Gothic Literature: 5-week unit
Week One:
· Monday
o Introduce Gothic Literature with PowerPoint (history, context, etc.)
o Introduce blogger website
· Tuesday
o Read “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe as a class
o Break up into groups and assign stanzas to work through (discuss themes, vocabulary, etc.)
· Wednesday
o Show the Simpsons clip of “The Raven” to class
o Discuss with class: What do they notice in this clip that helps them understand the poem? Are they surprised how a show like “The Simpsons” incorporates Poe’s poem?
· Thursday
o Break students up into groups
o Activity: assign discussion questions, then have students write their ideas on the board
· Friday
o Go to the computer lab; have students go on blogger website
o Let them play around with all the different features, but also guide them through the site
o Give them the rest of the class time to explore the site and utilize the websites on Poe and the poem; students must finish blog by Monday
o Blog assignment:
§ State five interesting facts you found on the websites given for “The Raven.” Why are these facts interesting? How are you surprised by them, and do they make you see the poem differently? Why/why not?
Week Two:
· Monday
o Introduce “The Minister’s Black Veil”; implement shared reading
o Discussion of themes of gothic literature, vocabulary, comprehension, comparison with this short story and the Poe’s poem
· Tuesday
o Have students focus on the idea of the “veil” in Hawthorne’s short story; have them free-write about what the veil does, using evidence from the text. Students are free to list words, draw a picture, or anything else they want to express how they interpret the “veil.”
· Wednesday
o Go into depth as to how this short story is similar/different from “The Raven.” Make a venn diagram to compare.
o Student participation is vital in this group discussion. Students must also write down the ideas discussed in class, while the teacher will write on the board as a model.
· Thursday
o Computer lab time. Students will explore the links under “The Minister’s Black Veil” on the blogger website. As a class, we’ll review and read the link with the discussion questions.
o Students will have some time to also explore the other websites about the story and Hawthorne.
· Friday
o Computer lab time. Students will continue to explore the websites about the story and Hawthorne. Students will be given the entire class period to finish their blog assignment (chose one of the following):
§ Option A: Choose two of the discussion questions in the link provided and answer them in two-three paragraphs.
§ Option B: Compare and contrast three ideas about Hawthorne or “The Minister’s Black Veil” with Poe or “The Raven.” Do these ideas define or go against Gothic Literature (look back on our notes about gothic literature)?
Week three
· Monday
o Introduce and read Frankenstein
o Use literature circles. Have students write questions they have as well as answer questions as they along; have them hold on to their work.
· Tuesday
o Regroup into literature circles. Have students continue to read through the story and continue to work through their questions.
o Class discussion: what did they notice so far? How do they feel about the novel? Much different from the poem and short story we read?
· Wednesday
o Regroup into literature circles. Have each person in each group assigned to answer a question they had as a group: i.e. themes you notice, setting, predictions, questions they had
o Turn them in at the end of the period
· Thursday
o Teacher will show the clip of the Frankenstein (the black and white film) to class (using the clip posted on the blogger website)
o Have students jot down their reactions
o Discuss together as a class: How many are familiar with this film, or with this version of Frankenstein? Does it seem different or similar to the book?
· Friday
o Regroup into literature circles and continue to read book (by now, the class should have read at least up to chapter 8).
o Other half of the class, students will go to the lab to work on their blog assignment for the week.
§ Blog assignment:
o Assignment for weekend: Read up to chapter 10 by Monday for homework.
Week four:
· Monday-Thursday:
o Continue to mix in shared reading and literature circles to get through the novel
o Mix in different discussion questions and activities to engage students (by now class should have read at least up to chapter 17).
· Friday:
o Computer lab time. Give students the class period to explore the websites on the site and have them blog: -Choose a scene or chapter in Frankenstein and describe and explain how the elements of this scene/chapter make the novel Gothic Literature. Write at least one page.
o Homework: Read up to chapter 20 in book.
Week five:
o Monday-Tuesday:
o Finish reading novel in literature circles.
o Wednesday:
o Introduce unit project; show example
o Give class time for students to begin project
o Thursday:
o Work on project
o Friday:
o Work on project. Project due the following week.
