The Cask of Amontillado Lesson Plan (Differentiated): Questions, Vocabulary, and a Quick Exit Quiz

The Cask of Amontillado Lesson Plan (Differentiated): Questions, Vocabulary, and a Quick Exit Quiz

A differentiated Edgar Allan Poe study guide for “The Cask of Amontillado” with 3 text levels (Accessible/HILO, Leveled, Original) so every student can join the same discussion and exit quiz.

Teachers love this story because it’s short, memorable, and packed with teachable skills: dramatic irony, unreliable narration, tone, and how structure builds tension. The challenge is that Poe’s original language can be difficult for some students—especially in mixed-level classes.

This post gives you a simple, classroom-ready lesson plan you can run in 1–2 days, plus a differentiated resource that keeps the whole class on one storyline.

Grab the Differentiated Study Guide

Resource: The Cask of Amontillado Differentiated Study Guide

  • 3 aligned text levels: Accessible (HILO), Leveled, and Original
  • Shared Discussion Questions that work across all versions
  • Student work: Vocabulary, Short Answer, and Challenge Questions
  • Assessment: Cross-version Multiple Choice Exit Quiz (10 questions)

Common teacher searches this supports: Cask of Amontillado lesson plan, Cask of Amontillado questions, comprehension questions, irony lesson, Poe short story unit.

Why “Cask” Is a High-Value Teaching Text

  • Dramatic irony: Students can track how Fortunato misreads the situation while Montresor controls the narrative.
  • Unreliable self-report: Montresor’s calm tone and “justifications” invite evidence-based analysis.
  • Structure builds tension: The descent into the catacombs functions like a tightening funnel.
  • Theme with mature nuance: Pride, manipulation, revenge, and moral blindness.

Quick Guide for Teachers: 1–2 Day Lesson Plan

Option A: 1-Day Lesson (Fast)

  • Read: Assign Accessible/HILO, Leveled, or Original (same plot; different access points)
  • Discuss: Use the shared Discussion Questions (whole class)
  • Assess: Use the 10-question Exit Quiz (printable or self-graded)
  • Wrap-up: Vocabulary + 1–2 short answers (or 1 challenge question)

Option B: 2-Day Lesson (Recommended)

  • Day 1: Read + discussion focused on irony and Montresor’s tactics
  • Day 2: Reread 1 short passage for evidence + exit quiz + challenge question

Teacher Moves That Make the Story Click

  • Irony tracker: Create a 3-column chart: “What Montresor says,” “What Montresor does,” “What Fortunato thinks.”
  • Cause-and-effect chain: Have students list 5 choices that move Fortunato deeper into the trap.
  • Tone study: Ask students to identify 3 words or phrases that show Montresor’s calm control—and explain the effect.
  • Evidence quick-write: “Montresor is (unreliable / reliable) because…” with one quote or paraphrased evidence.

Content Note (Teacher Preview)

This story includes murder and confinement. Preview and set expectations for tone and themes.

More Differentiated Poe Study Guides (Build a Unit Fast)

If this routine works for your class, you can repeat it across multiple stories with the same structure:

Common Core State Standards

  • RL.8.1 / RL.9-10.1 / RL.CCR.1 — Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
  • RL.8.2 / RL.9-10.2 / RL.CCR.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
  • RL.8.3 / RL.9-10.3 / RL.CCR.3 — Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
  • RL.8.4 / RL.9-10.4 / RL.CCR.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of word choice on meaning and tone.
  • RL.8.5 / RL.9-10.5 / RL.CCR.5 — Analyze how an author’s choices about structure and sequencing create effects such as mystery, tension, or surprise and contribute to meaning and style.
  • RL.8.6 / RL.9-10.6 / RL.CCR.6 — Analyze how point of view and perspective shape what the reader knows and how the text creates effects such as suspense or irony.
  • RL.8.10 / RL.9-10.10 / RL.CCR.10 — Read and comprehend literature at the appropriate grade-level text complexity band independently and proficiently.
  • W.8.1 / W.9-10.1 / W.CCR.1 — Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
  • W.8.2 / W.9-10.2 / W.CCR.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas clearly through selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
  • W.8.9 / W.9-10.9 / W.CCR.9 — Draw evidence from literary texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
  • SL.8.1 / SL.9-10.1 / SL.CCR.1 — Engage effectively in collaborative discussions, building on others’ ideas and expressing one’s own clearly.
  • L.8.4 / L.9-10.4 / L.CCR.4 — Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases using context and a range of strategies.

Next Step

If you want a consistent system for teaching Poe all month, start with the free Tell-Tale Heart guide and then repeat the same 1–2 day routine across additional titles.

Free starting point: The Tell-Tale Heart Differentiated Study Guide (FREE)

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