Title III Technology Literacy Challenge Grant

Learning Unit

Overview

Decoding Edgar Allan Poe is a unit that combines the abilities to analyze and interpret literature with technological skill. The learners will be implementing literary skill and knowledge as well as working with various technological devices. At various points and at the close of this unit the learner will demonstrate the ability to communicate his/her interpretation and analysis of the literature through technology. The literature covered in this unit follows the theme of horror and satire, for which Poe is famous. Decoding Edgar Allan Poe will be on a working basis for 3 weeks.

Content knowledge:

Declarative

Learner will have prior knowledge of the following literary techniques: Mood and Theme

Procedural

The learner will demonstrate the following through verbal and written communication:

Analysis, Expression, Compare/Contrast

Essential Questions:

How do literary techniques enhance the understanding of human nature?

NYS Standards:

Standard1~ Learner will be able to read, write, speak, listen for information and understanding

• Learner will demonstrate the ability to manipulate the Internet by conducting a scavenger hunt seeking background information about Edgar Allan Poe
• Learner will demonstrate the ability to read and comprehend three poems by Edgar Allan Poe: Lenore, The Haunted Palace, The Raven
• Learner will demonstrate the ability to read and comprehend two short stories by Edgar Allan Poe: The Fall of the House of Usher and The Pit and the Pendulum
• Learner will demonstrate the ability to read and comprehend one short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Rappicini’s Daughter

Standard 2 ~ Learner will be able to read, write, speak, listen for literary response and expression

• Learner will demonstrate the ability to invent an image of Poe’s writing by using Microsoft PowerPoint

Standard 3 ~ Learner will be able to read, write, speak, listen for critical analysis

• Learner will demonstrate the ability to recognize and discuss a relationship among all three poems
• Learner will demonstrate the ability to analyze how mood is manipulated in both the written piece of The Fall of the Usher, and the dramatized piece through oral communication, and the completion of a graphic organizer
• Learner will demonstrate the ability to compare the theme of death in The Pit and the Pendulum and Rappicini’s Daughter through written communication

Initiating Activity Background Search about Edgar Allan Poe

The class will be given a description of this assignment. The learner is to research Poe’s background via the Internet. The learner will conduct this research in the computer lab as part of the class. The learner is expected to find the following information about

Poe’ s background: (web-sites can be found on the Prodding for Poe Sheet)

• Cultural surroundings
• Personal history (family history, grave site)
• Writing history (inspiration, genre, stardom)
• Contribution to American Literature (authors he influenced)

As formative evaluation the learner will turn in a mini collage, which displays the five parts of this search.

Time frame ~ 1 day (to be completed as an extending activity)

The learner will conduct the research in the compute lab, and create the collage as an extending activity outside the classroom.

Learning Experience I ~ Analyzing Poe’s Poetry

Acquisition Lesson

Learner will be given three poems: Lenore, The Raven, and The Haunted Palace. The teacher will identify the literary techniques that will be recognized in each poem. Choose one to begin the lesson. The class will read the poem as a group then the learner will read the poem silently as reinforcement. The class discussion will be conducted as the learner is finished reading silently. The discussion will include the following questions: What is the focus of the poem? How is description used in the poem? Explain the theme and tone of the poem? How is imagery used? Is the technique allusion used? When does the author use alliteration? Satire? The answers to the above questions will be placed on a graphic organizer. The learner is familiar with the literary techniques, but they may be found in the glossary of the class anthology if there is a question. As these questions are answered the class is seated in a circle formation. Do the same for each poem.

Refining Lesson

The learner will discuss the completed graphic organizer with the class. The teacher will draw a table that resembles a K-W-L chart on the board. The class will discuss similarities between all three poems, and place them on the chart. When the chart is complete the learner will examine. Through deduction the learner will develop a relationship among the three poems. The learner will then record this relationship in his/her literary journal. As a result recording the relationship in the journal the class will reconvene as a group and discuss the relationship among these poems.

Time Frame: 5 days

 Learning experience II ~ Written vs. Dramatic

Acquisition Lesson

The class will read The Fall of the House of Usher, which can be found in the class anthology. As the learner reads this short story he/she will identify the mood of the story and the techniques used to illustrate this mood. The learner will record these observations on a graphic organizer. For summative evaluation the teacher will implement a discussion about mood and how an author manipulates mood through writing. To follow this part of the lesson the class will view a dramatization of Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher. As the learner is viewing this video he/she will identify how the director illustrates mood through drama. The learner will complete the graphic organizer recording the manipulation of mood through drama. Once again, the class will reconvene for summative evaluation to discuss the completed Mood Map.

Refining Lesson

As a refining lesson the learner will separate from the class and write an essay on how mood is important to both written and dramatic literature, as well as, explain how various techniques are used to manipulate mood. This essay should be word processed, displaying the skill of typing and manipulation of a word processing program.

Time Frame: 3-4 days

Learning Experience III ~ Reading Short Stories ~ Comparing/contrasting

Acquisition Lesson

The class will read both Rappacini’s Daughter by Hawthorne and The Pit and the Pendulum by Poe. These pieces should be in the class anthology, if not they can be found at http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa?e?poe_humor/poexx.htm and other links. As the class reads these pieces the learner will look for the plot and theme of death. The learner will complete a story map for each story, illustrating the plot and the theme. The learner will convene with the class. As a group the class will sit in circle formation and discuss the plot and theme of each story. (Note: each story will be read and discussed on separate occasions) The teacher will check for completion of the Comparing/Contrasting Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne Graphic Organizer before the discussion begins.

Refining Lesson

As a refining lesson the learner will separate from the class and write an essay comparing/contrasting the treatment of death in both Rappacini’s Daughter and The Pit and the Pendulum. This essay should be word processed, displaying the skill of typing and manipulating a word processing program.

Time frame: 4-5 days

Culminating Performance ~ Inventing Edgar Allan Poe

Using the Internet the learner will locate an image, which he/she thinks best illustrates Poe’s writing style. Once the learner has located this image, the next step is to import the image on one slide of the PowerPoint program. Working on PowerPoint the learner will manipulate the image to fit his/her literary expression through changes in background, font, image size, and color. In the final step of this project the learner will write an essay that explains how this image represents Poe’s writing style. The essay must be Word Processed.

Time Frame: 4 days

Prerequisite Skills

• The learner will have prior knowledge of literary techniques and elements such as: theme and mood.
• The learner will enter this unit with the skills to manipulate the following computer programs: Word Processing and PowerPoint

Modifications/Adaptations

• While in the computer lab the learner will have the expertise of the computer lab technician at hand if he/she will need assistance.
• The teacher will work with learner after school one day a week to enhance skills and projects.
• The teacher will modify this unit to meet the needs of each individual and his/her learning plan.

Technology Integration

• The technology required for this unit is as follows: PowerPoint, the Internet, and Word Processing.
• The learner, as well as the teacher must be comfortable manipulating the above-mentioned programs in order to expect a high success rate.

Time Schedule and Plan

Initiating Activity Directions, Graphic Organizers

Culminating Performance Overview,

and Rubric

Prodding for Poe

The hunt for Poe is beginning

The seeker will find it thrilling-

to search and prod for the Man of Odd.

In the room of books the seeker will embark

Using a book, a mouse and a spark

To locate the matter of Odd

The topics on this quest

consist of surroundings of culture, history of family

and his final site of rest.

The hunt continues from this sanctuary.

Inspiration brings the weary-

to express and write.

The seeker will reveal Odd’s sprite.

Once this is complete his influence is needed-

To name the authors of today.

who frame Odd’s way.

When completed- the clues combined

will depict what rolls in Odd’'s mind.

The hunt will be fast ending-

Through cutting, pasting and presenting.

Resources for Prodding Poe

www.poedecoder

www.multnomah.lib.or.us/lib/homework/hslit.html

http://galenet.gale.com (Exploring Poetry)

www.go.grolier.com (American online)

CD – Exploring Short Stories

http://www.magicnet.net/~jza/bradbury/index.html

http://dir.yahoo.com/Arts/Humanities/Literature/Genres/Mystery/Authors/Doyle_Sir

http://www.stephenking.com/index.html

Title of poem_____________________

Literal Interpretation Figurative Interpretation

Stanza 1

Stanza 2

Stanza 3

Stanza 4

Stanza 5

Stanza 6

Stanza 7

Stanza 8

Stanza 9

Stanza 10

Mood Map "The Fall of the House of usher"

Drama vs. the Written Word Edgar Allen Poe

Characters: Name/Relationship to other characters

1.

2.

3.

Drama

Mood: - Describe the mood of the dramatic piece

Expression of Mood: List and provide an example as to how the mood is expressed through drama

The Written Word

Mood: - Describe the mood presented in the short story.

- Is it similar to that of the mood in the dramatic piece?

Expression of the Mood: List and provide an example as to how mood is expressed

through the written word.

Comparing/Contrasting Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne

"The Pit and the Pendulum" "Rappaccini’s Daughter"

Character/Relationship to others Character/Relationship to others

Plot Plot

Setting Setting

Connection of death Connection of death

to the main character to the main character

Literary Techniques Literary Techniques

The author’s view of death The author’s view of death

Culminating Performance

Inventing Edgar Allan Poe

Overview:

As we approach the completion of this unit you should be familiar with Poe’s writing style and his intent to engage his readers. As experts on Poe, you are qualified to capture Poe’s style through imagery. Your assignment is to invent an image, which illustrates Poe and his writing style. You are to create the image by using the Internet and Microsoft PowerPoint, and write an essay explaining how this image captures Poe’s writing.

Your Task:

Using the Internet, you are to locate an image, which you think best illustrates Poe’s writing style. Once you have located this image, your next step is to import the image on one slide of the PowerPoint program. Working in PowerPoint you will manipulate the image to fit your literary expression through changes in the background, font, picture size and color. The final step in your invention is to write an essay explaining how this image represents Poe’s writing style. The essay must be Word Processed.

 Inventing Poe Rubric

Note: The language of this rubric and similar rubrics was discussed and explained at the opening of the school year. The rubrics used in this calss are patterend after the ELA rubrics.

REFERENCES

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Rappaccini’s Daughter." Literature and the Language

Arts: The American Tradition. Minnesota: EMC Paradigm Publishing, 1996. 199-220.

Marzano, Robert and Debra Pickering, Dimensions of Learning. Mid-content

Regional Educational Laboratory. 1997.

Poe. Edgar Allan. "The Pit and Pendulum." Literature and the Language

Arts: The American Tradition. Minnesota: EMC Paradigm Publishing, 1996. 226-237.

Whitesboro Teachers Center. "Whitesboro Central School Complex Thinker:

Guides to Constructing Unit Tasks." 1997.

REFLECTION

At the start of this year, the learners inquired as to if we would be reading Edgar Allan Poe in this class. Being a new teacher with few definite yearly plans I have room in my curriculum to experiment. Therefore I took this desire of my learners to read Poe, and the flexibility in my curriculum to create this unit. As we read and analyzed Poe the learners became more involved in class activities and discussion. They also realized just how difficult Poe could be. But to my surprise they enjoyed this unit.

Things I would change for next year:

• Enlarge the comparing /contrasting Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne Graphic Organizer.
• Add a "DIFFERENCES" box on the Comparing/contrasting graphic organizer.
• Discuss the themes that are present in Poe’s works at the start of Learning Experience One.
• Establish the difference between theme, and interpretation.