The 13th by Shelley Walden | CommonLit | Paired Texts

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by Shelley Walden 2021

We've identified these texts as great options for text pairings based on similar themes, literary devices, topic, or writing style. Supplement your lesson with one or more of these options and challenge students to compare and contrast the texts. To assign a paired text, click on the text to go to its page and click the "Assign Text" button there.

Five reasons why being kind makes you feel good — according to science

Jo Cutler, Robin Banerjee

In the informational text "Five reasons why being kind makes you feel good — according to science," Jo Cutler and Robin Banerjee discuss why being kind to others can improve your mood.

Pair “Five Reasons Why Being Kind Makes You Feel Good-According to Science” with “The 13th” and have students analyze how Angela’s act of kindness makes her feel good. Which of the five reasons apply to Angela? Why?

7th Grade Informational Text 1210L

A Lonely Planet Ponders

John P. Curtin

In John P. Curtin's "A Lonely Planet Ponders," Curtin uses poetry to address nonfiction topics, such as the relationship between the rigidity of scientific principles and the perceived unpredictability of life.

Pair “A Lonely Planet Ponders” with “The 13th” and ask students to discuss the theme of control and the role that we have in the world. How does the theme in Curtin’s poem differ from the attitude that Angela has toward her life in the beginning of the story? How might Curtin’s poem help us understand nature and the things that are beyond our control? In what ways might the ideas in Curtin’s poem apply or not apply to the pandemic?

Break A Leg, Macbeth (Shh!)

Jennifer Sneed

In "Break A Leg, Macbeth (Shh!)," the author explains common theater superstitions.

Pair “The 13th” with “Break A Leg, Macbeth (Shh!)” and have students discuss why people believe in superstitions. What superstitions does Angela have in “The 13th?” What superstitions do the actors have in “Break A Leg, Macbeth (Shh!)”? What do both Angela and the actors hope will happen by following superstitions?

5th Grade Informational Text 1060L

Victor Lavalle

In "Recognition," two neighbors become friends during the COVID-19 pandemic but struggle to stay connected amid the ongoing New York City lockdown.

Pair “The 13th” with “Recognition” and ask students to compare how the authors approached the topic of the COVID-19 pandemic. How are the main characters’ lives affected by the pandemic? What roles do community and connection play in the two stories?

8th Grade Short Story 620L

Disease Detectives

Jacqueline Pratt-Tuke

In "Disease Detectives," Jacqueline Pratt-Tuke describes the important work that epidemiologists do to prevent and respond to infectious diseases.

Pair “The 13th” with “Disease Detectives” to have students think about how people have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. How does Angela respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in “The 13th”? How did Michael Callahan respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in “Disease Detectives”? What would an epidemiologist like Michael Callahan tell Angela about her response to the COVID-19 pandemic? Why?

5th Grade Informational Text 1110L

Don't Fear the Bermuda Triangle

Kathryn Hulick

In "Don't Fear the Bermuda Triangle," Kathryn Hulick explains how, thanks to statistics, we can see that the Bermuda Triangle is just a myth.

Pair “The 13th” with “Don’t Fear the Bermuda Triangle” and have students compare the superstitions that people have in both texts. What does Angela believe about the number 13 and bad luck in “The 13th”? What do people believe about the Bermuda Triangle in “Don’t Fear the Bermuda Triangle”? How and why do people look for patterns to explain difficult and mysterious events in both texts? How can looking for these patterns be both helpful and harmful to people?

7th Grade Informational Text 990L

I Found a Four-Leaf Clover

Jack Prelutsky

In "I Found a Four-Leaf Clover," a speaker describes negative experiences after finding a four-leaf clover.

Pair “The 13th” with “I Found a Four-Leaf Clover” and have students discuss the theme of control over what happens to us. How does the attitude that Angela has toward her life at the beginning of “The 13th” differ from the speaker’s attitude in the poem “I Found a Four-Leaf Clover”? How might both texts help readers understand nature and things that are beyond our control?