Help students master the foundation of strong essay writing — planning and thesis creation — with this self-paced, discussion-based study guide. Using Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” as a model text, students learn to deconstruct essay questions, brainstorm effectively, and craft arguable, defensible thesis statements.

Fully text-agnostic: every activity guides students to apply the skill to their own studied novel, play, or film.

Includes worked exemplars, numbered practice activities, an independent writing task, and a consolidated answer key with self-assessment checklists.
Perfect for independent study, homeschool, substitute lessons, or as a skills refresher before essay-writing units.

File information: Non-editable PDF, Not an editable PowerPoint
How to use: Upload to your LMS for digital learning / Print selected pages for classroom use / Display pages to guide discussion and activities / Adapt in presentation or design platforms if desired (formatting may vary)