Gail Roller, Biddeford Public Schools, York County
2005
6-8, 9-12
- English Language Arts -- Reading
- Social Studies -- History
2-4 days
- 1775-1850
- 1851-1920
- Arts
Longfellow's collection The Courtship of Miles Standish and other Poems was published in 1858. It sold 250,000 copies in two months and over 10.000 copies in London on the first day; Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was extremely popular during his lifetime.
"Haunted Houses" is a work from that collection. It is a poem that is especially appealing around Halloween. The poem welcomes the reader to a place where "The spirit-world around the world of sense floats like an atmosphere . . ."
- This lesson was developed for seventh graders.
- The lesson plan can stand on their own or can be integrated into language arts, social studies or even a science curriculum.
- The objectives and activities are suggested as a starting point. It is my hope that after teachers and students are exposed to this sampling of Longfellow's poetry they will be motivated to read and study more of his works.
Teachers should feel free to adapt and use this plan to suit their needs.
A resource developed through the "Longfellow & the Forging of American Identity" program funded by NEH
