Planning a cohesive argument about 'The Tell-Tale Heart'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can confidently plan a cohesive argument analysing Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’.
Key learning points
- Poe shows us how guilt drives the narrator further into insanity and delusion.
- Single paragraph outlines are useful for organising your ideas into a coherent structure.
- Single paragraph outlines contain a topic sentence, supporting detail and a summary sentence.
- Quotations will be needed to support each topic sentence.
- A cohesive argument aims to prove one 'big idea'. All your ideas and evidence should work together to prove one idea.
Keywords
Delusional - holding irrational or untrue beliefs - in this context, as a result of mental illness.
Deranged - unable to think clearly or behave with self-control
Heinous - wicked and appalling
Irrational - not thinking with logic or reason
Cohesive - united and working together effectively to achieve a common goal
Common misconception
Students often think of methods exclusively as 'similes/metaphors' etc.
The writer's method is anything they do consciously. This could be choosing one, single word over another.
Teacher tip
You may wish to get students to consider how a story like this still bears relevance to society today. This could be done as a 'hook' into the lesson or as part of the reflection task in learning cycle 2.
Equipment
You will need access to the short story 'The Tell-Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. You can find a copy of this in the additional materials.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which two symbols are the focus of the narrator's delusions in 'The Tell-Tell Heart'?
Q2.What form does Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart' take?
Q3.Which two methods does Poe use in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' to show the narrator's escalating delusion?
Q4.Which language method does Poe use in the following quotation from 'The Tell-Tale Heart': "It grew louder—louder—louder!"?
Q5.Complete the quotation from 'The Tell-Tale Heart': “Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tear up the planks!—here, here!—It is the beating of his heart!”
Q6.What is the effect of Poe using an unreliable narrator in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following words can be used as a synonym for 'insane'?
Q2.Which piece of vocabulary best describes the narrator's crimes in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?
Q3.Which of the following does not need to be included in the supporting detail in a paragraph outline?
Q4.What is Poe's message about guilt in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?
Q5.What is the effect of this quotation from 'The Tell-Tale Heart': “It grew louder—louder—louder!”?
Q6.What is the effect of this quotation from 'The Tell-Tale Heart': “I foamed—I raved—I swore!”?
To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: Planning a cohesive argument about 'The Tell-Tale Heart', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: Planning a cohesive argument about 'The Tell-Tale Heart', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 English lessons from the A monster within: reading and writing Gothic fiction unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.