Short Story Reading Guide
The Tell-Tale Heart
by Edgar Allan Poe
Est. Time
45 mins
Level
B2
Themes
Guilt, Madness, Obsession
1Quick Reading Guide
Warm Up
Vote: "Does the narrator sound sane?" (Yes/No + 1 sentence reason).
Reading
Read section by section. After each section, do a "One-sentence recap".
Evidence
Find 3 pieces of evidence that the narrator is unreliable (words, behavior, contradictions).
Discussion
What does the "heart" symbolize? Is it real or hallucinated?
2Scaffolds for Support
Sentence Starters
- •"I think the narrator is insane because..."
- •"The text says "..." which shows that..."
- •"The sound of the heart represents..."
3Vocabulary & Grammar
Key Words
vulture eyecautiousconcealdissembletormentacuteperceivevehementderisionconfess
Grammar Focus
Intensifiers (so, very, utterly) & Emotion Verbs (tremble, shudder)
4Writing Task
Argument Paragraph
Is the narrator sane or insane? Make a claim and support it with evidence.
Rubric Checklist
- Clear claim (Sane/Insane)
- 2 pieces of textual evidence
- Explanation of how evidence supports claim