Tell Tale Heart Scheme of Work
(ages 13-14)
Overview
This six-week practical scheme uses Edgar Allan Poe’s Tell-Tale Heart to teach how theatrical choices create suspense. Lessons progress from deconstructing the tale to technical and stylistic workshops — tableaux, lighting experiments, documentary-style reports and abstract dream sequences — finishing with a rehearsed performance for assessment. A Danse Macabre music file is provided to support atmosphere and sound-work.
What Students Will Learn
Students explore how theatrical devices create tension: analysing key moments of the tale, devising frozen images and slow-motion transitions, experimenting with lighting and sound to build atmosphere, developing sustained character through body language and facial expression, and applying documentary and abstract techniques before rehearsing a final assessed performance.
Week 1: Introduction to Tell Tale Heart
Focuses on deconstructing Poe's tale to identify key moments for performance. Students create frozen pictures (tableaux) of those moments and link them using slow-motion transitions as a practical sequencing activity.
Resources IncludeResourcesTell Tale HeartWeek 2: “I was never kinder to the old man”
Introduces lighting as a tool to alter atmosphere and build suspense in scenes. Students experiment with lighting setups and cues to change mood and heighten tension in short extracts.
Resources IncludeResourcesTell Tale HeartWeek 3: Nosy neighbours and police
Develops sustained characterisation through non-verbal means to portray neighbours and police figures. Students practise using body language and facial expression to create and maintain believable characters.
Resources IncludeResourcesTell Tale HeartWeek 4: Documentary drama
Explores documentary drama techniques to create tension and perspective in storytelling. Students produce studio and field report styles and experiment with 'voices in the head' to layer narrative viewpoints.
Resources IncludeResourcesTell Tale HeartMusicNews ThemeWeek 5: Abstract Drama
Uses abstract drama to construct nightmarish dream sequences and surreal moments. Students build scenes with sound effects, controlled pauses and the provided creepy music to evoke a dreamlike atmosphere.
Resources IncludeResourcesTell Tale HeartMusicDanse MacabreWeek 6: Assessment
Consolidates learning through rehearsal and an assessed performance drawn from the module. Students rehearse and perform a prepared piece from the unit as the summative assessment activity.
Resources IncludeResourcesTell Tale Heart
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