The Haunting of Hill House: (Don't go into the nursery!)

Let's Read Together: Dragon Masters Book Club-Short Word, Multisyllabic, and Story Decoding 2x/wk

The Haunting of Hill House: (Don't go into the nursery!)

Maureen Tobin

Star Educator

Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(178)

Read this horror classic and find out why so many people are mad at the novel's Netflixing. (Netflixification?)

Class Experience

US Grade 8 - 11

Shirley Jackson is an acknowledged master of the psychological horror genre, which is very different from the stereotypical bloody, slashy, monstery stories many people think of when they think of horror. While this story has supernatural elements,  most of the really scary stuff might just be what goes on in the mind of the main character. 

This class is designed for the student who:

1. Has an interest in weird, scary stories.
2. Can read but doesn't necessarily like to. (Of course, avid...

My mother sometimes would recite Edgar Allan Poe poems as our bedtimes stories. We teased her about it when we got older, but I am grateful for the early exposure to all kinds of literature, from Chaucer to the Brontes to all sorts of strange and eerie material. It may be why I'm a pretty cheerful person who is totally comfortable with weirdness.

One of my favorite things about being a teacher is finding ways to show reluctant readers how they can better enjoy reading. I like to use a combination of juicy material and proven reading strategies to build interest, proficiency, and confidence.

Homework Offered
Assessments Offered
Grades Offered

All background information will be provided. Students will need a copy of the book, either hard, paper, e-, or audio. Here are a few places you can get it:
https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=the+haunting+of+hill+house
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/haunting-of-hill-house-shirley-jackson/1100285791?ean=9780143039983#/
https://www.amazon.com/Haunting-Hill-House-Penguin-Classics/dp/0143039989/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1522335448&sr=8-3&keywords=the+haunting+of+hill+house
For challenged readers, having audio to read along with can be very helpful. There is a marvelous (and free) Youtube version of the audiobook starting with:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkM_fz6AxFc&t=1870s&index=2&list=PLPeJu9nZ7cwt-O4eqJ1IXf5Ty5Sd7TY1R

Warning  (and spoiler alert): The main character dies at the end by driving her car off the road, and a story told by one character to the others involves a suicide and may not be appropriate for all students. Feel free to message me if you have any questions.

Available times

Pacific

Table of available sections

Meet the teacher

Maureen Tobin

Star Educator

Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(178)

A retired English teacher, I hold an MFA in Creative Writing and a bachelor's degree in Language Arts Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.  I currently work as a reading and writing coach for students of all ages. (Continued below...