Amontillado in Three Glasses

Welcome back.  I hope my post finds you well.  Let me share what I did this past year with “The Cask of Amontillado.”

Recently, I taught in an alternative school.  My students were not welcome in their home schools anymore since they violated a zero tolerance policy.  

A few among them wanted to graduate.  They were willing to complete their assignments throughout the year.  

A few among them wanted to graduate as well, but they played around until the last three weeks of the semester drew near, and then they decided they wanted to complete all the assignments they had refused throughout the semester.  Good luck with that!  

A few among them did not want to complete any assignments.  They tended to be absent a lot or when they did attend they did so to fulfill a court mandate, so they attended not to their responsibilities.  

My students were a tough audience.

All my students who attended my class loved "The Cask of Amontillado."  The story was very popular.  I heard students talking about it when they were among other students.  Indeed, a few tried to pick the door lock to my classroom so they could slip inside.

I used the story to teach the students how to take Cornell Notes.  I was very satisfied to receive completed assignments.  I posted the best on the Center wall. 

Using the I do/We do/You do strategy, I modeled how to take notes.  

Below is how my instruction proceeded:

Before Reading:  Discussion about Lent and how Montresor acted to avoid punishment by God and man. 

During Reading:  Cornell Notes

Part I:          Montresor lures Fortunato to his mansion

Part II:         Montresor lures Fortunato down the catacombs

Part III:        Montresor chains Fortunato to the wall

After Reading:  Short story assignment

My students were engaged.  They completed their assignments.  A few turned in a rough draft of a short story. 

Next time, I will evaluate this lesson according to the reader response theory I learned at the Coastal Savannah Writing Project.

Thanks for visiting my blog.  I hope to see you here next time.  If you have any suggestions, please share.  Teach on…