Have all the lights off and play spooky sounds/music as students enter.
SSR 13 Minutes (Maybe at the end?)
1. Talk about American Gothic, using American Gothic sheet. (Big Fish)
2. Have students brainstorm lists of “gothic” novels and movies that they may have seen or be familiar with.
3. Introduce Poe by showing “Alone” on the overhead. Don’t show the name of the author. What kind of person would write a poem like this? Have them list 5 to 10 personal attributes.
4. Give students brief background on Poe
5. Read first part of “Fall of the House of Usher,” (classroom sets) and go over each bulleted detail.
6. Give students the vivid introduction assignment. Tell them it will be due on October 30th, and they should be prepared to read for the class.
7. Have students hang their music posters.
8. Read some scary story (and non-scary) introductions that students can use as examples and let students have any remaining time to work on their introductions.
Homework Collected: 7th Period Writer's Notebooks O – Z
Homework Given: Vivid Introduction due on October 30th, Occasional Paper due by December 7th, NWP – Post something by the middle of November- can be something you’ve already written.
Handouts given out: Vivid Introduction Assignment
To Read: Fall of the House of Usher
