07S:115 Methods English
Robert Vogts
Assignment #4
Fall 2005
Goals/Assessment Chart
Student Learning Goals
UNIT title: Surviving the Gothic Grade level: 10th, untracked
Teacher/Planner: Robert Vogts
Assessment(s) for individual goals Why goal is worthwhile and
Activities to help students
engaging
reach goal.
Goal 1: Predict psychological
“coming of age” issues in group
relationships, incorporating abjection,
sublimation, and repression of
emotion, by making connections with
literary characters and texts.
.
Assessment 1: After reading H.P.
Lovecraft’s “the Outsider,” students will
write a two or three-page essay that
analyzes the protagonist’s actions. In the
essay, students will explain whether the
protagonist was suffering any abjection,
and whether he was sublimating or
repressing any emotions. In the essay, they
will determine whether they believe the
protagonist’s dilemma is meant to be taken
literally, as a story of the walking dead, or
as an allegory for other more common
social
Students should be able to recognize
allegory and metaphors in the Gothic
genre, including some of the more
subtle metaphors in the most blatant
motifs.

Use evidence from the
text and make specific
references while
searching for the abject
character or element in
the story.

Written conclusions will
indicate whether students
can recognize abjection,
sublimation, or
repression of emotions in
the Gothic genre.

Students will use prewriting exercises and
brainstorming techniques
to formulate ideas and
opinions.
Student essays will also
be graded for grammar,
Evidence: teacher observation,
definitions of abjection, sublimation, and
repression observed on paper, and final
essay.
Goal 2: Explain how an isolated,
Assessment 2: Personal Essay
static, oppressive, or adversarial
environment can cause a person to
develop maladaptive reactions, such
as the repression of emotions, or
sublimation.
As a one-page essay, students will choose
at least one of the three terms—abjection,
sublimation, or repression of emotion—
and explain how the term is related to the
protagonist in The Turn of the Screw by
Henry James. Students will then write
Students can internalize a text’s
meaning if they can imagine the story
from a personal perspective. Writing
skills are enhanced with new
vocabulary terms in expressive
essays.

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about whether they think the protagonist
(the governess) is suffering any
oppression, isolation, adversity, or
extremely uncomfortable stasis.
content, and syntax.
Evidence: 1-page essay, teacher

Peer revision activities

Individual meeting with
teacher to discuss
progress on essay

Students will use prewriting exercises and
brainstorming techniques
to formulate ideas about
their stories.
Students’ stories will be
graded for grammar,
content, syntax, and
proper use of dialogue.
response
Goal 3: Compose multimedia
images and text to represent literary
genre motifs and relationships.
.
Assessment 3: Creative Writing
Exercise
Students will first write a three-page story,
written in the Gothic mode. Although the
use of the three vocabulary terms is not
required, at least five of the listed motifs of
the genre are required to be incorporated
into the story. The story may be
outrageous and unrealistic, yet the work
will display knowledge of good writing
skills, and proper use of dialogue. Students
will also create a simple illustration for
their story.
Evidence: Three-page story composed
in the Gothic mode, illustration.
The creative writing assignment will
demonstrate student comprehension
of the motifs of the Gothic genre.
The illustration will help students
visualize elements of their story, and
allow differentiation of the learning
process, as well as some time for
socialization during the learning
process.


Students will use time in
class and at home to
create an illustration for
their story, incorporating
at least three of the listed
Gothic motifs.
Themes for the unit:
abjection, doubling, motifs, mystery, repression of emotion, sublimation, terror, the supernatural, the Gothic mode
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07S:115 Methods English
Robert Vogts
Assignment #4
Fall 2005
“Surviving the Gothic”
Unit Goals: Students will:
1) Predict psychological “coming of age” issues in group relationships, incorporating abjection, sublimation, and repression of
emotion, by making connections with literary characters and texts.
2) Explain how an isolated, static, oppressive, or adversarial environment can cause a person to develop maladaptive reactions, such as
the repression of emotions, or sublimation.
3) Compose multimedia images and text to represent literary genre motifs and relationships.
Daily Goals (no more than 2): Students will:
1) Students will compose their own
Readings:
“The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe
“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
“The Outsider” by H. P. Lovecraft
“The Summer People” by Shirley Jackson
“It” by Theodore Sturgeon
“The Goophered Grapevine” by Charles Chesnutt
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Day 1
Students should have read “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe.
Using the list of 13 characteristics of the Gothic genre from the handout, identify
at least five of these Gothic characteristics in Poe’s story, using the text to
support each idea. Write all five characteristics on a piece of notebook paper
(which will later become a Gothic motif reading log) and specifically denote
where you found this characteristic in the story. Draw a very basic picture of
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Roderick and Madeline Usher’s house, including the surrounding tarn. Be sure to
include small details that are described in the text, but they should leave plenty of
room for handwriting, because each student is going to diagram some of the
visual characteristics. Diagram drawings, depicting at least three of the five
characteristics that written down on the piece of notebook paper. Indicate page
numbers where visual characteristics are described. Students will write a short
(one paragraph) conclusion on the back of their paper that describes the five
Gothic characteristics, and explain whether they thought Poe’s “The Fall of the
House of Usher” was actually a short story that is written in the Gothic mode.
Check explanations of reasoning. Are more than five Gothic mode elements
present in the story? Students will hand in both parts of the assignment.
Day 2
Read “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Using a dictionary,
students will define the three psychological “coming of age” terms which usually
describe a character or element in the Gothic mode: abjection, sublimation, and
repression. Students will write a short one-page essay explaining if any of these
three terms are applicable to any of the characters or elements in “The Yellow
Wallpaper.” Was any person made to be an outcast? Was there any repression of
emotion or memories?
Day 3
Read “The Outsider” by H.P. Lovecraft. Students will write a three-page essay
about the protagonist’s actions in the story. What happened in this weird story?
Was any person made to be an outcast from society? Was there any repression of
emotion or memories? Could the protagonist have been sublimating any
emotions? Why would the protagonist have acted so strangely? What could he
have done differently? Is it possible that that this story is an allegory for a more
common social dilemma? If so, is the narrator a metaphor for something else?
Students will compose a two or three-page analytic essay describing their
personal inferences about the narrator, and whether he may or may not have been
made abject. Be sure to instruct them to explain whether the story should be
interpreted literally, or as an allegory, with the narrator and the dancers acting as
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metaphors.
Day 4
Read “The Summer People” by Shirley Jackson. In groups of three or four,
students will compose graphic multimodal images that are related to the story,
either creating a collage or composing illustrations using simple drawing tools.
Get in pairs for peer revision of analytic essay. Start short individual conferences
with instructor for suggestions on how to revise expressive essays. (Simultaneous
activity with peer revision)
Day 5
After completing a reading of Theodore Sturgeon’s “It,” students will form small
groups of three or four people. Using the Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit
handout, 1) students will identify at least four motifs of the Gothic mode that are
present in the story. Each identification statement will contain at least two
complete sentences. 2) Next, students will quietly freewrite or brainstorm in an
effort to generate ideas for a Neo-Gothic backstory for Roger Kirk, who
eventually transforms into the supernatural character in Sturgeon’s tale.
3) Students will compose a rough draft of their own one or two-page “backstory”
to the grandfather of Thaddeus M. Kirk. Students will include at least three
Gothic motifs in this creative writing exercise, and each student’s story will abide
by the wide continuity boundaries set by Sturgeon’s textual diegesis. Finish short
individual conferences.
Day 6
Read “The Goophered Grapevine” by Charles Chesnutt. Using the Gothic and
Neo-Gothic Literature Unit handout, students will identify at least three motifs of
the Gothic mode that are present in the story. Each identification statement will
contain at least two complete sentences. (11 minutes) Students will finish their
final revisions on the two or three-page analytic essay on Lovecraft’s “The
Outsider.”
Day 7
Read the first twenty pages of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. Students
will begin a brainstorming session to generate ideas for their three-page Neo-
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Gothic story, incorporating at least five of the thirteen common motifs of the
Gothic mode. Students may brainstorm individually (as a free-write) or in small
groups of three or four. After generating a solid idea, students should begin
working on their story.
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Read the next twenty pages of The Turn of the Screw. Using the Gothic and NeoGothic Literature Unit handout, students will identify at least three motifs of the
Gothic mode that are present in the story, Students will write the motifs on a
piece of notebook paper, with a two-sentence description, along with the
corresponding page number. Students will continue working on their Neo-Gothic
stories, with an emphasis on the five required Gothic motifs, as well as grammar
and word syntax.
Read the final twenty-four pages of The Turn of the Screw. In one or two
paragraphs, students will attempt to identify the act of sublimation that the
governess perpetrates, and express their own opinions about how this sublimation
is related to the appearances of the ghosts. In a final paragraph, students will
attempt to interpret the ending of the story. Did the boy survive? Was the
governess actually seeing ghosts? Was she a reliable narrator? Why would she
not have been a reliable narrator? Next, students should finish their Neo-Gothic
stories. Students should then allow a partner to read their finished product,
checking to see if the story contains the five required Gothic motifs. Revisions
should be made, if necessary.
Students should finish revisions on their Neo-Gothic story, checking for proper
use of grammar and dialogue. While students finish final revisions, volunteers
may read their stories aloud.
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Day 11
Short mini-history unit on the atrocities of slavery in America during the 1800’s
Day 12
Introduction to Beloved by Toni Morrison. Short biography of Toni Morrison.
Read chapters 1 and 2.
Day 13
Beloved by Toni Morrison. Discuss 1 and 2, Make connections to the minihistory unit. Complete student study guide pages 1 and 2.(SSG) Discuss histories
and characterization of Sethe and Baby Suggs. Read chapters 3 and 4.
Day 14
Beloved by Toni Morrison. Discuss characterization of Paul D, Denver, and
Beloved. Complete SSG pages 3 and 4. Read chapters 5 and 6.
Day 15
Beloved by Toni Morrison. Discuss chapters 5 and 6. Write a short essay on the
significance of Beloved’s appearance in the story. Why does she appear?
Complete SSG pages 5 and 6. Read chapters 7 and 8.
Day 16
Beloved by Toni Morrison. Discuss chapters 7 and 8. Do peer revisions of short
essays in class. Individual student-teacher conferences on essays. Complete SSG
pages 7 and 8. Read chapters 9 and 10.
Day 17
Beloved by Toni Morrison. Discuss chapters 11 and 12. Finish final revisions of
short essay. Complete SSG pages 11 and 12. Read chapters 13 and 14.
Assignment #4
Fall 2005
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Day 18
Beloved by Toni Morrison. Hand in short essays. Discuss chapters 13 and 14.
Complete SSG pages 13 and 14. Read chapters 15 and 16.
Day 19
Beloved by Toni Morrison. Discuss chapters 13 and 14. Complete SSG pages 13
and 14. Short history of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Read chapters 15 and 16.
Day 20
Beloved by Toni Morrison. Class discussion about the significance of Paul D’s
escape from Schoolteacher’s farm. Complete SSG for chapters 15 and 16. Read
chapters 17 and 18. Generate ideas in a small group setting for the final essay
about a theme that is prevalent in Beloved. What does the story seem to be really
about? Is it simply about slavery, ghosts, or escape from oppression? Is there
something more?
Day 21
Beloved by Toni Morrison. Discuss chapters 17 and 18. Complete SSG for 17
and 18. Begin working on final four-page thematic essay. Begin individual
student-teacher conferences about the essay. Read chapters 19 and 20.
Day 22
Beloved by Toni Morrison. Discuss chapters 19 and 20, and complete respective
pages in SSG. Continue working on thematic essays. Read chapters 21 and 22.
Day 23
Beloved by Toni Morrison. Discuss chapters 21 and 22, and complete respective
pages in SSG. Do peer revisions of essays, along with teacher conferences. Read
chapters 23 and 24.
Day 24
Beloved by Toni Morrison. Discuss chapters 23 and 24, completing respective
SSG pages. Begin final revisions of the essays. Read chapters 25 and 26.
Day 25
Finish Beloved by Toni Morrison. Discuss the significance of the ending of the
Assignment #4
Fall 2005
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story. Complete SSG. Finish revisions of the essays, and turn them in at the end
of class.
Teaching Rationale for “Surviving the Gothic” Unit
Although the Gothic literary mode is actually a sub-genre of the Romantic literary genre, it is an important and easily recognizable
branch of literature. Its motifs and elements stand out like flashing lights in a fog; the Gothic mode is usually obvious to even the
untrained neophyte.
Because it is so easily recognized, Gothic literature is an excellent example of a literature genre for students. Since the motifs are
not subtle, young students can recognize them and usually identify the genre. Peter Smagorinsky recommends that literature units be
organized in a recognizable fashion, such as genre or theme, in order to help students identify literary works that “share codes.” This
helps students classify the literature they read under an “organizing principle.”(13-14)
The Gothic mode is also closely related to the Marxist perspective in literary theory; the return of the abject past in the Gothic
mode has a correlation with a rejection of some form of social or economic class. Deborah Appleman quotes Meredith Cherland and
Jim Greenlaw, who state that viewing literature through this critical lens may “stimulate the production of ideas and discourage
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reductive thinking.” Instead of simply thinking about the abject person as a villainous force, students are sometimes motivated to
discover how a villain became what he or she has become.
Gothic literature also sometimes transports the reader out of their small comfort zone, and like Appleman, I would like to challenge
students, motivating them to think “beyond the boundaries of their own comfortable world,” and get the students to “think about the
worlds these texts both represent and invoke.”(63)
The Gothic mode is saturated with painful, secreted material that is pushed just under the skin of an observable surface—material
which is deeply linked to social class. It is the reader’s duty to uncover those terrible secrets which have been hidden from scrutiny for
too long, and expose the truth. In order to perform this implied duty, the reader must think critically about characters and events that
occur in a Gothic story—sometimes realizing that narrators and authority figures are not always reliable. Such critical thinking is
invaluable in the world of today, where advertising distorts truth, “respectable people” minimize their extralegal activities, and
authority figures have been known to fabricate multiple untruths.
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Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit
Definitions of the Gothic and Neo-Gothic Genres of Literature
Gothic—The Gothic mode of literature is a sub-genre, or an offshoot branch, of the larger genre of Romantic literature. Romanticism
emphasized a return to nature and to belief in the goodness of humanity, the rediscovery of the artist as a supremely individual creator,
and the exaltation of the senses and emotions over reason and intellect. Gothic literature also stressed emotional response over reason
and intellect, but the emotions usually ranged from uneasy curiosity to stark terror. These unpleasant emotions helped create the
feelings of unease that are associated with Gothic literature. The term “Gothic” is usually used to describe an “anti-realist” body of
writing that occurred between 1750 and about 1830. “Gothic” originally indicated something that was considered vulgar or common,
in an old and cruel reference to the Goth hordes that invaded Rome under Alaric the Visigoth in 410 C.E. The literary genre was also
initially considered vulgar, but has developed into a popular form over the centuries. The Castle of Otranto (1764) by Horace Walpole
is generally considered to be the first Gothic novel. These stories and novels were often set in ancient, partially ruined castles or
mansions haunted by supernatural ghosts, monsters, or other supernatural entities. The writing style of Gothic literature is considered
to be excessive and unrealistic, with weird Gothic atmospheres which are usually gloomy and mysterious. These strange atmospheres
have repeatedly signaled the disturbing return of the forgotten and abject past upon the unsuspecting present. Typical Gothic
characters included a vulnerable heroine, a threatening or nasty old man, and a character who is ambiguously poised somewhere
between good and evil. Gothic literature was also usually characterized by the sense of unease and an obsession with character
doubling (a character and his/her evil twin, or a mirror image). Gothic literature typically created the fear that it also had something
profoundly disturbing to say about the reader's own emotional or spiritual condition, such as whether they too were doomed, or headed
for damnation. Although Gothic novels are sometimes incorrectly associated with the Victorian era—the era of Gothic literature
actually predates the Victorian era, which technically began in 1837, when Queen Victoria became the Queen of England.
Technically, novels with Gothic motifs written after 1830 are formally considered to be Neo-Gothic, or “written in the Gothic mode,”
rather than simply called “Gothic novels.”
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Neo-Gothic—This term, which means “New Gothic,” designates all Gothic art forms subsequent to the original Gothic phase after
1830. It can be used more restrictively to refer to a phase opening in the middle years of the 20th Century. Although Neo-Gothic
literature may contain many of the same elements of the old Gothic mode, Neo-Gothic literature includes a broader range of elements,
making it difficult to define. It may contain elements of horror, psychopathic murderers, or very modern settings. Science fiction may
even be incorporated into Neo-Gothic literature, thus creating a hybrid sub-genre that has never been seen before the twentieth
century.
Characteristics of the Gothic and Neo-Gothic mode in Literature
I have identified 13 recurring characteristics, or motifs, that are usually present in Gothic or Neo-Gothic literature. Use these
characteristics to help you decide whether a work of literature is actually written in the Gothic mode. Not all characteristics are
necessary for the Gothic mode to be in place.
1. Mystery—There is usually some hidden quality about characters or the setting in the story, which another character wants to
uncover, or will uncover inadvertently. A hidden identity, treasure, or murder may be revealed by the end of the story. (i.e. “No one
knows that a murder occurred in the mansion 100 years ago,” etc.)
2. The Supernatural—Ghosts, goblins, monsters, or a homicidal maniac may stalk the castle, mansion, or the moors at night.
Malevolent supernatural entities may cause fear, or benevolent ghosts may point the way to find a hidden clue or help solve a mystery.
3. Terror—The story may be written in a way that generates a great deal of fear and suspense for the reader, or characters may be
frightened out of their minds.
4. Decay—The story may contain a countryside which is suffering under some unknown malaise, or houses and buildings that are in
obvious disrepair or absolute ruin. Characters may appear to be little more than walking corpses, or they may be suffering some
emotional or mental degradation.
5. Madness—Characters may be on the edge of insanity, or deep in some frightening mental illness that causes them to behave in a
bizarre or unsettling manner.
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6. The Return of the Abject Past—Some character that was shunned many years ago may return as a ghost, zombie, or some other
supernatural entity to haunt people that live in the relatively comfortable but unbalanced present. Secret but horrifying crimes such as
murder or child abuse may be revealed, thus exposing a character formerly thought to be innocent as a terrible villain.
7. Strange Atmospheres—Gothic and Neo-Gothic stories are notorious for their weird and gloomy skyscapes; strange mists and fog
hang in the dreary outdoor air and obscure the surrounding landscapes. Unearthly colors may shimmer in the sky, or the sky may be an
odd color, such as purple or green.
8. Doubling—Characters may discover someone else with the same name with whom they are often confused. There may be
characters that look very much alike. They may also find their evil twin, or be obsessed with the image in their own mirror, trying to
discover some hidden quality about themselves.
9. The Character Who is Ambiguously Good or Evil—One of the uncertainties about Gothic literature is that it almost always
contains an unreliable character. The reader does not know for certain if a specific character is ethical and just, or if they committed
murder.
10. The Vulnerable Heroine—No reader would feel any anxiety or suspense if the heroine was invulnerable. Consequently, Gothic
and Neo-Gothic authors tend to create heroines that are sweet or intelligent; yet they also tend to have some terrible weakness which a
villain might exploit. She may be imprisoned or detained in a castle, room, or house, struggling to get free; or she may merely be an
innocent visitor, unfamiliar with the dark history of the area.
11. The Nasty Old Man—Gothic literature may contain a repulsive or cranky old man. He may be the owner of the haunted house, a
Teller of Tales, a landlord, a homeless person, or even someone who merely gives directions to the protagonist. He will usually create
feelings of disgust and foreshadow ominous things to come with unpleasant short histories of the geographical area. (Example: “When
I was a little boy, there was a man who was murdered in these woods. Folks say he’ll come back one day…”)
12. Hereditary Curses—A character may be somehow cursed from birth, and doomed to some unpleasant fate, or a house may have a
curse upon it for atrocities that occurred there decades earlier. This curse can usually be lifted if the main character solves some
mystery and restores the balance of good and evil.
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13. Balance between the Past and the Present—Although this characteristic is closely related to hereditary curses and mystery, it is
still a key element in Gothic and Neo-Gothic literature. There is almost invariably some breach of a moral, emotional, physical, or
spiritual boundary in the past which needs to be corrected. It may be that a ghost has to get revenge or reveal the murderer, or that the
past somehow catches up with the present and devours or destroys it. A character must do something either to escape the past, or to
equalize a present that is currently out of balance.
List of Texts
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
“The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe
“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
“The Summer People” by Shirley Jackson
“The Outsider” by H. P. Lovecraft
“It” by Theodore Sturgeon
“The Goophered Grapevine” by Charles Chesnutt
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
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Assignment #1: Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher”
Since the Gothic and Neo-Gothic genres are defined by their characteristics, you need to become familiar with these distinguishing
features in order to recognize a story written in the Gothic mode.
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1) Using the list of 13 characteristics of the Gothic genre from the handout, identify at least five of these Gothic characteristics in
Poe’s story, using the text to support your ideas. Write all five characteristics on a piece of notebook paper, and specifically denote (by
page number) where you found this characteristic in the story.
2) Then carefully draw a very basic picture of Roderick and Madeline Usher’s house, including the surrounding tarn. Be sure to
include small details that are described in the text, but leave plenty of room for your own handwriting, because you are going to
diagram some of the visual characteristics. You may draw Roderick or Madeline’s face in the window, if you like. You may include
the narrator and his horse. Do not spend more than about five minutes on the actual artwork; this is not a test of your artistic ability,
so think about using stick figures. Carefully diagram your drawing, depicting at least three of the five characteristics that you wrote
down on your piece of notebook paper. Your diagram should look something like this:
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Roderick
p.1
House
p.12
narrator
3) After you have finished, write a short (one paragraph) conclusion on the back of your paper that describes the five characteristics,
and explain whether you think Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” was actually a short story that is written in the Gothic mode. Be
sure to explain your reasoning. Finally, hand in both parts of the assignment, stapled together.
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Assignment #5: Theodore Sturgeon’s “It”
1) After reading Theodore Sturgeon’s “It,” go back over your Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit handout, and choose four of
the most prominent genre motifs that you believe are present in Sturgeon’s tale. Write at least two complete sentences for each of
these motifs (but no more than five) explaining why you think these four particular characteristics are present in the story.
2) Next, you will freewrite or brainstorm for five minutes, generating a basic fictitious Gothic “backstory” to Roger Kirk, the
grandfather of Thaddeus M. Kirk. Roger Kirk eventually transforms into the supernatural character in the text, but we know very little
about his former life. After the brainstorming session, compose a one or two-page Gothic backstory, using at least three of the Gothic
genre’s common motifs. Your story should match the continuity in Sturgeon’s story, (so Roger would not have become President of
the U.S. or anything too overt) so keep your story inside the wide boundaries of Sturgeon’s realm. Since Roger Kirk died under very
mysterious and vague circumstances, you should have a wide range of activities and events that Roger could have participated in. Try
to include some dialogue in your narrative. Your story may be as outrageous or silly as you like, as long as it stays within story
continuity and incorporates the three Gothic motifs, so have some fun with this creative writing exercise.
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Three Psychological Terms That Are Frequently Incorporated
Into the Gothic Literary Mode
Abjection — Abjection is the most miserable state of being; it is to be downcast, an outcast of a group or society,
or to be wretched, such as being in “abject poverty.”
Sublimation — Sublimation is the process of converting and expressing a primitive instinctual desire or impulse to
a form or activity that is socially or culturally acceptable, such as sublimating violence into hard physical labor, or
sublimating a strong emotional or sexual impulse into craftworks, or even into supernatural visions, formerly
known in the Victorian era as “hysteria.” The American Heritage Dictionary defines “sublimate” as “To modify the
natural expression of an instinctual impulse, especially a sexual one, in a socially acceptable manner.”
Repression — The psychological definition for repression, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is “The
unconscious exclusion of painful impulses, desires, or fears from the conscious mind.” Repression can be
manifested as a simple denial of painful events in order to repress grief, or a repression of desire or emotion,
sometimes manifested as a cold, indifferent personality.
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Unit Goals (no more than 4): Students will:
1) Predict psychological “coming of age” issues in group
relationships, incorporating abjection, sublimation, and repression
of emotion, by making connections with literary characters and
texts.
2) Explain how an isolated, static, oppressive, or adversarial
environment can cause a person to develop maladaptive reactions,
such as the repression of emotions, or sublimation.
3) Compose multimedia images and text to represent literary genre
motifs and relationships.
Daily Goals : Students will:
1) Use the list of 13 characteristics of the Gothic genre from the
class handout to identify at least five of these Gothic characteristics in
Poe’s story. They will denote (on a piece of notebook paper) where
these characteristics were found in the story.
2) Draw a very basic picture diagram of Roderick and Madeline
Usher’s house, depicting at least three of the five characteristics that
written down on the piece of notebook paper. Indicate page numbers
where characteristics are described.
3 ) Write a short (one paragraph) conclusion on the back of their
paper that describes the five Gothic characteristics, and explain whether
they thought Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” was actually a
short story that is written in the Gothic mode.
Activities/ Allotted Time
1. Housekeeping/ Attendance (4 min.)
2. Students should have read “The Fall of the
House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe. Using
the list of 13 characteristics of the Gothic
genre from the handout, students will identify
at least five of these Gothic characteristics in
Poe’s story, using the text to support each idea.
Methods English Lesson Plan Outline for “Surviving the Gothic” Unit
Teacher Name: Robert Vogts
Class/Audience:
10th grade, untracked
Materials/Procedures “to do” list:
Unlined drawing paper and notebook paper
Pens and pencils
“The Fall of the House of Usher” short story by Edgar Allan Poe
(2) class handouts: a)Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit,
b)Three Psychological Terms That are Frequently Incorporated into
the Gothic Literary Mode
Objectives (daily goals)

I want students to use their reading
notes and make a quick identification
of genre motifs.

I want students to incorporate
multimodal techniques into their
understanding of this story.
Assessments

I will circulate to see that all students
are comprehending the genre motifs,
and are engaged in the identification
and diagramming process.

I will check to see that all students are
fulfilling the assignment requirements,
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They will write all five characteristics on a
piece of notebook paper, and specifically
denote where they found these characteristics
in the story. Students will then draw a very
basic picture diagram of Roderick and
Madeline Usher’s house, including the
surrounding tarn. Be sure to include small
details that are described in the text, but they
should leave plenty of room for handwriting,
because each student is going to diagram some
of the visual characteristics. Diagram
drawings, depicting at least three of the five
characteristics that written down on the piece
of notebook paper. Indicate page numbers
where visual characteristics are described.
Students will write a short (one paragraph)
conclusion on the back of their paper that
describes the five Gothic characteristics, and
explain whether they thought Poe’s “The Fall
of the House of Usher” was actually a short
story that is written in the Gothic mode. Check
explanations of reasoning. Are more than five
Gothic mode elements present in the story?
Students will hand in both parts of the
assignment.
Assignment #4
Fall 2005
and whether they have formulated an
opinion about Poe’s story.

I want students to formulate opinions
and ideas about whether an author has
employed the motifs of the Gothic
mode in story, and whether this story
could be considered part of the Gothic
genre.
Differentiation
 Direct individual students to reread particular passages in order to recognize genre motifs
 Encourage the composition of multimedial artifacts to help the student understand the text
 Allow individual student to work alone
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Assignment #4
Fall 2005
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07S:115 Methods English
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Assignment #4
Fall 2005
Unit Goals (no more than 4): Students will:
1) Predict psychological “coming of age” issues in group
relationships, incorporating abjection, sublimation, and repression of
emotion, by making connections with literary characters and texts
2) Explain how an isolated, static, oppressive, or adversarial
environment can cause a person to develop maladaptive reactions, such
as the repression of emotions, or sublimation.
3) Compose multimedia images to represent literary genre motifs
and relationships.
Daily Goals : Students will:
1) Use a dictionary to define the three psychological “coming of
age” terms which usually describe a character or element in the Gothic
mode: abjection, sublimation, and repression.
2) Students will compose a short one-page essay explaining if any
of these three terms are applicable to any of the characters or elements
in “The Yellow Wallpaper.”
3) Identify three Gothic motifs in the story.
Activities/ Allotted Time
1. Housekeeping/ Attendance (4 min.)
2. After completing a reading of Gilman’s
“The Yellow Wallpaper,” Was any person
made to be an outcast? Was there any
repression of emotion or memories? After the
essay, students will identify at least three
motifs of the Gothic mode that are present in
Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper,” using at
least two complete sentences to describe the
motif and where it was found in the text.
Students will use the Gothic and Neo-Gothic
Literature Unit handout to help them with the
Methods English Lesson Plan Outline for “Surviving the Gothic” Unit
Teacher Name: Robert Vogts
Class/Audience:
10th grade, untracked
Materials/Procedures “to do” list:
notebook paper
Pens and pencils
“The Yellow Wallpaper” short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
(2) class handouts: a)Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit,
b)Three Psychological Terms That are Frequently Incorporated into
the Gothic Literary Mode
Objectives (daily goals)

I want students to use a dictionary and
carefully study the definition of each
of the three new terms.

I want students to incorporate this new
terminology and knowledge into their
writing, thus allowing new
interpretations of literature to be
assimilated.

I want students to use their reading
notes and make a quick identification
of genre motifs.
Assessments
I will circulate and check to see that students
are staying on-task while looking up the
definitions of the terms in a dictionary, as well
as asking questions to stimulate inquiry
learning (Was any emotion sublimated?
Repressed?)
I will circulate to see that all students are
focused on writing their one-page essay, as
well as offering needed assistance.
I will circulate to see that all students are
comprehending the genre motifs, and are
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07S:115 Methods English
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Assignment #4
Fall 2005
identification process.
focused on the creative writing process.
Differentiation
 Individual assistance to students having trouble correlating the new terminology and knowledge to the text
 Allow individual student to work alone
Unit Goals : Students will:
1) Predict psychological “coming of age” issues in group
relationships, incorporating abjection, sublimation, and repression
of emotion, by making connections with literary characters and
texts.
2) Explain how an isolated, static, oppressive, or adversarial
environment can cause a person to develop maladaptive reactions,
such as the repression of emotions, or sublimation.
3) Compose multimedia images and text to represent literary genre
motifs and relationships.
Daily Goals : Students will:
1) Identify at least four motifs of the Gothic mode that are present in
Theodore Sturgeon’s “It.”
2) Compose a rough draft of their own one to two-page “backstory”
for Roger Kirk.
Activities/ Allotted Time
1. Housekeeping/ Attendance (4 min.)
2. After completing a reading of Theodore
Methods English Lesson Plan Outline for “Surviving the Gothic” Unit
Teacher Name: Robert Vogts
Class/Audience:
10th grade, untracked
Materials/Procedures “to do” list:
Unlined drawing paper and notebook paper
Pens and pencils
“It” short story by Theodore Sturgeon
(2) class handouts: a)Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit,
b)Three Psychological Terms That are Frequently Incorporated into
the Gothic Literary Mode
Objectives (daily goals)

I want students to use their reading
notes and make a quick identification
Assessments

I will circulate to see that all students
are comprehending the genre motifs,
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07S:115 Methods English
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Sturgeon’s “It,” students will form small
groups of three or four people. Using the
Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit
handout, Students will identify at least four
motifs of the Gothic mode that are present
in the story. Each identification statement
will contain at least two complete
sentences. (12 min.)
3. Students will quietly freewrite or
brainstorm in an effort to generate ideas
for a Gothic backstory for Roger Kirk,
who eventually transforms into the
supernatural character in Sturgeon’s tale.
(5 min.)
Assignment #4
Fall 2005
of genre motifs.


I want students to incorporate new
terminology into their writings, thus
allowing new interpretations of
literature to be assimilated.
I want students to exercise their
creative writing skills, yet use creative
writing as a disciplinary field of
practice for constructing a narrative in
an already-present diagetic continuity.
and are focused on the creative writing
process.

I will check to see that all students are
fulfilling the assignment requirements
(two complete sentences per
identification of a motif, etc.).

I will conduct small group
brainstorming and freewriting sessions
for students who are having trouble
generating creative ideas.
4. Students will compose a rough draft of
their own one or two-page “backstory” to
the grandfather of Thaddeus M. Kirk.
Students will include at least three Gothic
motifs in this creative writing exercise, and
each student’s story will abide by the wide
continuity boundaries set by Sturgeon’s
textual diegesis.
(31 min.)
Differentiation
 Direct individual students to reread particular passages in order to recognize genre motifs
 Encourage short freewriting and brainstorming sessions (5 min.) to generate creative ideas for creative writing
 Allow individual student to work alone
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07S:115 Methods English
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Assignment #4
Fall 2005
Unit Goals : Students will:
1) Predict psychological “coming of age” issues in group
relationships, incorporating abjection, sublimation, and repression
of emotion, by making connections with literary characters and
texts.
2) Explain how an isolated, static, oppressive, or adversarial
environment can cause a person to develop maladaptive reactions,
such as the repression of emotions, or sublimation.
3) Compose multimedia images and text to represent literary genre
motifs and relationships.
Daily Goals : Students will:
1) Students will compose a two or three-page analytic essay
describing their personal inferences about the narrator, and whether he
may or may not have been made abject. In the essay, they will
determine whether they believe the protagonist’s dilemma is meant to
be taken literally, (as a story of the walking dead) or if it is meant to be
an allegory for a more common social dilemma.
Activities/ Allotted Time
1. Housekeeping/ Attendance (4 min.)
2. After reading “The Outsider” by H.P.
Lovecraft, students will write an analytical
essay of the protagonist’s actions in the
story. Use inquiry prompts to stimulate
Methods English Lesson Plan Outline for “Surviving the Gothic” Unit
Teacher Name: Robert Vogts
Class/Audience:
10th grade, untracked
Materials/Procedures “to do” list:
notebook paper
Pens and pencils
“The Outsider” short story by H.P. Lovecraft
(2) class handouts: a)Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit,
b)Three Psychological Terms That are Frequently Incorporated into
the Gothic Literary Mode
Objectives (daily goals)


I want students to use their reading
notes and make a quick identification
of genre motifs.
I want students to explore text
analysis, and really think about
Assessments

I will circulate to see that all students
are comprehending the new
terminology of abjection, sublimation,
and repression.
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07S:115 Methods English
Robert Vogts
thinking about the text—What happened in
this weird story? Was any person made to
be an outcast (a person made abject) from
society? Was there any repression of
emotion or memories? Could the
protagonist have been sublimating any
emotions? Why would the protagonist
have acted so strangely? What could he
have done differently? Is it possible that
that this story is an allegory for a more
common social dilemma? If so, is the
narrator a metaphor for something else?
Students will compose a two or three-page
analytic essay describing their personal
inferences about the narrator, and whether
he may or may not have been made abject.
Be sure to instruct them to explain whether
the story should be interpreted literally, or
as an allegory, with the narrator and the
dancers acting as metaphors.
(46 min.)
Assignment #4
Fall 2005

whether a text is meant to be taken
simply as genre story (the Gothic
genre is largely regarded as cheap and
tawdry), or if there could be another
meaning assigned to the text when it is
viewed as an allegory.
I want students to exercise their
writing skills as a tool for discovery
learning, developing new ideas about
the text as they write.

I will stimulate thinking about the text
by asking specific questions for
inquiry learning. (questions are listed
in the activities section)

I will check to see that all students are
fulfilling the assignment requirements
by composing their essay around the
protagonists actions, and whether or
not the story is to be taken as an
allegory.
Differentiation
 Direct individual students to reread particular passages in order to recognize the abjection of the protagonist in the text.
 Encourage individual thinking about the story as an allegory, with characters acting as metaphors
 Allow individual student to work alone
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07S:115 Methods English
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Assignment #4
Fall 2005
Unit Goals : Students will:
1) Predict psychological “coming of age” issues in group
relationships, incorporating abjection, sublimation, and repression
of emotion, by making connections with literary characters and
texts.
2) Explain how an isolated, static, oppressive, or adversarial
environment can cause a person to develop maladaptive reactions,
such as the repression of emotions, or sublimation.
3) Compose multimedia images and text to represent literary genre
motifs and relationships.
Daily Goals : Students will:
1) Compose graphic multimodal images (pictures and text) to
represent characters or elements of the story.
2) Participate in a peer revision of the analytic essay about
Lovecraft’s “The Outsider.”
Activities/ Allotted Time
1. Housekeeping/ Attendance (4 min.)
2. After reading “The Summer People” by
Shirley Jackson, students (in groups of three or
four) will compose graphic multimodal images
that are related to the story, either creating a
collage or composing illustrations using simple
drawing tools. (35 minutes) In pairs, students
Methods English Lesson Plan Outline for “Surviving the Gothic” Unit
Teacher Name: Robert Vogts
Class/Audience:
10th grade, untracked
Materials/Procedures “to do” list:
Unlined drawing paper/ old magazines/ notebook paper
Pens and pencils
“The Summer People” short story by Shirley Jackson
(2) class handouts: a)Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit,
b)Three Psychological Terms That are Frequently Incorporated into
the Gothic Literary Mode
Objectives (daily goals)


I want students to incorporate
multimodal methods of learning while
thinking about a text.
I want students to participate in a peer
revision of their partner’s essay,
offering helpful suggestions for
improvements upon the writing.
Assessments

I will circulate to see that all students
are comprehending the subtle cues of
abjection in the text.

I will circulate in order to observe
whether students are engaged in the
multimodal representation of the text.
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07S:115 Methods English
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will later perform a peer revision of expressive
essay. (11 minutes) Simultaneously start short
individual student/teacher conferences for
suggestions on how to revise analytic essays of
“The Outsider.”
Assignment #4
Fall 2005

Students will then corroborate this
advice with the advice of the teacher.
I want students to be able to recognize
even subtle evidence of the Gothic
genre—some may argue that the story
does not incorporate the Gothic
mode—these arguments could be
considered valid.

I will ask students if they thought that
the story was actually written in the
Gothic mode. Both “yes” and “no”
could be acceptable answers. This
story is very subtle.
Differentiation
 Direct individual students to reread particular passages in order to recognize the subtle abjection and isolation of the protagonists in the
text.
 Encourage composition of multimodal representation of story and characters.
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Assignment #4
Fall 2005
Unit Goals : Students will:
1) Predict psychological “coming of age” issues in group
relationships, incorporating abjection, sublimation, and repression
of emotion, by making connections with literary characters and
texts.
2) Explain how an isolated, static, oppressive, or adversarial
environment can cause a person to develop maladaptive reactions,
such as the repression of emotions, or sublimation.
3) Compose multimedia images and text to represent literary genre
motifs and relationships.
Daily Goals : Students will:
1) Identify at least three motifs of the Gothic mode that are present
in the story.
2) Revise and polish their analytic essays on Lovecraft’s “the
Outsider.”
Activities/ Allotted Time
1. Housekeeping/ Attendance (4 min.)
2. Students will read “The Goophered
Grapevine” by Charles Chesnutt in
Sustained Silent Reading. Using the
Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit
handout, students will identify at least
three motifs of the Gothic mode that are
Methods English Lesson Plan Outline for “Surviving the Gothic” Unit
Teacher Name: Robert Vogts
Class/Audience:
10th grade, untracked
Materials/Procedures “to do” list:
Notebook paper
Pens and pencils
“The Goophered Grapevine” short story by Charles Chesnutt
(2) class handouts: a)Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit,
b)Three Psychological Terms That are Frequently Incorporated into
the Gothic Literary Mode
Objectives (daily goals)

I want students to use their reading
notes and make a quick identification
of genre motifs.

I want students enjoy the benefits of
Sustained Silent Reading in class.
Assessments

I will circulate to see that all students
are comprehending the genre motifs,
and are focused on the creative writing
process.

I will check to see that all students are
fulfilling the assignment requirements
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07S:115 Methods English
Robert Vogts
present in the story for their Gothic Unit
reading logs. Each identification statement
will contain at least two complete
sentences. (11 minutes)
3. Students will finish their final revisions
on the two or three-page analytic essay on
Lovecraft’s “The Outsider.”
Assignment #4
Fall 2005

I want students to exercise their
writing and revision skills, creating a
polished artifact for their writing
portfolio.
(two complete sentences per
identification of a motif, etc.).

I will conduct short essay conferences
with each student to make sure their
essays are progressing.
Differentiation
 Direct individual students to reread particular passages in order to recognize genre motifs
 Allow individual student to work alone
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07S:115 Methods English
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Assignment #4
Fall 2005
Unit Goals : Students will:
1) Predict psychological “coming of age” issues in group
relationships, incorporating abjection, sublimation, and repression
of emotion, by making connections with literary characters and
texts.
2) Explain how an isolated, static, oppressive, or adversarial
environment can cause a person to develop maladaptive reactions,
such as the repression of emotions, or sublimation.
3) Compose multimedia images and text to represent literary genre
motifs and relationships.
Daily Goals : Students will:
1) Begin a brainstorming session to generate ideas for their final
three-page Neo-Gothic story. The story will incorporate at least five
of the thirteen common Gothic motifs.
2) Begin the Composition of the first draft of an original three-page
Neo-Gothic story, incorporating at least five of the thirteen common
Gothic motifs.
Activities/ Allotted Time
1. Housekeeping/ Attendance (4 min.)
2. Read the first twenty pages of The Turn of
the Screw by Henry James in Sustained Silent
Reading.(25 minutes) Students will begin a
Methods English Lesson Plan Outline for “Surviving the Gothic” Unit
Teacher Name: Robert Vogts
Class/Audience:
10th grade, untracked
Materials/Procedures “to do” list:
Notebook paper
Pens and pencils
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
(2) class handouts: a)Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit,
b)Three Psychological Terms That are Frequently Incorporated into
the Gothic Literary Mode
Objectives (daily goals)

Assessments

I want students enjoy the benefits of
Sustained Silent Reading in class.
I will circulate to see that all students
are comprehending the genre motifs,
and are focused on the creative writing
process.
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brainstorming session to generate ideas for
their three-page Neo-Gothic story,
incorporating at least five of the thirteen
common motifs of the Gothic mode. Students
may brainstorm individually (as a freewrite) or
in small groups of three or four. After
generating a solid idea, students should begin
working on their story.
Assignment #4
Fall 2005

I want students to participate in a
positive social environment that
fosters creativity and joy.

I want students to exercise their
creative writing skills, creating a
polished artifact for their writing
portfolio.

I will conduct small group
brainstorming and freewriting sessions
for students who are having trouble
generating creative ideas.

I will circulate to make sure students
are progressing in their creative
writing exercise.
Differentiation
 Allow individual student to work alone (freewriting) or in groups for brainstorming session
 Allow students to develop creative writing skills in a social atmosphere
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Assignment #4
Fall 2005
Unit Goals : Students will:
1) Predict psychological “coming of age” issues in group
relationships, incorporating abjection, sublimation, and repression
of emotion, by making connections with literary characters and
texts.
2) Explain how an isolated, static, oppressive, or adversarial
environment can cause a person to develop maladaptive reactions,
such as the repression of emotions, or sublimation.
3) Compose multimedia images and text to represent literary genre
motifs and relationships.
Daily Goals : Students will:
1) Write a short paragraph explaining whether they think the
protagonist is suffering any oppression, isolation, adversity, or
extreme stasis.
2) Continue the composition of the first draft of an original threepage Neo-Gothic story, incorporating at least five of the thirteen
common Gothic motifs.
Activities/ Allotted Time
1. Housekeeping/ Attendance (4 min.)
2. Read the next twenty pages of The Turn of
the Screw. (20 minutes) Students will write a
Methods English Lesson Plan Outline for “Surviving the Gothic” Unit
Teacher Name: Robert Vogts
Class/Audience:
10th grade, untracked
Materials/Procedures “to do” list:
Notebook paper
Pens and pencils
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
(2) class handouts: a)Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit,
b)Three Psychological Terms That are Frequently Incorporated into
the Gothic Literary Mode
Objectives (daily goals)

Assessments

I want students enjoy the benefits of
Sustained Silent Reading in class.
I will circulate to see that all students
are comprehending the terms of
oppression, isolation, adversity, or
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Robert Vogts
short paragraph explaining if they think the
protagonist of the story (the governess) is
suffering any oppression or isolation. Students
will identify these elements in the text by page
number. Ask Inquiry Learning questions to
stimulate thinking—Is the governess in an
extremely static (unchanging) environment
that causes her to be unhappy? Is she
experiencing any adversarial conditions? (5
minutes)
3. Students will continue working on their
Neo-Gothic stories, with an emphasis on the
five required Gothic motifs, as well as
grammar and word syntax. (21 minutes)
Assignment #4
Fall 2005


I want students identify elements such
as oppression, adversarial conditions,
and extreme stasis and isolation. These
elements could easily lead to
maladaptive psychological reactions
such as repression of emotions or
sublimation.
I want students to exercise their
creative writing skills, creating a
polished artifact for their writing
portfolio.
extreme stasis, because these elements
are critical to the initial writing
assignment (paragraph).

I will circulate to make sure students
are able to recognize or identify
oppressive elements in the story.

I will circulate to make sure students
are progressing in their creative
writing exercise.
Differentiation
 Allow students to develop creative writing skills in a social atmosphere
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Assignment #4
Fall 2005
Unit Goals : Students will:
1) Predict psychological “coming of age” issues in group
relationships, incorporating abjection, sublimation, and repression
of emotion, by making connections with literary characters and
texts.
2) Explain how an isolated, static, oppressive, or adversarial
environment can cause a person to develop maladaptive reactions,
such as the repression of emotions, or sublimation.
3) Compose multimedia images and text to represent literary genre
motifs and relationships.
Daily Goals : Students will:
1) Write a one-page essay explaining how isolation, an extremely
static environment, adversity, or oppression could cause a person
to develop maladaptive psychological reactions, such as the
repression of emotions, or sublimation. Students will identify the act
of sublimation that the governess perpetrates, and express their own
opinions about how this sublimation is related to the appearance of
the ghosts.
2) Finish the composition of the first draft of an original threepage Neo-Gothic story, incorporating at least five of the thirteen
common Gothic motifs. Begin final draft.
Activities/ Allotted Time
1. Housekeeping/ Attendance (4 min.)
Objectives (daily goals)
Methods English Lesson Plan Outline for “Surviving the Gothic” Unit
Teacher Name: Robert Vogts
Class/Audience:
10th grade, untracked
Materials/Procedures “to do” list:
Notebook paper
Pens and pencils
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
(2) class handouts: a)Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit,
b)Three Psychological Terms That are Frequently Incorporated into
the Gothic Literary Mode
Assessments

I will circulate to see that all students
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2. Read the final twenty-four pages of The
Turn of the Screw. (15 minutes) Students will
write a one-page essay explaining how
isolation, an extremely static environment,
adversity, or oppression could cause a person
to develop maladaptive psychological
reactions such as the repression of emotions or
sublimation. Students will identify the act
of sublimation that the governess perpetrates,
and express their own opinions about how this
sublimation is related to the appearance of
the ghosts. Ask Inquiry Learning questions—
Did the boy survive? Was the governess
actually seeing ghosts? Was she a reliable
narrator? Why would she not have been a
reliable narrator? (21 minutes)
3. Students should finish their Neo-Gothic
stories. (10 minutes) Students should then
allow a partner to read their finished product,
checking to see if the story contains the five
required Gothic motifs. Revisions should be
made, if necessary. (20 minutes)
Assignment #4
Fall 2005

I want students enjoy the benefits of
Sustained Silent Reading in class.

I want students identify elements such
as oppression, adversarial conditions,
and extreme stasis and isolation. These
elements could easily lead to
maladaptive psychological reactions
such as repression of emotions or
sublimation.

I will circulate to make sure students
are able to recognize or identify
oppressive elements in the story, as
well as the giving clues to where the
sublimation might be identified.
I want students to exercise their
creative writing skills, creating a
polished artifact for their writing
portfolio.

I will circulate to make sure students
are participating in the peer revision
process.

are comprehending the terms of
oppression, isolation, adversity, or
extreme stasis, because these elements
are critical to the initial writing
assignment (paragraph).
Differentiation
 Allow students to work in pairs for peer revision session
 Allow students to develop creative writing skills in a social atmosphere
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
University of Iowa
College of Education
Page - 38 -
07S:115 Methods English
Robert Vogts
Assignment #4
Fall 2005
Unit Goals : Students will:
1) Predict psychological “coming of age” issues in group
relationships, incorporating abjection, sublimation, and repression
of emotion, by making connections with literary characters and
texts.
2) Explain how an isolated, static, oppressive, or adversarial
environment can cause a person to develop maladaptive reactions,
such as the repression of emotions, or sublimation.
3) Compose multimedia images and text to represent literary genre
motifs and relationships.
Daily Goals : Students will:
1) Finish the final draft of an original three-page Neo-Gothic story,
incorporating at least five of the thirteen common Gothic motifs.
Activities/ Allotted Time
1. Housekeeping/ Attendance (4 min.)
2. Students should finish revisions on their
Neo-Gothic story, checking for proper use of
grammar and dialogue. (26 minutes)
3. While students finishing final revisions,
volunteers may read their stories aloud.
Methods English Lesson Plan Outline for “Surviving the Gothic” Unit
Teacher Name: Robert Vogts
Class/Audience:
10th grade, untracked
Materials/Procedures “to do” list:
Notebook paper
Pens and pencils
(2) class handouts: a)Gothic and Neo-Gothic Literature Unit,
b)Three Psychological Terms That are Frequently Incorporated into
the Gothic Literary Mode
Objectives (daily goals)
Assessments

I want students to exercise their
creative writing skills, creating a
polished artifact for their writing
portfolio.

I will circulate to help students
with final revisions, paying special
attention to grammar, word syntax,
and dialogue.

I want students to share their finished
work in a celebration of creativity and
achievement.

I will oversee the display of the
final work, giving validation to
work well done.
Differentiation
 Allow students to develop creative writing skills in a social atmosphere
 Allow students to voluntarily share their finished work with their peers in order to gain a sense of achievement
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
University of Iowa
College of Education
Page - 39 -
07S:115 Methods English
Robert Vogts
Assignment #4
Fall 2005
Grading Rubric for 1) Identification of Gothic Motifs (Reading Log) and
2) The Gothic Mode Creative Writing Exercise
1)
“F” paper
“D” Paper
“C” Paper
“B” paper
“A” paper
Paper does not
show any
attempt at
identification of
Gothic motifs in
the text.
Paper shows
identification of
one Gothic motif
in the text,
incorporating at
least two
complete
sentences.
Grammatical
errors are
numerous.
Paper shows
identification of
two Gothic
motifs in the
text,
incorporating at
least two
complete
sentences in
each
identification.
Paper shows
identification of
three Gothic
motifs in the
text,
incorporating at
least two
complete
sentences in
each
identification.
Paper shows
identification of
four Gothic
motifs in the
text,
incorporating at
least two
complete
sentences in
each
identification.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
University of Iowa
College of Education
Page - 40 -
07S:115 Methods English
Robert Vogts
Assignment #4
Fall 2005
Some
grammatical
errors.
Grammatical
errors are
minimal.
Grammatical
errors are nonexistent.
2)
“F” paper
“D” Paper
“C” Paper
“B” paper
“A” paper
Story does not
use elements of
the Gothic
mode. Story is
not at least one
page long, and
does not indicate
any engagement
with the text.
Grammar and
syntax errors are
numerous.
Story uses one
element of the
Gothic mode.
Story is at least
one page long,
and indicates
minimal
engagement
with the text.
Grammar and
syntax errors are
numerous.
Story uses two
elements of the
Gothic mode.
Story is at least
one page long,
and indicates
some
engagement
with the text.
Grammar and
syntax errors are
relatively few.
Story uses three
elements of the
Gothic mode.
Story is at least
one page long,
and indicates a
noticeable
engagement
with the text.
Grammar and
syntax errors are
minimal.
Story uses three
elements of the
Gothic mode.
Story is between
one and two
pages long, and
indicates a
noticeable
engagement
with the text.
Grammar and
syntax errors are
non-existent.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
University of Iowa
College of Education
Page - 41 -
07S:115 Methods English
Robert Vogts
Assignment #4
Fall 2005
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
University of Iowa
College of Education
Page - 42 -