Elko

Judgment in the Court of Poe

Henrico Learner Profile (HLP) 6C Focus

Image Generated with AI using Microsoft Copilot

8th Grade - Language Arts

SOL/Standard - 

8.1 The student will participate in, collaborate in, and report on small-group learning activities

8.2 The student will develop and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations collaboratively and individually

8.5 The student will read and analyze a variety of fictional texts, literary nonfiction, poetry, and drama

8.6 The student will read, comprehend, and analyze a variety of nonfiction texts

8.7 The student will write in a variety of forms to include narrative, expository, persuasive, and reflective with an emphasis on expository and persuasive writing

Learning Experience

In this interdisciplinary project, students engaged with Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" and the concept of the insanity plea, fostering critical content knowledge and developing critical thinking skills. Initially, students annotated the text and an article about the insanity plea, which cultivated a deep understanding of literary analysis and legal concepts.

The project then transitioned to research on Virginia's criminal laws, enhancing students' ability to synthesize information from multiple sources. In collaborative teams, they shared beliefs and formed either a defense or prosecution team, demonstrating the HLP skill of Critical Thinker. Each team developed a thesis with three main arguments, either advocating for full punishment or a lesser sentence based on insanity. This phase not only required critical evaluation of evidence but also the application of legal knowledge in a literary context.

Students further honed their critical thinking by substantiating their claims with evidence, a key aspect of logical reasoning. The culmination of the project involved creating and presenting arguments to a jury of teachers, a process that refined their abilities as communicators and collaborators. The jury's verdict, based on the strength of the evidence and arguments, provided a practical application of their learning.

This project integrated literature and law, challenging students to apply critical thinking in a real-world context.


What did the student(s) learn about this experience:

"This project took the story and put it in a real-world context. That made it more challenging and also more fun because we got to be creative and work with others.  All the things we did, looking at the Virginia Laws made me feel smart. The competition to win the case gave me motivation." - Abigail


"School work isn't fun in general but this project made learning so much more fun than just answering questions on a worksheet. A challenge we faced was getting organized.  We had a large group but we had check-ins with our group members to make sure we were staying on track and to see if anyone needed any help." - Arianna


"Being able to work together as a group was like being in court.  It was fun to see how each group thought about the project differently." - A'Miyah


"We had to find evidence and use that to persuade people to see our point and come to our side. I liked being able to talk to the class and persuade people." - Mia

What did the teacher enjoy about this experience:

"The student engagement was amazing, all the students were so into it. The students were able to show off their personalities, which added to the excitement of the lesson. Also, the lesson had lots of real-life applications. Students were looking at the Code of Virginia and other laws. Students were able to practice their presentation skills. Several students mentioned that they don’t usually get a lot of time to practice how to present.  Being able to practice made them feel more comfortable about presenting for this lesson and in the future. " 

- Mrs. E. Hathaway

Additional Pictures, Media & Artifacts

The Prosecution - Block 1

The Prosecution - Block 2

Thank you to the innovators who helped make this experience possible: