The Fall Of House Usher Activities Lesson Plans

Essential Aspects of The Fall Of House Usher Activities Lesson Plans

The Fall of the House of Usher is a classic Gothic tale by Edgar Allan Poe that can be used to teach a variety of English language arts concepts. This lesson plan provides activities that can be used to explore the story's themes, characters, and literary devices.

Objectives

Students will be able to identify the key themes of The Fall of the House of Usher.
Students will be able to analyze the characters in The Fall of the House of Usher.
Students will be able to identify the literary devices used in The Fall of the House of Usher.

Materials

Copies of The Fall of the House of Usher
Chart paper
Markers
Copies of the worksheet

Procedure

Begin by reviewing the key themes of The Fall of the House of Usher. Some possible themes to discuss include:

The decay of the human body and mind
The destructive power of guilt
The importance of family
The role of the supernatural

Next, have students analyze the characters in The Fall of the House of Usher. Some possible characters to discuss include:

Roderick Usher: The last of his line, Roderick Usher is a sickly and mentally unstable man who is haunted by the death of his sister.
Madeline Usher: Roderick's twin sister, Madeline is also sickly and mentally unstable. She is eventually buried alive by Roderick.
The narrator: The narrator is a friend of Roderick's who comes to visit him at the House of Usher. He is a witness to the events that lead to the fall of the house.

Finally, have students identify the literary devices used in The Fall of the House of Usher. Some possible literary devices to discuss include:

Imagery: Poe uses vivid imagery to create a sense of atmosphere and mood. Examples of imagery in the story include the description of the House of Usher as "a melancholy house of grandeur in the gloom of an autumn evening," and the description of Madeline Usher as "a maiden of ærial temperament, ... with a figure of perfect adaptation, round and graceful as the swan's."
Symbolism: Poe uses symbolism to represent deeper meanings. Examples of symbolism in the story include the use of the House of Usher to represent the decay of the Usher family, and the use of the tarn to represent the destructive power of guilt.
Foreshadowing: Poe uses foreshadowing to hint at events that will happen later in the story. Examples of foreshadowing in the story include the narrator's dream of the House of Usher falling into the tarn, and the description of Madeline Usher's "cadaverous" appearance.

Assessment

To assess student understanding, you can have them complete a worksheet that asks them to identify the key themes, characters, and literary devices in The Fall of the House of Usher.

Differentiation

For students who are struggling, you can provide them with more scaffolding during the activities. For example, you can give them a list of the key themes, characters, and literary devices to look for in the story. You can also provide them with a copy of the worksheet with the answers filled in.

For students who are advanced, you can challenge them to complete more complex activities. For example, you can have them write an essay about the themes of the story, or you can have them create a presentation about the literary devices used in the story.