Monday, August 15, 2005

MPT Launches Interactive Poe

MPT Launches Interactive Poe

Back from the dead and digital, Edgar Allan Poe comes to life in this highly interactive educational website from Maryland Public Television.

(PRWEB) January 9, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 6, 2003

CONTACT: Colleen Wright

Telephone: (410) 581-4293

E-mail: colleenwright@mpt. org

Poetry, Roses, Graveyards...and a Football Team?

MPT Launches Knowing Poe: The Literature and Life of Edgar Allan Poe

OWINGS MILLS, MD--Travel back to 19th-century Baltimore and meet Edgar Allan Poe in the interactive online

Experience Knowing Poe, found on the Web at:

Http://knowingpoe. thinkport. org/default_flash. asp (http://knowingpoe. thinkport. org/default_flash. asp).

Maryland Public Television brings one of Baltimore's most famous writers to life (just in time

For Poe's birthday on January 19) with a media-rich electronic field trip designed for Maryland middle and high school

Students, teachers, and Poe fans.

Explore Poe the person and Poe the writer with over 10 different interactive activities that examine everything

From Poe's Baltimore and his perfectionist editing to his house and

His fascination with cryptograms. John Astin (best known as Gomez from the Addams Family)appears as Poe throughout the

Site, introducing themes

And theories of Poe's work as Poe himself might have.

Fun features, visuals, sounds, video, music, mysteries, and learning exercises abound at this highly entertaining, yet

Highly educational, new cyber-destination. Visitors will

Be intrigued with the ability to interact with the literature, life and times of one of America's most compelling authors.

There's a lot to do and learn in Knowing Poe - here's a sampling:

Tour Real-Life Places--Take a virtual tour of early 19th century Baltimore sites through annotated "then" and

"now" maps of the city and see Poe's tiny home from 1831-1835.

Experiment with Poe's Writing--Follow one of Poe's short stories from three different points of view and create

Your own version of The Bells with voices and sound effects.

Explore the Mystery of Poe's Life and Death --Investigate the real-life mystery of Poe's death, solve

One of Poe's cryptograms and create your own.

Knowing Poe--(http://knowingpoe. thinkport. org/default_flash. asp (http://knowingpoe. thinkport. org/default_flash. asp)) developed in collaboration with educators, historians and

Poe experts--features a wealth of tools and

Resources for the classroom and beyond. Maryland teachers will appreciate that all the lesson plans,

Discussion questions, and activity sheets are linked to Maryland

Learning Outcomes. Poe fans and purists will delight in the authenticity of the

Materials-gathered from primary sources held by the Maryland

Historical Society and the Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore. And students and visitors alike will be

Entertained while they explore the literature, life and times of one

Of Baltimore's most famous writers.

And what about that football team? Just for fun, Baltimore Ravens head coach, Brian Billick, appears in

Video clips along with cheerleaders and players quoting lines from

Poe's "The Raven."

Knowing Poe, one of many digital education projects of Maryland Public

Television, joins MPT's other award-winning

Online field trips and interactives on the Web designed to inspire and

Teach Maryland students, including Pathways to Freedom: Maryland & the Underground Railroad

(http://www. mpt. org/learningworks/pathwaystofreedom/flash_home. cfm (http://www. mpt. org/learningworks/pathwaystofreedom/flash_home. cfm)),

Bay Trippers: An Online Field Trip to the Chesapeake

Bay, Sense and Dollars

(http://www. mpt. org/learningworks/senseanddollars/home. html (http://www. mpt. org/learningworks/senseanddollars/home. html)),

And Plastic Fork Diaries

(http://www. plasticforkdiaries. org/index_flash. cfm (http://www. plasticforkdiaries. org/index_flash. cfm).)

Experience them

All at http://www. mpt. org (http://www. mpt. org).

Knowing Poe is funded through a grant from the U. S. Department of Education Star Schools Program.

Maryland Public Television is a not-for-profit, state-licensed public television station which serves the

Citizens and communities of Maryland and beyond through a variety of broadcast and nonbroadcast activities. For more

Information on MPT and its on - and off-air programming, visit http://www. mpt. org (http://www. mpt. org)