Unit 2: The Thrill of Horror
As part of our English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum, we have started our second unit titled The Thrill of Horror. In this unit, we will explore the feelings of fear and excitement that many people enjoy when reading horror stories. The texts we will read center on the Essential Question “Why do we sometimes like to feel frightened?” This open-ended question is intended to spark thoughtful discussion. You may wish to explore this question with your student at home as well.
Unit 2 includes the following texts.
- What Is the Horror Genre?: This piece of literary criticism examines the ways in which horror stories are defined and categorized to better understand the genre. Students will learn how to analyze literary criticism and how to paraphrase and summarize text.
- The Tell-Tale Heart: Edgar Allan Poe’s famous story is told by an unnamed narrator who defends his sanity after killing an old man. Students will analyze narrative point of view and learn how to analyze how an author creates suspense in a story.
- The Monkey’s Paw: In this short story by W.W. Jacobs, a visitor gives the White family an object that will grant its owner three wishes. After Mr. White’s first wish is granted, the family learns hard lessons about the importance of being careful with wishes. Students will learn how to analyze themes and the use of foreshadowing in a work of fiction.
- from The Monkey’s Paw: In this clip from a film based on W.W. Jacob’s famous story, Mrs. White urges her husband to use his third wish to bring their son back to life. Students will learn how to analyze film adaptations and filmmaking techniques.
- from The Aeneid of Virgil: The excerpt from Virgil’s translated epic poem tells of Aeneas’s horror as he watches Charon ferry the dead across the river Styx. Students will analyze epic poetry and learn about archetypes.
- from Hades: Lord of the Dead: This excerpt from a graphic novel provides a vivid look at what ancient Greeks believed about the afterlife. Students will learn how to analyze an adaptation of a mythological text.
After reading the texts in the unit, students may explore the following options:
- Short Reads are online independent reading selections in a variety of genres. These include poetry, short story, and essay.
- Long Reads are recommended books related to the unit theme and Essential Question. In this unit, recommendations include the novels Coraline, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
- The Unit Writing Task, Write a Literary Analysis, asks students to synthesize their reading and support their ideas using relevant evidence.
All assignments except for the Long Reads are available through your student’s eBook. Please contact me if you have any questions about this unit.
Thank you,
Ms. Halik
8th grade ELA