A
Venetian Carnival
Project
URL: http://teachersnetwork.org/teachnet-lab/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.
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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
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