The document outlines the objectives and activities for a lesson on Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Perfect Murder". Students will analyze the point of view of characters to understand how it creates suspense. They will evaluate the narrator, identify elements of suspense, and analyze how chronology impacts mood. Activities include discussing questions in groups, sharing responses, and creating higher-order thinking questions. The objectives are also listed at the end.

1.  Goal:
 Analyze how differences in the points of view (first
person) of the characters create the effect of
suspense.
 Today our objectives are to be able to:
 Evaluate the narrator
 Identify and analyze suspense
 Evaluate point of view and the effect of chronological
order on mood.
 Create higher order thinking (HOT) questions

2. The Perfect Murder
 Can you commit the perfect murder?
 Is it easier or more difficult to commit the
perfect murder during the 21st century or
during Poe’s life time? Why or Why not?

3. Question Jigsaw – Part 1
 1. Get into your class groups
 2. Once each group member receives a handout,
underline/highlight the question that matches your group
number. (Ex: group two underlines question 2.) Then,
write down the category of HOT question assigned to
your group in the space provided on question 5.
 3. Each group will answer ONE of the questions on your
hand out (according to your group number), then create
a HOT question together (question 5).

4. Group 1
 Do you believe the narrator when he says
that he can hear the old man’s heart, even
after the murder? What other explanations
can you think of?
 Create a HOT question from the “analysis”
category.

5. Group 2
 In the first paragraph, the narrator says he is not
mad, but then refers to “the disease” that
sharpened his senses. What disease does the
narrator believe himself to have? Do you agree
with his self-diagnosis?
 Create a HOT question using the “evaluation”
category.

6. Group 3
 According to the Key Idea paragraph on page
76, the narrator’s suspicions lead to his downfall.
Explain why this is the case.
 Create a HOT question using the “synthesis”
category.

7. Group 4
 Suppose that the story had begun with the
murder. What effect might this have had
on the story?
 Create a HOT question using the
“synthesis” category.

8. Question Jigsaw – Part 2
 1. Move into your new groups according to the playing
card you have been given.
 2. In the order of your cards, share your response to
each question with your group.
 3. While each group member is sharing, other group
members will write down their response in the space
provided, on their handouts.
 4. Teams will continue this process until every member
has shared.
 5. If there is time left over, team members can share the
HOT question they created with their previous groups.

9. Our objectives today were to:
Evaluate the narrator
Identify and analyze suspense
Evaluate point of view and the effect of
chronological order on mood.

10. Exit Ticket - Sane versus Insane
 Choose one of the following questions and
write 2-3 sentences in response. Then,
hand this in to me on the way out the door.
Is there a way to tell if a person is sane or
insane? Explain.
Is it possible to convince someone that you
are sane or insane? Explain.