Kinswa |1

Gary Kinswa
Dr Amy Montz
English 444
23 October 2014
Welcome to Literary Detective Week
This lesson plan was devised for teaching a standard 11th grade English class. We are
currently in the second week of the second section of the first semester where we are covering
literary criticism. Through the first section we concentrated on learning to write arguments. Some
of the projects that we have done include working with famous speeches as arguments (including
Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address, Ronald Regans Brandenburg Gate Speech, Martin
Luther King Jrs I Have a Dream, John Kennedys Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You
inauguration speech, and the Rings of Akhaten speech from Doctor Who). In the first week of this
section, we learned about Reader Response Criticism and how it applies to writing a critique for
literary works. This week is also designed to set up our next novel, Skulduggery Pleasant and the
Scepter of the Ancients by Darek Landy (I plan to work through different writing genres by
combining the use of classic literature with modern Young Adult literature of the same genre).
We will have two minor homework assignments (not including the readings) one being a
character outline for The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe and a group Casting
Call assignment where small groups will be casting a modern adaptation of the same short story,
using their character outlines to help them decide who to cast. They will explain their reasoning in
a short presentation in front of the class. The thought behind these assignments is to teach the
students close analytical skills when dealing with character development throughout a story. They
will also be working on two in-class assignments. One of these is a Sensory Details assignment
that will be geared towards helping students to unlock their sensory language in preparation for
their creative poetry assignment. The other is a Who-done-it puzzle excursive aimed at
refreshing the students memory of what they learned about the parts of a good argument (including
claims, warrants, evidence supporting your claim, backing, qualifiers (where necessary), and
rebuttals) with the goal of helping them through their second major assignment, a literary criticism
argument.
The literature that we will be reading this week includes the afore mentioned Murders in
the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe. I chose this piece because it is one of the very first
detective stories and has gone on to be the golden standard for which all others are judged. The
main protagonist in this story was even one of the major influences behind the protagonist of my
other short story choice, Sherlock Holmes. I chose this particular Holmes short story, The
Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, because it is one of the
lesser known Sherlock Holmes stories, so the students are less likely to have already read it, and it

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inspired an episode of the popular BBC series Sherlock. I want to be able to show my students
that just because a story is old, it doesnt mean that it has lost its significance. I will also be teaching
small units on the poems The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe (chosen for its use of vivid imagery and
sensory detail as well as the fact that it was also written by Poe) and 221B by Vincent Starrett (fitting
because it was written as a tribute to Sherlock Holmes and a perfect segue into students writing
their own tribute poems).
My classroom will be designed taking into account my personality and the idea of creating
an environment of creativity and imagination. My ideal classroom will have true whiteboards along
three of the four walls (not those whiteboard-painted walls), this will allow me to not only leave
notes on the board and just move to a different section of the classroom, but it will also allow for
maximum student participation (getting their butts out of their seats to become active learners
rather than passive sleepers). Along the back wall I would have a wall of books including everything
from YA novels, to classical literature, to poetry volumes (including the complete works of Shel
Silverstein). Above the whiteboards will be pictures of my favorite writers (Poe, Whitman, Frost,
Silverstein, Doyle, Hurtson, Voltaire, Shakespeare, and of course Rawling) and shelves with
various pop culture memorabilia. The desks will be tables set up in a U shape facing the front of
the classroom and my desk will be along this open end of the U creating a feeling of unity and
acceptance. There will also be a smart-classroom station with a projector and pull down screen for
media presentations.
Classroom Objectives

Students will learn in a safe, judgment free environment that promotes unity and
interaction
Students will learn to find their true voice in creative writing
Activities and assignments will help students build confidence and fluidity in their
writing and teach them rhetorical techniques and their uses in forming arguments
Students will gain an appreciation for classical literature and discover its relevance
in the modern world
Students will learn to use and appreciate the importance of imagery and detail in
their writing
And most of all, students will discover how much fun reading and writing can
become

Common Core Standards Addressed

Key Ideas and Details:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.3
Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story
or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced
and developed).
Craft and Structure:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including
words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.7
Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a
play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.10
By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in
the grades 11-CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of
the range.
Text Types and Purposes:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.a
Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the
claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences
claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.b
Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for
each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the
audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.c
Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text,
create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and
evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.d
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.e
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
Production and Distribution of Writing:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared
writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.9.a
Apply grades 11-12 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-,
nineteenth- and early twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how
two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics").
Range of Writing:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter
time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

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Weekly Schedule
Day
Monday

Readings

Activities

Discussion

Assignments

The Murders
in the Rue
Morgue by

Grammar Bellringer 1:
Misplaced Modifiers (See
suplimental PowerPoint)
Occur when the subject
of the modifier is unclear
because the modifier is
poorly placed.
The reader may be
unsure of what word the
modifier is describing.

In Class Discussion:
Why do we study
classic literature (from
free writing)
The Murders in the

Casting Call
Assignment:
Small groups create
PowerPoints with
who they would cast
in an updated movie
based on book and
explain why each
actor was chosen to
represent each of

Edgar Allan
Poe
(Read over
the weekend
and fill out
character
sketches
(below))

The reader may even

think the misplaced
modifier is describing a
different word than
intended.
Group race: Fix the
misplaced modifiers

Free Writing:
Why do we study classic literature?
In class video:

How and Why We Read: Crash

Course English Literature #1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
MSYw502dJNY
Group Activity:
Assign small groups to review
character sketches, important plot
points from the story, and Casting
Call ideas.

Rue Morgue

PowerPoint (see
supplemental material)
Character Sketches/
Casting Call

the main characters

(show Phaedra
Powerpoint as
example (see
supplemental
material) Due
Wednesday
Assigned Reading:
Read The Raven by
Edgar Allan Poe.

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Tuesday

The Raven by
Edgar Allan
Poe

Grammar Bellringer 2:
For or Since (See exercise below)
From word pool, chose
the correct usage of for or
since
Free Writing:
Try to remember the first time you
heard the poem The Raven.
Where were you? What was
happening? What stuck in your
mind the most?
Poetry Instruction:
Class discussion
Listen to The Raven
performed by
Christopher Walken on
YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=0wj1DRQs9AQ
while writing key words
and phrases that stand out
Sensory Detail Exercise:
(See activity below)

Poetry Instruction:
In class discussion on plot of

The Raven.

If story plain story told,

would we still be
reading and studying
this poem from 100
years ago?

In Class Discussion:
Sensory Details
Answer any questions about
Casting Call assignment

Finish Casting
Call assignment
(due tomorrow)

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Wednesday

221B by
Vincent
Starrett (in
class reading)

Grammar Bellringer 3:
Malapropisms (See exercise below)
Correct the sentences. As
each sentence is put on
the screen, one player
from each of the two
teams runs up to the
board and corrects it.
Free Writing:
Tell me what you know about
Sherlock Holmes
Group Presentations:
Groups present PowerPoint
projects and explain choices (end
of class period)

In Class Discussion:
Sherlock Holmes
PowerPoint (see
supplemental material)
Discuss poetry
assignment and the
importance of sensory
details

Poetry Assignment:
Write tribute poem
for your favorite
detective story
(book, movie, or tv
show) due Friday
(see assignment
sheet and rubric).
Assigned Reading:
Read The

Adventure of the
Bruce-Partington
Plans by Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle

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Thursday

The
Adventure of
the BrucePartington
Plans by Sir
Arthur Conan
Doyle

Grammar Bellringer 4:
Active vs Passive Voice with
Zombies (Activity inspired by
classmate Sarah Kelley and
Professor Rebecca Johnson at
USMC (See exercise below))
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
AxG0g140XfY
In a sentence using
active voice, the
subject of the sentence
performs the action
expressed in the verb.
In a sentence using
passive voice, the subject
is acted upon; he or she
receives the action
expressed by the verb.
The agent performing the
action may appear in a "by
the..." phrase or may be
omitted.
List of sentences, decide
if they are active or
passive by trying to add
by zombies after the
verb (if it works, sentence
is in passive voice)
Netflix Video: Sherlock Series 1
Episode 3 The Great Game

In Class Discussion:
Urge students to pay
close attention and
make notes on
differences between
the short story and the
coinciding episode of
the BBC show

Blog Assignment:
For tomorrow, write
a response on our
class discussion blog
discussing the
differences and
similarities

Sherlock
between the story
you read and the
episode that you
watched (min 200
words). Also
respond to the posts
of 2 of your
classmates.

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Friday

Grammar Bellringer 5:
Family Feud Grammar Edition:
Complete the sentences by using
one of the words there, they're or
their (Borrowed from
WorksheetWorks.com and
classmate Nolan Weithop (See
exercise below))
Puzzle Exercise:
Entry Task Crime and
Puzzlement by Lawrence Treat
(See exercise below)
The game is afoot
We will be breaking up
into groups. Each group
will be handed a case file
and we will dive in and
make a list of all the
evidence that we can find.
We will then create
general rules (warrants)
that will explain how the
evidence will apply to our
case
Dealing with Detective
Lestrad As we know
through our research,
Holmes and Watson
could always be sure that
the famous Scotland Yard
detectives will always be
right on their heels
attempting to discredit
their findings and attempt
to outsmart the great
Sherlock Holmes. Our
next step is to work on
anticipating their rebuttals
and develop backing for
our warrants. In our
groups we will be adding
a list of counter
arguments and adding
backing to our warrants
Once you eliminate the
impossible, whatever
remains, no matter how
improbable, must be the
truth Now that we have
established the evidence,
created warrants
supporting our findings,
found backing for these

In Class Discussion:
Review the parts of an
argument including
claims, warrants,
evidence supporting
your claim, backing,
qualifiers (where
necessary), and
rebuttals.
Review Rhetorical
Triangle (see below)
Review Reader
Response Criticism

Assign Critical
Essay:
(see assignment
sheet and rubric)

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warrants, countered the

opposition, and basically
demonstrated our powers
of deduction, its now
time for the big reveal.
We need to use our
findings to establish our
claim, and then develop a
conclusion that wraps up
our case.

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In the following exercise we will be writing a detailed description of each of the main characters while we read. Be as
detailed as possible including information on the characters appearance, personality, history, and any quotes or other
details found in the story. Remember that these details will be used to help you understand how the individual
characters fit together and how they enhance the narrative so be sure to be thorough and detailed.

Name:___________________________________________________

C. Auguste Dupin

Madame LEspanaye

Mademoiselle Camille

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Adolphe Le Bon

Unnamed Narrator

Sailor

Important Plot Points

Always Remember: "The devil is in the detail" - Gustave Flaubert

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Grammar Bellringer 2:
For or Since (Borrowed from EnglishClub.com)
a long time
2007

noon
ever

ten minutes a day

three days

you wrote to your dad 150 years

the beginning a couple of seconds

9:30am

nine months

two hours
March

he arrived

last Monday
she left school

how many weeks

my childhood three centuries

For

Since

a long time

noon

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Sensory Details
Each of you will be given a piece of candy. For this activity you will be pretending that you have never before
experienced what it is like to come into contact with this unknown item. While sitting around in your groups you will
use each of your five senses to describe this unknown object to someone who has never seen a piece of candy in
their lives. List your findings in the chart below. (Activity inspired by various activities found at ReadWriteThink.org)
Name:
Visual Details

Sounds

Smells

Tastes

Feelings/Textures

Grammar Bellringer 3:

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Malapropisms (Borrowed from fun-with-words.com)

The mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one, often with unintentionally
amusing effect, as in, for example, dance a flamingo (instead of flamenco).

"...promise to forget this fellow - to illiterate him, I say, quite from your memory."
[obliterate]

"He is the very pine-apple of politeness!"

[pinnacle]

"I have since laid Sir Anthony's preposition before her;"

[proposition]

"...she might reprehend the true meaning of what she is saying."

[comprehend]

"...she's as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of Nile."

[alligator]

"I am sorry to say, Sir Anthony, that my affluence over my niece is very small."
[influence]

"Nay, no delusions to the past - Lydia is convinced;"

[allusions]

"...behold, this very day, I have interceded another letter from the fellow;"
[intercepted]

"I am sure I have done everything in my power since I exploded the affair;"
[exposed]

"...if ever you betray what you are entrusted with... you forfeit my malevolence for ever..."
[benevolence]

"Your being Sir Anthony's son, captain, would itself be a sufficient accommodation;"
[recommendation]

Bonus

"Sure, if I reprehend any thing in this world it is the use of my oracular tongue, and a nice derangement of epitaphs!"
[apprehend, vernacular, arrangement, epithets]

Famous Malapropisms

"We seem to have unleased a hornet's nest."

"Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child."

"We cannot let terrorists and rogue nations hold this nation hostile or hold our allies hostile."

Valerie Singleton
Dan Quayle, Vice President
George W. Bush

K i n s w a | 16

Grammar Bellringer 4:
Active vs Passive Voice with Zombies (Activity inspired by classmate Sarah Kelley and Professor Rebecca
Johnson at USMC)

Directions: Decide whether the following sentences are written in the active or passive
voice.
1) Thomas feeds his dog. active / passive ____________
2) The dog is fed by Thomas. active / passive ____________
3) The family went to the beach. active / passive ____________
4) The letter was written by Marshall. active / passive ____________
5) The game had been won by the blue team. active / passive ___________
6) The problem was solved. active / passive ____________
7) The stunt man risked his life. active / passive ____________
8) The fire was extinguished. active / passive ____________
9) The car was being cleaned by its owner. active / passive ____________
10) It gets cold here during the winter. active / passive ____________

Directions: Rewrite the passive voice sentences as active voice sentences.

Passive: The dog was hit by the car.
Active: ________________________________________________________________
Passive: The house will be built by the construction crew in five months.
Active: ________________________________________________________________

Directions: Rewrite the active voice sentences as passive voice sentences.

Active: Julie answered the question.
Passive: ________________________________________________________________
Active: The dolphins have learned many tricks.
Passive: ________________________________________________________________

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Grammar Bellringer 5:

Complete the sentences by using one of the words there, they're or their (Borrowed
from WorksheetWorks.com and classmate Nolan Weithop)
( 1 ) The

kids have finished ________ homework.

( 2 ) My brother is in the hospital. I will go ________ today to visit him.
( 3 ) The runners are doing __________ exercises.
( 4 ) If you find them, tell them __________ late.
( 5 ) Patrick and Amanda have forgotten to bring ________homework.
( 6 ) ______________shirts are in the washing machine.
( 7 ) Ethan and Madeline cant make up ___________minds.
( 8 ) Your keys are over ___________on the table.
( 9 ) The children have no excuse for getting __________clothes dirty.
(10) Im going to have lunch at ___________house tomorrow.
(11) The Carters took ____________vacation in Mexico.
(12) _____________are no ice cubes in the freezer.
(13) Travis is having a party and I promised him I would be ________.
(14) I wonder if __________going to do well on the final exam.
(15) Look at those dogs. I think _____________poodles.

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Crime and Puzzlement (Book 1, p. 36)

Eli P. Harvard was found dead inside his ski lodge, which is shown. A revolver was clutched in his hand and
a bullet from it had entered his head at close range, killing him instantly. Detective Boggle, trying to decide
whether Eli had commited suicide or been murdered, learned that Eli had spent the night with Sally Sweet,
his girlfriend, had phoned three of his friends the next morning to tell them that shed promised to to leave
the house during the morning while he went skiing. Early that afternoon all three friends, worried and
unable to reach him by phone, called the police, who arrived and immediately roped off all footprints and
other marks they had found in the snow. It had snowed for an hour or so that morning, and consequently
the tracks that you see were made on the day of the tragedy. The footprints other than those fenced off were
made by the police themselves, who entered the lodge through the back door, which is not shown.

If you were Boggle what conclusions would you draw?

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The Rhetorical Triangle (Taken from Writing Arguments, Chapter 4)

Before looking at the construction of arguments, it is first necessary to look at their shape and
form. To do this, we must recognize that arguments occur within a social context--they are the
process/product of people interacting, and relating. Over the years, several scholars have mapped
out these relations, much as you would a family tree. Aristotle was the first to notice the similarities
of arguments and stories. For Aristotle, the act of storytelling consisted of three elements: a story, a
storyteller, and an audience.

Storyteller----------------------------------->Story---------------------------------->Audience

Similarly, arguments also required these three elements:

Speaker/Writer----------------------------------->Message----------------------------------->Audience

Aristotle defined these three elements as ETHOS, LOGOS, and PATHOS. Since then, different
scholars have conceived of different models of rhetoric, but the model we are concerned with
comes from Robert Scholes. Realizing the three elements, Scholes examined the relationship
between the speaker/message, speaker/audience, and message/audience. These three relations
make up the three sides of the rhetorical triangle. You may use this triangle to map out the overall
effectiveness of an argument.
Note how the equilateral triangle below would reflect an argument with a careful balance of ethos,
logos, and pathos.
What if this was an isosceles or right triangle? What might it suggest about the effectiveness of its
argument?

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Sherlock Dupin
And the Case of the Never-Ending Genre
Assignment Overview
In his story, His Last Bow, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote, Education never endsIt is a series of
lessons, with the greatest for the last. In class we have been studying two very similar works of
classic literature from the Detective Story genre. Although separated by about 40 years and being
over 100 years old, these short stories are still read, discussed, analyzed, and have influenced
movies, TV shows, and other books for over a century. What has made these stories stand the test
of time? Are they still relevant in comparison to modern literature? These are the questions that I
want you to answer. I want you to state your opinion on the subject and then practice the detective
skills we have been studying to find evidence within the text, developing a claim based on the
evidence, establishing rules (or warrants) that link the evidence to our claim, and wrapping it all up
by refuting any counterarguments and establishing adequate backing for our warrants when
necessary.
Assignment Specifics
Your final essay should be 250 to 500 words (1 - 2 pages) long, 12 point, Times New Roman font,
double spaced with 1 margins and should include a Works Cited page and in-text citations for any
and all quotes from the text.
Schedule
Monday The game is afoot Over the weekend, establish your thesis and map out your
arguments. We will break up into small groups to review progress, offer feedback, and brainstorm
ideas- 10 points
Wednesday 10/2 Come to class with rough draft for peer review. Also bring a list of 10 questions
that you would like your reviewer to answer about your paper 15 points
Friday 10/4 Final draft due Each student will turn in your essay packet which will now include
your brainstorming notes, your peer reviewed essays, your self-evaluation, and your final essay
draft. I will be focusing primarily on revision (did you make the necessary changes?), clarity,
strength of argument, and inclusion of all of your rhetorical tools - 30 points

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Grading Rubric
Critical Argument Essay
11th Grade English

Category

Introduction/Conclusion

Focus

Clarity/Flow

Style and Audience

Mechanics

Format

5 point - Excellent
Has well defined
thesis statement and
a closing that further
develops ideas from
the body
Arguments include a
claims, warrants,
evidence supporting
your claim, backing,
qualifiers (where
necessary), and
rebuttals. Argument
focuses on prompt.
Provides a logical
progression of ideas
and smooth
transitions between
paragraphs
Writing for a
scholarly audience in
a formal style with a
neutral tone
Made necessary
changes after peer
review. Few errors in
language, spelling,
and grammar
Follows Assignment
Specifics throughout
paper

3 point Work in
Progress
Has definite opening
and closing but thesis
is not fully clear or
closing is simply a
summary

Generally addresses
the prompt,
sometimes drifting
from main focus

1 Point Needs
Improvement
Attempts an opening and
closing

Minimal response to the

prompt, focus drifts and
shifts

Attempts a logical
progression of ideas,
some transitions can
be seen as choppy

Attempts coherent
organization and transitions

Attempts to stick to
scholarly audience and
expresses themselves
formally

Unclear audience with shifts

in style and tone

Few revisions made,

Some mechanical
errors

Several mechanical errors

Failed to keep one or

more Assignment
Specifics throughout
paper

Does not follow formatting

instructions.

Comments

Total __/30

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Self-Evaluation
Critical Argument Essay
11th Grade English

Category

5 point - Excellent

Effort

I took detailed notes

over and concentrated
my full effort on all
activities preparing me
for this assignment.
This is truly the best I
could do.

Focus

Clarity/Flow

Mechanics

My arguments
included a claim,
warrants, evidence
supporting my claim,
backing, qualifiers
(where necessary), and
rebuttals. My argument
focused on prompt.
My argument provides
a logical progression of
ideas and smooth
transitions between
paragraphs
Few errors in language,
spelling, and grammar

3 point Work in
Progress
I could have participated
more and allowed
myself to be better
prepared for this
assignment. If I had it to
do over again, I would
make some changes to
allow me to be more
successful.

My argument generally
addresses the prompt,
sometimes drifting from
main focus

1 Point Needs
Improvement

I put a minimal amount of

effort into this assignment.

I had minimal response to the

prompt, focus drifts and shifts

My argument attempts a
logical progression of
ideas, some transitions
can be seen as choppy

My paper attempts coherent

organization and transitions

Few revisions made,

Some mechanical errors

Several mechanical errors

Personal Comments

What Did I Like

Most/Least About
this Assignment

Total __/20

K i n s w a | 23

Tribute Poem
Where I called on to define, very briefly, the term Art, I should call it 'the reproduction of what
the Senses perceive in Nature through the veil of the soul.' The mere imitation, however accurate,
of what is in Nature, entitles no man to the sacred name of 'Artist.'
Edgar Allan Poe
Assignment Overview
After our in-class reading of 221B by Vincent Starrett, The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe, and our
exercises and discussions about vivid imagery and sensory detail I want you to create a tribute
poem of your own. Choose your favorite detective story; it doesnt matter if it is from a novel, a
short story, a TV show, or movie. All that matters is that it has some personal meaning to you.
Now I want you to express that meaning in the form of a tribute poem. Make sure to focus your
efforts on details and imagery. I want to see what you see; I want to feel what you feel. Through
your words I want to experience the sights, sounds, smellsI want you to transport me into your
imagination. Your poems and self-evaluations are due at the beginning of class on Friday.

K i n s w a | 24
Grading Rubric
Tribute Poem
11th Grade English

Category

Organization and
Overall Impact

Elements of Poetry

Grammar, Usage,
Mechanics, and
Spelling

5 point - Excellent
The form of the poem
is appropriate to the
subject. The poem
enables the reader to
see, hear, feel, or think
about the subject in a
new way or in a more
potent way than ever
before.
Sensory details and
figurative
language create
vivid images that
contribute
significantly to
the meaning of the
poem.
Word choice is vivid
and exact throughout.
There are few or no
errors in mechanics,
usage, grammar, or
spelling.

3 point Work in
Progress

1 Point Needs
Improvement

The form of the poem

should be more
appropriate to the
subject. The poet makes
an attempt at enabling
the reader to see, hear,
feel, or think about the
subject

The form of the poem

is not appropriate to
the subject. The poem
does not enable the
reader to see, hear, feel,
or think about the
subject.

Sensory details and

figurative
language contribute
to the meaning
of the poem. Most word
choices are precise.

There are some errors

in mechanics, usage,
grammar, or spelling.

Sensory details and figurative

language may
be overused, underused,
or inappropriate
to the subject. Word
choices may be vague,
repetitive, or imprecise

The poem is difficult to

understand at times because
of errors in mechanics,
usage, grammar,
or spelling.

Comments

Total __/15

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Self-Evaluation
Tribute Poem
11th Grade English

Category

5 point - Excellent

Effort

I took detailed notes

over and concentrated
my full effort on all
activities preparing me
for this assignment.
This is truly the best I
could do.

Elements of Poetry

My sensory details and

figurative
language create
vivid images that
contribute
significantly to
the meaning of the
poem.
My word choice is
vivid and exact
throughout.

Grammar, Usage,
Mechanics, and
Spelling

There are few or no

errors in mechanics,
usage, grammar, or
spelling.

3 point Work in
Progress
I could have participated
more and allowed
myself to be better
prepared for this
assignment. If I had it to
do over again, I would
make some changes to
allow me to be more
successful.

My sensory details and

figurative
language contribute
to the meaning
of the poem. Most of
my word
choices are precise.

There are some errors

in mechanics, usage,
grammar, or spelling.

1 Point Needs
Improvement

I put a minimal amount of

effort into this assignment.

My sensory details and

figurative
language may
be overused, underused,
or inappropriate
to the subject. My word
choices may be vague,
repetitive, or imprecise

The poem is difficult to

understand at times because
of errors in mechanics,
usage, grammar,
or spelling.

Personal Comments

What Did I Like

Most/Least About
this Assignment

Total __/15

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Annotated Bibliography
"Annotated Bibliographies." Purdue OWL: Online Writing Lab. Purdue University, n.d. Web. 06
Nov. 2014. <https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/03/>.
Like most of the Purdue Owl articles, the main purpose for this site is to teach proper
writing and citing skills. The article begins with an overview, basically giving background
information on annotated bibliographies, their purpose, and then step-by-step instructions
on how to enter annotations. The next section of the article gives sample annotations for
MLA, APA, and CMS formatting styles. After each of these samples, the site also gives
further background on each of the samples offering further tips on different types of
annotations (ie summary, evaluation, reflection, or a mix of all three). As usual, the
Purdue Owl Writing Lab is the quintessential guide to writing styles and formats.
Doyle, Arthur Conan. "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans." His Last Bow: Some

Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes. Charleston: CreateSpace, 2014. 47-62. Print.

Originally published in the famous literary Strand magazine, The Adventure of the Bruce-

Partington Plans is one of Holmes most daring adventures that finds him right in the
middle of a case of government espionage turned murder. The case features a great
example of how misdirection can be used as a literary tool in mystery stories. The appears
to have been thrown from or hit by a train when in reality he was killed elsewhere and
planted on top of the train to throw off authorities, which it does in all cases except for
Sherlock of course. This also is the second and final appearance of Mycroft Holmes,
Sherlocks brilliant but usually uninspired brother. We discover, as Watson does, that
Mycroft is far more influential than he let on in his first appearance in The Greek

Interpreter and that, acording to Sherlock, he sometimes IS the British government. This
piece is a brilliant example of both the tradition and evaluation of the mystery story.

K i n s w a | 27

Gatiss, Mark. "The Great Game." Sherlock. Dir. Paul McGuigan. BBC One. Series 1, Episode 3,
London, 08 Aug. 2010. NetFlix. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.
This episode is a modernized retelling of the Arthur Conan Doyle short story, The

Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans combined with some aspects from another Doyle
short story, The Adventure of the Final Problem where Sherlock finds himself face-to-face
with the man he has dubbed the Napoleon of crime James Moriarty. This episode
features a similar murder mystery to the one in The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington

Plans with the added bonus of a sadistic scavenger hunt where Sherlock is forced to solve
unsolved crimes before time runs out and another body turns up.
Green, John. "How and Why We Read: Crash Course English Literature #1." YouTube.
YouTube, 15 Nov. 2012. Web. 08 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSYw502dJNY>.
The YouTube Crash Course series is an educational video series that was developed,
written by, and stars young adult novelist John Green and his brother Hank. The series is
broken into different subjects, with Hank focusing on the Sciences (Biology, Ecology,
Chemistry, and Psychology) and John hosting what he refers to as the Humanities (US and
World History, English Literature, and a new series called Big History which has been
funded by Bill Gates). These short videos give students a down-to-earth, accessible tutorial
that combines humor, pop culture, and learning. With over 2 million followers, these
videos are an excellent resource for teachers not only providing a quality learning tool for
the classroom but also giving them an example of how learning can be fun and interesting.

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"Homepage - ReadWriteThink." Readwritethink.org. National Council of Teachers of English, n.d.

Web. 08 Nov. 2014. <http://www.readwritethink.org/>.
This is a reference website written by teachers for teachers. The site is broken down by
grade level, resource type, learning objective, and theme. The site offers a step-by-step
breakdown of lesson plans, handouts, activities, assignment sheets, and even grading
rubrics that can be directly downloaded for use in a classroom or used as a base line
towards developing your own assignment and lesson plan ideas. The lesson plans range
from critical thinking to creative writing and includes a lesson overview, core standards
addressed, resources, and an instructional plan. This is the perfect resource for teachers
looking for new ideas, looking to expand on current lessons, or just wanting to mix it up a
bit.
Hugo, Richard. "Chapter 6: In Defense of Creative Writing Classes." The Triggering Town:

Lectures and Essays on Poetry and Writing. New York: Norton, 1979. 53-66. Print.
The Triggering Town is a series of essays written by former college professor and
American poet, the late Richard Hugo. In this particular essay Hugo basically defends the
need for creative writing classes. All too often, English majors concentrate so hard on
literature, theory, and criticism that they forget why they became English majors in the first
place, most of us started as a bunch of geeks who enjoyed reading and writing (it certainly
isnt for the untold riches that most of us will achieve). Hugo points out that many PHD
graduates have been out of the loop so long, as far as their writing is concerned, that they
try and fail to publish something of value, and as Hugo says, writing: it is like shooting a
basketball. Youve got to stay in shape and practice to do it well (Hugo 56). This chapter is
about teaching creative writing, something made ever more difficult in this day and age.

K i n s w a | 29

Between facebook, twitter, emoticons, and text the English language has been diluted into a
series of lols, lmaos, wtfs, and smiley or frowny faces.
Lahey, Jessica. "How Stephen King Teaches Writing." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 09
Sept. 2014. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. <http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014
/09/how-stephen-king-teaches-writing/379870/?single_page=true>.
This article is a wonderful question and answer session featuring former high school
teacher and current master of horror Stephen King discussing his teaching style. The most
important take away from this article is Kings desire to make each of his 55 minute classes
feel like 30 minutes. He mentions that teachers are unable to order students to be engaged
and interested, you have to actually engage them and interest them. He also speaks about
the difference between performing a role in the classroom and demonstrating a level of
enthusiasm that your students can feed off of. King also covers his philosophy of
concentrating more on teaching step by step invention techniques than worrying about
every single grammatical error. This is a wonderful article with only one area that I strongly
question, and that is Kings suggestion that it is impossible to make a competent writer out of a bad
writer. I guess that I am still nave enough to believe that anything is possible.

"Malapropisms." Fun With Words - The Wordplay Website. Fun-with-words.com, n.d. Web. 09
Nov. 2014. <http://www.fun-with-words.com/malapropisms.html>.
Fun-With-Words.com is a website with several word puzzle activities that help teach
grammar and word usage. These short, fun activities are great for bell-ringer ideas and mini
lessons or activities. From anagrams to rhyme scheme, these puzzles and games help
students learn some of the less common features in English. The site also provides links to
a bookstore where you can get a deeper focus on individual activities.

K i n s w a | 30

Poe, Edgar Allan. The Murders in the Rue Morgue. Charlottesville, VA: U of Virginia Library,
1993. Print.

The Murders in the Rue Morgue is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe and first
published in Grahams Magazine in 1841. Widely considered one of the first ever
modern detective stories, it introduces us to C. Auguste Dupin, the model for later
fictional detectives including Arthur Conan Doyles Sherlock Holmes and Agatha
Christies Hercule Poirot. Many of the key features found in these later stories, by Doyle
and Christie, were first utilized in Poes work including the brilliant detective who uses
deduction to solve crimes, the close personal friend who serves as narrator, and the
seemingly unsolvable mystery with the detailed explanation following the big reveal (with
most of the key details being hidden from the reader until the end, giving them just enough
information to keep them following the story without solving the crime). This story is
considered one of the most original locked door mysteries of all time and has enchanted
readers for nearly 200 years.
Treat, Lawrence, and Paul Karasik. Crime and Puzzlement 3: 24 Solve-them-yourself Picture

Mysteries. Boston: D.R. Godine, 1988. Print.

This book contains 24 puzzle picture mysteries. These can be easily adapted into in-class
interactive activities that can teach problem solving, deduction, finding detail, and even
argumentative writing. These activities could also help inspire further who-dunnit type
activities that you can develop for your classroom. With the popularity of crime dramas
and mysteries, these are a very good tool to use for developing lively conversation in small
or large groups and will help with keeping the motivation and energy level high amongst
students. This can be a wonderful tool for teachers looking to escape the humdrum typical
classroom experience.