Book Club: The Dark and Twisted Gothic Tales of Edgar Allan Poe
In this self-paced course we will read, discuss, and analyze gothic tales from author Edgar Allan Poe
Choreography by Rae
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(618)
What's included
5 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentHomework
1 hour per week. Students are required to finish a literary analysis each week in addition to reading one short story a week.Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
In this self-paced class students will read stories by author Edgar Allan Poe. Like the fairy tales of our childhood, his short stories provide morals for society—morals cloaked in murder and mystery. Students will receive a PDF version of the story of the week, plus a brief video providing comments on historical events and the themes the author explores in his writing. Students who wish to receive feedback on their written work, may post their essay to the Outschool classroom on Fridays. This class is designed to build critical thinking skills, literary analysis skills, and discussion skills. What do students receive in this course: - a PDF version of each story - 4 short videos providing comments on the story, a brief explanation of historical events from the time period that the stories took place (videos are typically 5-15 minutes) - a PDF containing a writing prompt and reading guide (things to think about when reading the story). - a Google Docs writing link is posted to the classroom (students may choose to submit writing assignments to the teacher for feedback) Weekly Overview: Week 1: The Tell-Tale Heart Week 2: The Black Cat Week 3: The Fall of the House of Usher week 4: The Pit and the Pendulum About the writing assignments: Printing course material is optional but not required. Families that wish to receive feedback will receive a Google Docs link that students can write on. We cannot accept material written on paper or shared with the teacher via photo, scan, or pdf.
Learning Goals
- Improving reading comprehension skills
- Improve Critical Thinking Skills
- Improved Ability to Analyze Text
- Describe How a Story's Plot Unfolds
- Develop an Understanding of Others Perspectives
- Produce Clear and Coherent written response
Syllabus
5 Lessons
over 4 WeeksLesson 1:
The Tell-Tale Heart
This week learners will read Poe's, "The Tell-Tale Heart." In addition to having access to a PDF version of the story, learners will receive a short video (6 minutes) that comments on the author's life and the time period in which the story was published. The lesson is accompanied with a writing prompt (PDF) and a series of questions to think about (designed to develop reading comprehension and analysis skills). Lesson 2:
The Black Cat
This week learners will read Poe's, "The Black Cat." In addition to having access to a PDF version of the story, learners will receive a short video (approximately 13 minutes) that comments on some literary devices used by writers and practices in the justice system from the time period in which the story was published. The lesson is accompanied with a writing prompt (PDF) and a series of questions to think about (designed to develop reading comprehension and analysis skills). Lesson 3:
The Fall of the House of Usher
This week learners will read Poe's, "The Fall of the House of Usher." In addition to having access to a PDF version of the story, learners will receive a short video (approximately 13 minutes) that comments on one of the literary devices used in the work and common American social expectations during the story's time period. The lesson is accompanied with a writing prompt (PDF) and a series of questions to think about (designed to develop reading comprehension and analysis skills). Lesson 4:
The Pit and the Pendulum
This week learners will read Poe's, "The Pit and the Pendulum." In addition to having access to a PDF version of the story, learners will receive a short video (approximately 13 minutes) that comments on historical events that influenced the story. The lesson is accompanied by a writing prompt (PDF) and a series of questions to think about (designed to develop reading comprehension and analysis skills). Other Details
Parental Guidance
Students under age 11 are welcome to attend but by registering for this class it is understood that the student is mature enough to discuss the subject matter of the stories being provided. The subject matter of the short stories are dark in theme (murder, deceit, alcohol consumption by adults) and it is understood that participants are mature enough to read this type of fiction.
This class uses Google Docs. No special account is required to use this tool. If your family does not have access to Google Docs please email us prior to registration so that we can remit the assignment using alternate methods.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
A pdf copy of each story will be made available for students.
Joined March, 2020
4.9
618reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Ms. Rae has over 8 years of experience teaching creative writing to Middle School students. She has been teaching ESL learners online for 6 years.
"I love reading but as technology increases it's easy to forget the joy that a good book can provide. Growing up with a passion for old literature (probably the only 8th Grader in my school reading Agatha Christie novels for fun) I still find it hard to connect with many of today's fictional best sellers. As a professional actress and dancer, it is common for artist to revisit old works looking for new meanings.
I have always felt that anyone who hates either dance or reading simply hasn't found the right fit yet. There are tons of different types of non-fiction books and I look forward to exploring this author with you."Reviews
Self-Paced Course
$12
weekly or $45 for all content5 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks of teacher support
Choose your start date
1 year of access to the content
Completed by 6 learners
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Ages: 11-16
