One, two, three... go Poe!

In this lesson, students will be able to compare and contrast three short stories they have read by Edgar Allan Poe. The assignment will be divided into three parts: (1) They will have read and discussed or completed other classroom activities on each of the three stories. (2) They will work in small groups to brainstorm and create comparison/contrast charts that will be shared with the class. (3) Students will create their own graphic organizers based on the ideas shared in step two and then create a draft and final paper.

A lesson plan for grade 11 English Language Arts

By Janie Peak

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Related topics

• Learn more about Edgar Allan Poe, cooperative learning, graphic organizers, language arts, literature, similarities and differences, stories, and transitions.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• summarize and reflect on reading selections.
• look for common characteristics that are typical of the author’s style
• work cooperatively and effectively towards a goal.
• apply prior knowledge of the writing process.
• exhibit skill in graphic organization.
• apply contrasting skills.
• produce an end product for evaluation by peers and teacher.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

2 Hours

Materials/resources

• Copies of the following short stories by Edgar Allan Poe:
  • “The Cask of Amontillado”
  • “The Tell-Tale Heart”
  • “The Black Cat”
• Construction Paper
• Colored pencils or markers
• Charts or poster boards for students to use for comparison/contrast information (may be large sheets or 8 x ll 1/2 handouts)

Technology resources

If computers are available, the final copy could be done in the computer lab and submitted either on disk or print-out. If computerized portfolios of student writing samples are kept, this could be submitted as an example of comparison/contrast writing.

Pre-activities

This activity is intended to be a follow-up to the study of Poe. Students should be familiar with the ten basic characteristics of Poe’s writing, and they should also have a basic understanding of the author’s life and writing style. Prior to this activity, students will have read and completed activities (i.e. study questions, class discussion, etc.) on the three stories named above. I have also used filmstrips or videos on Poe that would enhance their understanding of the author’s unique style. Students should be aware of the basic parts of plot diagrams. This is a good time to review other basic literary terms that are found on the End-of-Grade tests (simile, metaphor, figurative language, allusions, personification, etc.)

Activities

1. Students are placed in groups of three or four.
2. Groups are given two large sheets of flip-chart or poster paper and markers.
3. Each student in the group will have a designated task. One student will be the presenter; another will work with the chart labeled “Similarities.” The third student will be responsible for the chart labeled “Differences.” The fourth student will be the leader/coordinator who will keep the group on task. He/she will also be responsible for providing the teacher with the names of each student in the group as well as the individual task that each student performed. If flip charts are not available or practical, then each student in the group could be given two sheets of paper - each labeled 1-20. One would say “Similarities in Poe’s stories,” and the other would be labeled “Differences in Poe’s three stories.”
4. Students will be given 25 minutes to “brainstorm” together and come up with a list of at least 20 items in each column. (Ex. - Similarity - all three stories are told from the first person point-of-view; all contain the elements of evil, etc.) For differences, you may begin with the example “Two of the stories have cats, one does not,” or “In one of the murders, the murderer does not get caught, in two of the stories he does.”
5. I usually provide some type of “incentive” for the group which comes up with the most items in the given time (Ex. sometimes I give a homework pass to each group member. Another time, I might give “ghost treat bags” of candy, etc.)
6. At the end of the given time, the presenter of each group (usually there are about six groups) takes the group’s chart or ideas to the front of the room and presents the findings. As these presentations are being made, I ask the students to make their own list of the fifteen best items from the combined lists. All total then, students would have 15 similarities in the stories and 15 differences. They may choose to include more.
7. Once the groups have given their presentations, I hand out pieces of white construction paper (standard small size) to each student as well as a list of transition words.
8. Students are then to take the information that they have gathered on their individual comparison/contrast charts and create some type of graphic organizer that would relate to Poe. In this graphic organizer, they are to relay the information that they have on their charts. The topic sentence (see below) must also be incorporated in their graphic organizer. An example of some that I have had done are: The letters P-O-E. In the “O” is the topic sentence. In the letter “P” are the similarities; in the letter “E” the differences. Another would be three tombstones containing the same information as above. Another might be three white roses, like the ones placed on his grave every year on his birthday. Another might be a catacomb, etc. Whatever graphic they choose, it must relate in some way to Poe. These are to be completed and colored as part of their homework assignment.
9. Next, I write on the board the following topic sentence:
   
   Although there are many common characteristics and universal themes found in Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Black Cat,” and “The Tell-Tale Heart,” there are, nevertheless, some distinct differences which are typical of the author’s unique style.
10. We take about ten minutes and discuss together as a class how to make effective transitions from one part of a paper to another and also how to write effective conclusions. They are required to incorporate at least five transition words in their final paper.
11. Following the discussion, students have the rest of the period either to work on their graphic organizer or to begin their draft for their final essay.
12. Their homework for the next day is for students to bring their finished graphic organizer (it must be colored) to class along with their finished rough draft.
13. The next day, if time permits, students can either peer edit or go to the computer lab and prepare their finished copies of their comparison/contrast paper. If students do not have access to a lab, then they may either complete their finished copies in class (I ask them to bring a thesaurus to use), or it may be completed for homework and turned in the next day to be graded. I always like to have the parents sign the finished product so that they can see the type of writing that their children are working on.
14. I then choose the best 10-12 graphic organizers and laminate them and place them around the room as a reminder of the work we have done on Poe.

Assessment

Assessment may be done in a variety of ways:

• A grade to the group for their results in the “brainstorming” part of the assignment.
• A grade for the graphic organizers - base it on creativity, neatness, unique ideas, etc.
• A grade on the writing/editing process.
• Grade the finished product for the features of effective writing. This is returned to the students for corrections/revisions, and then all parts of the writing process (lists, graphic organizers, drafts, finished copies, revisions) are then placed in the student’s writing folder.