"The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry
Lesson plans and teaching resources

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

Is any plan foolproof?
Pre-reading activities, including vocabulary; text of the story with reading support; post-reading activities and a related nonfiction article. Printable. Adobe Reader required.

"The Ransom of Red Chief"
In this writing task students explain the irony of the father's response. Adobe Reader required.

"The Ransom of Red Chief"
"Has anyone seen [this story] used to teach about stereotypes?" asks Debbie Reese, a Nambe Pueblo Indian woman. Thought-provoking perspective in this blog.

"The Ransom of Red Chief"
Brief biography and text of the story. Follow links to PDF and Google Docs formats.

Other stories by O. Henry