Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe and Mini-Research Project
Lesson Plan Curriculum Objective
Research
Identify appropriate sources and gather relevant information from multiple sources (e.g.,
school library catalogs, online databases, electronic resources and Internet-based
resources).
Communication: Oral and Visual
Deliver formal and informal descriptive presentations that convey relevant information
and descriptive details.
Specific Lesson Goal/ Link to Assessment
Students become more knowledgeable about history and the culture of the 1800’s by
doing brief research on the time period in which Edgar Allan Poe lived in so that they
have a better understand of the environment and the context of the works of Poe. They
will share ideas with other students about what they learn on history and they will also
reflect on their ideas about the 1800’s and Edgar Allan Poe.
Materials Needed
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Web access
List of topics on the time period
Index cards with different topics on them (for the students to draw from)
Poster board made by teacher about Edgar Allan Poe (will be used for modeling
later)
Poster boards for each group
Glue
Markers, crayons, colored pencils, ect…
Instructional Strategies
1. Entry: Have students write a journal entry. The entry will ask: How do you think
you life would be different if you were born in the 1800’s? Give at least two
examples.
2. Activity: After the students get done with their journal entries ask at least two or
three people what they wrote down. Have the students share in a short group
discussion that should last no longer than 3 or 4 minutes
3. Transition: Explain that the reason for the journal entry is because they are going
to learn about a famous author from the 1800’s named Edgar Allan Poe.
4. Activity: Bring out a poster board with Poe’s picture on it that also contains about
five or six facts that are important about Poe and his life. Present these facts
orally, but as a teacher also explain some facts more in-depth. Facts should
include: 1.) Poe was born in Boston to actor parents on January 19th 1809;
however he was orphaned at an early age because his father abandoned his family
and his mother died of consumption. 2.) Poe was considered to be apart of the
American Romanticism movement and was also the inventor of detective
fiction.3.) Poe married his cousin Virginia Eliza Clemm when she was 13 years
old, but he was thrown into devastation when she died of consumption in 1847
(the same thing his birth mother died from). 4.) Poe went to college for a short
time, but was forced to quite because his foster father stopped sending him money
due to his gambling problems. Poe also attended a military school that he got
kicked out of due to his bad behavior. 5.) Poe wrote 125 works in all, 49 of which
are poems and 67 of which are short stories. 6.) Poe died on October 7th, 1849 in
Baltimore. His death was mysterious. He was found delirious by a poll-booth and
died shortly after he was found. During the time period that Poe lived in Poe was
never considered a good writer; however, now we consider Poe one of the greatest
writers in the world.
5. Transition: Explain to the students that they will be breaking up into groups to do
a mini research project that will eventually look like the poster board that was
presented to them about Poe.
6. Activity: Make students break up into groups. Once the students are in their
groups make them draw from a deck of index cards with topics about the 1800’s
on them. Explain to the students that they need to find at least one fact per person
in the group that is interesting about their topic. Allow students to go to the
computers with their groups and look up their topic and write down the
information and the source that they received the information from.
7. Closure: After making sure that most of the students have their facts explain that
tonight they will be looking for a picture that goes along with that fact. If the
student does not have a computer or printer at home allow them to draw the
picture. Make sure that the students know that they are to bring the picture with
them the next day for class.