Edgar Allen Poe Unit Plan
Purpose: The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to Edgar Allen Poe and his poetry. The
overall objective for the unit is to encourage students to see poetry as something that is “alive.” They
will experience this by being involved in Reader’s Theatre.
Other ideas on how to make Poe’s poems come “alive” include drawing illustrations, writing
children’s books, writing dialogues for the poems or reading the poems into a tape recorder with
emphasis on tone. Many other activities could achieve the same purpose: bringing the poems to life.
Unit Objectives: The students will be able to discuss Poe’s life.
The students will be able to identify the elements of a poem used in Poe’s poetry:
alliteration, assonance and simile.
The students will understand the content and themes discussed in two poems “To
Helen” and “Alone.”
The students will understand the process of developing a poem into a Reader’s Theatre
and giving a group dramatic presentation.
Edgar Allen Poe
Lesson #1
Alison D. Kohler
Date:
Edgar Allen Poe
Previous Assignment/Class: New Unit
Objectives: The student will be introduced to the author and poet Edgar Allen Poe in context with
historical aspects of that time. The student will read the poem “To Helen.” The students will discuss
the meaning of alliteration, assonance and simile and how it applies to the poem.
Materials: The poem “To Helen” by Edgar Allen Poe, Student Handout
Activities: The teacher will begin with an introduction to Edgar Allen Poe. (Poe Timeline:
http://www.heise.de/ix/raven/Literature/Authors/poe/life.html Poe Biography and Works:
http://www.poedecoder.com/Qrisse/index.shtml) The students will take notes on the discussion and
interact with the teacher during lecture and discussion. The teacher or students will read “To Helen”
out loud in class. The students will be asked to discuss the two possible themes of the poem:
friendship and love and visions and ideals.
The poem at a glance:
--The speaker addresses and acclaims an idealized woman.
--He compares her beauty to that of graceful ships of the Byzantine Era.
--He praises her hair and features and compares her to a water nymph.
--Statue-like, she is a shining spiritual symbol
The teacher will then introduce the students to the ideas of alliteration, assonance and simile. The
students will then apply these three poetical devices to the poem “Helen.” (Simile: Lines 1-5 The
speaker begins his tribute to Helen by comparing the effect of her beauty to the gentle, reassuring
motion of a ship that cries a tired traveler toward home. Alliteration/Assonance: Lines 4-5 In the
closing lines of the first stanza, the repetition of the initial consonant sound of w suggest ocean waves,
whereas the mournful feelings of someone far from home are conveyed by long o sounds: “The weary,
way worn wanderer bore/To his own native shore.”)
Evaluation: The students will actively take part in the lecture/discussion about Poe. They will
respond to questions about theme, alliteration, assonance and simile. If time permits, students will
write and hand in examples of alliterations, assonance, and simile.
Assignment: Do Alliteration worksheet.
TO HELEN
by Edgar Allan Poe, 1831
Helen, thy beauty is to me
Like those Nicean barks of yore,
That gently, o'er a perfumed sea,
The weary, wayworn wanderer bore
To his own native shore.
On desperate seas long wont to roam,
Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic face,
Thy Naiad airs have brought me home
To the glory that was Greece
And the grandeur that was Rome.
Lo! in yon brilliant window-niche
How statue-like I see thee stand,
The agate lamp within thy hand!
Ah, Psyche, from the regions which
Are Holy Land!
-THE END-
“To Helen”
Introduction, Vocabulary Words and Poetic Elements
Introduction
“To Helen” shows how a Romantic poet can use classical images for his own purposes.
Inspired by the beauty of the mother of one of his friends, Poe uses Helen of Troy –“the fact that
launched a thousand ships”—to represent that beauty. Helen may also be an allusion to the Greek
goddess of light, but whatever the specific reference Poe intended; she is clearly the poet’s timeless
ideal of pure beauty.
Vocabulary
Nicean barks: Poe may be referring to boats from the shipbuilding city of Nicea in Asia Minor. It is
likely, however, that he created the phrase for its melodious sound.
wont: accustomed
hyacinth: wavy and perfumed
Naiad: in classical mythology, a water nymph
Psyche: goddess of the soul
Poetic Elements
Alliteration: repetition of the same sound beginning several words in sequence
Example: The snake slips and slides slowly, smoothly. It scales slither over soft grass,
snaking silently to scare its prey.
Assonance: the sequential repetition of vowel sounds, particularly in stressed syllables
Example: "Full fathom five thy father lies," in which "fathom" and "father “and "five"
and "lies" have paralleled vowel sounds.
Simile: an explicit comparison between two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’
Example: The clouds were fluffy like cotton wool.
Name_____________________
Alliteration in Poems
Look at this sentence, what can you see?
Dozy Doug dug a deep ditch.
Most of the words start with the same letter, D. This is called alliteration.
Here are some sentences for you to complete. The end word is missing each time. Can you fill in the
missing word, thinking about alliteration as you fill it in.
For example:
Twenty terrible tigers.
1.One awful ....... .
2.Two horrid ....... .
3.Three smelly ....... .
4.Four frightened ....... .
5.Five frisky ....... .
6.Six smiley ....... .
7.Seven sickly ....... .
8.Eight evil ....... .
9.Nine naughty ....... .
10.Ten trembling ....... .
Edgar Allen Poe
Lesson #2
Alison D. Kohler
Date:
Edgar Allen Poe
Previous Assignment/Class: Edgar Allen Poe ”To Helen,” Student Handout, Alliteration Worksheet
Objectives: The student will read the poem “Alone” by Poe. The students will understand sound
devices and meter as used in Poe’s poem. Student’s will review alliteration and assonance and will
cite examples in the poem “Alone” and be asked to create their own examples.
Materials: The poem “Alone” by Edgar Allen Poe.
Activities: The teacher, and maybe a few students, will read aloud the poem “Alone.”
The poem at a glance:
--Isolation is truly terrifying and evil, the speaker says
--He has known its horrors since a particular moment in childhood
They will identify uses of alliteration, assonance, and rhyme in the poem. (The l sounds in line 8, and
the o sounds of lines 7-8 add to the “music” of the poem. By rhyming “alone” with “tone,” Poe
stresses the title.) The teacher and students will identify the meter used in the poem. (The first 8 lines
of the poem are iambic tetrameter. From line 11 to the end, the poem becomes trochaic, reversing the
rhyme.) Discussion: Why does Poe choose to do this? Is it for effect? How is the speaker’s isolation
different from solitude? The students will take notes on the discussion and interact with the teacher
during lecture/discussion. Students will fill out their handout by using notes from Lesson #1 and the
poems “Alone” and Lesson #1’s poem “To Helen.”
Evaluation: Students will be able to identify alliteration and assonance as used in the poem “Alone.”
The students will understand imagery, sound devices and meter. The students will work through Poe’s
rhyme scheme and formulate ideas why he used it as such for effect.
Assignment: The students will fill out “Poe’s Usage of the Elements of Poetry” and hand it in at the
end of class, or if time doesn’t permit, the next day.
ALONE
by Edgar Allan Poe, 1830
From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone.
Then- in my childhood, in the dawn
Of a most stormy life- was drawn
From every depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still:
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
From the sun that round me rolled
In its autumn tint of gold,
From the lightning in the sky
As it passed me flying by,
From the thunder and the storm,
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view.
Name______________________
Poe’s Usage of the Elements of Poetry
What is the definition of alliteration? __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Give an example of alliteration used in Poe’s poetry. _____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Write your own example of alliteration (at least 5 words) _________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
What is the definition of assonance? ___________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Give an example of assonance used in Poe’s poetry. ______________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Write your own example of assonance (at least 5 words) __________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
What is the definition of a simile? _____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Give an example of a simile used in Poe’s poetry. ________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Write your own example of a simile (at least 10 words) ___________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Edgar Allen Poe
Lesson Plans #3
Alison D. Kohler
Date:
Edgar Allen Poe
Previous Assignment/Class: “Alone,” hand in Student Handout from Lesson #2 if not handed in the
previous day
Objectives: Students will understand the content and themes discussed in three poems by Poe: “The
Raven,” “The Bells,” and “Annabel Lee.”
Materials: All students will have copies of “The Raven,” “The Bells” and “Annabel Lee”
Activities: The teacher will discuss the concept of atmosphere/tone as it relates to Poe’s work. The
teacher will read the 3 poems out loud and have students listen for 2 things: 1. Examples of Poe’s
common tone through vocabulary and description and 2. The storyline/events depicted in the poem
(what is the poem about?)
Evaluation: Students will actively participate in class discussion.
Assignment: Do worksheet “Rewriting Poetry into Prose.”
Name_____________________
Rewriting Poetry into Narrative Prose
"Prophet!' said I, "thing of evil! -- prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us -- by that God we both adore -Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
Rewrite this stanza into regular narrative prose. It should be at least two paragraphs long with at least
5 sentences per paragraph. Add description using adjectives, adverbs and vivid verbs. (Is it
dark/light? What does the narrator’s voice sound like? Why is the narrator talking to the Raven? What
question is he asking the Raven? What is the Raven’s reply? Why is the narrator willing to believe
what a Raven foretells?)
Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe
It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.
I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than loveI and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.
And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.
The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and meYes!- that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.
But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than weOf many far wiser than weAnd neither the angels in Heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.
For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the side of the sea.
The Raven
by: Edgar Allen Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door -Only this, and nothing more."
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; -- vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow -- sorrow for the lost Lenore -For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me -- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -This it is, and nothing more,"
Presently my heart grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you" -- here I opened wide the door; -Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore!"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word "Lenore!"
Merely this and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -'Tis the wind and nothing more!"
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not an instant stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore -Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning -- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered -- not a feather then he fluttered -Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before -On the morrow will he leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never-nevermore.'"
But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -What this grim, ungainly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet violet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then, methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by angels whose faint foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from the memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! -- prophet still, if bird or devil! -Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -On this home by Horror haunted -- tell me truly, I implore -Is there -- is there balm in Gilead? -- tell me -- tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
"Prophet!' said I, "thing of evil! -- prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us -- by that God we both adore -Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked upstarting -"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! -- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted -- nevermore.
The Bells
By Edgar Allen Poe
I
Hear the sledges with the bells Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
In the icy air of night!
While the stars that oversprinkle
All the heavens, seem to twinkle
With a crystalline delight;
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
From the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.
II
Hear the mellow wedding bells Golden bells!
What a world of happiness their harmony foretells!
Through the balmy air of night
How they ring out their delight! From the molten - golden notes,
And all in tune,
What a liquid ditty floats
To the turtle - dove that listens, while she gloats
On the moon!
Oh, from out the sounding cells,
What a gush of euphony voluminously wells!
How it swells!
How it dwells
On the Future! - how it tells
Of the rapture that impels
To the swinging and the ringing
Of the bells, bells, bells Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells To the rhyming and the chiming of the bells!
III
Hear the loud alarum bells Brazen bells!
What a tale of terror, now, their turbulency tells!
In the startled ear of night
How they scream out their affright!
Too much horrified to speak,
They can only shriek, shriek,
Out of tune,
In a clamorous appealing to the mercy of the fire,
In a mad expostulation with the deaf and frantic fire,
Leaping higher, higher, higher,
With a desperate desire,
And a resolute endeavor
Now - now to sit, or never,
By the side of the pale - faced moon.
Oh, the bells, bells, bells!
What a tale their terror tells
Of Despair!
How they clang, and clash and roar!
What a horror they outpour
On the bosom of the palpitating air!
Yet the ear, it fully knows,
By the twanging,
And the clanging,
How the danger ebbs and flows;
Yet the ear distinctly tells,
In the jangling,
And the wrangling,
How the danger sinks and swells,
By the sinking or the swelling in the anger of the bells Of the bells Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells In the clamor and the clanging of the bells!
IV
Hear the tolling of the bells Iron bells!
What a world of solemn thought their monody compels!
In the silence of the night,
How we shiver with affright
At the melancholy menace of their tone!
For every sound that floats
From the rust within their throats
Is a groan.
And the people - ah, the people They that dwell up in the steeple,
All alone,
And who, tolling, tolling, tolling,
In that muffled monotone,
Feel a glory in so rolling
On the human heart a stone They are neither man nor woman They are neither brute nor human They are Ghouls: And their king it is who tolls: And he rolls, rolls, rolls,
Rolls
A paean from the bells!
And his merry bosom swells
With the paean of the bells!
And he dances, and he yells;
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the paean of the bells: Of the bells:
Keeping time, time, time
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the throbbing of the bells Of the bells, bells, bells: To the sobbing of the bells: Keeping time, time, time,
As he knells, knells, knells,
In a happy Runic rhyme,
To the rolling of the bells Of the bells, bells, bells To the tolling of the bells Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells, To the moaning and the groaning of the bells.
Edgar Allen Poe
Lesson Plan #4
Alison D. Kohler
Date:
Edgar Allen Poe
Previous Assignment/Class: Read the poems “The Raven,” “The Bells” and “Annabel Lee”
Worksheet assignment “Rewriting Poetry into Prose”
Objectives: Students will be introduced to Reader’s Theatre. Students will act out script.
Materials: Three Billy Goats Gruff – Reader’s Theatre Script
Activities: The teacher will introduce the students to Reader’s Theatre (refer to
http://www.aspa.asn.au/Projects/english/rtheatre.htm for description and procedure for Reader’s
Theatre.) The teacher will then hand out the script for Three Billy Goats Gruff to the students. The
students will read through the script and act out the Reader’s Theatre. The class will then be divided
into 3-6 groups depending on class size. The teacher will give the assignment: They will have 4 days
to turn one of the poems into a Reader’s theatre piece to be performed in front of a class using
dialogue, props, music and scenery. The plays must be 3-7 minutes long and all group members must
participate, although not all have to speak. They must stick to the storyline of the poem, but they can
play around with setting and time. The teacher will encourage students to add scenes to their plays if
they feel important events are left out. Such as “The Bells” –there are no characters, so they must be
added to the group.
Assignments: Brainstorming Assignment
Three Billy Goats Gruff - Reader's Theater Script
Interpretation note: The goats' voices and trip, trap sounds as they cross the bridge should become
louder with the size progression of the billy goats.
Characters:
Narrator
Little Billy Goat Gruff = Little BG
Middle-Size Billy Goat Gruff = Middle BG
Big Billy Goat Gruff = Big BG
Troll
Bridge
Narrator: "Welcome to our show. The play is The Three Billy Goats Gruff."
SCENE ONE
Narrator: Little Billy Goat Gruff sees a rickety, old bridge. On the other side of the bridge is a meadow
with green, green grass and apple trees.
Little BG: "I'm the littlest billy goat. I have two big brothers. I want to go across this bridge to eat
some green, green grass and apples so that I can be big like my
two brothers."
Narrator: Little Billy Goat Gruff starts across the bridge.
Bridge: "Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap."
Narrator: Just as the Little Billy Goat Gruff came to the middle of the bridge, an old troll popped up
from under the bridge.
Troll: "Who is that walking on my bridge?"
Little BG: "It is I, Little Billy Goat Gruff."
Troll: "I'm a big, bad troll and you are on my bridge. I'm going to eat you for my lunch."
Little BG: "I just want to eat some green, green grass and apples in the meadow. Please don't eat me.
I'm just a little billy goat. Wait until my brother comes along.
He is much bigger than I am."
Troll: "I guess I will. Go ahead and cross the bridge."
Little BG: "Thank you very much, you ugly troll."
Troll: "What did you call me? Come back here!"
Little BG: "Bye!"
Bridge: "Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap."
Narrator: Little Billy Goat Gruff ran across the bridge. He ate the green, green grass and apples. The
troll went back under his bridge and went to sleep.
SCENE TWO
Narrator: Middle-Size Billy Goat Gruff walks up to the rickety, old bridge. He too sees the meadow
with the green, green grass and apple trees.
Middle BG: "I'm the middle-size billy goat. I have a big brother and a little brother. I want to go across
this bridge to eat some green, green grass and apples so
that I can be big like my brother."
Narrator: Middle-Size Billy Goat Gruff starts across the bridge.
Bridge: "Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap."
Narrator: Just as the Middle-Size Billy Goat Gruff came to the middle of the bridge, an old troll
popped up from under the bridge.
Troll: "Who is that walking on my bridge?"
Middle BG: "It is I, Middle-Size Billy Goat Gruff."
Troll: "I'm a big, bad troll and your are on my bridge. I'm going to eat you for my lunch."
Middle BG: "I just want to eat some green, green grass and apples in the meadow. Please don't eat me.
I'm just a middle-size billy goat. Wait until my brother
comes along. He is much bigger than I am."
Troll: "I guess I will. Go ahead and cross the bridge."
Middle BG: "Thank you very much, you ugly troll."
Troll: "What did you call me? Come back here!"
Middle BG:"Bye!"
Bridge: "Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap."
Narrator: Middle-Size Billy Goat Gruff ran across the bridge. He ate the green, green grass and apples.
The troll went back under his bridge and went to sleep.
SCENE THREE
Narrator: Big Billy Goat Gruff sees the rickety, old bridge. On the other side of the bridge is a meadow
with green, green grass and apple trees.
Big BG: "I'm the biggest billy goat. I have two brothers. I want to go across this bridge to eat some
green, green grass and apples so I can get even bigger.
Narrator: Big Billy Goat Gruff starts across the bridge.
Bridge: "Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap."
Narrator: Just as the Big Billy Goat Gruff came to the middle of the bridge, an old troll popped up
from under the bridge."
Troll: "Who is that walking on my bridge?"
Big BG: "It is I, Big Billy Goat Gruff."
Troll: "I'm a big, bad troll and you are on my bridge. I'm going to eat your for my lunch."
Big BG: "Come on and make my day! If you come up here, you will be going, going, gone!"
Narrator: The troll climbs onto the bridge. Big Billy Goat Gruff lowers his head and charges the troll!
Big Billy Goat Gruff knocks the troll off the bridge!
Big BG: "That bully won't bother us again. I have done my job. Now, I'm going to eat that green, green
grass and apples."
Bridge: "Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap."
Narrator: Big Billy Goat Gruff ran across the bridge. He ate the green, green grass and apples. That
mean old troll never came back to the bridge. He learned that being mean never pays.
Edgar Allen Poe
Reader’s Theatre Production
Main Criterion:
1. You will have 4 days to turn your assigned poem into a Reader’s Theatre play
2. The play must include dialogue, props, music and scenery
3. The play must be 3-7 minutes long
4. All group members must participate, although not all have to speak
5. You must stick to the storyline of the poem, but you may play around with setting and time
6. You are encouraged to add scenes to your play if you feel important events are left out (“The
Bells”—there are no characters, so they must be added)
7. The play will be performed in front of the class and videotaped for later self and peer
evaluation of your groups performance
Refer to this website if you have questions about how to write your scripts:
http://www.humboldt.edu/~jmf2/floss/rt-notes.html
Name_____________________
Brainstorm for 10 minutes writing any and all ideas you have for your group’s Reader’s Theatre
Production.
Edgar Allen Poe
Lesson #5
Alison D. Kohler
Date:
Edgar Allen Poe
Previous Assignment/Class: Reader’s Theatre Introduction and Brainstorming Assignment
Objective: The students will work productively on their Reader’s Theatre projects. The students will
be expected to have decided on time, place and characters for their plays.
Materials: Several copies of each poem, markers, paper, tape, glue, art supplies for set design and
prop creation
Activities: Students will introduce their Brainstorming Assignment ideas to group. Students will
spend the entire class working together in their groups on their Reader’s Theatre projects.
Evaluation: Each group will be expected to fill out a hand out explaining what they have
accomplished in the hour. They will be expected to have chosen time, place and characters for their
plays.
Assignment: Students will be assigned to work at home or in groups after and before school on
finding music for their plays and creating and building props and sets
Checklist for Reader’s Theatre – Day 1
Name of Poem ____________________________________
Members of Group __________________________________________________________________
Please check and briefly fill out each number your group has completed
_____ 1. Our group discussed ideas from each of our Brainstorming Worksheets.
Please briefly describe ideas that were discussed and/or integrated into your play. _________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_____ 2. Our group has decided on the time and place for our Reader’s Theatre play.
Please briefly describe the time and place your group has chosen. ______________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_____ 3. Our group has decided on the characters for our Reader’s Theatre play.
Please briefly describe the characters that will be included in your play. ________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Reflection/Questions or Comments (One paragraph minimum per student):
Edgar Allen Poe
Lesson Plan # 6
Alison D. Kohler
Date:
Edgar Allen Poe
Previous Assignment: Students worked on their projects. Students discussed brainstorming ideas.
The students decided on time, place and characters.
Objectives: Students will begin writing their scripts. The students will continue working on their
props and sets. The students will be expected to have decided on music, set and prop design, and have
rough drafts of scripts ready to hand in.
Materials: Several copies of each poem, markers, paper, tape, glue, art supplies for set design and
prop creation
Activities: Students will continue working on their Reader’s Theatre. The teacher will inform them
that they will need to have decided on music, set and prop design, and have begun writing rough drafts
of scripts.
Evaluation: The students will fill out a hand out detailing the music they are including in their play,
the set and prop designs they have chosen and are working on.
Assignment: Students will be assigned to work at home or in groups after and before school on script
writing and creating and building props and sets
Checklist for Reader’s Theatre – Day 2
Name of Poem ____________________________________
Members of Group __________________________________________________________________
Please check and briefly fill out each number your group has completed
_____ 1. We have chosen the music we will use in our Reader’s Theatre play,
Please briefly describe what music you are using in your play and how you are planning on
incorporating it into your script. ________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_____ 2. We have begun working on our props and set design.
Please briefly describe the props and set design you are planning on using and how much you have
completed. _________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Reflection/Questions or Comments (One paragraph minimum per student):
Edgar Allen Poe
Lesson Plan #7
Alison D. Kohler
Date:
Edgar Allen Poe
Previous Assignment: Students worked on their projects. The students decided on music and
set/prop design. Students began script writing.
Objectives: Students will continue script writing and will have a rough draft ready to hand in at the
end of the class period. Students will continue working on props and set.
Materials: Markers, paper, tape, glue, art supplies for set design and prop creation
Activities: Students will continue working on their scripts. The students will be ready to hand in a
rough draft of their script by the end of the class period. Students should also be working on their
props and set.
Evaluation: Students will hand in one rough draft script for each group.
Assignment: Students will be assigned to work at home or in groups after and before school on script
writing and creating and building props and sets.
Teacher Evaluation for Rough Drafts
Name of Poem ________________________________________
Member of Group ___________________________________________________________________
_____ 1. Does script include dialogue, props, music and scenery?
Comments/Suggestions: ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_____ 2. Does the script stick to the storyline of the poem?
Comments/Suggestions: ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_____ 3. Does the script incorporate important events that have been left out of the poem?
Comments/Suggestions: ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Other comments and suggestions:
Edgar Allen Poe
Lesson Plan #8
Alison D. Kohler
Date:
Edgar Allen Poe
Previous Assignment: Rough draft of script handed in
Objectives: The teacher will meet with each individual group at the beginning of the class period to
discuss their rough draft scripts. The students will edit and revise their scripts and practice their plays
using their props, music and sets.
Materials: Group’s script, props, music and set
Activities: The students will revise and edit their scripts after given feedback from the teacher. Each
group will hand in a copy of their final revised script at the end of the period. They will spend the rest
of the period practicing for their play. The plays will be presented days #9 and #10. The teacher will
inform the students that the teacher will draw for presentation order from a hat so all groups should be
prepared to present the following day.
Evaluation: Students will submit a revised/final copy of their script.
Assignment: Do finishing touches on their plays and be ready to present them tomorrow. Students
should be prepared to hand in a final script of their Reader’s Theatre Play.
.
Teacher Evaluation of Final Script
Name of Poem ________________________________________
Member of Group ___________________________________________________________________
_____ 1. Does script include dialogue, props, music and scenery?
Comments: ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_____ 2. Does the script stick to the storyline of the poem?
Comments: ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_____ 3. Does the script incorporate important events that have been left out of the poem?
Comments: ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Other comments:
Edgar Allen Poe
Lesson #9 and #10
Alison D. Kohler
Date:
Edgar Allen Poe
Previous Assignment: Hand in final draft of script
Materials: Separate videotapes for each group presenting, videotaping equipment
Objectives: Groups will present their Reader’s Theatre productions.
Activities: Teacher will draw for order of presentation. Presentations will start. The teacher will
videotape each groups presentations for later evaluation.
Evaluation: Each group will meet all criteria listed on their Reader’s Theatre Production handout.
Assignment: Each person will fill out Self-Reflection handout the day after they present.
Name __________________
Personal Reflection
Poem _________________________
Members of Group _______________________________________________________
Did I meet the criteria for this assignment?
_____1. My play included dialogue.
_____2. My play included props.
_____3. My play included scenery.
_____4. My play was 3-7 minutes long.
_____5. All group members participated in my play, though some may not have had
speaking parts.
_____6. Scenes were added to my play if important events had been left out of the poem.
List three strengths of my Reader’s Theatre Production
1.______________________________________________________________________
2.______________________________________________________________________
3.______________________________________________________________________
List three weaknesses of my Reader’s Theatre Production
1.______________________________________________________________________
2.______________________________________________________________________
3.______________________________________________________________________
What would I change or improve if I was to present this again? _________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Did we work together well as a group? Why or why not? ______________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Edgar Allen Poe
Evaluation of Reader’s Theatre – this will take about a week of out of class time
Lesson #11
Alison D. Kohler
Date:
Edgar Allen Poe – EVALUATION
Previous Assignment: Group presentations
Materials: Separate videotape for each group’s presentations, peer evaluations sheets
Objectives: Each student will peer evaluate another group’s presentation.
Activities: Student’s will be informed that they will be evaluating a different group’s presentation
following guidelines of the Peer Evaluation handout. (This evaluation is set up for a class of 25
students; it will need to be adjusted for larger or smaller classes/groups.)
Evaluation Schedule
Group 1 will evaluate group 5
Group 2 will evaluate group 4
Group 3 will evaluate group 1
Group 4 will evaluate group 1
Group 5 will evaluate group 3
Each day a new group member will take home the tape of the other group’s presentation. The student
will be instructed to fill out the peer evaluation sheet and hand it in the next day. This will take 5 days
as there are 5 members in each group, and it will take 1 day for each student to view the tape.
Evaluation: The student will hand in a well written peer evaluation of another group’s presentation.
Name __________________
Peer Evaluation
Poem _________________________
Members of Group _______________________________________________________
Did the group meet the criteria for this assignment?
_____1. Their play included dialogue.
_____2. Their play included props.
_____3. Their play included scenery.
_____4. Their play was 3-7 minutes long.
_____5. All group members participated in the play, though some may not have had
speaking parts.
_____6. Scenes were added to the play if important events had been left out of the poem.
List three strengths of the group’s Reader’s Theatre Production
1.______________________________________________________________________
2.______________________________________________________________________
3.______________________________________________________________________
List three weaknesses of the group’s Reader’s Theatre Production
1.______________________________________________________________________
2.______________________________________________________________________
3.______________________________________________________________________
Did you like the play? Why or why not? _____________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What would you suggest to improve if the group was to present this again? ________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________