Student Activity Plan          Student Activity Title     Student Activity Information     Objectives             Materials     Resources     Entered Texts               Signature       Welcome to the Teachers’ Instructions area for this student activity. Here you’ll find directions and suggestions for using this activity along with the materials you need to evaluate your students’ work. Title: A Day in the Life of Poe Audience: Middle Duration: 45 min Subject Area(s):     Social Studies - History Grade Level(s): 6,7,8 Teacher Directions: Overview: In this activity students will learn about life in Baltimore during Poe's lifetime. They will summarize what they have learned in "A Day in the Life of Poe" journal entry. This activity can be completed using a variety of technology configurations. If a computer lab is available, students can access the activity, worksheets and the Knowing Poe interactives through Thinkport. Another option would be to display the interactive on a classroom computer with a projection device. In this case, students will need a copy of each worksheet. Introductory Activity Ask the students to brainstorm a list of major events that have occurred in their lifetimes. Record students' ideas. Tell the students that they are going to learn about Edgar Allan Poe's life and about the events that happened in the world during his lifetime. Generate a list of reasons why it is important to learn about a writer's life as one begins to learn more about his or her work. Some questions that might be helpful in guiding the discussion include the following: How do people get ideas to write about? What elements of your own life do you incorporate in your writing? Can you think of an example of a fiction book you have read that incorporates details from the author's real life? Do you think a story is enhanced by adding authentic details from an author's life? How do you think current world events will shape the events of the future? Focus for Media Interaction The focus for viewing the Knowing Poe Interactive Timeline is to collect facts about Poe's life and the time in which he lived to determine how this affected his writing. Viewing Activity Explain to the class that they will be exploring two interactives to discover important events that occurred during Poe's lifetime and find out more about what Baltimore was like when Poe lived here. They will use what they have learned from the interactives to write an imaginary journal entry focusing on what a day in Edgar Allan Poe's life might have been like. Each student is responsible for completing an individual worksheet. As a class, go to the Knowing Poe Web site at http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/person/timeline.asp. Show the students how the Interactive timeline is organized into the following sections: Poe’s Life Poe’s Literature World Literature World History Maryland History Baltimore History Assign alternate groups of three students the years 1827 or 1831. (Note: These years were chosen because they had information in all of the categories listed above.) Tell the students that they are going to collect facts about Poe's life and the time in which he lived to determine how this affected his writing. Explain that they are going to read about their assigned year and use the first page of the A Day in the Life worksheet to take notes on important events that occurred. Focus for Media Interaction The focus for viewing the Poe's Baltimore Interactive is to learn about changes in the city of Baltimore from 1830 to the present time. Tell the students that in order to learn more about Baltimore during Poe's lifetime they are going to visit another section of the Knowing Poe Web site at http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/person/poesbalto.asp  Show the students how the Poe's Baltimore Interactive highlights the following sections: Modern sites, Then-and-Now Sites, and Poe-era sites. Tell the students that they will be using the second page of the A Day in the Life worksheet to learn about different sites in Baltimore. Postviewing Activity Have the students use the information they collected to write a journal entry describing what they imagine a day in Edgar Allan Poe's life might have been like. Share the following list with the class to use as a guide in writing their "A Day in the Life of Poe" journal entry: What do you think Poe did today? Where do you think he went? What information can you include about Poe's family in your journal? What information can you include about Poe's home in your journal? What information can you include about Baltimore in your journal? What information can you include about world events in your journal? If you would like students to complete the journal entry electronically, have students write the journal entry using the A Day in the Life of Poe journal entry electronic version. If you would prefer that students write their journal entry, students can use the printable version which has lines for writing. Extension Activity Tell the students to create a skit entitled “A Day in the Life” that highlights what they have learned about Poe’s life. Have the students perform their skit for another class or community members. Videotape the performance, if possible. Student Directions: Have you ever seen a copy of a newspaper that was printed on the day you were born? Many things happen around the world that have an impact on your life. In this activity, you will write a journal entry about a day in the life of Edgar Allan Poe that highlights significant events surrounding his life. 1.0 General Reading Processes: Comprehension Students will use a variety of strategies to understand what they read (construct meaning). Grade 6 3. Use strategies to make meaning from text (during reading) j. Use a graphic organizer or another note taking technique to record important ideas or information Grade 7 and 8 3. Use strategies to make meaning from text (during reading) a. Select and apply appropriate strategies to make meaning from text during reading Grade 6 4. Use strategies to demonstrate understanding of the text (after reading) g. Summarize Grade 7 and 8 4. Use strategies to demonstrate understanding of the text (after reading) e. Summarize or paraphrase 4.0 Writing Students will compose in a variety of modes by developing content, employing specific forms and selecting language appropriate for a particular audience and purpose. Grades 6, 7 and 8 7. Locate, retrieve, and use information from various sources to accomplish a purpose b. Use various information retrieval sources (traditional and/or electronic) to obtain information on a self-selected and/or given topic The Students will: Students will be able to summarize basic facts about Edgar Allan Poe's life and describe what life was like in Baltimore, Maryland, during his lifetime. Directions: You are responsible for discovering what was happening in the world during Poe's lifetime and what changes occurred in the city of Baltimore during Poe's lifetime. You will use two interactives from the Knowing Poe online field trip in this activity. Open the interactives using the links below. Use the A Day in the Life worksheet to collect information. As you work, think about the connections between what was happening in Poe's personal life and the world events surrounding him. Think about how these experiences may have impacted Poe's writing. Try to create a mental picture of what you imagine a day in Poe's life might have been like as you complete the worksheet. Knowing Poe Interactive Timeline The Knowing Poe online field trip contains an Interactive Timeline that highlights world history, world literature, Poe's literature, Poe's life, Baltimore history, and Maryland history. Make sure to click across the top to find different years of Poe's life and use the scroll bar and the check boxes to explore different aspects of the world in which Poe lived.   http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/person/timeline.asp   What was occurring in the world during Edgar Allan Poe's lifetime? Knowing Poe: Poe's Baltimore This interactive contains information about the city of Baltimore during Poe's lifetime.   http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/person/poesbalto.asp   What was Baltimore like during Poe's lifetime? A Day in the Life worksheet  (View) To evaluate the worksheet, make sure that it contains complete and accurate information. The purpose of the worksheet is to enable you to make connections across different categories, and to help you understand more about what Edgar Allan Poe's life was like. After you have completed the entire worksheet review what you have written in each category. Try to create a mental picture of what you imagine a day in Poe's life might be like. Use the information you learned about Poe's life and times to write a journal entry describing what you imagine a day in Edgar Allan's life might have been like. Before you begin to write refer to the Things to Think About and the Writing Evaluation below Directions: If you would like to type your journal entry use the electronic version. A Day in the Life of Poe journal entry electronic version  (View) Directions: If you would like to write your journal entry, print the printable version. A Day in the Life of Poe journal entry printable version  (View) Things to Think About when writing your journal entry: What do you think Poe did today? Where do you think he went? What information can you include about Poe's family in your journal? What information can you include about Poe's home in your journal? What information can you include about Baltimore in your journal? What information can you include about world events in your journal? Directions: To evaluate the journal entry use the A Day in the Life Writing Evaluation worksheet. A Day in the Life Writing Evaluation  (View) Activity Signature Author: Maureen Carroll