Erin Morrisey

Lesson Topic: Analyze Techniques in Horror Fiction || Grade level: 11th || Length of lesson: 60 minutes

Stage 1 – Desired Results

Content Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple
meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other
authors.)
IDOE.11-12.RL.2.3
Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g.,
where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
Understanding (s)/goals Essential Question(s):
Students will understand: What scares us (specifically in art/ literature)?
That authors use techniques such as suspense, mood, , Why do we choose to be scared?
figurative language, in horror stories in order to engage
readers in experiences entice us.
Inspired by a lesson from Granby Public Schools
Student objectives (outcomes):
Students will be able to:
Identify specific techniques (mood, figurative language) authors use to create reactions in their audiences (we will
be looking specifically at fear)
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s): Other Evidence:
 Drawing a picture: evaluate comprehension of  Student read-aloud
the story’s mood
 Captioning a drawing: evaluate comprehension
of key words learned during the lesson
 Create a found poem
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Learning Activities:
Time Teacher Will Be: Students Will Be: Rationale: Theory/ Theorist:
5-10 Talk about student’s Fall Break Build rapport Malaguzzi: focus on
minutes social collaboration
5 minutes Watch https://youtu.be/p77rzJib1_8 (on Ms. Provide an overview of the Howard Gardner:
Morrisey’s phone with headphones because short story and add Multiple Intelligences
computer volume isn’t working): The Road opportunities for Theory
Virus Heads North (Official Trailer) by comprehension if student isn’t Piaget: utilize visual
TimePsyc a linguistic learner; build aids
curiosity/ expectations/ Malaguzzi: respect
engagement interests of the
students (Ariyana
told me during our
first lesson that she
liked scary/ mystery
stories)
5 minutes Read pgs. 298-299, 302 Read pgs. 298-299, I will evaluate student’s read- Vygotsky: Reciprocal
(switch reading 302 (switch reading aloud capabilities and model teaching
paragraphs) paragraphs) what a good read-aloud looks
like (specifically focus on Fisher & Frey pg. 77
inflection)
10-15 Discuss how to create a Create a found poem; By picking out the most Bloom’s Taxonomy:
minutes “found poem” using “discover how powerful words in a scary Recall and
key words from the authors use specific story narrative, we will be able Understand
words and images to
 Erin Morrisey
text. Point specifically capture the essence of to understand what terms a Fisher & Frey pgs.
to figurative language. their writing.” -F&F key scary story includes. 32-34
5-10 Provide paper, pens, Student will draw a Creating this drawing and Bloom’s Taxonomy:
minutes coloring pencils. Set picture of how she identifying what it looks like Create
timer for 5 minutes felt while listening to/ will help student articulate
(This student is a bit of watching/ reading how this short story made her
a perfectionist when excepts from this feel—this will lead to a
drawing). If student is story. discussion of mood. Also, this
stuck, refer her to the student loves to draw 😊
found poem for
inspiration.
10-15 Define “mood” and Respond to Help student understand the Malaguzzi: teaching
minutes discuss it. Ask discussion questions purpose for the lesson and guided by
discussion questions (listed below) draw her into deeper questioning
(listed below) understanding of the text Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Evaluate
Last 5-10 Guide thinking if Write a caption for Apply the terms (tone and Bloom’s Taxonomy:
minutes student is struggling: the picture she drew figurative language) learned Understand, Apply
help student reflect on earlier—specifically by using them in writing. If and Analyze
her found poem/ on her describe tone/ student can use these words Critical Thinking
opinions of the story reference figurative correctly, she understands Skills:
language them. Comprehension/
Application

Reflection: What did I learn through teaching this lesson? What do I want to remember the next time I teach this
lesson? How will assessment data from today’s lesson impact tomorrow’s teaching?

I wasn’t really sure how long this lesson would take, especially with my student’s constant desire to sleep every
time we meet. With this issue, we were unable to draw the picture of the mood of Stephen King’s story and go
over the discussion questions I spent quite a lengthy time preparing, but I wasn’t incredibly upset because I felt
like we spent a productive hour together, mostly because I finally feel like I completed some necessary
assessments I’ve been putting off for a while!

I discovered that my student hates reading aloud, even though she knows good read-aloud techniques. She was
intentional about her pauses and enunciations of specific words, but I could tell she was obviously nervous. Also,
she was able to read the first paragraph much more smoothly than the second paragraph, even though the content
of the paragraphs wasn’t very different.

Additionally, I learned that my student is very intentional about checking over her work, which I appreciated. She
identified all of the examples of figurative language I had previously identified, even labelling them with the type
of figurative language they were (something I hadn’t yet asked her to do).

However, my student wasn’t able to summarize the story we read; she gave a one-sentence summary (“The picture
is following him,” but she didn’t provide any additional information). This is a bit understandable, as we couldn’t
read the entire story during our time together. I had previously summarized the story and we had watched a trailer
for the movie adaptation of this book before reading the excerpts. This wasn’t a problem I was anticipating, so I
struggled to give her the necessary tools to more appropriately summarize the story. I’m not sure if I didn’t
scaffold enough or if she really struggles with summarizing what she’s read—this is something I’ll try to return to
in future lessons.

One minor victory for the lesson was that my student quickly got excited about the book I had chosen! She was a
bit distracted and scatterbrained—she wasn’t focused while I was describing the book and (once we figured out
how to get through the school’s firewall to play the YouTube video I had chosen) she chatted for the first minute
or so of watching the video. However, even though the video I showed her was from 1999, she immediately asked
if the movie was on Netflix. As we were wrapping up the lesson, she mentioned that the book sounded “really
good!”
 Erin Morrisey

HOW TO CREATE A FOUND POEM

 Circle/ list the strongest words in the passage.
o Powerful/ unique verbs, specific nouns, descriptive adjectives
o Highlight short and compelling sections of text to clarify expression of ideas
o Which words/ phrases were surprising?
 Start the poem with a strong word or phrase
 As much as possible, honor the author’s original order of words
 Title the poem
QUESTIONS ABOUT ARIYANA’S DRAWING
 Describe the picture: how did you decide what to draw? What inspired you in this story?
 What colors did you use and why? (refer back to color discussion from advertisement lesson)
 What did the story make you feel?
 What does your picture make you feel?
 What words do you think of when you look at your picture/ think of the story?
MOOD
 The feeling(s) you have when you read a story
 Look at setting and language used (look at loaded words—refer to advertisement lesson)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
 What does evil look like in the story? How do you know? Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
o Are you stuck? Look at your found poem—that might define evil for you!
 How does Stephen King develop the suspense in the story? Point to specific sections. Depth-of-Knowledge:
Recall and Production (Level 1)
 Did this story scare you? Why or why not? Depth-of-Knowledge: Extended Thinking (Level 4)
 Did Stephen King’s figurative language “work” in this story? Depth-of-Knowledge: Extended Thinking (Level 4)
o Was it powerful? Did his writing draw you in/ interest you? Did you like it? Did you not like it? Did it
make the story more realistic/ believable? Depth-of-Knowledge: Extended Thinking (Level 4)
READING:
This is a short story called “The Road Virus Heads North” from Everything’s Eventual: 14 Dark Tales by Stephen King

From page 298

 Erin Morrisey

From page 299

From page 302