Assign this poetry analysis worksheet, which covers a short Halloween-themed poem ("Weird Things" by Vivian Stratton), as homework or a bell ringer activity for high school ELA. An answer key is included. This poem uses sensory description, ambiguity, and an unreliable narrator to create a Gothic atmosphere and explore how closure is not always possible after the death of someone important. By engaging with this poetry activity, students will:
Choose the most appropriate synonym for a given word in context (e.g., flit).
Explore the connotation of a given phrase (e.g., "measured tread").
Describe tone in context.
Make evidence-based inferences (e.g., what the phrase "phantom hound" implies about the narrator's sensory experience).
Apply knowledge of poetic/literary devices (e.g., ambiguity and personification).
Consider themes in context.
Articulate why the poem's narrator is unreliable.
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and evidence.
Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. (Alternatively, a Google option is available.)
More Weird Tales resources for the Halloween season are available:
"Out of the Grave" by Eldridge Morton - Google and printable
"The Dogs of Salem" by David H. Keller - Google and printable
"The Graveyard Rats" by Henry Kuttner - Google and printable
"The Vow on Halloween" by Lyllian Huntley Harris - Google and printable
"The Werewolf Snarls" by Manly Wade Wellman - Google and printable
Assign this poetry analysis worksheet, which covers a short Halloween-themed poem ("Weird Things" by Vivian Stratton), as homework or a bell ringer activity for high school ELA. An answer key is included. This poem uses sensory description, ambiguity, and an unreliable narrator to create a Gothic atmosphere and explore how closure is not always possible after the death of someone important. By engaging with this poetry activity, students will:
Choose the most appropriate synonym for a given word in context (e.g., flit).
Explore the connotation of a given phrase (e.g., "measured tread").
Describe tone in context.
Make evidence-based inferences (e.g., what the phrase "phantom hound" implies about the narrator's sensory experience).
Apply knowledge of poetic/literary devices (e.g., ambiguity and personification).
Consider themes in context.
Articulate why the poem's narrator is unreliable.
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and evidence.
Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. (Alternatively, a Google option is available.)
More Weird Tales resources for the Halloween season are available:
"Out of the Grave" by Eldridge Morton - Google and printable
"The Dogs of Salem" by David H. Keller - Google and printable
"The Graveyard Rats" by Henry Kuttner - Google and printable
"The Vow on Halloween" by Lyllian Huntley Harris - Google and printable
"The Werewolf Snarls" by Manly Wade Wellman - Google and printable
