Are you looking for a middle school reading comprehension activity to teach “The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe? This spooky short story unit BUNDLE is filled with reading comprehension activities to teach main idea, summary, theme, plot elements, tone and mood, and more. This 8-day close reading unit is the PERFECT resource to help your middle school ELA students think critically and dive deeper into Poe’s classic suspenseful tale.
Each lesson is scaffolded and contains tools to help meet the diverse needs of all learners. There is also a creative writing project that requires students to write a new narrative that details what happens after the nameless narrator confesses to the murder of the old man.
You will also receive 36 PRINT and DIGITAL task cards that can be used during the short story unit or as the alternate end-of-unit assessment. This CCSS aligned task cards are PERFECT for offering student choice, adding differentiation, and collaborative student activities.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Resource:
✅ Saves You Time with Quick and Easy Prep
✅ Scaffolded Lessons to Meet the Needs of All Learners
✅ Teacher Models and Answer Keys
✅ Anchor Charts for Main Idea, Theme, Inferences, and Tone & Mood
✅ Clear Student Directions and Criteria
✅ Strategies and Activities for Student Collaboration
✋ What Standards and Skills Are Addressed?
• Citing Text Evidence
• Context Clues
• Making Predictions
• Main Idea and Supporting Details
• Objective Summary
• Theme
• Inferences
• Plot Elements
• Tone and Mood
• and MORE!
✍ What’s Included:
➀ “The Tell-Tale Heart” Probable Passage
➙ ➙ “The original template for Probable Passage is from When Kids Can’t Read/What Teachers Can Do by Kylene Beers. You can read more about this strategy on pages 87 – 95 of that book, which is available in e-format at http://www.heinemann.com/products/EBK03025.aspx.”
➁ “The Tell-Tale Heart” Close Reading Activity
– Differentiated Vocabulary Activity
– Anticipation Guide and Four Corners Activity
– First Read: Main Idea, Supporting Details, and Objective Summary
– Second Read: Comprehension Questions with a Double Entry Journal
– Third Read: Characterization
-3 Writing Responses
➂ “The Tell-Tale Heart” Assessment
– 5 Multiple Choice Questions
– 2 Extended Response Questions (Students select one to answer)
– Extended Response Rubric
➃ “The Tell-Tale Heart” Narrative Writing Task
– Task #1- Prewriting: Four Square Organizer
– Task #2- Rough Draft
– Task #3- Self and Peer Assessment
– Task #4- Final Draft
– Narrative Writing Reference Sheet
– Narrative Writing Rubric
– Strong and Weak Writing Samples
➄ BONUS: “The Tell-Tale Heart” Choice Board Activity
-Early Finisher Activity
-4 Task
– Task Handouts
➅ “The Tell-Tale Heart” Lesson Presentation (+75 Slides)
-Editable slides
➆ Teacher Models and Answer Keys
– Provided for all activities
➇ Teacher Guide
-Lesson Breakdown
-Daily Lesson Structures
-Activity Tips and Suggestions
-Modification and Differentiation Ideas
-Annotated Teacher Text
➈ Anchor Charts
– Main Idea, Supporting Details, and Objective Summary
– Theme
– Tone and Mood
– Inferences
➉ “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe Task Cards:
☞ Task #1- Author’s Purpose
☞ Task #2- Central Idea
☞ Task #3- Theme
☞ Task #4- Characterization
☞ Task #5- Point of View
☞ Task #6- Time Period
☞ Task #7- Real Life Influences
☞ Task #8- Figurative Language
☞ Task #9- Conflict/Resolution
☞ Task #10- Setting
☞ Task #11- Theme & Development
☞ Task #12- Painting a Picture
☞ Task #13- Plot
☞ Task #14- Objective Summary
☞ Task #15- Compare and Contrast
☞ Task #16- Context Clues
☞ Task #17- Movie Poster
☞ Task #18- Be A Critic
☞ Task #19- Picture It
☞ Task #20- Interview the Author
☞ Task #21- Interview a Character
☞ Task #22- Comic Book
☞ Task #23- Instagram
☞ Task #24- Facebook
☞ Task #25- Twitter Feed
☞ Task #26- Trading Places
☞ Task #27- Likes/Dislikes
☞ Task #28- Rewrite
☞ Task #29- Prequel
☞ Task #30- Sequel
☞ Task #31- Diary of a Character
☞ Task #32- Cover Artist
☞ Task #33- Dear Abby
☞ Task #34- Music to My Ears
☞ Task #35- Morning Announcements
☞ Task #36- Word Cloud Collage
What Other Teachers Are Saying About This Resource:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Carolyn M. says, “I used some of these materials as a quick sub plan when I had to be out unexpectedly, and I came back to kids who really understood the components of the story that this lesson focused on. Great resource!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Miss B’s Bookcase says, “Love this bundle! I use it every year! Super effective!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Michelle C. says, “There was something for every student in this packet. The task cards were a hit and easy to understand.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Ashley P. says, “This is awesome! A well thought out unit for both low/average/high students!”
