Brooding Brilliance: Teaching Dark Academia Without the Canon Overload
There’s something about the dark academia vibe that just clicks for high school English classrooms. The moodiness, the obsession with ideas, the aesthetic of dusty books and stormy skies—it practically begs to be woven into your curriculum. But if you’ve ever browsed a "dark academia reading list," you’ll notice they’re often stacked with classics. And while I’m not against a good broody classic now and then (Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights have their moments), they’re not always the most fun to teach to high schoolers.
You can capture the intellectual, atmospheric, and dramatic heart of dark academia without building your entire course around the literary canon. In fact, I’d argue that opening up the genre to include contemporary voices and creative assignments makes it even better—you'll get the vibes that you want and your students will be happier ;)
Below are some ideas for texts and projects for each grade level along with ideas for creating immaculate vibes in your classroom.
5 Ways to Create the Dark Academia Classroom of Your Dreams (without breaking the bank)
What Is Dark Academia, Really?
It’s not just about aesthetics (though I’m not going to lie, I do love a candle-lit classroom and some instrumental music playing during writing time). Dark academia is about:
A reverence for learning and intellectual exploration
Deep, sometimes tragic themes: identity, morality, legacy, power
Characters wrestling with big ideas and inner darkness
A tone that’s broody, introspective, and intense
This can show up in all kinds of texts—not just the old ones. And with the right framing, even your most reluctant students can get swept up in it.
9th Grade: Myth, Magic, and Finding Your Voice
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert: A contemporary fairy tale with eerie, gothic vibes. Great for talking about inherited trauma, storytelling, and control over narrative.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo: Moody, intense, and centered around a young woman discovering the power of words through poetry.
Classroom Project: Students love fan fiction—they may giggle a little when you bring it up, but reassure them that it is NOT all romantic and watch their creative juices flow. I have a collection of 5 Free Fan Fiction Prompts that work for any text to get your started. It's a gentle entry into creative writing with plenty of built-in analysis. (Full Fan Fiction Unit coming soon!)
10th Grade: Tragedy, Justice, and What We Owe Each Other
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: Mysterious and haunting. Layers of memory, guilt, and class dynamics.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds: Written in verse, this novel takes place over 60 seconds in an elevator, grappling with violence, revenge, and cycles of grief.
Classroom Project: This is a great time to shift into something creative and analytical with a little more structure. If you need inspiration, I have a Creative Projects for Any Text freebie that is full of options that blend artistic expression with deep thinking—perfect for exploring themes like justice and grief. Try having students create a dramatic monologue from a minor character’s perspective or design an illustrated timeline of guilt and memory.
11th Grade: Obsession, Performance, and Power
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio: Think Shakespeare + murder + elite drama kids. (Note: this is best for upper high school; check for content suitability.)
Beloved by Toni Morrison: Complex, haunting, and emotionally devastating in all the right ways. A dark academia classic that isn't part of the default canon.
Classroom Project: Give students the opportunity to write a dramatic literary analysis in the form of a podcast episode. Inspired by the intensity of these texts, students can explore character psychology, ethical questions, or literary comparisons using script writing and audio storytelling. This format encourages strong textual analysis while letting students work with voice and tone—the heart of dark academia.
12th Grade: Legacy, History, and Human Nature
The Secret History by Donna Tartt: It’s THE dark academia novel. Themes of elitism, guilt, aesthetics, and consequence. (Again, content warning for mature themes.)
Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn: This book is mythic, poetic, and layered with meaning—perfect for senior discussions on belief, belonging, and the natural world. (Full novel study for Sharks coming soon!)
Classroom Project: Senior year is an amazing time to introduce contemporary poetry. Students are both nostalgic and forward facing at the same time—poetry hits perfectly for them. I have a Contemporary Poetry Mini Unit if you don't know where to get started. It uses the Poetry Unbound podcast to guide students through deep analysis and finishes with podcasting and analysis project. Poetry is central to the dark academia tone—and giving students space to analyze and write poetry helps them lean into the introspective voice that dark academia thrives on.
Set the Mood with Aesthetic Details
If you’re building a dark academia vibe, don’t forget your classroom atmosphere. A few low-effort ideas:
Moody instrumental music playlists (think piano, stormy ambience, lo-fi)
Candles (battery-operated, but still!)
Literary quotes on the walls
My Dark Academia Literary Elements Posters – aesthetic and educational. These make it easy to refer back to major concepts while setting a tone students actually like.
Why It Works
When you teach with dark academia in mind, you're giving students more than just a mood. You're giving them:
A way to connect deeply with ideas
A safe space to explore big questions
A curriculum that feels meaningful
Assignments that go beyond the five-paragraph essay
And for you? You get a classroom full of engaged students who are willing to wrestle with complexity and beauty—without needing to force your way through a 600-page Victorian novel.
Want to start today? Grab the Fan Fiction Freebie here and take a look at the Poetry Mini Unit to bring that broody, thoughtful energy into your room now.
You don’t have to teach only classics to teach dark academia. You just have to teach with curiosity, intensity, and a little candlelight.