This creative writing mini scheme invites students to explore the Gothic genre through a suspense-filled lesson inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles. Designed for Year 8 but adaptable across KS3, this resource helps students build atmosphere, describe setting, and develop a compelling narrative voice—all while mastering the craft of tension.
What’s Included
Full PowerPoint lesson on crafting suspenseful narrative writing
Extract from Conan Doyle with vocabulary bank and close analysis activities
Starter tasks using Gothic images and “show don’t tell” descriptive techniques
Scaffolded writing prompts: create your own hell hound, build your own misty moor
Differentiated peer/self-assessment checklists and extension tasks
Comparative evaluation of the book and modern TV adaptation
Ideal For
KS3 creative writing lessons, especially Year 8
English departments teaching Gothic literature or narrative techniques
Writers’ workshops and Halloween-themed enrichment tasks
Bonus Features
“Spread Your Wings” extension activities for high-attainers
SPaG challenges, literary technique annotation, and sentence construction work
Evaluation writing frame to compare film and prose versions of suspense scenes
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This gothic writing mini-scheme is a fantastic way to spark creativity and develop descriptive writing skills in KS3 students. Drawing inspiration from The Hound of the Baskervilles, it captures the eerie, suspenseful tone of classic gothic literature while guiding students through their own original writing. The lessons are engaging and scaffolded beautifully, with a clear build-up of language techniques, atmosphere, and structure. It’s perfect for building confidence in creative writing and exploring a timeless genre in a fresh and accessible way. A hauntingly good resource!
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£3.00