Students are studying the origins of the mystery/detective genre in Senior English. As a culminating activity, students explore the social and political environment which gave birth to this popular genre and write an essay analyzing selected works of Edgar Allen Poe or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle utilizing an Historical Criticism lens.
This lesson is designed to teach the necessary skills for students to complete this final project independently. Students will work in collaborative groups to write a short essay analyzing Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue for evidence of European Imperialistic attitudes. The component skills will be taught via direct instruction, collaborative learning, and inquiry-based learning. Several models and scaffolds will be in place for students to learn together these important skills.
Watching the students interact with this lesson provided me much food for thought on the impact of using the TPACK Framework as a vehicle for increased student engagement and outcomes.