Intel® Teach Program
Thinking with Technology Course
Unit Plan Template
Click on any descriptive text, then type your own.
Unit Author
First and Last Name
Annie Love
School District
Tempe Elementary School District
School Name
Gililland Middle School
School City, State
Tempe, Arizona
Unit Overview
Unit Title
“The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe-“ Why will you say that I am MAD”-a unit on figurative
language and real life choices
Unit Summary
In this unit students will be reading the short story, “The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. Within
this unit they will determine what impact figurative language has on the story as a whole. Point of view,
theme, and style are also topics that students will explore within the unit. Additionally, students will
identify homophones and use them correctly. They will determine whether or not the narrator is
responsible for what he did. Students will have to back up their reasoning’s with support, evidence, and
claims using the Showing Evidence Tool. This will tie into real life issues such as the shootings that
occurred in Tucson. This specific incident will be used as an example to help students relate the theme
of-can/should people who are mentally ill (or not mentally sane) be responsible for their actions? Why
or why not? After reading and using the Showing Evidence Tool, students will then write an original
extension story that takes off where the original story ends. The story must be based around what
happens to the narrator as a result of what they did in the story. When students are finished writing
their stories, they will use Pixie to make a movie of their story, narrated by themselves. Lastly, they
will present their Pixie movies to the class.
complete a series of projects and activities. The final project will allow the students to choose from
multimedia presentations, posters, PowerPoint presentations, Pixie, Inspiration, or any other format
that had been approved by me. Final presentations will be based around the students creating their
own ending for the story.
Subject Area
Language arts-Reading
Grade Level
8th Grade
Approximate Time Needed
3-7 reading classes, 50 minutes each
Unit Foundation
Habits of Learning Taxonomy
Investigate-explore, examine,
Evaluation-predict, assess, support, defend
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Analysis-connect, compare
Identify-the specific types of figurative language being used
Infer
Summarize
Create
Targeted Content Standards and Benchmarks
2.1.3 – Character Description
Describe a character, based upon
the thoughts, words, and actions of
the character, the narrator’s
description, and other characters.
1.4.4 – Figurative Language
Determine the meaning of figurative language, including
similes, metaphors, personification, idioms, hyperbole, and
technical language.
1.6.7 – Reading Strategies
Use reading strategies (e.g., drawing conclusions, determining cause
and effect, making inferences, sequencing) to interpret text.
1.4.2 - Context of Unfamiliar Words
Use context to identify the intended meaning of unfamiliar
words (e.g., definition, example, restatement, synonym,
contrast).
PO 5. Analyze the relevance of the setting (e.g., time, place, situation) to the mood and tone of the
text.
Student Objectives/Learning Outcomes
Students will:

Be able to identify specific types of figurative language that are being used

Infer as to what will happen next in the story

Summarize the text for important information and a clear summary of the story

Explain the impact mood and theme have on the text of a story

Create their own ending to the story based around their opinion that a person should/should not
be held accountable for their actions on based on their mental capacity

Students will use the Seeing Reason Tool to rank and provide evidence backing up a claim on
whether the narrator should be held accountable for his actions.

Use Pixie to create a visual representation of their story and present it to the class illustrating
their new ending to the story
Curriculum-Framing Questions
Essential
Why is analyzing figurative language important to understanding a text?
Question
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ANALYZING LITERARY DEVICES AND STYLE
Unit
Questions
How does figurative language appeal to readers?
Why do readers need to draw conclusions and infer information?
How is mood created by an author?
What is figurative language?
Content
Questions
What are mood and theme?
What does it mean to infer?
How do you infer information?
Assessment Plan
Assessment Timeline
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Before project work begins
 Discuss Edgar 
Allan Poe
 Create an
Inspiration
Web about
what they
already know
about Edgar
Allen Poe and
his sanity
 Read the
biography on
Edgar Allan
Poe (page
543)
 Make the
Connection:
Create a Class
Survey: TopTen-Terrors
 Review
specific types
of figurative
language
 What does the
title of this
short story
imply?
 Vocabulary
Development
Review
 Students will
complete the
Predictions for
Poe worksheet
prior to
reading story
Students work on projects
and complete tasks
 Read “The Tell  Create a Pixie
Tale Heart” on
pages 537542.
 While reading,
students will
answer 1-6
Reading Skills
boxes
After project work is
completed
 Project Self
Reflection
presentation of
journal entry
new story
ending
 Present
presentations
to class
 Students grade
each other on
their
presentations
and provide
constructive
feedback
 Use the COMIC
CREATOR at
 http://www.re
adwritethink.or
g/materials/co
mic/ to create
a comic strip
 with at least
six blocks that
summarizes a
portion of the
story
 The Tell-Tale
Heart.
 Students will
complete the
Showing
Evidence Tools
 Class
discussion on
whether the
narrator should
be held
accountable for
his actions
 Write a new
ending based
on what they
created in
Showing
Evidence Tool
Assessment Summary
Graphic organizers, journal entries, Poe Prior to reading handout, provide feedback on prior to reading
activities and inspiration webs, set due dates, quiz, final exam, and project/activities outlines,
checklists, and rubrics.
Visual Ranking Elements (Complete this section if this tool will be used in the unit)
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Visual Ranking Project Name (For the Visual Ranking workspace)
n/a
Project Description (For the Visual Ranking workspace)
n/a
Prompt (For the Visual Ranking workspace)
n/a
Sorting List (For the Visual Ranking workspace)
n/a
Showing Evidence Elements (Complete this section if this tool will be used in the unit)
Showing Evidence Project Name (For the Showing Evidence workspace)
Why Will you say that I am MAD?
Project Description (For the Showing Evidence workspace)
In this project students will have to determine whether the narrator of the Tell Tale Heart should be
held responsible for his actions. Students will have to back up their reasoning’s with support and claims
using the Showing Evidence Tool. This will tie into real life issues such as the shootings that occurred in
Tucson. This specific incident will be used as an example to help students relate the theme ofCan/Should people who are mentally ill (or not mentally sane) be responsible for their actions? Why or
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Intel® Teach Program
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why not?
Prompt (For the Showing Evidence workspace)
Should the narrator in The Tell Tale Heart be held responsible for his actions?
Practice Case (For your future quick reference)
Practice Team ID: Period 5
Password: abcd
Reviewing Team ID: Period 7/8
Password: abcd
Claims
The narrator in The Tell Tale Heart is crazy.
The narrator in The Tell Tale Heart is sane.
Evidence
Unit Details
Prerequisite Skills
Knowledge of figurative language-be abe to define, identlfy
Students will need to be to infer and know what that means
Review of the vocbualry outlined for the short story
History and some information on Edgar Allan Poe
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Instructional Procedures
Pre-Activity/Lesson:
The pre-lesson will begin by having a class discussion on Edgar Allan Poe. I will ask the students to
write down as many things they know about Edgar Allan Poe. When students finish this they will then
get on their computers and create an Inspiration Web. The web will be used to map out their preknowledge of Edgar Allan Poe. We will have a quick review game using Jeopardy on the different types
of figurative language. This will be a great way to review the different figurative language terms.
I will go over with the students what exactly this unit will entail. Then together they will get on their
computers and we will fill out the Unit Outline Inspiration Web. This gives the students the chance to
visually see and hear all aspects of this unit.
Lesson:
The lesson will begin by students reading aloud the biography of Edgar Allan Poe from the Elements of
Literature book page 543. In addition, I will share/read to the class a little more information on Poe’s
life. The class will then have a discussion about if they believe that Poe was a mentally stable person.
That will lead into a further discussion on what makes a person crazy as opposed to sane. I will let
them share their answers with the person sitting next to them and aloud.
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Intel® Teach Program
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Next we will read as a class the “Before You Read” on page 536. We will conduct a class survey as seen
in the “Make a Connection” and then the students will be given a graphic organizer. They will begin by
looking at the title of the story. I will ask them what does the title of the story imply? Along with if they
think that the use of first person point of view effects the theme and mood of the story. Using the
graphic organizer they will make further predictions based on the pictures/images from the story,
previous notions of the author, and anything else they predict will happen in the story.
Now we will read “The Tell Tale Heart” together (pages 537-542). While reading the students will
answer the open book signs that appear along the text. There are 6 of these boxes. After reading the
short story we will analyze and discuss how the mood and tone affect/create the overall impact that
they story has on the readers. Students will next finish filling out the graphic organizer comparing their
original predictions to what really happened in the story. Students will address and describe the impact
that foreshadow, mood, climax, dramatic irony have on the story. Lastly the students will answer the
“After You Read” questions on page 544. This will be turned in along with the graphic organizer. Both
will be graded and returned to the students to provide both them and myself with feedback and
assessment on the story and important elements we analyzed. Students will also discuss the role that
figurative language has on appealing to readers.
After the assigned work above is completed, the students will use the Showing Evidence Tool to answer
the following questions: 1. Do they think the narrator is sane? 2. Should the narrator be held
accountable for his actions? They will back up their answers with reasoning, clear evidence, and
support.
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Intel® Teach Program
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After making their solid claims and providing substantional evidence, the students will then use this
evidence to create a story. They need to continue from where the Tell Tale Heart story ended and tell
what ends up happening to the narrator. This will be done in a short 4 paragraph story that they make
up and that is based on their claims from the Showing Evidence Tool. When the students have finished
creating their story, they will they use Pixie to create a movie illustration and voice narrating what
happens in their story. When students are finished creating their Pixie movies they will present them to
the class. The students will be graded while presenting their Pixie stories on a scale of 1-5 by their
peers. The criteria will be listed for them on the grading rubric sheet.
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Closing/Reflection:
After all students have presented their Pixie stories, each student will do a quick typed 2 paragraph
response/reflection on the unit. This reflection will start by focusing on the impact that figurative
language has on the story and the narrator telling the story. Next they will discuss analyze the
inferences and predictions they made before the story was read and then after we read the story. They
will make a quick summary of their results. They will then write a few sentences reflecting on the
results of using the Showing Evidence Tool and how that tool helped to shape the story they then
created.
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction
Resource
Student
Oral instructions on quiz, and exam.
One on one, small group work, partner work
Continual monitoring and checking for understanding/questions
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Nonnative
English
Speaker
One on one, small group work, partner work
Directions read aloud to them
Continual monitoring and checking for understanding/questions
Graphic organizers
More visual elements
Gifted
Student
Higher level questions
More aspects to the Pixie project and more challenging requirements when creating
the extended story
Materials and Resources Required For Unit
Printed Materials
Supplies
Elements of Literature books, printed handouts, rubric, graphic organizer
Classroom computers, Elements of Literature books, pen/pencil, paper
Technology Hardware
Projector, computers, printer, television, speakers, Pixie, Word, Inspiration
Technology Software
Internet browser, Specific WebPages, computers, printers, headphones,
video clips, projector and screen, in-classroom volume
http://www.poemuseum.org/selected_works/tell_tale_heart.html
Internet Resources
Other Resources
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/acrostic/
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic/
Access to other students work and responses, examples of
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Intel Teach Program are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.
*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
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