A Venetian Carnival

Project URL: http://www.teachnet-lab.org/is24/cposer/poe.htm

How it works:
This unit is based on “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe. Students read and analyze the story for basic comprehension and to find ironic meanings. They then do research to find why the season of carnival is celebrated around the world, and they view various Web sites of global carnival celebrations. The students also create their own carnival masks.

Standards addressed:
A Venetian Carnival targets many of the key competencies of the New York State Language Arts performance standard. Students read and comprehend informational materials, demonstrate familiarity with a variety of both public and functional documents, make informed judgments, and use computer technology to find information relevant to a task.

Materials used:
In addition to copies of the story “The Cask of Amontillado,” students will need at least one computer with an Internet connection, as well as materials such as sequins, ribbons, and paint for making carnival masks.

The students:
These lessons were originally implemented with students from grades six through eight, but they may be adapted to any grade level. The class had a wide range of computer knowledge.

Overall value:
This unit will expand the students’ knowledge of Edgar Allan Poe and his story “The Cask of Amontillado.”  It will also introduce them to the global celebration of the carnival season.  The Internet allows students to travel to these carnivals to experience them firsthand.

Tips for the teacher:  
1- Book mark the sites that go with the lesson plan so the students do not have to spend time typing them in.
2-On a world map, pinpoint all the countries that the students researched about the carnival and attach a paragraph about each.

Christine Poser has been employed at I.S. 24 for over ten years. The past seven have been spent in the library as a media specialist. She has been involved with Project Smart, a NYC Board of Education program that installs computers in classrooms, since its inception in 1997. Through Project Smart she has published lesson plans to help teachers integrate computers in the classroom, and she has facilitated several workshops for teachers on the use of the Internet. She is also part of CLASP, Connecting Libraries and Schools Project. She has arranged author "meet and greet" programs and workshops with the New York Public Library. She enjoys teaching country and western line dancing in her spare time.

Email:  jcposer@aol.com

Subject Areas:  

English
Social Studies

Grade Level:  6-12