Check out ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre's American Collection website at pbs.org for additional teacher information

The Ponder Heart Teacher Resources

Follow the links below for teaching guides and lessons created for teachers by teachers!  If you are interested in writing lesson plans for this website, contact us today.

For a printer-friendly version of a lesson plan, click the "Get the PDF" link provided with each lesson plan description.  To view and print the PDF file, you MUST have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.  Click here to download and install the Acrobat Reader.

Lesson Plans

Author's Purpose and Tone of Voice: Increase student abilities to discern tone and author purpose in this lesson designed for The Ponder Heart and "Cora Unashamed."  Get the PDF .

Character and Class: Eudora Welty's The Ponder Heart and William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily": Link these two widely taught pieces of literature by analyzing structure, character, and social class.  Get the PDF.

Characterization in The Ponder Heart: A Collaborative Speaking Unit: A fun and introspective unit to develop students' public speaking skills.  Get the PDF.

Eudora Welty Internet Scavenger Hunt: Students can use this fun Internet search activity to gain more familiarity with researching on the Net and Eudora Welty.  Get the PDF .

Humor and Irony in Eudora Welty's The Ponder Heart: Explore the different types of irony in The Ponder Heart.  Through this exploration, students gain an appreciation for the unique Southern humor evident in this tale.  Get the PDF.

Perception vs. Reality in Eudora Welty's The Ponder Heart and "The Worn Path":
Incorporating art and imagery, this beyond unit engages students in comparing the novella to Welty's short story.  Get the PDF.

Point of View to Ponder: An activity that examines the literary voice of the narrator as a misleading persona.  Includes role playing of literary characters.  Get the PDF.

Run Your Own Boarding House: An "Into" activity that involves teamwork, research, and creative writing.  Get the PDF.

Teacher's Guide for Online Resources for The Ponder Heart: An organizational guide to help navigate the resources on this site.

Through the Looking Glass: Eudora Welty's Photography and The Ponder Heart:  A lesson to teach how words and images work together to convey meaning.  Get the PDF .

Viewing Guide for The Ponder Heart:  Helpful resources for getting the most from viewing and reading The Ponder Heart.  Includes discussion questions, assignment ideas, vocabulary list and more.  Get the PDF.

Related Essays

Literary Map Essay on Eudora Welty: two students from Mississippi research and write a brief biography on Welty, including a list of Welty's works.

The House of Edna Earle: Boarding Houses in Welty's South:  Through interviews with Southerners, this article relates the crucial role of boarding houses in Southern American life.