"The Bells" by Edgar Allan Poe
Lesson plans and teaching resources
In this Web-based activity, students can hear the poem. They can select voice, music, and sound effects to determine what each adds to their understanding.
Text and analysis of the poem.
In this worksheet students identify alliteration, personification, and onomatopoeia. 2 pages (includes possible answers); Adobe Reader required.
Students use this handout to analyze the poem by sections. Word processor required for access.
The poem read aloud by Tom O'Bedlam. YouTube video (3:59) includes text of the poem.
Text of the poem with 9 vocabulary words underlined. Definitions follow.
A fun project that serves as a good introduction to both Readers Theater and four poems by Poe: "The Raven," "The Bells," "Eldorado," and "Annabel Lee."
Students are introduced to the literary device of onomatopoeia and explore how the technique adds to a writers message. Students brainstorm a list of onomatopoeic words and then find examples of the technique in "The Bells." Once they find examples, students reflect on how the onomatopoeic words add to the poem and the writers message. They then apply their knowledge of the technique by choosing sound words in response to sounds they hear in an online tool. Following the lesson, students can look for additional examples of the literary device in their reading or look for places to add onomatopoeia to their writing.
15 vocabulary words in context.
The last word in this slide show is
tintinnabulation
, and the script mentions Poe's "The Bells." This would be an unorthodox opening to a lesson, but it could be an effective one.
A list of 26 words and definitions from the poem.