Edgar Allan Poe: Planning for Writing The Raven

Edgar Allan Poe: Planning for Writing The Raven

Texts • The Raven and the Peak of Tragedy (excerpt) • Edgar Allan Poe – a biography (excerpt) • The Raven

Why We’re Reading Gain deep understanding of the text • Answering text-dependent questions • Finding answers with evidence from the text • Responding to the following question: Using evidence from both nonfiction texts, explain Poe’s philosophy regarding planning for writing The Raven.

FIRST Read – A Few WordsThe Raven and the Peak of Tragedy • Bold Words = Tier Two Vocabulary • Mark the Text – Follow Along

Tier 2 Words • P4: stanza –division of a poem arranged together • P4: refrain – line or group of lines repeated, generally at the end of a stanza • P4: monotone – having only one tone (or sound) • P5: clamor – lots of noise

Tier 2 Words • P5: ill-omen – sign of bad luck • P6: bereaved – deprived of a relationship • P6: conceivable – believable • P7: rote - memorized

Tier 3 Words • Pallas – Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom • analytical faculty – ability to be logical or critical

SECOND – Read & Discuss • Follow along as I read the text. • Discussion points are marked with asterisks.

THIRD – Read & Write • Annotate your text for evidence that will support your answer for each question.

Mark the Text • Use the following numbers to mark evidence: • 1: Question #1 • 2: Question #2 • 3: Question #3 • 4: Question #4

THIRD – Read & Write • After marking your text for evidence, craft complete, multi-sentence answers. • We’ll do the first one together.

Question #1: Throughout the text, the author uses italics for at least three different purposes. Why? Explain using evidence from the text. Begin with: The author uses italics to…

FOURTH - Discuss • Why is this a “text-dependent” answer?

Continue Work on Questions 2 - 4 • Use complete sentences. • Use evidence (use quotations from the text).

Question 2: Group Effort • With your partner, dive into the text. • Find the section of the text that best answers the question. Mark it with the “#2.” • Together, create a draft of a possible complete answer.

Question 3: Group Effort • Read question #3. • Find evidence in the text. • Mark the text. • Write an answer with complete sentences.

Question 4: Group Effort • Read question #4. • Find evidence in the text. • Mark the text. • Write an answer with complete sentences.

Edgar Allan Poe – a biography (excerpt) - Read - Mark vocabulary - Dig in with text-dependent questions

Tier 2 Words • P1: perversity – deliberate departure from something reasonable • P1: ungainly - clumsy • P1: ludicrously - laughable • P1: anguish - suffering

Tier 2 Words • P2: conceived - created • P3: indispensible - necessary • P5: aesthetic - appealing

Tier 3 Words • P1: lore - knowledge • P1: bemusedly – lost in thought • P1: injunction – order • P4: denouement - outcome

Tier 3 Words • P4: wrought – elaborated • P5 – circumscription - limitation

Extension Activities • 1) http://www.poemuseum.org/audio/tour/Poe-Audio-Tour-Chapter-01.mp3 • 2) Listen to an introduction to Poe provided by the Edgar Allan Poe museum. • 3) After listening to the audio, how would you describe Poe’s troubled life?

Extension Activities • 4) Write your answer to the following question: How do the self-guided audio tour, nonfiction texts, and reading of The Raven add to Poe’s persona (identity; character; image)? Explain using evidence from the texts.

Extension Activities • 5) http://www.poemuseum.org/audio/tour/Poe-Audio-Tour-Chapter-17.mp3 • 6) Discuss, then write your answer to the following question: Today, Poe is celebrated as a writer; however, how did the audio selection suggest Poe struggled in his writing career?

Additional Resources • http://www.audiobooktreasury.com/free-audiobooks/horror/edgar-allan-poe/ (free audio downloads of Poe’s works) • http://www.houseofusher.net/songs.html (detailed list of music inspired by Poe) Be sure to preview the music before playing for students.

That's all, folks!

Edgar Allan Poe: Planning for Writing The Raven