Activity Overview
TPCASTT Example for “A Poison Tree”
| T | TITLE |
The poem will be about a mystical tree that poisons everything around it. |
|---|---|---|
| P | PARAPHRASE |
The speaker bottles up his anger toward his enemy. He presents a false front and acts nicely toward the enemy while cursing him in his head. Eventually, his anger and deceit lead to tragedy. The enemy dies, and the speaker's corrupted moral compass causes him to feel a twisted happiness at this result. |
| C | CONNOTATION |
The man's anger is considered a poison. The tree and the apple are poisonous growths that, like anger, can kill. |
| A | ATTITUDE/TONE |
Blake uses words like "wrath", "foe", "deceitful", "wiles", and "stole" to convey the dark emotions of the poem. The speaker has a sinister and venomous tone. |
| S | SHIFT |
A shift occurs in the first stanza when the speaker goes from telling his anger to keeping it in. The poem gradually grows more sinister as it progresses from this point. The sentence lengths in the first stanza are short and simple, but they later increase as the speaker's wrath becomes more intense and his lies more frequent. |
| T | TITLE |
After reading the poem, I realize that the tree is a symbol of the speaker's anger. As the speaker dwells on his anger, the tree grows poisonous fruit, suggesting that anger produces dangerous results. |
| T | THEME |
Expressing our emotions is a healthy way the deal with conflict. |
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Perform a TPCASTT analysis of “A Poison Tree”. 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.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| 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. |
Activity Overview
TPCASTT Example for “A Poison Tree”
| T | TITLE |
The poem will be about a mystical tree that poisons everything around it. |
|---|---|---|
| P | PARAPHRASE |
The speaker bottles up his anger toward his enemy. He presents a false front and acts nicely toward the enemy while cursing him in his head. Eventually, his anger and deceit lead to tragedy. The enemy dies, and the speaker's corrupted moral compass causes him to feel a twisted happiness at this result. |
| C | CONNOTATION |
The man's anger is considered a poison. The tree and the apple are poisonous growths that, like anger, can kill. |
| A | ATTITUDE/TONE |
Blake uses words like "wrath", "foe", "deceitful", "wiles", and "stole" to convey the dark emotions of the poem. The speaker has a sinister and venomous tone. |
| S | SHIFT |
A shift occurs in the first stanza when the speaker goes from telling his anger to keeping it in. The poem gradually grows more sinister as it progresses from this point. The sentence lengths in the first stanza are short and simple, but they later increase as the speaker's wrath becomes more intense and his lies more frequent. |
| T | TITLE |
After reading the poem, I realize that the tree is a symbol of the speaker's anger. As the speaker dwells on his anger, the tree grows poisonous fruit, suggesting that anger produces dangerous results. |
| T | THEME |
Expressing our emotions is a healthy way the deal with conflict. |
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Perform a TPCASTT analysis of “A Poison Tree”. 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.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| 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. |
How Tos about “A Poison Tree” TPCASTT Analysis
Create visual aids to support TPCASTT analysis
Design simple charts or posters for each TPCASTT element. Visuals help students quickly connect abstract ideas to concrete images and make poetry analysis more accessible during class discussions.
Model a think-aloud while analyzing a poem
Read each TPCASTT step aloud and verbalize your thought process. This shows students how to break down challenging poems and encourages them to use critical thinking strategies on their own.
Facilitate small-group TPCASTT discussions
Assign groups to analyze different TPCASTT elements and share their interpretations with the class. Collaboration builds confidence and helps students see multiple perspectives in poetry.
Use sentence starters for student responses
Offer sentence frames like "The tone of this poem is..." or "The symbol in the title suggests...". Scaffolding responses gives all students a clear entry point into analysis and builds academic language skills.
Connect poem themes to students’ real-life experiences
Prompt students to relate the poem’s theme—such as expressing emotions in a healthy way—to their own lives or current events. Personal connections make poetry more meaningful and memorable.
Frequently Asked Questions about “A Poison Tree” TPCASTT Analysis
What is a TPCASTT analysis for “A Poison Tree”?
A TPCASTT analysis for “A Poison Tree” is a structured method to interpret the poem by breaking it into seven parts: Title, Paraphrase, Connotation, Attitude/Tone, Shift, Title (again), and Theme. This approach helps students deeply analyze William Blake's message about anger and its consequences.
How do you teach TPCASTT analysis to middle or high school students?
To teach TPCASTT analysis, introduce each step with examples, use familiar poems like “A Poison Tree,” and guide students to interpret meaning, tone, and theme. Encourage group discussions and use visual aids or graphic organizers for clarity.
What does the tree symbolize in “A Poison Tree” by William Blake?
In “A Poison Tree,” the tree symbolizes the speaker's growing anger. As the speaker nurtures his wrath, the tree grows and produces a poisonous fruit, representing the dangerous effects of suppressed emotions.
What is the theme of “A Poison Tree”?
The main theme of “A Poison Tree” is that repressing anger can have destructive consequences. Blake suggests that expressing emotions openly is healthier than bottling them up.
What are some easy lesson ideas for analyzing “A Poison Tree” with TPCASTT?
Easy lesson ideas include: using storyboards to illustrate each TPCASTT step, having students paraphrase each stanza, discussing symbolism and tone, and comparing student interpretations in groups to deepen understanding.
More Storyboard That Activities
Poison Tree, A
This Activity is Part of Many Teacher Guides
Testimonials
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher
© 2025 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved.
StoryboardThat is a trademark of Clever Prototypes, LLC, and Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
