Crystal Sharp

Edgar Allen Poe / 10-21-14

Basic Unit Information:

Unit Title: Writing Style: Edgar Allan Poe
Grade Levels: 11
Subject/Topic Area: English
Key Words: writing style, mode, tone, diction, narrator
Designed by: Crystal Sharp
School and District: N/A
Time Frame: 50 minutes/ lesson
Brief Summary of Unit (including context and unit goals):

Jacksonville State University, Secondary Education Unit Plan Template

Adapted from Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook 2004

Crystal Sharp
Edgar Allen Poe / 10-21-14

Students will examine and analyze the life of Edgar Allan Poe in relation to his works of
literature. They will analyze three of his works (Tell Tale Heart, The Fall of the House of Usher,
and The Raven), and provide evidence in their analyses. They will compare and contrast
various mediums of the text to the original and how artistic license was used to create
dramatic effect. Through their analyses, they will determine whether the authors style is a
reflection of his/her own life. Also, does the knowledge of the authors life influence the
audiences interpretation of the text? Students will explore how the authors style of writing
influences the interpretation of the authors writing. Identify Desired Results:
Established Goals:

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research. [W.11-12.9]
a. Apply Grade 11 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Demonstrate knowledge of
twentieth- and twenty-first-century foundational works of American literature,
including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics").
[W.11-12.9a] (Alabama)
Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text
(e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or
tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its
aesthetic impact. [RL.11-12.5]
Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live
production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version
interprets the source text. (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by
an American dramatist.) [RL.11-12.7]
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the
text leaves matters uncertain. [RI.11-12.1]
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one,
in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 11 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. [SL.1112.1]
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under
study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and
other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned
exchange of ideas. [SL.11-12.1a]
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using
valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. [W.11-12.1]
What understandings are desired?

An authors style of writing can influence the

audiences interpretation of a text.

Jacksonville State University, Secondary Education Unit Plan Template
Adapted from Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook 2004

Crystal Sharp
Edgar Allen Poe / 10-21-14

What essential question(s) will be considered?

How does an authors style reflect their
personality, and how does their style of writing determine how the audience will perceive the
text? How does the background of an author play a role in their writing and how it is
interpreted, and does the reader interpret the text differently when aware of an authors past?
What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?

Students will know

o writing style, diction, figurative language, Edgar Allan Poe, science fiction,
murder-mystery, genre
Students will be able to
Research a topic and find evidence for a question, analyze the life of Edgar Allan Poe to
determine an opinion on how his death happened
Analyze how an author uses style to contribute to the overall meaning of their work.
Participate in student-led discussions.

Jacksonville State University, Secondary Education Unit Plan Template

Adapted from Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook 2004

Crystal Sharp
Edgar Allen Poe / 10-21-14

Determine Acceptable Evidence

Relate all evidence to the goal(s), understanding(s), and/or essential question(s) being assessed.

Describe performance tasks that will be used to show that students understand.
Remember that you must use a performance task if you are evaluating understanding.
Complete a Performance Task Blueprint for each performance assessment .

PERFORMANCE TASK: Defend the sanity/insanity of the narrator.

Your task is to choose a narrator from on of the short stories or poems that we had read
in class. Your goal is to provide the audience with evidence from the text that supports
your argument of if the narrator is sane or insane. You are the attorney in the case. You
have been asked to defend your client (narrator). Your job is to prove whether they are
sane or insane. Your audience is the class, which will act as the jury for this trial. You
need to convince them that your client is either sane or insane. The challenge is that
you have three minute to provide a closing argument in your trial. In these three
minutes, you must convince the jury. You will create a visual aid to help you in your
closing argument. Your performance needs to be convincing and contain evidence from
the text. Your work will be judged by the jury (peers) and the teacher (judge). A
successful result will be that you come within close range to three minutes, your visual
aid provides the jury with further evidence of your argument, and you are convincing
and well prepared.
Describe other evidence, such as quizzes, tests, prompts, observations, dialogues,
and work samples, that will be used to evaluate knowledge and skills.
Formative assessments:
The teacher will use the reading logs to assess how each student uses research
to discover more about a topic. The biographies and death theories will also be
an assessment of their research.
Formative performance task: Your goal is to provide a description of a style. You
are a fashion designer. You have been asked to create a style to reflect the
personality of yourself or someone you know. Your audience is a panel of peers
that will evaluate whether your style reflects the true personality of whomever
you have chosen as your subject. You will create a portfolio of your choice and
your performance will be to present your portfolio to the panel of peers. Your
work will be judged by a rubric based on three criterions (visual elements in your
portfolio, presentation, and effort).
The summary and Venn diagram will be taken up as formative assessment. The
discussion will also be formatively assessed.
Graphic organizers, one pager, discussion
Graphic organizer, discussion
Summative assessments:

Write as much as you need to effectively answer each question.

Use supporting details from the literature to back up your
responses.
Explain how Poes language and diction in The Fall of the House of Usher
reflect romanticism and the gothic style of writing.
Jacksonville State University, Secondary Education Unit Plan Template
Adapted from Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook 2004

Crystal Sharp
Edgar Allen Poe / 10-21-14

How does the style in The Raven differ from the style of writing in The
Fall of the House of Usher? How does this influence the story or the
audiences perception of the story?
Analyze the short story The Tell-Tale Heart. What are some symbols the
reader can determine from the text? What do they mean?

Describe activities that will be used for peer assessments: Peer assessments will be
used during the formative and authentic performance tasks during presentations.
Describe activities that will be used for self-assessment: After presenting their
performance tasks, students will complete a self-assessment rubric.

Jacksonville State University, Secondary Education Unit Plan Template

Adapted from Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook 2004

Crystal Sharp
Edgar Allen Poe / 10-21-14

Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

For each day you should write a short summary of what will be happening that day. These summaries should work together to
make it clear how the unit moves forward. You may use bullets to indicate lesson activities, assessments, etc. It is not
permissible to just put lecture; instead you should state what the lecture is about (Ex. Lecture on the causes of the Cold War,
or interactive discussion about the types of chemical bonds, etc.) Include a time estimate for each activity. You should also
indicate the days you plan to co-teach and the type of co-teaching you plan to incorporate. If your unit is more than 10 days,
you can add additional rows to the calendar. Include the WHERETO elements in the calendar.

Monday

Tuesday
1

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Students will learn

about authors
style and how it
reflects in their
work. They will
examine various
artists to look at
their
style/personality.
Then they will
work on the
formative
performance task
and complete the
assignment by the
next day and have
also read Tell Tale
Heart by
Thursday.

Students will
present their
formative
performance tasks
with peer
evaluations.

Students should
have read The
Fall if the House of
Usher for
homework as well
as completed a
graphic organizer
on the story
events, their
predictions, and
what really
happened.
Students will lead
a discussion on
their homework
and the style of
the story.

Students will
discuss Tell Tale
Heart which
should have
already been read
for homework.
Students will write
a summary. They
will complete an
activity sheet to
further explain
authors style. The
class will hold a
discussion on the
authors style an
dhow the events
in the story affect
the interpretation.
They will then
complete a Venn
Diagram
contrasting a
video to the text.
9

Students should
have read The
Raven before
class. Students
will review writing
style and compare
the style to the
previous works.
They will watch
the Simpsons
video and
compare the two
mediums of the
poem and discuss
how they differ
and why.

Students will use

this class period
to finish their
authentic
performance task.

Students will
present their
performance
tasks. After
presenting,
students will
complete a selfassessment
rubric.

Students will
complete the
summative
extended
response
questions in class.

Students will
research Poes life
and answer the
question of how
he died. They will
use his life story
to help determine
the style of his
work and how it
relates to his real
life.

Students will
present their
performance
tasks. After
presenting,
students will
complete a selfassessment
rubric.

10

Jacksonville State University, Secondary Education Unit Plan Template

Adapted from Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook 2004

Crystal Sharp
Edgar Allen Poe / 10-21-14
Include WHERETO elements on the Calendar:
W Ensure that students understand WHERE [W1] the unit is headed and WHY [W2].
H HOOK [H1] students in the beginning and HOLD [H2] their attention throughout.
E EQUIP [E1] students with necessary experiences, tools, knowledge, and know-how to meet
performance goals.
R Provide students with numerous opportunities to RETHINK [R1] big ideas, REFLECT [R2] on
progress, and REVISE their work.
E Build in opportunities for students to EVALUATE [E2] progress and self-assess
T Be TAILORED [T] to reflect individual talents, interests, styles, and needs.
O Be ORGANIZED [O] to optimize deep understandings as opposed to superficial coverage.

Jacksonville State University, Secondary Education Unit Plan Template

Adapted from Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook 2004