If you’re looking for a short text to challenge your middle school readers, why not try teaching “The Open Window” by Saki? This short story provides a great opportunity for students to develop their vocabulary and to explore the concept of satire. 

Set in rural England, “The Open Window” begins with a seemingly light-hearted exchange between Vera, the teenage niece of Mrs. Sappleton, and Mr. Nuttel, who is visiting their home for the first time. But before long, readers will realize that there’s more to Vera than meets the eye – and students will love the twist at the end!

So, where to begin when teaching “The Open Window” by Saki? Don’t worry – I’ve got you covered. Here are some tips to bring it to life for your middle or high school students.

Build Background Information

When teaching any short story, including “The Open Window” by Saki, I like to begin by providing students with some background information. First, I like to share some details about Saki – the pen name of Hector Hugh (H. H.) Munro. This British journalist and short story author, born in Burma (now Myanmar) in 1870, was best known for his satirical short stories, which made light of Edwardian society. Many of his stories – including “The Open Window” – are known for having surprise endings with a macabre twist.

Once students understand a little bit about Saki, I like to spend some time previewing some of the more challenging vocabulary terms they will find in the story. While “The Open Window” is a relatively quick read, middle and high school students may need some support with its more niche and historical vocabulary terms (rectory and infirmities are two examples!). A quick vocabulary preview can help them build valuable background knowledge before they begin reading.

Pre-Reading Discussion

From here, I like to “warm up” the class with a brief discussion to get them thinking. Depending on the group, I might write a series of discussion questions on chart paper and then have students answer on sticky notes as they move around the room. 

For small groups, discussion cards can prompt students to explore topics and share their ideas. Or you might prefer to lead a traditional whole-class discussion! (This is also a great way to wrap up this activity, as it ensures everyone has the same information before you dive into the story.) 

Whichever way you choose to structure your class discussion, I like to ask some variation of the following questions:

• Why might someone choose to vacation in a quiet or isolated location rather than a crowded, busy one? 
• What makes you nervous or anxious?
• Do you believe in ghosts?

Once the conversation has wrapped up, I like to set the stage for reading by providing some information about the literary terms situational irony and flashback, as both prominently feature in the story. 

Reading the Story

Next, it’s time to get reading! Because “The Open Window” contains a number of vocabulary terms that students may find challenging, I like to read the story aloud to students. Alternatively, there are many audio versions available online – students may also enjoy listening to a recording as a class, or on their headphones.

However you approach teaching “The Open Window” by Saki, I recommend pausing from time to time to check for understanding, so students can make predictions. You might also want to draw their attention to Saki’s use of situational irony or flashback as the story progresses.

Post-Reading Discussion

Once all the students have finished reading “The Open Window,” it’s time for them to reflect on their initial impressions of the story. A post-reading discussion can help students clarify the finer points of the story and provide an opportunity to share and consider different perspectives. 

When teaching “The Open Window” by Saki, I find questions like these can help to get the discussion flowing:

• Were you surprised by the ending of the story?
• Did you find the ending of the story believable?
• Have you ever told a lie like this one?

To extend the discussion, you might also have students evaluate whether Vera’s treatment of Mr. Nuttel was cruel or simply a harmless prank.

Reading Questions

After students have had the opportunity to clarify their understanding, they can respond to a series of questions to help them think more deeply about the text. Each question requires students to go back and review “The Open Window” for specific evidence to support their response.

Reading questions can help students practice and apply their understanding of flashback, irony, and point of view. Middle school ELA students can also consider Vera’s qualities and motivations, as well as the aspects of Mr. Nuttel’s character that make him the perfect “victim” of her prank.

After students have completed the questions, I like to clarify some information about the story’s setting, as well as various themes (such as deception and appearances vs. reality) that are present throughout the text. If time permits, I like to show students a video interpretation of “The Open Window” so they can compare it with Saki’s original short story.

Plot Diagram Activity

While “The Open Window” is a relatively brief short story, the plot has a number of twists and turns. A plot diagram can help students identify the essential elements of the story, including the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Completing a plot diagram can also help students build the habit of re-reading and reviewing the text and recording relevant details. This type of activity can also help students visualize and understand the structure of a story, and can be a useful support if students are going to do their own creative writing activity. 

Creative Assignment

To wrap up teaching “The Open Window,” I like to challenge students to extend the story from where Saki’s original text ends. In this final creative assignment, students imagine themselves in the role of Mr. Nuttel after he has left the Sappleton residence. In this role, I ask them to draft a letter to Mr. Nuttel’s sister, detailing his experiences and emotions while meeting Vera.

After students have written their letters, it can be fun to have them read the various versions of Mr. Nuttel’s encounter out loud, either to small groups or to the whole class. I guarantee that there will be a few laughs along the way!

There you have it! If you’ve never considered teaching “The Open Window” by Saki before, I hope these ideas have inspired you to give it a try!

Looking for more ideas for short stories to teach in middle and high school ELA? Check out my blog posts with tips for teaching “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, or “The Sniper” by Liam O’Flaherty!

You also might want to check out my Spooky Short Story Bundle, which has everything you need to teach seven different spine-tingling tales (including “The Open Window” by Saki!) in your middle or high school ELA classroom!