Unit - Freestyle Poetry

 1 Identity Through Poetry Freestyle Poetry Jessica Jesser ENGL 409 2 Unit Rationale At such a critical age, high school freshmen on are on the verge of discovering themselves as individuals. Students are relying less on their parents and authority figures, and identifying less with their social groups and more with themselves. This unit will be focusing on poetry and will serve as an outlet for students to express their individuality. Students will learn many aspects of poetry in specific regards to freestyle poetry. By exploring this genre and writing many poems themselves, not only will students enjoy the few restrictions of freestyle poetry, students will also be able to learn and explore their own individuality throughout the writing process. Although this poetry unit focuses mostly on freestyle poems, many elements of poetry will be studied. In doing so, students will engage in a multitude of activities to help with the creative writing process. For each element of poetry, such as voice, point of view, perception, imagery, tone and poetic devices, students will view a mentor text in which they can see the poetic element in action. There will also be ways in which to inspire poetic writing. For example; multiple images will be placed on the board in which students can be inspired. Students will write about that image, what that image says to them, and include certain aspects of poetry in that writing. Student will also be studying poetic devices in this unit. These devices will include common devices such as simile, metaphor, imagery, rhyme and symbolism, as well as unique devices such as assonance, consonance, alliteration, hyperbole, 3 repetition and onomatopoeia. The students will gain an understanding of these devices and many more and will also learn how to utilize them in their own writing. During this unit, the students will view a multitude of poetic writing samples. Many of these samples will come from poems that students can relate to. For that reason, I have selected to use poems written by Shel Silverstein and his books, Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, Everything On It, and Falling Up. Students will be able to relate to these poems which will help in their learning and make it a little easier. Shel Silverstein’s poems contain many of the poetic devices mentioned above and will serve as mentor texts for the students. I will also be using a book entitled Good Poems, which is a book of poems written by many authors and was compiled by Garrison Keillor. To help students understand freestyle poems and the elements that define them, many poems will be selected from various books as well as from articles and websites. Students will be able to see what freestyle poems are, what the look like, and the different forms and shapes they can take. Students will be writing poetry daily in class. In most cases, the students will first write their poems and then transform their words into a freestyle poem. Many different examples of freestyle poems will be provided to help show students that there are many unique ways they can be created. Although this unit is a genre unit and specifically designed for freestyle poetry, themes of individuality and identity will arise often in the hopes that students will use poetry as a way to learn something about themselves. Through the many mentor texts presented in class, students will be able to learn that writing 4 poetry often comes from their own life experiences. Many lessons include poems in which students take aspects from their own lives to write their poems. For example; students will be writing a biography poem in which they mentions things specifically about them. They will also write an “I Am From” poem which will describe their personality and their heritage, as well as an “I Wish” poem which will help them reflect on their individuality and what they want out of life. This unit is designed for a freshmen class in Chelsea High School. I have selected this class because it is where I will be student teaching next semester. The city of Chelsea is predominately white; however, there are many other races within the school district. This poetry unit will help students identify with themselves and help reflect their heritage if they wish. At the end of this unit students will be creating a final poetry portfolio. Their portfolio will include an introduction into their portfolio and how they would define a freestyle poem, approximately 4-­‐6 in-­‐class writing samples and one specific poem that will have multiple drafts with a final draft created to present to class. The last part of the student’s portfolio will be a reflection that will include what they liked and disliked about their writing, what they thought they did best on, what they think they could still improve on, and what they have learned about their own style of writing throughout the unit. Most importantly, my hopes is that students will create a portfolio that they are proud of and will also help them gain confidence as writers as well as individuals. 5 Lesson Plans: Freestyle Poetry Day 1: Purpose: To introduce the poetry unit. Get feedback from students on what they know about poetry. Since it is the beginning of a new trimester, get to know the students. Preparation: Prepare Anticipation Guide Information on Bio Poems Procedure: Introduce myself to the class and begin talking about the new unit we are going to be doing. To get to know the students and what they already know we will be starting with an anticipation guide about poetry. This is not a test, I just want to see what the students know and have a discussion. After giving the anticipation guide we will be writing bio poems. I will display the template on the board and a sample that I have written. The students will then pair up with a partner and “interview” each other in the form of a bio poem. We will then go around the room and everybody will present. Assessment: Presenting bio poems. Method: 6 Bio Poem
Born in
Child of
Lived in Studied
Overcame
Worked as
Challenged by Personal traits Always Never
Best known for Sample: Abraham Lincoln Born in Kentucky Child of Tom and Nancy Lincoln Lived in a log cabin Learned his lessons by candlelight Overcame lack of formal education Worked as a storekeeper, railsplitter, lawyer Challenged by a fighting nation Personal traits were honesty and determination Always helped those who couldn’t help themselves Never gave up on what he thought was right Remembered as the 16th President of the United States
7 Freestyle Poetry Anticipation Guide What do you know/think about “freestyle” poetry? Based on what you already know or might think about freestyle poetry, answer the questions below. Circle if you think the answer is true, and circle if you think the answer is false. This is not a test. Poetry is difficult to understand. Poetry should be written using a specific format. Poetry must rhyme. Poems should be serious. Poems cannot be funny. Poems take a lot of time to write. Only the author can understand the meaning of a poem. Poems should be written in proper/standard grammar. Poems are boring. There are no rules to freestyle poetry. Poetry is meant for professional writers. Poems must contain literary devices. Poems can cover any topic. 8 Day 2: Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the poetry unit, specifically free-­‐style poetry, to the students. Students will learn the unique characteristics of free-­‐style poetry. Preparation: Students will be given a poetry journal in which they will be writing in throughout the unit. Prepare Prep question: What comes to mind when you think of “freestyle” poetry? Procedure: To begin our poetry unit, students will be placed into groups no larger than 5 students. Once students are in groups, I will explain what they will do in a PReP: -­‐ One student will be the recorder and write down what group members say. -­‐ One student will be the scriber and write on the board after group discussion. -­‐ One student will be the discussion master and make sure the discussion moved forward. Once students understand the role I will ask them to, as a group, discuss anything that comes to mind when they think about reading and writing free-­‐style poetry. After giving students approximately 5 – 10 minutes to discuss, the scriber will write down key things the recorder wrote down on the white board in about 5 minutes. We will then discuss what they wrote down on the board in class and see what characteristics they had written down. We will discuss what they had and why they had it. Next, we will compare what they wrote down to the handout I will be giving them. Finally we will take a look at the bio poems the students created the day before and compare it with the characteristics. Does it fit? Why or why not? What is freestyle (or freeverse) poetry? (Handout) · Does not have to rhyme · Does not have to have a specific rhythm · Has no specific length · Makes use of figurative speech Assessment: Why or why not does the poem fit? 9 What is Freestyle Poetry? Freestyle does not have a set pattern of rhyme or rhythm. There are no rules about line length in free verse. You try to keep the words that belong together on the same line, but sometimes the poet will break these words if he/she wants to create a visual shape to support the poem's message, or feeling that the poet wishes the reader to experience. The poet may wish to put special emphasis on a word he/she has used so he will that word a line to itself, or place it on the next line so the reader notices it or is surprised by the poet's use of the word. Often a poet will end a line because it feels right to him/her to do so. The poet chooses the length of each line and the length of the poem according to the message, or feeling he/she wishes to communicate to his/her reader. When free verse is read aloud the reader can hear the rhythm of the words that the poet has used in his/her poem. Think of it as spoken music. Topic Anything and everything can be the topic of a freestyle poem. The poem can tell a story, describe a person, animal, feeling or object. They can serious, sad, funny or educational. Whatever subject that appeals to the poet can end up in free verse. Language The poet attempts to describe his/her subject with language that shows, not tells. For example, instead of writing "We had so much fun today," the poet would write, "They wore smiles all the way home." The idea being that a grinning face is more descriptive of the fun they had. It also leaves a stronger impression with the reader. Free verse poetry tries to capture images, convey meaning, or emotions through the use of lyrical phrases that will get the poet's message across without a lot of telling. Free verse poets use figurative language devices such as metaphors, similes, personification and more to create these phrases. 10 Day 3: Purpose: Continue studying freeverse/freestyle poetry with specific emphasis on simile, metaphor and onomatopoeia. Preparation: Provide literary devices sheet where students will fill in definitions. Gather simile, metaphor and onomatopoeia poems. Simile: A simile poem written by Denise Rogers: Your teeth are like stars; They come out at night. They come back at dawn When they’re ready to bite. A Simile poem by Denise Rogers: “Your feet smell so bad Just like Limburger cheese That I’m holding my nose tight Between my two knees.” Simile poems are not just about emotions either. For example, an unknown author wrote this devotional simile to chocolate cake: By Anonymous “Friends are like chocolate cake You can never have too many. Chocolate cake is like heaven -­‐ Always amazing you with each taste or feeling. Chocolate cake is like life with so many different pieces. Chocolate cake is like happiness, you can never get enough of it.” Simile/Metaphor A simile is defined as a figure of speech comparing two unlike things. Similes often have the words “like”, “as”, or “than.” A simile is a lot like a metaphor, since they are both forms of comparison, but a simile allows the two ideas to remain distinct, while a metaphor suggests that one thing is the other. An example of a simile: "Chris was a record-­‐setting runner and as fast as a speeding bullet." An example of a metaphor: "When Chris ran, he was a speeding bullet racing along the track." Sick by Shel Silverstein “I cannot go to school today,” Said little Peggy Ann McKay. I have the measles and the mumps, A gash, a rash and purple bumps. My mouth is wet, my throat is dry, I’m going blind in my right eye. My tonsils are as big as rocks, I’ve counted sixteen chicken pox. And there’s one more—that’s seventeen,
And don’t you think my face looks green? It might be instamatic flue. My leg is cut, my eyes are blue— I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke, 11 I’m sure that my left leg is broken— My hips hurt when I move my chin, My belly button’s caving in, My back is wrenched, my ankle’s sprained, My ‘pendix pains each time it rains. My nose is cold, my toes are numb, I have a silver in my thumb. My neck is stiff, my voice is weak, I hardly whisper when I speak. My tongue is filling up my mouth, I think my hair is falling out. My elbow’s bent, my spine ain’t straight, My temperature is one-­‐o-­‐eight. My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear, There is a hole inside my ear. I have a hangnail, and my hart is—what? What’s that? What’s that you say? You say today is… Saturday? G’bye, I’m going out to play!” Procedure: To begin I will show students the above poems and we will read them aloud together. I will then ask them to take out a piece of paper and write about the following questions about a specific poem: What does it say? What does it mean? What does it matter? Next I will ask if they noticed anything specific about the poems, what stands out? Why does it stand out? Hoping that the students will notice the similes and metaphors, we will then switch gears into literary devices. Each student will get a Literary Devices definitions sheet that they will need to keep throughout the unit. Next we will read aloud the above poems and search for similes and metaphors. Why are literary devices important? “Literary devices are the heart and soul of every expression. These devices breathe life in words which are common to all forms of a language whether it is a narrative, story-­‐
writing, drama, newspaper or poetry. 'Language is the dress of thought'. Imagine a person's feelings, emotions or views on a subject, stated plainly without the aid of a literary device. It would be a dull task. We all love to see our favorite movie stars delivering those wonderfully scripted dialogs with great passion and intensity. All these expressions are a manifestation of the beauty of words, which we refer to as literary devices. The English language encompasses a host of literary devices that make it so rich and expressive. They provide a broad structure under which all the types of literature are classified, studied and understood. The importance of literature in the portrayal of human emotions is best understood by the application of these devices. Some of the common ones in use are described in brief as follows.” Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/literary-­‐devices.html Poets create vivid images in their writing appealing to all the senses. To explain and clarify difficult or unfamiliar objects or ideas, poets compare them with something tangible, that is, can be held, and is familiar. A comparison can also encourage readers to see the subject matter in a new way. The objects being compared are essentially different but strikingly alike in one or more aspects. Next have students edit their “first line” poem and see if they can make any changes by adding simile’s, metaphors or onomatopoeia. 12 Assessment: Ask students how their poems have changed. Are they good or bad changes? Why? Day 4 Purpose: To use poetry as a form of story telling. Preparation: Students will need their poetry journals. Use the following pictures for writing poems. Procedure: For this lesson, students will be using the above photos for inspiration when writing a story. To begin class we will talk about how poems can tell stories and don’t just have to be about topics. I will then give students time to write a poem about a memory or story of their wish. If they cannot come up with a topic they can use the above photos as inspiration. After they have written their poems I will introduce the idea of de-­‐familiarization. De-­‐familiarize: in a poem, show us an everyday thing in a new way. Next they will take their original poem and de-­‐familiarize it and write it in a different way and different perspective. Finally, I will take volunteers for students to share their poems. We will talk about the poems, what we liked and what we saw that was different. Assessment: What can de-­‐familiarization do to your poems? Is it a benefit? Day 5: Purpose: To concentrate on expressing yourself through poetry – repetition; if it comes up in class. Preparation: “My Name” Poem “I Wish” Poem example Poetry Journals 13 Procedure: Students will start with the poem entitled “My Name” -­‐What do you notice in the poem? -­‐(if not brought up) Do you notice anything about expressing feelings? Next I will have students write about their name and how it makes them feel. We will then switch into an “I Wish” Poem This poem will contain 8-­‐10 lines each starting with the words “I Wish.” This gives the students the opportunity to express themselves in their writing. Students will have the opportunity to share to the class. If students notice the repetition of the poetry we will discuss that. What does repetition do to the poem? Day 6 Purpose: To continue studying freestyle poetry with specific emphasis on assonance, consonance and alliteration. Preparation: Need poems that represent assonance, consonance and alliteration. Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too – consonance By Shel Silverstein Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too Went for a ride in a flying shoe. "Hooray!" "What fun!" "It's time we flew!" Said Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too. Ickle was captain, and Pickle was crew And Tickle served coffee and mulligan stew As higher And higher And higher they flew, Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too. Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too, Over the sun and beyond the blue. "Hold on!" "Stay in!" "I hope we do!" Cried Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too. Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle too Never returned to the world they knew, And nobody Knows what's Happened to Dear Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too. Baseball – alliteration By Shel Silverstein Big baseball bats broken by Ben Big baseballs bouncing backward The bats were hurt They had a broken heart The baseballs were crying They bounced so much they were black and blue The fields were laughing at such a funny sight West Beast East Beast -­‐ assonance by Dr. Seuss Upon an island hard to reach, The East Beast sits upon his beach. Upon the west beach sits the West Beast. Each beach beast thinks he's the best beast. Which beast is best?...Well, I thought at first, That the East was best and the West was worst. Then I looked again from the west to the east And I liked the beast on the east beach least. Bells – assonance By Edgar Allan Poe From the second stanza: Hear the mellow wedding bells, Golden bells! What a world of happiness their harmony foretells! Through the balmy air of night How they ring out their delight! From the molten-­‐golden notes, And an in tune, What a liquid ditty floats 14 To the turtle-­‐dove that listens, while she gloats From the fourth stanza: What a world of solemn thought their monody compels! In the silence of the night, How we shiver with affright At the melancholy menace of their tone! For every sound that floats From the rust within their throats Is a groan. Procedure: First we will begin reading some of the above poems: What do you notice? How do you think this effects to poem? Next we will go over assonance, consonance and alliteration and finding them in poems. Students will write the definitions on their definition sheet. Assonance: repetition of vowel sounds Consonance: repetition of consonant sounds (doesn’t need to be first letter) Alliteration: when a series of words in a row (or close to a row) have the same first consonant sound (could be assonance or consonance) Hand out alliterations sheet. Next students will get into groups and compare and contrast the above devices and provide examples from the above poems. We will discuss their findings in class. To write, students will use the first letters of their first, middle or last names and create a short freestyle poem in their poetry journals as a group (preferably 4 or 5 members). Each member of the group will write a line of the poem that each work begins with their selected letter. We will share the poems in class. What do you notice? Assessment: Have students finish their poems at home if necessary. 15 Alliterations • Alice’s aunt ate apples and acorns around August. • Becky’s beagle barked and bayed, becoming bothersome for Billy. • Carries cat clawed her couch, creating chaos. • Dan’s dog dove deep in the dam, drinking dirty water as he dove. • Eric’s eagle eats eggs, enjoying each episode of eating. • Fred’s friends fried Fritos for Friday’s food. • Garry’s giraffe gobbled gooseberry’s greedily, getting good at grabbing goodies. • Hannah’s home has heat hopefully. • Isaacs ice cream is interesting and Isaac is imbibing it. • Jesse’s jaguar is jumping and jiggling jauntily. • Kim’s kid’s kept kiting. • Larry’s lizard likes leaping leopards. • Mike’s microphone made much music. • Nick’s nephew needed new notebooks now not never. • Orson’s owl out-­‐performed ostriches. • Peter’s piglet pranced priggishly. • Quincy’s quilters quit quilting quickly. • Ralph’s reindeer rose rapidly and ran round the room. • Sara’s seven sisters slept soundly in sand. • Tim’s took tons of tools to make toys for tots. • Uncle Uris’ united union uses umbrellas. • Vivien’s very vixen-­‐like and vexing. • Walter walked wearily while wondering where Wally was. • Xavier’s x-­‐rayed his xylophone. • Yarvis yanked you at yoga, and Yvonne yelled. • Zachary zeroed in on zoo keeping. http://examples.yourdictionary.com/alliteration-­‐examples.html
16 Day 7: Purpose: To continue studying freestyle poetry with emphasis on voice. To inform students of a poetry device quiz that will be given on day 12. Preparation: Create study guide for poetry devices quiz. Gather poems that represent voice. I, too sing America By Langston Hughes I, too sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I'll be at the table When company comes. Nobody'll dare Say to me, "Eat in the kitchen," Then. Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed I, too am America Two Voice Poem: “The Lunch Room” Procedure: To start class I will introduce the quiz that the students will be taking next week and provide them with a study guide. Next, I will have the students write in their journal about “What comes to mind when you think about ‘voice’ in a poem? Can you give an example? “Voice in poetry is made up of many different ideas including tone and audience. Tone refers to the writer’s attitude toward the subject and audience is the targeted reader or listener who will be reading the writing. A poet chooses voice or voices for a particular poem to engage the reader's interest or reveal his or her attitude toward the subject. The voice in the poem can be the voice of the poet, voice of an imaginary person, or voice of an object. The voice of the speaker can be lively, inspiring, engaging, emotional, and interesting.” http://betterlesson.com/lesson/28590/voice-­‐in-­‐poems 17 We will them compare the above poems and keep in mind the following questions to help: 1. Who is the speaker? 2. Who is the speaker talking to? 3. What is the speaker's message? To gain a better understanding of voice students will write a poem three times from different voices in their poetry journal. Have students write a poem about “using the remote control” once as a 5 year old, once as a 30 year old, and once as 65 year old. After each time writing, note some differences and then discuss what was different at the end as well. Assessment: Exit card: What was the most interesting thing about voice you learned about today? Why? OR What questions do you have about voice? Day 8: Purpose: To continue the study on voice in regards to the “two-­‐voice” poem. Preparation: Two-­‐voice poem: “The Lunch Room” Procedure: Begin class reviewing yesterday’s lesson. What do you remember? What is voice? How can we turn voice into a story? Introduce the idea of a “two-­‐voice” poem. Show the example and go over what makes the voices different. Who is speaking? How are they related? What is the speaker’s message? How do they relate together? Next I will give the students the majority of the class time to write their own “two-­‐
voice” poem about a family memory. If we have time we can introduce the idea of revising and ask if there are any changes that they think could be made to the original poem that would make it better. If so, what would they be and why? Assessment: Students will share their poems. 18 Two Voice Poem Student Example: “The Lunch Room”
“Oh, Sally! That is so hilarious! I can’t believe
your brother did that to you!”
I’m last again? There’s no where to sit. Of
course, no one saved me a seat. No one sees
me.
I’m beginning to feel sick. Why are my hands
starting to sweat? I’m not even hungry,
anyway.
Are there any empty seats left? Probably not.
Over there, there’s one.
Why are we moving? There’s plenty of room at
our table. I’m not done with my lunch. “Sally,
wait!”
Oh, not again. I’m sick of always doing what
she tells us to do.
Hey, she’s in my dance class.
Hey, She’s in my dance class.
She’s really nice.
“Sally, I’m not following you. I’m going to ask
Diane to come eat with us.”
The seat is next to her? Ahhhh....why does
she always have to be at the popular table?
“Hey, Diane. Come over here!”
Krista really wants me to sit with her? Gosh,
what do I do? Sally is so mean to me. Wait—
Sally’s leaving? Everyone else is staying.
“Sit right here, at this table.”
Sit right here? At this table?
“Wasn’t that hilarious last week at dance when
Miss Yvonne’s husband came dancing in with
flowers?”
“I couldn’t believe that he was wearing a
leotard!”
“Are you going to dance tonight?”
“Are you going to dance tonight?”
19 Day 9: Purpose: To inform about the use of repetition in freestyle poetry. To help students discover and write about their identity. Preparation: View exit cards from previous day. Gather poems for repetition. Prepare “I Am From” poem information. The Boa Constrictor Song By Shel Silverstein I'm being swallered by a Boa Constrictor a Boa Constrictor, a Boa Constrictor I'm being swallered by a Boa Constrictor and I don't -­‐ like snakes -­‐ one bit! Oh no, he swallered my toe. Oh gee, he swallered my knee. Oh fiddle, he swallered my middle. Oh what a pest, he swallered my chest. Oh heck, he swallered my neck. Oh, dread, he swallered my -­‐ (BURP) Teen Ink http://www.teenink.com/poetry/free_verse/
article/47932/I-­‐Am-­‐From/ I am from My green blankey and Climbing out of my crib From playing mermaid in the bathtub. I am from walking my dog, And the noise he made when I step on his tail. I am from my sheep nightlight And Blue’s Clues and the Berenstain Bears. I am from spinning until I can’t tell where I am and Seeing the world upside-­‐down. I am from long days at school And hurrying home to watch Pokémon. From chocolate-­‐chip cookies at Grandma’s house. I am from July days in the pool And running through the sprinklers. From my imaginary friends and The games we used to play like Doctor and patient and teacher and student. I am from trips to the grocery store And that time I fell out of the cart onto the Sticky linoleum floor. I am from the tap tap tap Of my tap shoes that one week That I decided to be a dancer. I am from trying new things. I am from rainy days And board games, Saturday cartoons and Cheerios. I am from walks on the beach And the sand on my feet, And not wanting to go home after vacation. I am from Barbies and Polly Pockets From playing with my sister, The other half of me. I am from books and flashlights And pens and paper. From silence to screaming. I am from tears on my pillow And unanswered cries. From holding your hand And that look in your eyes. I am from past and present And dreams of the future. I am from hard work and Harder play. And I am from writing down my thoughts On a midsummer’s day. 20 Procedure: If necessary, go over exit cards from previous class. We will read the poem above and complete the activity “say something” where every student talks in groups or in pairs and says something that they thought about the poem. We will then share in class hoping that students mention repetition. Go over repetition and the different versions of it in relation to the above poems. Definition: Repetition of a sound, syllable, word, phrase, line, stanza, or metrical pattern is a basic unifying device in all poetry. Inform students that poetry can be used to express feelings and identity. Have students write their own “I Am From” poem. If students need help starting, give them the “I Am From” template. Assessment: Finish “I Am From” poem – if possible, add a literary device and explain whether it helped or hindered your poetry and why. 21 “I Am From” Poem Template
Adapted by Levi Romero Inspired by “Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon
I am from ________________________ (an everyday item in your home) from
________________ and _______________ (products or everyday items in your
home) I am from the ___________________________ (description of your
home) _________________________________ (a detail about your home – a
smell, taste, or feel) I am from the____________________ (plant, flower, natural
item) The __________________________ (plant or tree near your home) whose
long gone limbs I remember as if they were my own.
I’m from _______________ and ________________ (a family tradition and
family trait) from ______________and ______________________ (family
members) I’m from _________________and _________________ (family
habits) and from_____________________. (family habit)
I’m from _______________ and _______________ (things you were told as a
child) and ____________________________________ (a song or saying you
learned as a child) I’m from_________________________ (a family tradition) I’m
from ____________ (place of birth) and ___________ (family ancestry,
nationality or place) _______________and _________________ (family
foods) From ___________________________________ (a story about a family
member) ___________________________ (detail about the story or person)
_____________________________ (description of family momentos, pictures or
treasures.) _________________________ (location of momentos – under my
bed, on the wall, in my
heart) ______________________________________________ (more
description if needed) _______________________________________________
By (student name)__________________________ Date_____________
22 Day 10: Purpose: To continue studying freestyle poetry in regards to imagery and symbolism. Preparation: Use students’ poems from previous class. Prepare poems for imagery and symbolism. This is an excerpt from “Preludes,” an imagery
poem by T. S. Eliot. You can almost see and
hear the horse steaming and stamping and smell
the steaks:
The winter evening settles down With smell of steaks in passageways. Six o'clock. The burnt-­‐out ends of smoky days. And now a gusty shower wraps The grimy scraps Of withered leaves about your feet And newspapers from vacant lots; The showers beat On broken blinds and chimney-­‐pots, And at the corner of the street A lonely cab-­‐horse steams and stamps. And then the lighting of the lamps. Fall Poetry by Natasha Niemi The chilly weather settles into your bones. Those once green leaves turn Red, yellow, orange, and brown. CRRNCH! go the leaves,, Beneath your feet. The birds fly in a victory “V” formation, To where the sun rules the skies. The days of winter are lurking around Waiting to be free falling. Spring The newborn flowers blossom in all sizes and vivid colors. When you walk by, their sweet and luscious aromas ensnare you.. The beautiful butterflies titter Around the light grassy areas. The trees are full of lush, dark green leaves. Spring is when you can really savor the intense scent of nature. My Summer Day Blue green like a crayon is the glistening, warm water. The brownish sand is warm between my welcoming toes. The excited shouts of the little kids As they send loud bursts of water at each other. Assortment of tan bodies stretch along their beach, A chain of diversity thriving in the sun.. The red, yellow, and blue kites Gracefully dot the sky. This is the life on the beach! What Christmas Feels Like The tree’s aglow with colors of red, green, blue, and orange, The heat’s toasty arms warmly embrace us. Presents under the Christmas tree Beg to be released from their bright, sparkling coats. Santa Claus cookies washed down with boiling, hot chocolate; Shouts of glee and appreciation; Hearts overflowing with love; This is what Christmas feels like. The Way I Play Soccer Sweat streams down my face, And my skin turns red under the watchful eye of the sun. The sound of cleats pounding the earth is deafening As my enemies charge down the field towards me. I can sense the shooter is going to miss; All at once, the ball collides into my chest. Screams of victory roar across the field. The grass stained, game ball rests Rests lovingly between my two hands. 23 Procedure: To begin class, have students present their poems and groups and have the opportunity to read them aloud to the class. Next, switch gears into symbolism: (use Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken) “Does anyone know what symbolism means?” “Symbolism is something you can see that has taken on a meaning beyond what the object actually is. For instance, when you think of a symbol, think of something that is tangible, something you can hold or touch with your hand. If it is something you cannot touch, eliminate it as a possible symbol. “When you are searching for symbols, do not read symbolism into every word in the poem. Poets do not intend for you to read their poetry this way. But do look for a word that may appear again and again.” Read “The Road Less Traveled” by Robert Frost. “What do you think this poem is saying to you?” “Is there any symbolism in this poem? What is it?” “What are some examples of roads less traveled that you have taken?” “What is this poem about? Is there any symbolism in it?” Discuss the leaves (soldiers) going off to war. Return to classroom. Next, begin with imagery with the above poems and how the author’s portray imagery is descriptive language. Students will then creating a “talking drawing.” They will choose one of the poems discussed in class, or a previous poem if they wish, and draw a picture of what the poem is talking about. If there are specific imagery and/or symbolism in the poetry, it must be present in the drawing. Assessment: Share talking drawings with class. Day 11: Purpose: To study freestyle poetry with emphasis on point of view. Preparation: Gather poems with different points of view Point of View By Shel Silverstein Thanksgiving dinner's sad and thankless Christmas dinner's dark and blue When you stop and try to see it From the turkey's point of view. Sunday dinner isn't sunny Easter feasts are just bad luck When you see it from the viewpoint Of a chicken or a duck. Oh how I once loved tuna salad Pork and lobsters, lamb chops too 'Til I stopped and looked at dinner From the dinner's point of view. The Rain By Anonymous (point of view of little girl) Dear rain, without your help, I Know, The trees and flowers could not grow, My roses all would fade and die, If you staid up behind the sky! But lonely little girls like me Don’t like to stay indoors, you see, And through the long and lonesome day— I’m tired of books, I’m tired of play. I’m tired of listening to the sound Of pattering drops upon the ground, 24 And watching through the misty pane The clouded skies, O dreary rain! And so I wish you’d tell me why, Just to please me, you couldn’t try To let the bright sun shine all day, And in the night, when he’s away, And all the world is dark and still. And I’m asleep—then, if you will, Come down and make my flowers grow, Dear rain, and I will love you so. Procedure: Start by showing Shel Silverstein’s poem “Point of View” to the class. Have the students point out all of the different points of view possible from this poem. Then show the poem “The Rain” and ask which point of view this could be written from and why they think that. Provide evidence as to what point of view it could be. Next, show the following picture to the class: Have the students write a poem with inspiration coming from the photo. Each student will write three poems – each with a different point of view. 1. From the POV of the child 2. From the POV of one of the parents 3. From the POV of the dog After each writing opportunity, we will discuss the differences and how it can impact the reader and give an interesting aspect to writing poetry. 25 Remind students about the poetic devices quiz the next day. Assessment: After each poem, have the students share their poems in their groups and also allow them the opportunity to share them to the class. Day 12: Purpose: To assess the student’s knowledge about the poetic devices. To inform students about their final project and requirements. Study freestyle poetry with emphasis on rhyme and rhythm. Preparation: Gather a variety of poems that have rhyme Have copies ready of quiz as well as answer key. Have copies ready of guidelines and expectations for final project. Have copies ready of the rubrics. Procedure: Have students sit down and give them a few final minutes to review their notes. Allow 15-­‐20 minutes for students to take poetry devices quiz. Correct quiz in class: gather everyone’s quiz when they are done. Next, hand them out to different students in class at random. Students will not be allowed to correct their own. Each student will sign his or her name at the bottom of the quiz as the corrector. Next hand out sheets on final project and read it aloud to the class with further explanations. Allow time for students to ask questions in regards to the final project. If there is time, discuss rhyme: Define rhyme and have students write it on their definition sheet. Rhyme: is a pattern of words that contain similar sounds. Each student will then get a poem that has a unique rhyme. In groups, each student will discuss what makes their poem unique and what rhyme it has. Unrhymed poetry: Why do some think rhyming poetry is easier? Why is it really more difficult? Assessment: Poetry devices quiz. 26 Day 13: Bad poems This lesson will be devoted to giving proper feedback to peers. We will begin class will “Is there such a thing as bad poetry?” Students will then complete a brief survey entitled: “The Good, the Bad, and the Funny: Similes from the Essays and Stories of High School Students.” Students will decide whether the examples they are given on the survey are considered “good” or “bad.” We will then discuss how to “criticize” and peer edit poetry. We will go over: “things to be careful with in writing poetry.” Day 14: Drafting After discussing peer editing, we will talk about how poetry is continually changing, and just like essays, poetry isn’t complete on the first draft. We will then talk about how students can make changes to their poems to improve them. Students will then have the rest of the time to peer edit poems, make changes to their poems, and ask questions. Go over “Some Things that Poets Do” Day 15: Style (line breaks and placement) -­‐ Langston Hughes Poems This lesson will cover how the style of the poem can affect the meaning. Students will read Langston Hughes’ poems I, Too, Sing America and A Dream Deferred, as well as the poem Betrayed by Katherine Foreman. We will talk about the meaning of the poems, what stood out in the poems and why they stood out. Hopefully the students will mention style themselves, otherwise I will bring it up in conversation. We will discuss out word placement, spacing and line breaks can affect poetry. Day 16: Found Poem In this lesson students will be creating a found poem. This lesson will also focus on how poetry is more than just literary devices and can be fun. To start the lesson I will be handing out Dove chocolates that have sayings on the inside of the wrapper – that saying will be the first line of their found poem. For the rest of their poem (which will be at least 8 lines) they will be looking at magazines and books to find lines that they like and hopefully go with their saying. If paper magazines are not available, we can search online magazines. Any extra time may be spent to work on final portfolio. Day 17: Concrete Poem This lesson will focus on concrete poetry and how it differs from freestyle poetry. We will go over the differences in concrete poetry and how the shape of the poem is the most important aspect. We will also discuss that concrete poetry is more visual than freestyle poetry and is supposed to be shown than spoken. 27 Students will be able to take a poem they have already written and put it in a shape. Then they will have the opportunity to write a new concrete poem, create it on a piece of large paper and then we will display them across the room. We will use this time to go over the introduction of the portfolio and what it will contain. Any extra time may be spent to work on final portfolio. Day 18 Drafting/peer editing We will use this time to go over the reflection of the portfolio and what it will contain. Students will then have this time to peer edit poems, make changes to their poems, and ask questions. Each student will have an opportunity to briefly conference with me. Day 19 Putting together portfolio This time will be left open for the students to work on their portfolios. They may write, edit, peer edit or ask questions. Day 20 Popcorn Portfolio Day! Portfolios due! Students will keep their portfolios for the majority of the class. We will move the desks to the corners of the room and all gather on the floor in a circle while enjoying popcorn. We will discuss the process of creating the portfolios and what the students liked and disliked. After, each student will have an opportunity to share one of the poems they had written. 28 LITERARY DEVICES CHART (Day One) DEVICES DEFINITION EXAMPLE Simile Metaphor Onomatopoeia De-­‐familiarization Assonance Consonance Alliteration Voice Rhyme Imagery POV Repetition 29 Day 14 The Good, the Bad, and the Funny: Similes from the Essays and Stories of High School Students Most High school students know that similes are supposed to compare things, but sometimes their own comparisons are startling or hilarious. Rate the similes below as “effective” (+), “ineffective” (-­‐), or, if you’re not sure, use or to express your reaction. On a separate page, explain your thinking about one of your choices. 1. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met. 2. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease. 3. He was as tall as a six-­‐foot, three-­‐inch tree. 4. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you’re on vacation in another city and “jeopardy” comes on at 7 P.M. instead of 7:30. 5. The little boat drifted gently across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t. 6. The thunder was ominous-­‐sounding, much like the sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the storm scene in a play. 7. Her eyes were like two brown circles with bit, black dots in the center. 8. Her date was pleasant enough, but she knew that if her life was a movie, this guy would be buried in the credits as something like “second tall man.” 9. Her hair glistened in the rain like nose hair after a sneeze. 30 10. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan’s teeth. 11. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Clink Free. 12. He spoke with wisdom that can only come with experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without of those boxes with a pinhole in it. 31 Days 14 and 15 Things To Be Careful with Writing Poetry: • Clichés • Ugly words • Pointlessness • Ridiculous metaphors/symbols/similes • Overly mixed-­‐up word order • Overuse of adjectives and unnecessary words • Using words just because they rhyme or fit a rhythm • Overuse of poetic devices • Unrhythmical sound • Tasteless/bland – it’s not beautiful, ugly, or anything in between • Vagueness • Redundancy • Obviousness • A poem that is ordinary – not unique • A poem that is overly abstract Some Things that Poets Do: • De-­‐familiarize • Convey ideas, emotions, beauty, ugliness, universal truths; disturb, please, entertain • Affect the reader – make an impact – make the reader participate (not passive) • Create colorful sounds • Make poems that have philosophical and aesthetic value • Play with language • Use not the nearly right word – but the exact one • Make poetry that is dense (change one word and it makes a significant difference) • Compress experience and intensify language • Challenge conventions (and anything about this list) • Represent abstract ideas with concrete imagery • Appreciate language (“Let it drip from your tongues like honey”) • Name experience – express the seemingly inexpressible • Allude, compare, contrast • Leave something for the reader to decide/conclude Day 12 Name: 32 Date: Class: LITERARY DEVICES QUIZ Directions: Use the word bank to match the literary device to the proper definition (some words may not be used). De-­‐familiarization Simile Rhyme Rhythm Imagery Symbolism POV Voice Tone Metaphor Irony Assonance Onomatopoeia Repetition Consonance Alliteration Illusion Personification 1. Creating a repetition of similar sounds in a sentence. 2. Creating mental images for the reader. 3. Comparing two unrelated and dissimilar things, people, beings, places and concepts using “like” or “as.” 4. The angle and perception of the story when it is being told. 5. Showing an everyday thing in a new way. 6. Words that sound like the actual sound they are meant to depict. 7. Repetition of a sound, syllable, word, phrase, line or stanza. 8. Repetition of similar sounds in two or more words. 9. Repetition of a vowel sound. 10. The practice of representing things by symbols. 11. The way in which an author writes his/her poetry. 12. Repetition of a consonant sounds. 13. A beat in which the poem can be read. 14. Comparing two dissimilar things to each other. 33 Days 11-­‐20 Summative Assessment Final Writing Portfolio For your final project to our free-­‐style poetry unit, you will be creating a writing portfolio. Your portfolio must be placed in some sort of folder, binder etc., must have a unique title and have your name on the cover page as the author. Your portfolio will also contain the following five elements: Introduction (15 points) The first part of your portfolio will be an introduction into free-­‐style poetry. In the introduction, you will introduce your portfolio to your audience and explain what free-­‐style poetry is. Your introduction should include the following and be one page in length: ♦ Introduce your portfolio ♦ What your portfolio contains ♦ What freestyle poetry is and its characteristics ♦ Your portfolio contains at least 3 literary devices we covered in class Writing Samples (25 points) Throughout this unit, we have written many in-­‐class poems as well as poems for homework. Your portfolio must contain 4-­‐6 writing samples. Each writing sample must be typed and have a title. Final Free-­‐Style Poem (25 points) After your writing samples you will have a final poem in which you will be editing. Your poem may be one you have already written for class or a new poem. This section must contain: ♦ At least 2 drafts: original writing and an edited copy. ♦ Final draft which contains edits from both drafts. Reflection (15 points) The final piece of your portfolio will be a reflection on your poetry. Your reflection must address the following questions and be a couple paragraphs in length: ♦ What did you learn? ♦ What do you like and dislike about your writing? ♦ What do you think you did the best on? ♦ What do you think you can still improve on? ♦ Explain how and why your literary devices impact your poems. 34 Presentation (20 points) The final part of your portfolio will be presenting your Final freestyle poem to the class. Your presentation should include the following elements: ♦ Your presentation should be 90 -­‐120 seconds. ♦ State your title. ♦ Make eye contact with the class. ♦ Use voice inflections. Portfolio is 100 points total. 35 Writing Portfolio Rubric Introduction ♦ Introducing portfolio ♦ Portfolio contents ♦ Freestyle poetry definition/characteristics ♦ Your poems cover at least 3 literary devices Category Total: / 15 Writing Samples Poem #1 Poem #2 Poem #3 Poem #4 Poem #5 Poem #6 All poems have name and title Category Total: / 25 ♦
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/ 5 or 3 / 5 or 3 / 5 or 3 / 5 or 3 / 5 or 3 / 5 or 3 / 5 or 4 / 5 / 5 / 15 / 4 / 4 / 4 / 3 Final Freestyle Poem ♦ Draft #1 ♦ Draft #2 ♦ Final Draft with Edits Category Total: / 25 Reflection ♦ Addresses learning ♦ Addresses likes and dislikes ♦ Addresses what you did best ♦ Addresses improving Category Total: / 15 / 4 / 4 / 4 / 4 36 Presentation ♦ Presentation is between 90 – 120 seconds ♦ States Title ♦ Makes Eye Contact ♦ Uses Voice Inflections Category Total: / 20 Grand Total: / 100 / 5 / 5 / 5 / 5