washington and Jefferson, the latter of whom kept his 6 children and half brother (!) as slaves. ( doc | pdf | odt )
John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry helped start the Civil War. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Frederick Douglass became a world-famous scholar and anti-slavery advocate after escaping slavery himself. ( doc | pdf | odt )
A bio of Harriet Tubman. Know she was the first woman military leader in the US? She freed 700+ slaves in one Union raid in South Carolina. Find out more! ( doc | pdf | odt )
The 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments ended slavery and were supposed to ensure equality; so how did segregation take root after the Civil War? ( doc | pdf | odt )
Chinese workers on the transcontinental railroad went on strike to protest dangerous work at low pay. Lots of photos, including the famous one of placing the last spike. Notice what's missing? Note: The .pdf is a little over 1mb ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first immigration law to specifically exclude one ethnic group. From Sara Shourd ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Haymarket Riots and the fight for the 8 hour workday, with many photos. Includes comprehension questions, vocab quiz and succinct two-sentence definition of anarchist. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Revised The Oxnard Strike of 1903 was started by the first interracial farm workers' union in the US, composed of Mexican and Japanese farmworkers. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Revised The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake was the worst natural disaster to hit the US to date - and the first so extensively photographed. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Paper Sons were a way for Chinese immigrants to come to the US after the 1906 SF Earthquake. A good lesson on American-style hustling. ( doc | pdf | odt )
A short history of the Wobblies, the first multi-racial union in America. The Wobblies, or Industrial Workers of the World, used direct action to fight for workers' rights. ( doc | pdf | odt ) Goes great with...
On free speech: Cops arrested IWW organizers when they talked to workers in Spokane back in 1909. So 500 workers took turns speaking and getting arrested until Spokane changed its laws. ( doc | pdf | odt )
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US History, 1910 to Present

The 1912 Bread and Roses strike was the first strike led by women and immigrants. Has the line, "One police officer could control 10 men, but you needed 10 police officers to control one woman." In two parts. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Highlander school, which taught Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., may be the most important adult education school in US history. Part one is about its accomplishments, part two is about its methods (student-centered popular education). Includes a page of questions for each part. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Houdini came here a poor immigrant, reinvented himself, got rich risking his life, and died unnecessarily because he wouldn't stop working. The ultimate immigrant story. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Migrant Mother is among the most iconic photos from American history. This lesson plan uses that photo to explore the Great Depression. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Four Freedoms, freedom of speech and religion, freedom from fear and want, were part of one of FDR's most ambitious plans. With the four Norman Rockwell paintings of the freedoms to jumpstart the conversation. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The US government sent over 100,000 Japanese-Americans to internment camps in 1942. With a teacher's guide and half page on the back about draft resisters in the camps. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Rosie the Riveter inspired millions of women to enter the workplace. With two pictures of Rosie, including the less-known (and better) Norman Rockwell version. ( doc | pdf | odt )
A short history of Hawaii; how did this island nation deep in the Pacific become a US territory (not state)? With maps. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Revised Rachel Carson, dedicated writer and naturalist, wrote Silent Spring and helped start the modern environmental movement. ( doc | pdf | odt )
When Regular People Stand Up 1: An inspirational story about L.A. Blackman, who literally stood up to the KKK in 1956. Number one of two. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Rosa Parks rebelled against racism her entire life, from a young schoolgirl to a Highlander student to a civil rights leader. ( doc | pdf | odt )
A brief biography of Martin Luther King, Jr., a great intro to... ( doc | pdf | odt )
A biography of Malcolm X. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Black Panther story in two parts. Page one is about their rise, page two their fall. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Not many people know King was supporting a (mostly black) sanitation workers' strike when he was killed. Includes the last, easy to understand paragraph of King's "Promised Land" speech. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The '68 Olympics, where two black athletes who raised their fists and made history. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Muhammad Ali, champion boxer and human rights activist. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The 19 month American Indian occupation of Alcatraz was a historic event in US history too few of us know about. With beautiful photos of the occupation, which lasted from 1969 to 1971. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Revised Watergate and Richard Nixon, from break-in to impeachment to resignation; with a short story on the back about impeachment, mentioning Bill Clinton (and Andrew Johnson). Goes great with the "Pardon Me!" story above. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The too-brief life and times of Harvey Milk, the first openly-gay politician in the US. With a brief coda about the protests following the sentencing of Dan White. Confused? Read on! ( doc | pdf | odt )
Revised Cesar Chavez co-founded one of the most important labor groups in US history... ( doc | pdf | odt )
Revised ... along with Dolores Huerta, who continues to organize for immigrant rights. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Sanctuary Movement provided shelter and support to Central American refugees in the 1980s. Teach about the biggest direct action network since the underground railroad that most of us have never heard of. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Oakland Hills Fire was one of the most destructive fires in US history. ( doc | pdf | odt )
When Regular People Stand Up 2: A refugee in England was about to be deported back to the Congo, where he'd be killed. A passenger on his plane found out, stood up, and refused to sit down. The pilot canceled the flight. (When Regular People Stand Up 1 here) ( doc | pdf | odt )
Memorial Day's history, detailing (almost) all wars the US has fought over the last 150 years or so. ( doc | pdf | odt )

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World History

Revised An introduction to democracy and citizenship. A (very!) brief history contrasting ancient Athens to grassroots democracy. A page of vocab and two double-sided handouts. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Trung Sisters helped liberate, if briefly, 40AD Vietnam. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Japan gave up the gun after having, in the 1500s, more guns and better guns than all of Europe. With pictures. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Haitian Revolution, the first succesful black revolution, filled with action, drama, betrayal, and heartbreak. ( doc | pdf | odt )
World War I: A people's history. With lots of picture and maps. ( doc | pdf | odt )
A short story about a strike at a Walmart factory over the right to unionize. Guess where? I won't tell, but revealing the secret location of this tale will blow your Chinese students' minds, as they don't report this stuff in the media there. ( doc | pdf | odt )

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Folktales

A half-page story by Eduardo Galeano, The Chickens and the Farmer, where a farmer asks his chickens how they want to be cooked. A great allegorical introduction to deeper issues. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Duck and the Moon, a beautiful short poem by Tolstoy, is a great story about courage and shame to start a semester. From Mark Trushkowsky. ( doc | pdf | odt )
A Small Idea, my updated one-page version of "A Modest Proposal." The solution to global poverty? Sell poor babies to the wealthy for their meat, obviously. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Dog and the Wolf is a story about the price we pay for our freedom. From Mark Trushkowsy. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Keep on Walking is a folktale about slavery and freedom. From Mark Trushkowsky. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Pied Piper gets cheated and claims his terrible price. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Emperor's New Clothes in two parts, each part with a page of questions. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Turtle and the Swans will teach you a valuable lesson about pride and knowing when to keep your mouth shut. From China. From Sara Shourd. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Gorilla and the Crocodile, a Buddhist folktale about loving yourself. From Sara Shourd. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Tom Sawyer makes painting a fence fun and exciting. In two parts. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The Five Blind Men and the Elephant. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Mark the Boat, Find the Sword, a Chinese folktale about a general who drops his sword into the ocean, and then marks where he was standing on the boat to find it. Remind you of anyone? With questions and quiz. ( doc | pdf | odt )

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Skills & Rights

Know Your Rights! Teach your students their right to remain silent when questioned by the police. Includes fun dialogs where students can (safely) experience sneaky cop interrogation tricks. Simple and good. Students will learn the phrase, "I am going to remain silent. I want to see a lawyer." ( doc | pdf | odt )
Who can vote?, a cloze/info-share activity where students piece together who could vote in the US, and when. A great intro to the brief history of citizenship in the West. ( doc | pdf | odt )
A vocabulary list for students to identify and solve problems in their lives, at home and at work. From "collaborate" to "organize," from "poverty" to "powerful," these 17 words will help students work together to improve their lives while learning English. Includes definitions and sample sentences. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Role play miscommunication: three short small-talk conversations and three short work conversations gone wrong. ( doc | pdf | odt )
How to write a resume that doesn't lie, but does tell a good story. This is a full on package with a lesson plan, story, sample bad resume, group resume writing activity and model resume. Enjoy teaching applied American flexible ethics! ( doc | pdf | odt )

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Surveys

Writing: What do your students write? What teaching methods do they like? ( doc | pdf | odt )
Participation: How do good students in your country participate? How do you think good American students participate? How often do you talk to new people/acquaintances/friends? ( doc | pdf | odt )

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Fun

An icebreaker is a great way to start a new class. Students ask each other if they can drive, have 3 or more children (or none at all), etc. ( doc | odt )
An excerpt from "A Story", a beautiful poem about a father losing touch with his son. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The short poem "A Little Stone in the Middle of the Road, in Florida," about life, God, and hope, in 10 lines. ( doc | pdf | odt )
What's the difference between soccer and football? With many illustrations. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Dueling was a not uncommon way to resolve conflicts in Europe and the US. A good conversation starter on conflict resolution. With a short(er) story on the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr - the most famous American duel. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Who's On First? A simplified version of Abbott and Costello's hallmark routine. Hilarious! ( doc | pdf | odt ) Full text of the original in pdf and doc and odt
Fun fiction about a woman who finds a two-foot long hair in her McDonalds hamburger. Page 2 is a fill-in-the-blanks complaint letter to McDonalds, and page 3 is a dialog between her co-workers about the incident, where the hair has grown to 10 feet (!).

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Songs

"We Shall Overcome," as covered by Bruce Springsteen. Just the lyrics and a few pointed questions. Did you know it was originally a labor song, but became a song for the Civil Rights movement via the Highlander School? You better, if you're going to answer the attached questions. With a short biography of Bruce. ( doc | pdf | odt )
The song "Hurt", as covered by Johnny Cash, is slow and clear yet complex. Lesson plan, complete lyrics, lyrics with missing words for students to fill in, photos and a short bio of Cash (including how he was political) included. ( rtf | pdf | odt )
California Stars is a short, sweet song about workin' for money and your faraway love. This is for the Mermaid Avenue cover. ( doc | pdf | odt )
New York City by They Might Be Giants - a sweet love song about the greatest city in the world. Word gap activity and full lyrics. ( doc | pdf | odt )
New The Boys of Summer is a great, simple song about love, loss and growing older. ( doc | pdf | odt )
Lyrics and more for Tracy Chapman's "Talkin Bout a Revolution" (difficult) ( pdf | doc | odt )
Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends" (easier) ( pdf | doc | odt ), a tribute to his dead father.
"Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want," by the Smiths, a perfect slow song to fill-in-the-blanks of. ( doc | pdf | odt )
"Mississippi Goddam," by Nina Simone, a vivid, moving song about the civil rights struggle. With lyrics and pictures. Somewhat difficult. (doc | pdf | odt )
An introduction to the song, "A Boy Named Sue." It goes into the vocab of the first three stanzas and asks comprehension questions. ( doc | pdf | odt )
My annotated lyrics (with vocabulary) to "A Boy Named Sue." ( doc | pdf | odt )

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