Introducing Edgar Allan Poe
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated Oct 3, 2023
Welcome back to the third post in my series about introducing Edgar Allan Poe and incorporating his works into your ELA curriculum during the Halloween season. Through these posts I have shared ways to incorporate his classic short stories into your classroom curriculum. This can be especially helpful during the crazy days before Halloween.
You can check out my previous Poe posts here and here.
Looking for a COMPLETE set of Edgar Allan Poe short stories to engage your learners this Halloween season? Click on the image or button below to grab this giant bundle of Poe resources!
In this post I plan to share some engaging activities to help with introducing Edgar Allan Poe to your learners. This talented writer lived a life that was as dark and sad as much of his writing. The unanswered questions surrounding his death also make for highly engaging classroom discussions.
Introducing Edgar Allan Poe – Scavenger Hunt
This is a fun activity that brings movement and life back to traditional comprehension questions. It is great for your kinesthetic learners, as it has them up and mingling around the classroom while learning key facts about this classic author.
To set up this activity, you first need to cut out your fact cards. I like to laminate mine so I can use them year after year. Then, simply tape the cards up around your classroom, hallway, or outdoor space.
Pass each student a clipboard with the biography question template, and have the students hunt around for the cards and record the answers to the questions.
Want to add a little extra spooky fun? Turn off the lights, turn on a few battery operated candles, and pass each student a flashlight to help them hunt!
If the scavenger hunt is something that your don’t think will work with your students, a traditional reading passage with comprehension question pages have also been included. I will admit that I have had classes where the kids honestly just needed practice staying in their seats. If this is you this year, I feel you, and I have you covered.
Interested in trying this activity out with your own learners? Click here or on the image below to go directly to my TPT store and grab yourself a copy!
For a fun scavenger hunt activity for teaching about figurative language, you won’t want to miss our post featuring 5 creative ways to teach figurative language!
One Pager Projects for introducing Edgar Allan Poe
If you have read my previous posts all about One Pagers, you already know all about these fun activities and how effective and engaging they can be. At the end of our Poe unit, I like to use them as a way to review the key things we have learned about the author and his writing.
One Pagers are image and text filled pages. They allow students to take the key points from what they have learned and highlight them on a single sheet of paper. Mixing images with text helps access both the verbal and visual parts of the brain, leading to powerful results. Put simply, students are able to remember more when language and imagery are mixed.
For more detailed information about One Pagers, click here to check out my previous posts where I talk all about them and ways to use them in your classroom.
To complete this activity, students read through the included project criteria, and use the included templates to create their own one pagers showing what they have learned about Poe and his writing. The activity asks them to include key quotes, facts, and illustrations. A rubric is included to help make assessment easy.
I love that these activities give students the opportunity to be creative, while also providing a lot of important information on a single sheet of paper.
Interested in trying these one pager activities out in your classroom? Click here or on the image below to go directly to my TPT shop and grab your own copy of this resource.
Looking for more information on One Pagers? You may want to check out our guide to One Pagers and our One Pager Tips and Tricks posts!
Looking for more Edgar Allan Poe lesson ideas?
Check out some of these engaging Poe activities! Click on the image below to go directly to my TPT store and grab copies for your own classroom.
Interested in seeing some of my spooky Edgar Allan Poe resources in action? Check out the YouTube video below!
Looking for a fun Freebie for introducing edgar allan Poe?
This FREE resource is a fun way to introduce Edgar Allan Poe to your students. It includes an online research template so students can pop online and do some fact gathering about this spooky author. Click here or on the image below for instant access to your FREE copy!
Want to read more about using spooky stories in the classroom?
Check out the blog posts below!
Edgar Allan Poe Short Story Activities for Middle School
The Best Short Stories for Middle School
Favorite Science Fiction Short Stories
9 Favorite Dystopian Short Stories
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