The Raven Analysis Activity: TP-CASTT

The Raven TPCASTT

Activity Overview

Poetry is one of the most expressive forms of literature. It can evoke emotions, set a mood, tell a story, or create a deeply and universally understood feeling in its readers. This makes expounding its elements, and understanding its rich meaning, comparisons, and symbols, even more important.

The TP-CASTT method of poetry analysis is a great way to teach students to dissect a poem and understand its parts. It helps students to uncover the deeper meanings within poems while giving them the confidence to be self-educators. TP-CASTT Poetry Analysis is an order of operations similar to PEMDAS for math. It asks students to list items in sequential order and answer questions based on their reading of the poem.

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TPCASTT Example for "The Raven"

T	TITLE	The title will be about a black bird and the bad luck it will bring.
P	PARAPHRASE	A man loses someone he loved, named Lenore. He is devastated. One night, in December, while sitting in his room, he hears a knock. A raven visits him. It makes him angry when it tells him that he'll never see Lenore again.
C	CONNOTATION	The man is severely depressed, and is caught in his grief.
A	ATTITUDE/TONE	Poe uses words like 'chamber', 'ponder', 'weary', 'bleak', 'ghosts', and 'embers' to make the dead come alive. These words are depressing and melancholy.
S	SHIFTS	A shift occurs when the speaker asks the raven if he will ever see Lenore again. This shows his anger with the bird, whom he kicks out.
T	TITLE	After reading the poem, my title was partially correct. The poem was about a raven, but he represented sorrow and death.
T	THEME	One interpretation of the theme: even though death is painful and sad, one must not dwell on it, or it will consume one.

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 6-12

Difficulty Level 4 (Difficult / Complex)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Type of Activity: TPCASTT Poetry Analysis

Common Core Standards

[ELA-Literacy/RL/6/4] Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone
[ELA-Literacy/RL/6/5] Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot
[ELA-Literacy/RL/6/7] Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch

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Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Use This Assignment With My Students", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Student Instructions

Perform a TPCASTT analysis of "The Raven". Remember that TPCASTT stands for Title, Paraphrase, Connotation, Attitude/Tone, Shift, Title, Theme.

Click "Start Assignment".
Choose any combination of scenes, characters, items, and text to represent each letter of TPCASTT.
Write a few sentences describing the importance or meaning of the images.
Finalize images, edit, and proofread your work.

TPCASTT Template

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Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)

TPCASTT Analysis Rubric Template

Analyze a poem using the the TPCASTT method: Title, Paraphrase, Connotation, Attitude/Tone, Shift, Title, Theme.

	Proficient	Emerging	Beginning	Needs Improvement
TPCASTT Responses	Every part of TPCASTT was thoroughly answered and there was sufficient evidence from the text.	Most parts of TPCASTT was answered with sufficient evidence to support claims.	Less than half of TPCASTT was answered and/or responses had insufficient evidence from the text.	Examples and descriptions are missing or too minimal to score.
Depictions	Depictions chosen for each section are accurate to the poem and reflect time, effort, thought, and care with regard to placement and creation of the scenes.	Depictions chosen for each section are mostly accurate to the poem. They reflect time and effort put into placement and creation of the scenes.	Depictions chosen for each section are inaccurate to the poem. The depictions may be rushed or show minimal effort, time, and care put into placement and creation of the scenes.	Most depictions are missing too many elements or are too minimal to score. Little time or effort has been put into placement and creation of the scenes.
English Conventions	There are no errors in spelling, grammar, or mechanics throughout the storyboard. All writing portions reflect careful proofreading and accuracy to the poem.	There are a few errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics throughout the storyboard. All writing portions show accuracy to the poem and some proofreading.	There are several errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics throughout the storyboard. Most writing portions do not reflect proofreading or accuracy to the poem.	Errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics in writing portions of the storyboard seriously interfere with communication.