Edgar Allan Poe Webquest

It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain, but, once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved my 8th grade English classes. They had never wronged me. They had never given me insult. For their behavior I had no problem. I think it was their low grades! 

Yes, it was this! Some of their grades resembled that of a vulture -- a pale blue 'F' with a film over it. Whenever I wrote the 'F' my blood ran cold, and so by degrees, very gradually, I made up my mind to improve the grades of my 8th grade English classes with an Edgar Allan Poe lesson that would incorporate a webquest with questions, and thus rid the class of 'Fs' forever.

 Websites
Look at these websites and videos and answer the associated questions.

• The Edgar Allan Poe Museum Website: The main purpose of the site is to promote the museum. Fans of Poe, however, can find biographical information, a family tree of Poe, theories about his death, selected works, educational resources, and an online store. The site makes certain all information is credible and accurate.

• The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore Website: Don't let the poor web design and subpar formatting deter you from the site. It's full of useful biographical information, studies of his writings, and copies of his short stories and poems. The site's main goal is to promote the Poe Society of Baltimore.

• Poestories.com: This is the Edgar Allan Poe of Edgar Allan Poe websites. In addition to biographical information, his complete short stories and poems, and a timeline of his writing, Poestories.com contains a photo gallery, quotes, summaries, wordlists, guestbook, links, and a forum. It is the most thorough of all Poe websites.

• The Knowing Poe Website: This is the most fun for students. In fact, I spent the last 25 minutes looking at videos and listening to audio versions of "The Raven," reading about the Poe Toaster, and checking out Edgar Allan Poe every day allusions. The site includes an excellent section for teachers with internet activities and lesson plans, and a section for parents to share Poe with their families. 

• The Raven Videos:  

• Poe and addiction
• “I have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of some strange impending doom.”
  ― Edgar Allan Poe
• Was Poe a Drug Addict? An article about the claims that Poe was addicted to drugs as many people believe.
• Was Poe a Drug Addict 2? Another article about the claims that Poe was addicted to drugs.

  

Webquest Questions

1. Provide the following biographical information: birthdate; birthplace; death date.
2. What tragic childhood events influenced his writing?
3. There are 13 theories on what caused Poe's death. List five of them.
4. According to the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, what state did Poe call home?
5. What does the Poe Society of Baltimore think about this claim?
6. What famous military academy expelled Poe in 1831?
7. Who did Poe marry? How old was she?
8. What do you think about the marriage?
9. What is "Murders in the Rue Morgue" the first of?
10. When were "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "Fall of the House of Usher" written?
11. When was "The Raven" published?
12. Check out the Poe photo gallery. Which picture looks most like the Poe you envision while reading his stories?
13. Post a comment below about your favorite Poe story. Appropriate posts only.
14. Sign the guestbook at Poestories.com.
15. Who is the Poe Toaster?
16. List five examples of "Poe in Your Life."
17. After reading the quote under Poe and addiction above, read the two articles, "Was Poe a drug addict?" and "Was Poe a drug addict 2?" Argue whether or not you believe Poe was addicted to drugs and crazy. Explain why you believe what you do.
18. Read the following stories by Poe:
1. "Tell-Tale Heart": you can find this on page 232 in the green literature book in the classroom, or you can read it online at poestories.com
2. "Fall of the House of Usher": you can read this online at poestories.com or you can find a hard copy of it in the folder labeled Fall of the House of Usher.
3. Read a Poe short story of your choice, You can find all of his short stories online at poestories.com
4. If you have read "Tell-Tale Heart" or "Fall of the House of Usher", please find a different story by Poe to read.
19. What are the conflicts in each of the stories you read? How is each conflict resolved? Make sure to include the title of the short story, so I know which story you are referring to.
20. Summarize at least two Poe stories you have never read. Make sure to include the title of the short story.
21. Watch and listen to the two videos of the Raven. What do you think of them? What is the mood of each? Which do you prefer and why? Do not simply answer that you like the Simpsons better because you like the Simpsons. Your response needs to be more thoughtful than that.
22. Choose two additional poems by Poe to either read or listen to. Write down the title of the poem and what you think about it.
23. Read through the Edgar Allan Poe Quotes listed on this webpage. In the comments section below, post a response to four of the eight quotes. Be very thoughtful in your responses. You are not allowed to post no comment, I don't know, or any other response that is negative towards your ability. In addition it must be obvious, which quote you are responding to. If you are unsure where to begin, begin your comment in one of the following ways;
• I agree (don't agree) with Poe's statement about _______ because_______.
• I think that the quote about ________ means______.
• I find the quote about _______ to be (creepy, suspenseful, strange) because ________.
• I was able to relate to Poe's quote about ________ because_______.

Bonus Question: Did you enjoy this activity? Why or why not? What was the most enjoyable part of this activity? What was the least enjoyable part?

 References

• Edgar Allan Poe Quotes: http://masspictures.net/edgar-allan-poe-quotes/
• Edgar Allan Poe Quotes about addiction: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/addiction 
• Webquest idea/partial use: http://www.brighthubeducation.com/middle-school-english-lessons/31325-edgar-allan-poe-webquest/