Junior English Class
Sarah Roorda
Unit: Edgar Allen Poe, compare/contrast a short story and a poem by same author
Unit Description: This is a unit about short stories and poems. The example author that
will be used is Edgar Allen Poe. Discussion will be about the elements of each the short
story and poem. The students will try to write their own short stories and poems
according to the elements discussed. And a compare/contrast paper will be written to
show what the student has learned.
Materials: Literature Book, power point, handouts.
Objective: The students will learn about Edgar Allen Poe and his writing style. The
students will know the elements of a short story. The students will know the elements of
a poem. The students will know how to use these elements in their own works.
Purpose: The purpose of this unit is to have the students become aware of the elements
of the short story and the poem. As well as writing their own works
according to the elements that were learned.
Evaluation: I will be able to evaluate if the students are learning the elements of the
short story and poem by giving them a short quiz the day after they students have been
given the information. I will also be able to evaluate if the students are learning by
having them use the elements in their own work.
Monday: –
Objective: students will learn about the author
Activities: Discuss the life of the author. When he was born and where, what he did,
where he lived, how he died, and accomplishments. The students will be advised to take
notes in order to remember and comprehend better.
This information will be condensed onto a power point presentation.
Edgar Allen Poe was born on January 19, 1809 to two struggling actors, David and
Elizabeth Poe. When his father died at the age of 36, Edgar was left alone with his
pregnant mother. He traveled with his mother and sister from theatre to theatre, often
sleeping backstage. When his mother died of Tuberculosis on December 11, 1811 at the
young age of 24, Edgar and his sister, Rosalie, were orphaned. Edgar was only two years
old. His sister was sent to live with Mrs. Mackenzie when she was one, Edgar went to
live with John and Frances Allen, and Edgar's older brother, William, was already living
with their grandfather, David Poe, Sr., because at the time of his birth, David and
Elizabeth could not afford to care for him. Edgar moved to Richmond, Virginia with the
Allens, where he had many luxuries that he had never had before. He had his own
bedroom in the apartment above John Allen's store, Ellis & Allen, and even servants to
help him wash before bed and put away his clothes. Growing up, Edgar never got along
with his foster father, often arguing with him, and rarely showing his affection. John
Allen once even described his son as "miserable, sulky, and ill-tempered". There was also
the matter of Edgar's alcoholism, which brought shame upon his foster family and
friends, even his beloved first fiancée, Sarah Elmira Royster, eventually refused to see
him. One night after a particularly bitter argument with Mr. Allen, he decided to leave his
home and go to Boston. After an unpleasant month in Boston, Edgar was once again on
the road. After having a few poems published and withdrawing from a military academy
he eventually wound up in Baltimore, Maryland, penniless. He soon found that his
relatives there were as poor as he was. Even so, they welcomed him into their homes and
hearts. He stayed for a while in the home of his aunt, Maria Clemm. Also living with
Mrs. Clemm were her two children, Henry, 13, and Virginia, Poe's cousin and future
wife, who was nine, his paralyzed grandmother, and his dying brother William, 24. He
tried unsuccessfully to get a job at several newspapers, and seeing an ad for $100 for the
best short story sent to the Philadelphia Saturday Review, proceeded to writing short
stories. Even though he did not win the $100 for his efforts, he did have some of the
stories published in the year to come, but he never had anything to show for it, however,
because the newspaper did not give him credit for writing the stories. Poe was offered a
job back in Richmond, and he had to leave Baltimore (and worse, Virginia, with whom
he had fallen in love) to take the job. He fell into despair and depression in Richmond
over the absence of his beloved Virginia and was driven once again to drinking. Virginia
had grown to embody Poe's ideal woman: pale and dark haired. Poe's drinking had gotten
out of hand and he was fired. He went back to Baltimore on the spot and asked for
Virginia's hand in marriage. They got married a year later. Soon after he was wed, he was
re-offered the job in Richmond, but only if he promised to never drink again. He
promised to never let another sip of liquor pass his lips, and went to Richmond, this time
taking Virginia and his aunt Maria. In the years to come, he wrote and published several
poems and stories, like "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", "The Purloined Letter", and
most famous, "The Raven". He eventually broke his vow and went back to drinking,
which only caused problems. Several times he was found wandering drunk in the streets
of New York where he had recently relocated with his wife and mother-in-law after
taking an editing job at the Broadway Journal. Virgina did not take to life in the city,
however, and asked Edgar to move to the country. Eager to please his beloved wife, who
was stricken with tuberculosis, he agreed. In the years to come there would be both better
and worse times in Edgar's life. After moving from the city his life totally fell apart, he
had to shut down his newspaper because of bad reviews, his wife was growing
increasingly ill, and he was sick as well. Virginia's long struggle finally ended on January
29, 1847 at the age of 24, the very age as Edgar's mother when she died. After her death
Poe was inconsolable, once again thrown into the depths of depression and despair. After
being nursed back to a pretty healthy mental state, Edgar once again felt ready to work.
Virginia's death gave his new motivation; the first poem that he wrote after her death was
"Ulalume", a poem recalling a lover's visit to his loved one's grave. In the next to years
his career fell apart. He wrote a book on his beliefs on the creation and future of the
world and the universe. The book was a failure and was called the end of his writing
career because after that book, everything he published was not widely read. For the next
year and a half of his life he seemed desperate for love. One of his life long goals was
always to start a family with a woman that was devoted to him. He fell in love with two
women at once. He never did get around to marrying either one of them, however,
because he was found unconscious in a Baltimore tavern. Edgar died of some unknown
ailment on October 7, 1849 at the age of 40. His dying words were "It's all over
now...write:’ Eddy is no more.'" Perhaps more than a poet or storyteller, Poe should be
remembered as a visionary, a dreamer...
Purpose: To get a greater understanding of the author and why he writes the way he
writes and why he writes about what he writes.
Materials: Literature book, computer with power point.
Assignments: Read “The Tell –Tale Heart” for Tuesday (pp. 126 – end)
Tuesday:
Objective: students will write a ½ - 1 page response to the story at the beginning of class
to show me their opinion and if the read the story. Students will identify short
story elements.
Activities: Discuss the story, ask questions: what did they like, what did they not like,
was anything confusing, what did they think about the actions that the main character
took.
Present the ideas that a comic strip is comparable to a short story in that it has all of the
necessary parts to "get across" a desired meaning. Begin with a ten-minute class
discussion, which could be the result of a question such as: "Which different things
MUST be present within a short story to make it work?"
Write them on the board.
Discuss these elements and pick out what these are in the story
Elements:
Protagonist/main character
Antagonist/opposing character or force
First complicating incident/first indication of the conflict/when the suspense begins
Climax/suspense released
Denouement/wrap up of the final comments and ideas of the happenings
Theme/lesson learned or moral of the story
Give students paper with criteria for writing a short story using the components that were
talked about in class. Can use story starters if needed to get an idea of what to write
about.
Criteria for short story:
1-2 pages. Hand written or typed. Make sure to use the hand out with the short story
elements as a checklist as you use them in your story.
Purpose: To get an understanding of the elements of a short story and identify them and
use them in their own work.
Materials: hand out on elements of a short story, hand out criteria of short story, and
chalk board
Assignments: Prepare for quiz on elements of a short story. Write a short story of your
own using the elements of the short story. Due: Thursday
Wednesday:
Objective: Students will learn the elements of a poem.
Activities: Take quiz.
Read “Annabel Lee” in class, write a ½ -1 page response to the poem.
Take notes about poem (on computer)
Look at the elements of a poem and pick them out of the poem that was read
(there will be a quiz on them tomorrow)
Write a poem of own using the elements of a poem
Three Basic Elements of Poetry
Does the poem paint a picture? (imagery)
Does the poem stir an emotion? (emotion)
Does the poem give a fresh view to the subject? (originality)
Materials: Literature book, computer with power point of information about the poem,
hand out of elements of a poem.
Assignments: finish stories for tomorrow. Write poem of your own. Due: Friday
Be sure to use the handout of the elements of a poem to use as a checklist as you write.
Thursday
Objective: Students will learn to revise.
Activities: Exchange stories with classmates, read and look at changes that could be
made. Hand back and the students can make changes if needed.
Students can work on poems and have help if needed. Help from classmates is good too.
Materials: Short story.
Assignments: Study for quiz on elements of a poem.
Friday
Objective: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the elements of a poem by
taking a quiz. Students will get peer feedback on their poems
Activities: take quiz on elements of a poem
Hand out poems to other students to get feed back.
Revise poems if needed.
Materials: quiz, handout with criteria of paper to write
Assignments: write a 1 ½-2 page paper comparing and contrasting the elements of a
short story and a poem. Typed, double spaced, 12 pt font.