Teaching the Tell Tale Heart
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated Oct 3, 2023
Welcome back to the second post in my series featuring Edgar Allan Poe activities for the middle school classroom. As the Halloween season approaches, slipping in a few of the classic tales from the king of American Gothic literature are a sure way to bring a little spooky Halloween energy to your ELA lessons. This post focuses on some of my favorite ideas for teaching The Tell Tale Heart. Check out my previous Poe post by clicking 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!
Why should I teach the Tell Tale Heart?
The Tell Tale Heart is a gruesome tale of murder and madness is always a hit in my middle school classroom. The creepy eye, the crazy narrator, and the body buried beneath the floorboards are just the kind of scary grossness that brings middle school kiddos to life!
I have gathered up some of my very favorite ideas for teaching The Tell Tale Heart. All are perfect for those few days before Halloween when things start to get a little crazy!
Also- be sure to read through to the bottom of this post, as I have included a fun Poe freebie for you to download and use in your classroom!
Ideas for Teaching The Tell Tale Heart – Introducing the Story
After reading through the story as a class, I like to show this super creepy animated version of the classic story. As the text itself can sometimes be a bit challenging for students, showing it in video form can help cement the plot for some of the more struggling readers.
When done, we spend some time talking about this animated presentation. Did the images add to the story? How could it be presented differently? Would it have the same effect?
The Tell Tale Heart Movie Posters
These creative posters are one of my very favorite ideas for teaching The Tell Tale Heart. They are fun and creative ways for students to show their understanding. Students take on the role of movie directors, and design their own movie posters to advertise their latest blockbusters. On the back of each poster, they must write paragraphs explaining what famous person they have cast for each of the main roles. This is a fun way to make Poe modern and relevant to your learners, and I love the opportunity for kids to really be creative.
Completed movie posters make fantastic Halloween bulletin board displays! When hung in our hallway, staff and students really enjoyed seeing who was cast in each role.
Interested in trying this activity out with your own learners? Click here or on the image below to snag yourself a copy of this, and other, activities for teaching The Tell Tale Heart.. Full instructions and a rubric for the poster project are included, to make assessment super easy.
For additional information on the importance of teaching art based activities such as these, check out our complete guide to the benefits of arts integration.
The Tell Tale Heart Pennant Projects
These pennant projects are another great way for students to “show what they know” about the story. Each pennant asks students to answer key comprehension questions about the story and fill in important story element details. Afterwards, students color them up, assemble them, and mount them on construction paper. Completed pennant look great when strung up in the classroom, and also make fantastic Halloween bulletin board displays!
Interested in having your kiddos make their own Poe Pennants? Click here to grab a copy of this activity from my TPT store.
I hope this post inspired you to bring a little Poe to your classroom this Halloween season!
If you are looking for more fun Halloween themed activities you can incorporate into your classroom teaching, you may want to check out our Halloween STEM Challenges and out favorite short stories for Halloween.
Looking for more Edgar Allan Poe and The tell tale heart teaching ideas?
Click on the images below to go directly to my TPT store to check out these fun resources.
Interested in seeing some of my spooky Edgar Allan Poe resources in action? Check out the YouTube video below!
Looking for a fun Poe freebie
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!
Looking for more information on teaching short stories?
Check out the blog posts below!
The BEST Short Stories for Middle School
Close Reading Strategies: Tips and Tricks
9 Favorite Dystopian Short Stories for Middle School
Favorite Science Fiction Short Stories
Diverse Short Stories: Ideas and Activities
Halloween Short Stories for Middle School
More Halloween Short Stories for Middle School
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