‘The Cask of Amontillado’ Scheme and resources
‘The Cask of Amontillado’
Edgar Alan Poe
Title: An introduction to pre-1914 prose, focusing on the short story ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ by Edgar Alan Poe.Year: 9 / Duration: 5 wks
Assessment foci delivered Reading: AF2, AF3, AF4, AF5 / Assessment foci delivered writing: AF2, AF3, AF7 / Assessment foci assessed:
Reading AF2
Writing AF2
Assessment title/s:
§ How does Poe use the Gothic novel form to deliver his social criticism?
§ Which character do you sympathise with the most, and why?
§ To what extent is ‘The Cask Of Amontillado’ an analogy of Poe’s life?
§ In what ways does Poe shock the audience of 1846?
Paul Roberts – Spen Valley Sports College 18
‘The Cask of Amontillado’ Scheme and resources
Teaching Sequence
Task / Activity / Learning ObjectiveWALT / Learning Outcome
WILF / Resources
1 / Pupils work in pairs and construct a spider diagram of what horror means to them.
Oral feedback
Issue dictionary definition – 1a an intense fear, dread, or dismay. b intense aversion or repugnance.
Issue literary definition (See resources).
Issue the biography and historical information.
Pupils work in groups highlighting key information about Poe and his life. They then complete a mind map on A3, with textual references, which will be used for display. Win draw for best one. / AF2 Reading - 9R1 Review and extend their own strategies for locating, appraising and extracting relevant information.
9S2 Integrate speech, reference and quotation effectively into what they write.
9Wr17 Cite specific and relevant textual evidence to justify critical judgements about texts. / To have a mind map that contains key information gained from the text with textual references. / A3 paper; felt tips; literary definition; biographical information.
2 / Issue the essay title for that class.
Discuss what the question is asking and pupils annotate the question
Close textual analysis of the text.
Teacher led discussions on the analysis clarifying any areas of misunderstanding. The level of discussion and analysis will need to be differentiated to suit the class. This can be completed on the interactive whiteboard annotating the board modelling the skills of annotating and note taking.
Discussion will play an important role at this point to clarify any misunderstanding and develop ideas. / AF3 9R18Discuss a substantial prose text, sharing perceptions, negotiating common readings and accounting for differences of view.
9R8 Compare the presentation of ideas, values or emotions in related or contrasting text.
9S7 Analyse and exploit the stylistic conventions of the main text types, e.g. parody.
AF5 9W6 Know and use the terms that are useful for analysing language, e.g. type of phrase or clause, conditional verb.
9W7 Recognise layers of meaning in the writer’s choice of words, e.g. connotation, implied meaning, different types of multiple meanings. / Pupils annotate the text with notes and explanations on the text.
Pupils will also need to be able discuss the notes they have made and understand the implications of the language used. / Annotated copy of the text
Electronic copy of the text (Staff shared – Curriculum subject areas - English – Yr 9 – Poe)
3 / Pupils copy into their books the definition for Point, Example, Explain. (see resources)
Pupils then complete the P.E.E. task in pairs finding the links between the statements. (see resources)
Discuss how the pupils were able to make the links. Develop a clear definition with the pupils and write it on the board for the pupils to copy into their books.
A point to make is that there can be more than one explain for a given point and it is the pupils’ ability to explain that will gain them the higher marks. / AF2 9Wr17 Cite specific and relevant textual evidence to justify critical judgements about texts.
AF3 9s4 Integrate speech, reference and quotation effectively into what they write
AF7 9W7 Recognise layers of meaning in the writer’s choice of words / Pupils will understand how to use P.E.E. to record their analysis. / P.E.E. sheets
4 / Group work
Place pupils into mixed ability groups of 3 or 4. Issue them with the task of locating information around the key assessment areas. Pupils will produce a chart like this:
Assessment focus / Point / Example / Explain
Shared work will have to be completed first to guide the pupils as to your expectations. A discussion on the use of hyperbole in the opening sentence will suffice. Make sure that the pupils understand that they are looking for different assessment focuses.
Perhaps giving them a set time to complete all the work on language, for example, and then taking feedback would be a prudent way to assess whole group understanding.
Teachers should use this time for guided work with each group. / AF2 9Wr17 Cite specific and relevant textual evidence to justify critical judgements about texts.
AF3 9s4 Integrate speech, reference and quotation effectively into what they write
AF7 9W7 Recognise layers of meaning in the writer’s choice of words
SL9S & L10 Contribute to the organisation of group activity in ways that help to structure plans, solve problems and evaluate alternatives and evaluating differences and similarities. / Pupils should have a completed chart to use as a beginning to their essay. It should contain: the point being made; an example to back up the point; an explanation as to the effect on the reader or the author, the message being portrayed etc…
5 / Still in their groups, pupils need to complete an essay frame. Clarify any misconceptions that pupils may have like ‘they don’t need to do one because they can just write it’.
Discuss with the pupils that a good essay has a distinct structure to it that should flow from point to another.
Go through the assessment criteria differentiated to that group and the grade above. These should be issued to the pupils and discussed in detail so the pupils know how to achieve the grades.
Each pupil will need to produce an essay frame, which will need to contain what they are going to discuss and which assessment focus it addresses. They will also need to outline the explain aspect of their essay.
This frame should be checked by the teacher before the pupil starts to complete their essay. If pupils structure their essay around the assessment focuses, it makes it easier for them to check they have included everything and for marking. / SL9S & L10 Contribute to the organisation of group activity in ways that help to structure plans, solve problems and evaluate alternatives and evaluating differences and similarities.
AF3 9s4 Integrate speech, reference and quotation effectively into what they write
9S5 Evaluate their ability to shape ideas rapidly into cohesive paragraphs
9Wr4 Choose, use and evaluate a range of presentational devices, on paper and on screen
9Wr9 Integrate diverse information into a coherent and comprehensive account
9Wr10 Explain the precise connections between ideas with clarity and an appropriate degree of formality / Pupils need to produce a cohesive plan of their essay. They need to include and highlight how it addresses the assessment criteria / Grade descriptors appropriate to the group
6 / Pupils produce their first draft. The purpose of this should be what they write rather than how they write. They need to complete this in sections.
Take the work done on hyperbole and model on the board how to write using P.E.E. Get the pupils to lead what to write and then the teacher needs to shape it so it fits P.E.E. Pupils copy this into their books as an exemplar.
Once they have written their first P.E.E get the pupils to underline (only underline, it makes it difficult to mark when it coloured in) in different colours Point, Example and Explain. Some pupils find it helpful to write P.E.E. in the margin to help them structure their work. Some also find it easier to use the colours all the way through their essay. Peer marking can be done to see if the pupils to check they have achieved it correctly. It is also a good tool for pupils to see how other pupils are writing and what they are writing. Try to pair up high and low ability pupils with each other.
Set an achievable deadline for the first section to be completed then get pupils to peer mark checking their marking against the assessment focus. Detention has to be given for those pupils who miss the deadline. As an introduction to GCSE independent study and time-management have to be taught as appropriate skills.
Calling pupils out to the front for one-to-one tuition should be done with every member of the class. Simply take one a section of their work and mark it as you would a final piece giving feedback on things to work on. / AF2 9Wr3 Produce a formal essays in Standard English within a specified time, writing fluently and legibly and maintaining technical accuracy when writing at speed
AF2 Reading - 9R1 Review and extend their own strategies for locating, appraising and extracting relevant information.
9S2 Integrate speech, reference and quotation effectively into what they write.
9Wr17 Cite specific and relevant textual evidence to justify critical judgements about texts.
9wr1 Review their ability to write for a range of purposes and audiences, recognising strengths and identifying skills for further development / Pupils start writing their essay focussing on using P.E.E.
7 / Regular, small section marking will be beneficial to the pupils as a guide to aid their writing and essay construction. It also combats having to mark large sections of text on a quick turn around.
Allow pupils time to redraft their work and clarify any common errors assessed from marking. Introduce the 10 minute writing rule. Pupils write for 10mins then check back over what they have written. / 9wr1 Review their ability to write for a range of purposes and audiences, recognising strengths and identifying skills for further development / Review their ability to redraft their work and improve it.
8 / Introduce the conventions of writing to analyse, which they should have studied for their SATs.
Through starter activities, deliver connectives and linking phrase work to join sections of their essay together.
Extensive plenary work will help pupils to clarify their ideas and allow a forum for ideas to be shared.
Pupils complete the next section of their essay following the same format of delivery as before. / AF2 9wr1 Review their ability to write for a range of purposes and audiences, recognising strengths and identifying skills for further development
9Wr3 Produce a formal essays in Standard English within a specified time, writing fluently and legibly and maintaining technical accuracy when writing at speed
AF4 9S6 Compare and use different ways of opening, developing, linking and completing paragraphs / Pupils redraft their work to include the conventions of writing to analyse
9 / Once the first draft has been marked, pupils need to complete a second draft on lined paper or preferably on computer.
Break groups into mixed groups of 4.
Each group needs to work together on completing redrafting of their essays. They need to work together and questions to the teacher should be ones which none of the group knows the answer to.
This should be marked with the focus being on expression and form. P.E.E. should still be a focus and the extension of explain should be developed wherever possible. / AF2 9wr1 Review their ability to write for a range of purposes and audiences, recognising strengths and identifying skills for further development / Pupils use peer discussion to improve their work in line with marking
10 / For the 2nd draft pupils should be working a bit more independently although it is always prudent to assess pupils are still writing using P.E.E. One-to-one marking or peer marking are methods which could be used as is guided work.
Spend some time working on essay openings taking pupils work as exemplar.
If this done anonymously it can be a powerful tool in getting pupils looking at expression and style. / AF2 9wr1 Review their ability to write for a range of purposes and audiences, recognising strengths and identifying skills for further development
9Wr3 Produce a formal essays in Standard English within a specified time, writing fluently and legibly and maintaining technical accuracy when writing at speed
AF2 Reading - 9R1 Review and extend their own strategies for locating, appraising and extracting relevant information.
9S2 Integrate speech, reference and quotation effectively into what they write.
9Wr17 Cite specific and relevant textual evidence to justify critical judgements about texts. / Pupils complete the 2nd draft and final draft
11 / After the 2nd draft is completed, and feedback given, any more common errors can be delivered and clarified.
Pupils complete their final draft.
Paul Roberts – Spen Valley Sports College 18
‘The Cask of Amontillado’ Scheme and resources
Resources
GOTHIC LITERATURE: Poetry, short stories, or novels designed to thrill readers by providing mystery and blood-curdling accounts of villainy, murder, and the supernatural. As J.A. Cuddon suggests, the conventions of gothic literature include wild and desolate landscapes, ancient buildings such as ruined monasteries; cathedrals; castles with dungeons, torture chambers, secret doors, and winding stairways; apparitions, phantoms, demons, and necromancers; an atmosphere of brooding gloom; and youthful, handsome heroes and fainting (or screaming!) heroines who face off against corrupt aristocrats, wicked witches, and hideous monsters. Conventionally, female characters are threatened by powerful or impetuous male figures, and description functions through a metonymy of fear by presenting details designed to evoke horror, disgust, or terror (see Cuddon's discussion, 381-82).