Description
This reading guide for “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe provides structured before-reading, during-reading, and after-reading activities to support close reading and literary analysis.
Students begin with an anticipation guide designed to activate prior knowledge and spark curiosity before reading. During the story, students complete comprehension and recall questions that help them track key details and monitor understanding. After reading, students respond to text-dependent literary analysis questions that require careful reasoning and the use of textual evidence.
Throughout the lesson, students closely examine point of view, the unreliable narrator, mood, suspense, motives, and Poe’s language choices, deepening their understanding of how these elements work together to create psychological tension.
A complete answer key is included, along with an editable copy of the materials for teacher flexibility. The full text of the short story is also provided, making this a ready-to-use resource for middle school or high school ELA, whether used as an introduction to Poe or as part of a larger short story or gothic literature unit.
