O. Henry
Lesson plans for "The Gift of the Magi" and other stories

|Biography and Background| |"The Gift of the Magi"| |"The Ransom of Red Chief"| |Other Stories|

Biography and Background

O. Henry
Biographical information.

O. Henry
Biography and links to stories.

O. Henry and his Texas Tales
Designed for grades 4-8, this document requires Adobe Reader or compatible application for access.

O. Henry in Austin
Background information about O. Henry's Texas connections.

"The Gift of the Magi"

"The Gift of the Magi"
Summary, vocabulary, extensive work with theme. Requires Adobe Reader for access.

"The Gift of the Maji"
Follow the links to listen to an audiofile OR to listen and read at the same time.

"The Gift of the Magi"
An audio version of the story in MP3 format. Requires QuickTime for access.

"The Gift of the Magi"
Worksheet, vocabulary practice, and online versions of the story.

"The Gift of the Magi"
This hypertext of the story includes clickable vocabulary words.

"The Gift of the Magi"
A PowerPoint presentation on the author, reading comprehension questions, vocabulary, and a quiz. Handouts require Adobe Reader for access.

I've Got the Literacy Blues
Designed to accompany "The Gift of the Magi," this lesson encourages students "to explore the story's themes using blues music, creative writing, and media study".

"The Ransom of Red Chief"

Charging Redchief (O. Henry)
Students prosecute Johnny's kidnappers.

Questions for "The Ransom of Red Chief"
Comprehension and analysis questions. MS-Word or compatible application required for access.

"The Ransom of Red Chief"
Complete text of the story, vocabulary, literary terms, characters, discussion questions, and extension activities are available on this interactive page.

"The Ransom of Red Chief"
Text of the story. Access requires MS-Word or compatible application.

Other Stories

The Four Million
Free audio recordings of the 25 short stories from this book, including "After Twenty Years," "Mammon and the Archer," and "The Cop and the Anthem." The stories are in MP3 format and require QuickTime.

"The Green Door"
Synopsis, prereading, and other support activities.

"The Last Leaf"
Summary, extensive vocabulary, comprehension, and extension questions. These materials are designed for students learning English as a second language, but other teachers may also find them useful. MS-Word required for access.