A‑Level Gothic Literature: 5 Lessons

A‑Level Gothic Literature OCR pack with 5 detailed lessons, extracts, model essays, critical theory, and differentiated tasks to build top‑grade exam skills.
This comprehensive A‑Level Gothic Literature (OCR) lesson pack contains five fully‑resourced, extract‑based lessons covering the core Gothic concepts, themes, and exam skills required for top‑band responses. Designed by Janneta Stoddern (ABACUS²), this pack blends examiner‑level insight, critical theory, and mixed‑ability scaffolding to support every learner from Grade C to A*.

Across the five lessons, students explore the uncanny, Gothic settings, gender and transgression, narrative unreliability, and comparative Gothic themes, using extracts from Frankenstein, Dracula, The Bloody Chamber, The Monk, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wuthering Heights, and The Turn of the Screw. Each lesson includes three extract options (canonical, modern, high‑challenge) so teachers can tailor content to their class or syllabus.

Every lesson features:
Clear learning focus linked to AO1–AO5
Differentiated tasks with scaffolds, sentence starters, and challenge extensions
Annotation guides for language, structure, symbolism, and critical ideas
Model Band 5 paragraphs and conceptual theses
Critical theory integration (Freud, Botting, Todorov, Gilbert & Gubar, Creed, Punter, Mulvey)
Exam‑focused writing frames for micro‑analysis and comparative essays
Active learning tasks including starters, annotation activities, and plenaries
The pack culminates in a comparative transgression lesson aligned with OCR expectations, complete with extract pairings, a Band 5 paragraph scaffold, and a 50‑word evaluative conclusion task.

Perfect for teachers seeking high‑quality, ready‑to‑teach Gothic lessons that combine academic rigour with accessibility. Ideal for OCR but easily adaptable for AQA, Edexcel, WJEC, and CCEA.