Bring Gothic suspense to life with this engaging, ready-to-teach lesson on Edgar Allan Poe’s The Black Cat. Perfect for Grades 8–12, this resource helps students analyze guilt, madness, and the supernatural while debating whether Poe’s narrator suffers from insanity or a curse.
What’s Included:
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Complete PowerPoint presentation (25 slides) with objectives, background, vocabulary, and guided activities
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Gothic vocabulary list and analysis tools for imagery, symbolism, tone, and narrator reliability
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Small group discussion questions that push beyond surface-level comprehension
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Mock Trial activity (Madness vs. Supernatural) with roles, evidence charts, and jury deliberation
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Quick writes, reflection prompts, and closure rubric for easy assessment
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Extension ideas connecting The Black Cat to The Tell-Tale Heart and The Cask of Amontillado
Why Teachers Love It:
✔️ Engaging mix of discussion, analysis, and performance
✔️ Built-in differentiation with choice activities
✔️ No prep – ready to use in 2–3 class periods
This lesson is a must-have for any Poe unit or Gothic literature study.
