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LESSON PLANS
Mission: To create an educational program that complies with the Virginia Standards of
Learning. To use Poe’s poetry to teach students the different points of view, narration styles, and
poetic devices.
ANNABEL LEE
LESSON PLAN 1—Discussing, understanding, and interpreting poetic devices used in
“Annabel Lee”
Subject: English | Grade 7th | Duration: 1-1:30hr
Objectives
Students will…
-interpret context and story within the poem.
-analyze the poetic structure of this poem.
-practice and use new vocabulary.
Materials
Printed copy of the poem, notebooks, pens/pencils
Prep Work
-Have the students read the poem to themselves before reading the poem aloud in class. Select
one student at a time to read one stanza. (Emphasis on rhyme and meter.) (10min)
-Teacher will lead a discussion on POV, plot, characters, vocabulary, as well as other poetic
devices used in the poem. (10-15min)
Activities
Part I
Have each student write a paragraph or so interpreting context and ryhyme scheme of the poem..
Emphasize on requiring an explanation that ties to Poe’s own life. (10min)
Part II
Divide the students into cooperative groups to read aloud their answers and discuss different
interpretations. Each group should come to a conclusion explaining what they believe the context
of the poem to be about in relation to Edgar Allan Poe. As an entire group, then discuss the
rhythm and rhyme of the poem. (20min)
Part III
Provide time for students to write their interpretation of the poem and to give examples of
rhyme and meter from the text. (10min)
Target SOL
Communication: 7.1a-e; 7.2a Reading: 7.4a-f; 7.5a, d, f-j, l; 7.6a-i, k, l Writing: 7.7d, g; 7.8b, g,
h
LESSON PLAN 2—Discussing, understanding, and interpreting poetic devices and context in
“Annabel Lee”
Subject: English | Grades: 8th | Duration: 1:30-2hrs
Objectives
Students will…
-interpret context and story within the poem.
-analyze the poetic structure of this poem.
-practice and use new vocabulary.
-exercise historical knowledge to interpret who Poe’s “Annabel Lee” may have been.
Materials
Copy of the poem, pens/pencils, paper
Prep Work
-Have the students read the poem to themselves before reading the poem aloud in class. Select
one student at a time to read one stanza. (Emphasis on rhyme and meter.) (10min)
-Teacher will lead a discussion on POV, plot, characters, vocabulary, as well as other poetic
devices used in the poem. (10-15min)
Part I
The students will engage in deciding who they believe Edgar Allan Poe’s “Annabel Lee” was.
Discuss with the students different women associated with Poe during his lifetime. Have each
student quietly write a paragraph or so interpreting, based on this information, who they believe
Annabel Lee may refer to. (15-20min)
Part II
Have the students break off into small groups to explain amongst themselves who they believe
“Annabel Lee” may be referring to. Give the students time to showcase their different
viewpoints, and eventually bring the class back together to select a couple students to present
their viewpoint. (15-20min)
Part III
Because “Annabel Lee” was Poe’s last poem, have the students decide whether they believe this
poem was a strong weak poem for Poe’s final poem and defend their answers in writing. Have
them explain in further detail why by including poetic devices learned earlier in the period. Make
sure the students use specific terms they learned in class.
Part IV (Optional)
Out-of-class project: By random draw, assign a female figure associated with Poe to the students
for an out-of-class research assignment. They are to write a 1-2 paged paper discussing brief
biographical information regarding the figure given, as well as discuss why this figure may be
Poe’s “Annabel Lee.”
Target SOL
Communication: 8.2a-e, h; 8.3a-d Reading: 8.4a-d, f; 8.5a-e, g-m; 8.6a-h, j-l Writing: 8.7a-e;
8.8c, d, f, g Research: 8.9a-e, g
Vocabulary
Bore
Coveted
Dissever
Envying
High-born
Kinsmen
Maiden
Sepulchre
Seraphs
Tomb
Resources
Printable PDF
http://pinkmonkey.com/dl/library1/lee.pdf
“Annabel Lee” reference guide regarding Theme, Setting, Characters, etcetera.
http://cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides2/Annabel.html
Videos
Animated Video With Reading of “Annabel Lee” by Brian Cassidy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbEHScYu-wU
Reading of “Annabel Lee” by Basil Rathbone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv9-B_ymMp0