CREATING A POETRY ANTHOLOGY
For some reason, the YouTube clips I attempted to embed in this section were unavailable when I first placed them on this page. You may have to copy the URL address and try them separately to make them work or copy the title of the clip and then go to YouTube to look it up. For the ease of locating these clips, I have coloured them all in green font. The cyan font indicates interestiI hope this helps.
Concept #1 - INTRODUCTION TO POETRY
To start the unit of poetry I pose this question to my students: In your opinion, "What is poetry?".
I give them a few minutes to write down a definition and then I collect their responses and randomly share them. Later, I expose the students to an assortment of professional poets definition of the word and share some of them.
The following weblink provides a list of 50 definitions of what poetry is as compiled by poets over various centuries: http://bit.ly/e1rKxg
The purpose of conducting this exercise at the beginning of the unit is to show the students that although it is easy for readers to identify poetry it is difficult for writers to define it. Why is this? Poetry is hard to define because there is more than one type of poetry and few people agree on where to draw the line between them. However, there is one thing that everyone seems to universally agree about, either you like poetry or you don't. My goal before the end of the unit is to get the students to (if not like it) at least appreciate it as an art form.
Following this exercise I put the lyrics to the Joni Mitchell song called "Circle Game" (http://bit.ly/YTASeX) up on the white board and as a large group we interpret the poem.
I use this song's lyrics to kickoff the unit for two reasons. First, it coincides with the Life Curriculum unit we study called "Living in Relationship" that is ongoing at the same time as poetry, and second because the poetry unit begins toward the end of January which marks the beginning of our discussions about trasitioning into High School. This is both an exciting and anxious time for grade eight students and their families. The students generally want the days to speed up so that they can finally attain some of the freedoms that High School permits (examples: cafeteria, academic choices, driving, dating etc.) whereas parents (and grandparents) want the pace to slow down so that they can savour the final few years of their child's live at home. The lyrics to this song capture these feelings quite well. By the end of our discussion we agree that it's a really great poem about the cycle of life, and being desperate to grow up to fulfill your dreams, only to grow up and lose the grandeur of the dreams that
once drove you. It's a song about time and how as an adolescent you want it to quicken... Then as you age it goes too fast and you need it to slow down.
A clip of the song and it's lyrics are included here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc4Zg2bMKUc
After getting the students attention, I move onto an exercise that helps the students gain "perspective". This is an important quality to have when reading poetry as different poems mean different things to different people. The life experiences a person has endured may greatly impact his\her interpretation of a poem. To demonstrate this point, I use a visual activity in which students stare at optical illusions and attempt to "see" more than one image. Usually one image while reveal itself quickly, but the second image requires more concentration.
The following pictures were taken from a website entitled "Optical Illusions - Double Meanings". http://www.optical-illusionist.com/category/double-meanings/
I have provided a few of the images I show the students here:
1. Family of Birds or Young Woman's Face? http://bit.ly/ZoGMkL
2. Young Couple on the Waters Edge or A Baby in the Womb? http://bit.ly/115iMow
3. Candlestick Holders or Facial Silhouettes? http://bit.ly/YCrFZi
4. Young Woman or Old Woman? http://bit.ly/156HJ8c
5. Man or Mermaid? http://bit.ly/U0TNU
This above activity is usually a big hit with the students, so I follow this up with one final visual activity that requires students to interpret a series of closeup photos. They love this activity as well
http://on-msn.com/11SQaUv
To start the unit of poetry I pose this question to my students: In your opinion, "What is poetry?".
I give them a few minutes to write down a definition and then I collect their responses and randomly share them. Later, I expose the students to an assortment of professional poets definition of the word and share some of them.
The following weblink provides a list of 50 definitions of what poetry is as compiled by poets over various centuries: http://bit.ly/e1rKxg
The purpose of conducting this exercise at the beginning of the unit is to show the students that although it is easy for readers to identify poetry it is difficult for writers to define it. Why is this? Poetry is hard to define because there is more than one type of poetry and few people agree on where to draw the line between them. However, there is one thing that everyone seems to universally agree about, either you like poetry or you don't. My goal before the end of the unit is to get the students to (if not like it) at least appreciate it as an art form.
Following this exercise I put the lyrics to the Joni Mitchell song called "Circle Game" (http://bit.ly/YTASeX) up on the white board and as a large group we interpret the poem.
I use this song's lyrics to kickoff the unit for two reasons. First, it coincides with the Life Curriculum unit we study called "Living in Relationship" that is ongoing at the same time as poetry, and second because the poetry unit begins toward the end of January which marks the beginning of our discussions about trasitioning into High School. This is both an exciting and anxious time for grade eight students and their families. The students generally want the days to speed up so that they can finally attain some of the freedoms that High School permits (examples: cafeteria, academic choices, driving, dating etc.) whereas parents (and grandparents) want the pace to slow down so that they can savour the final few years of their child's live at home. The lyrics to this song capture these feelings quite well. By the end of our discussion we agree that it's a really great poem about the cycle of life, and being desperate to grow up to fulfill your dreams, only to grow up and lose the grandeur of the dreams that
once drove you. It's a song about time and how as an adolescent you want it to quicken... Then as you age it goes too fast and you need it to slow down.
A clip of the song and it's lyrics are included here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc4Zg2bMKUc
After getting the students attention, I move onto an exercise that helps the students gain "perspective". This is an important quality to have when reading poetry as different poems mean different things to different people. The life experiences a person has endured may greatly impact his\her interpretation of a poem. To demonstrate this point, I use a visual activity in which students stare at optical illusions and attempt to "see" more than one image. Usually one image while reveal itself quickly, but the second image requires more concentration.
The following pictures were taken from a website entitled "Optical Illusions - Double Meanings". http://www.optical-illusionist.com/category/double-meanings/
I have provided a few of the images I show the students here:
1. Family of Birds or Young Woman's Face? http://bit.ly/ZoGMkL
2. Young Couple on the Waters Edge or A Baby in the Womb? http://bit.ly/115iMow
3. Candlestick Holders or Facial Silhouettes? http://bit.ly/YCrFZi
4. Young Woman or Old Woman? http://bit.ly/156HJ8c
5. Man or Mermaid? http://bit.ly/U0TNU
This above activity is usually a big hit with the students, so I follow this up with one final visual activity that requires students to interpret a series of closeup photos. They love this activity as well
http://on-msn.com/11SQaUv
Concept #2 - Reading and Writing Riddles
Defining a Riddle
"A riddle is a statement, question, or phrase that has a double meaning. A riddle can also be described as a puzzle to be solved. When someone uses a riddle, it can be a thought provoking challenge to figure it out on your own, or it can be a funny comment that makes you laugh. Riddles can be great brain busters or conversation starters to get you to think.
A riddle is as hard or as simple as you and the person you’re telling makes it. The answer can be right in front of your nose and even in the riddle itself, or it can be difficult and hard to comprehend. It depends on how much you open your mind to the possibilities.
History of Riddles
"Riddles came from old English poetry. Their literary ancestry dates all the way back to Plato and Aristotle. In ancient Greece, riddles were used as a cunning tool, to demonstrate wit and wisdom. Writers in poetry also began expressing themselves through riddles. When a poem contains a riddle, the reader’s mind can be stimulated and the writer can successfully get their message across in a more interesting way. Some poetry even has answers to it that you had to riddle out.
Theater is another place where riddles show up. Shakespeare was famous for his works, which had a lot of riddles in them. For example, in Romeo and Juliet, Romeo proclaimed his love in a riddle for the audience to interpret." http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-riddles.html
Today, examples of riddles can be found in novels as well. For example, in the novel, "The Hobbit," the main character, Bilbo Baggins gets into riddle contest with Gollum to keep possession of the Ring. Most of the time the answers are difficult to comprehend and made for compelling reading during that chapter of the novel.
To check out some of the riddles the two characters used check out this weblink: http://bit.ly/O7DHVe
Like in "The Hobbit" riddles can be used in a contest of wit and skill, sort of like a guessing game. Riddle games have been played since ancient times, and are still being played today.
For this component of the student anthology I am going to have the students read some exemplar riddles and attempt to answer them. Refer to the following weblink for some good examples. Note that the author has included some that rhyme and others that don't.
Squigly's Poem Riddles
http://bit.ly/115uXli
Assignment - Create 3 What Am I? Riddles
Now that we have their attention and shown them how much fun it is to solve riddles, it is time to challenge them to write some of their own. The following weblink is an excellent resource that I have used to show the process of how to write a riddle. It is interactive and has several sublinks that help to walk the students through the process of writing a riddle. I strongly encourage checking this weblink out.
"What Am I? Writing Riddle Poems"
http://bit.ly/ZTA2dH
Assignment Criteria
-Create 3 riddles
- Each riddle needs to be a minimum of 6 lines long (this includes the last line "What Am I?), but may be longer. (Answers should be placed on the backside of the paper).
- Extention opportunities:
Have students attempt to use rhymes in their riddle and/or include diagrams that provide a clue about the answer.
"A riddle is a statement, question, or phrase that has a double meaning. A riddle can also be described as a puzzle to be solved. When someone uses a riddle, it can be a thought provoking challenge to figure it out on your own, or it can be a funny comment that makes you laugh. Riddles can be great brain busters or conversation starters to get you to think.
A riddle is as hard or as simple as you and the person you’re telling makes it. The answer can be right in front of your nose and even in the riddle itself, or it can be difficult and hard to comprehend. It depends on how much you open your mind to the possibilities.
History of Riddles
"Riddles came from old English poetry. Their literary ancestry dates all the way back to Plato and Aristotle. In ancient Greece, riddles were used as a cunning tool, to demonstrate wit and wisdom. Writers in poetry also began expressing themselves through riddles. When a poem contains a riddle, the reader’s mind can be stimulated and the writer can successfully get their message across in a more interesting way. Some poetry even has answers to it that you had to riddle out.
Theater is another place where riddles show up. Shakespeare was famous for his works, which had a lot of riddles in them. For example, in Romeo and Juliet, Romeo proclaimed his love in a riddle for the audience to interpret." http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-riddles.html
Today, examples of riddles can be found in novels as well. For example, in the novel, "The Hobbit," the main character, Bilbo Baggins gets into riddle contest with Gollum to keep possession of the Ring. Most of the time the answers are difficult to comprehend and made for compelling reading during that chapter of the novel.
To check out some of the riddles the two characters used check out this weblink: http://bit.ly/O7DHVe
Like in "The Hobbit" riddles can be used in a contest of wit and skill, sort of like a guessing game. Riddle games have been played since ancient times, and are still being played today.
For this component of the student anthology I am going to have the students read some exemplar riddles and attempt to answer them. Refer to the following weblink for some good examples. Note that the author has included some that rhyme and others that don't.
Squigly's Poem Riddles
http://bit.ly/115uXli
Assignment - Create 3 What Am I? Riddles
Now that we have their attention and shown them how much fun it is to solve riddles, it is time to challenge them to write some of their own. The following weblink is an excellent resource that I have used to show the process of how to write a riddle. It is interactive and has several sublinks that help to walk the students through the process of writing a riddle. I strongly encourage checking this weblink out.
"What Am I? Writing Riddle Poems"
http://bit.ly/ZTA2dH
Assignment Criteria
-Create 3 riddles
- Each riddle needs to be a minimum of 6 lines long (this includes the last line "What Am I?), but may be longer. (Answers should be placed on the backside of the paper).
- Extention opportunities:
Have students attempt to use rhymes in their riddle and/or include diagrams that provide a clue about the answer.
Concept #3 - Sport Riddles Using Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is an imitation of a sound in words. Examples include words like: click, clack, boom, buzz, and slap.
The video clip "Onomatopoeia" provides a good musical version of onomatopoeaic words:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1b5kCvVBo8
Sports provide an excellent source of "noisy" verbs (both during the action and within the stands) for onomatopoeia. The following example provides a rich source of the sounds heard within a basketball game.
Note: Although this particular poem rhymes, not all onomatopoeia sports poems are required to do this.
BOUNCING BASKETBALL
bounce, dribble, bounce
stumble, thud, stop
bounce, bounce, take aim
into basket drop
rebound, dribble, bounce
jump, reaching, stretch
smack, hit back-board
thump, weeping, retch
referee whistles, calls ‘foul’
coach mumbles, players grumble
shrill blast, time-out’s past
back to task, run, rumble
Lee Emmett, Australia
May Swenson, - http://bit.ly/KJy9gf - considered by many to be one of the most important and original poets of the 20th century, wrote a poem entitled "An Analysis of Baseball" that made extensive use of onomatopoeia to capture the essence of the game of baseball. An annonated copy of the poem with potential class discussion questions can be found at the following weblink:
http://bit.ly/ZWYHFi
The following video provides a reading of "An Analysis of Baseball" in it's entirety. It is called, "A Dramatic Reading of Analysis of Baseball": http://bit.ly/Xzm5oQ
The video clip "Onomatopoeia" provides a good musical version of onomatopoeaic words:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1b5kCvVBo8
Sports provide an excellent source of "noisy" verbs (both during the action and within the stands) for onomatopoeia. The following example provides a rich source of the sounds heard within a basketball game.
Note: Although this particular poem rhymes, not all onomatopoeia sports poems are required to do this.
BOUNCING BASKETBALL
bounce, dribble, bounce
stumble, thud, stop
bounce, bounce, take aim
into basket drop
rebound, dribble, bounce
jump, reaching, stretch
smack, hit back-board
thump, weeping, retch
referee whistles, calls ‘foul’
coach mumbles, players grumble
shrill blast, time-out’s past
back to task, run, rumble
Lee Emmett, Australia
May Swenson, - http://bit.ly/KJy9gf - considered by many to be one of the most important and original poets of the 20th century, wrote a poem entitled "An Analysis of Baseball" that made extensive use of onomatopoeia to capture the essence of the game of baseball. An annonated copy of the poem with potential class discussion questions can be found at the following weblink:
http://bit.ly/ZWYHFi
The following video provides a reading of "An Analysis of Baseball" in it's entirety. It is called, "A Dramatic Reading of Analysis of Baseball": http://bit.ly/Xzm5oQ
Assignment
The following weblink (Sports Onomatopoeia Poetry) provides a good explanation of what is expected of the students when they complete this assignment. It also includes a good exemplar of what is expected by the students in this assignment (Tennis Match). http://bit.ly/156VfsH
Assignment Criteria
- The students are to complete 1 sport riddle
- The riddle should include a minimum of 5 well placed examples of onomatopoeia
- The students are not to make too many examples of onomatopoeia as this may detract from the poem
- Extension opportunities:
The students have the option of placing the poem inside of an object that is used within the sport (example a baseball mitt) or within the arena in which the sport is played (example a hockey rink). Have the students try to use other poetic devices when completing their poem.
The following weblink (Sports Onomatopoeia Poetry) provides a good explanation of what is expected of the students when they complete this assignment. It also includes a good exemplar of what is expected by the students in this assignment (Tennis Match). http://bit.ly/156VfsH
Assignment Criteria
- The students are to complete 1 sport riddle
- The riddle should include a minimum of 5 well placed examples of onomatopoeia
- The students are not to make too many examples of onomatopoeia as this may detract from the poem
- Extension opportunities:
The students have the option of placing the poem inside of an object that is used within the sport (example a baseball mitt) or within the arena in which the sport is played (example a hockey rink). Have the students try to use other poetic devices when completing their poem.
Concept #3 - Colour Poems
A color poem is a poem using associations to a particular color. Usually a color is chosen then an association is made with feelings, tastes, sounds, smells, thoughts, sights, or experiences.
Once you have decided on your color, think about that color - what does it look like?, taste like?, smell like?, does it make a sound?, how does it move?, what kind of music do you think of when you see that color? what emotions come to mind?, etc.
Now complete a brainstorm list of words/phrases that come to mind when you think of this colour.
When you start to write the poem think of ways to logically group the words together (example: fruits that are red = raspberries, strawberries and apples)
The following weblink provides several excellent examples of colour poems. It even provides "artified" versions of each of the poems when you click the appropriate link within the website: http://bit.ly/ZTFRYw
The following clip provides touching examples of how colours can be associated with emotions. It is entitled, "Poem - Colour of Feelings". It starts out with the colour pink and it's association with the fight against breast cancer and builds from there. The background music appropriately selected for the theme of this poem.
http://bit.ly/17yoYKG
Once you have decided on your color, think about that color - what does it look like?, taste like?, smell like?, does it make a sound?, how does it move?, what kind of music do you think of when you see that color? what emotions come to mind?, etc.
Now complete a brainstorm list of words/phrases that come to mind when you think of this colour.
When you start to write the poem think of ways to logically group the words together (example: fruits that are red = raspberries, strawberries and apples)
The following weblink provides several excellent examples of colour poems. It even provides "artified" versions of each of the poems when you click the appropriate link within the website: http://bit.ly/ZTFRYw
The following clip provides touching examples of how colours can be associated with emotions. It is entitled, "Poem - Colour of Feelings". It starts out with the colour pink and it's association with the fight against breast cancer and builds from there. The background music appropriately selected for the theme of this poem.
http://bit.ly/17yoYKG
Assignment
The students are to complete 2 Colour poems.
The poems must be a minimum of 15 lines.
Extension Opportunities:
Have the students attempt to rhyme the poems. Have the students include pictures around the outside of the poem that will enhance the theme of their page.
The students are to complete 2 Colour poems.
The poems must be a minimum of 15 lines.
Extension Opportunities:
Have the students attempt to rhyme the poems. Have the students include pictures around the outside of the poem that will enhance the theme of their page.
Concept #4 - Simile Poems
A simile is an
easy way to compare two things, so examples of simile poems include any poem
that makes comparisons using the words "like," or "as,". As long as you
compare one thing to another, whether or not the two things you are comparing
are actually alike or not, you can consider it a simile poem.
The following video clip entitled "Similes and Metaphors in Pop Music Movie" is an excellent means of getting the students to locate similes and metaphors employed by popular musical artists such as Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Bon Jovi. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1c6zF9aJxs
Examples of similes include: “as white as snow” or “falling like drops of rain”. Many great poets such as Robert Burns, William Faulkner and Robert Frost used similes extensively as a means of expressing themselves.
The following weblink provides a good lesson on how to teach similes and metaphors and provides some examples of where professional poets have used them to compare things to enhance their writing: http://bit.ly/15cit0B
The poem shown here is an example of a more advanced type of simile poem. Notice how the simile is used in one line and then explained in the next line. It also rhymes, which is not a mandatory component of this type of poetry.
War and Peace
By Cam T.
War is like a fire,
Burning through memory.
Peace is like a puzzle,
Confusing, tough to complete.
War is as dark as murder,
Killing every day.
Peace is like a dove,
Flying free, yet not leading the way.
War is like power,
Peace is like hope.
War is like destruction,
Peace is like the ability to cope.
War is like a nuisance,
Worse and worse with age.
Peace is like a lion,
Majestic but trapped in a cage.
Peace is like an old toy,
Left in the basement to rot,
It sits there crying softly’
Its throat tied up in a knot.
My mind forces me to war,
But my heart desires peace.
This next poem is closer to the type of poetry I will expect for this assignment:
Smiles
A smile from someone you love creates joy like...
A rainbow after a downpour
A sunset full of vibrant color
A whiff of rain after a summer drought
Smooth silk under your fingers
A parent's embrace after you have a nightmare
A dove flying over a tranquil sky
Hearing your favorite C.D.
A finished work of art
A glass of warm cocoa after a cold day in the snow
A piece of triple berry pie
Receiving an "A" on a test
Completing a fabulous book
The last piece of a puzzle
The phone call you've been waiting for
A clean sheet of paper waiting to be written on
Sleeping in after the busses have been cancelled.
Assignment
- Complete 2 Simile poems for your poetry anthology.
- Each poem must be a minimum of 9 lines in length.
The following video clip entitled "Similes and Metaphors in Pop Music Movie" is an excellent means of getting the students to locate similes and metaphors employed by popular musical artists such as Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Bon Jovi. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1c6zF9aJxs
Examples of similes include: “as white as snow” or “falling like drops of rain”. Many great poets such as Robert Burns, William Faulkner and Robert Frost used similes extensively as a means of expressing themselves.
The following weblink provides a good lesson on how to teach similes and metaphors and provides some examples of where professional poets have used them to compare things to enhance their writing: http://bit.ly/15cit0B
The poem shown here is an example of a more advanced type of simile poem. Notice how the simile is used in one line and then explained in the next line. It also rhymes, which is not a mandatory component of this type of poetry.
War and Peace
By Cam T.
War is like a fire,
Burning through memory.
Peace is like a puzzle,
Confusing, tough to complete.
War is as dark as murder,
Killing every day.
Peace is like a dove,
Flying free, yet not leading the way.
War is like power,
Peace is like hope.
War is like destruction,
Peace is like the ability to cope.
War is like a nuisance,
Worse and worse with age.
Peace is like a lion,
Majestic but trapped in a cage.
Peace is like an old toy,
Left in the basement to rot,
It sits there crying softly’
Its throat tied up in a knot.
My mind forces me to war,
But my heart desires peace.
This next poem is closer to the type of poetry I will expect for this assignment:
Smiles
A smile from someone you love creates joy like...
A rainbow after a downpour
A sunset full of vibrant color
A whiff of rain after a summer drought
Smooth silk under your fingers
A parent's embrace after you have a nightmare
A dove flying over a tranquil sky
Hearing your favorite C.D.
A finished work of art
A glass of warm cocoa after a cold day in the snow
A piece of triple berry pie
Receiving an "A" on a test
Completing a fabulous book
The last piece of a puzzle
The phone call you've been waiting for
A clean sheet of paper waiting to be written on
Sleeping in after the busses have been cancelled.
Assignment
- Complete 2 Simile poems for your poetry anthology.
- Each poem must be a minimum of 9 lines in length.
Concept #5 - Being Things/I Am... (Personification) Poems
Disney Often Employs Personification
Personification Poems are types of verse in which inanimate or non-human objects are given human attributes. This type of poetry uses figures of speech in which things or animals are given human characteristics which we recognize in ourselves.
Example, "I am a broken air conditioner wheezing with pain."
Wheezing and pain are typically human conditions associated with a blockage within our respiratory system. The comparison helps us to understand that part of the problem with the malfunctioning air conditioner is that it is making funny noises. The pain aspect helps the reader to empathize with the air conditioner, because in all likelihood the reader has suffered a similar fate and can "feel" for the machine.
The following weblink provides examples of where personification has been employed by musicians to enhance their message. It is entitled, "Personification video.wmv" and includes a section in which you can pause and discuss the application of this poetic device in each song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QrF1JBMxYs
The following weblink provides an excellent array of "I am ..." poems that employ the use of personification. They are written in a teacher's website blog and provide excellent exemplars for this type of poetry: http://bit.ly/Ym13ak
Assignment
- Students are to create 2 Being Things/I Am ... Poems
- The poem must be a minimum of 8 lines in length and include several positive and/or negative aspects of Being that object.
- The poem should start and finish with the line "I am a ..."
Example, "I am a broken air conditioner wheezing with pain."
Wheezing and pain are typically human conditions associated with a blockage within our respiratory system. The comparison helps us to understand that part of the problem with the malfunctioning air conditioner is that it is making funny noises. The pain aspect helps the reader to empathize with the air conditioner, because in all likelihood the reader has suffered a similar fate and can "feel" for the machine.
The following weblink provides examples of where personification has been employed by musicians to enhance their message. It is entitled, "Personification video.wmv" and includes a section in which you can pause and discuss the application of this poetic device in each song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QrF1JBMxYs
The following weblink provides an excellent array of "I am ..." poems that employ the use of personification. They are written in a teacher's website blog and provide excellent exemplars for this type of poetry: http://bit.ly/Ym13ak
Assignment
- Students are to create 2 Being Things/I Am ... Poems
- The poem must be a minimum of 8 lines in length and include several positive and/or negative aspects of Being that object.
- The poem should start and finish with the line "I am a ..."
Concept #5 - Haiku Poetry
A Heartfelt Haiku
At this stage of the poetry unit, we turn our attention toward reading and writing poetry closely associated with specific cultures. The first one we look at is the Japanese Haiku.
There are a number of weblinks that provide a historical background and definitions of what a Haiku is and isn't.
For the purposes of my grade eight students I will keep it simple for them. A Haiku is a 3 line poem that has a distinct syllable count for each line (5-7-5). It must describe something in terms of positives and gradually transition to negatives or vice versa.
Another example about mothers with a twist at the end:
My Mother
She gave birth to me
Provides food, clothing, shelter
Overprotective
Notice that the syllable count has been adhered to closely. As well, the poem transitions from two positive aspects of mothers to a negative on the last line. The grade eights love this example!
I haven't included a link for this topic, because there are so many that it is easy to look them up.
I have provided a video clip entitled "How to Write a Haiku" that provides a detailed explanation of how to complete this genre of poetry and how to share them on Twitter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KInBpl1zXFI
Assignment
Students are to create 3 Haiku for their anthologies
There are a number of weblinks that provide a historical background and definitions of what a Haiku is and isn't.
For the purposes of my grade eight students I will keep it simple for them. A Haiku is a 3 line poem that has a distinct syllable count for each line (5-7-5). It must describe something in terms of positives and gradually transition to negatives or vice versa.
Another example about mothers with a twist at the end:
My Mother
She gave birth to me
Provides food, clothing, shelter
Overprotective
Notice that the syllable count has been adhered to closely. As well, the poem transitions from two positive aspects of mothers to a negative on the last line. The grade eights love this example!
I haven't included a link for this topic, because there are so many that it is easy to look them up.
I have provided a video clip entitled "How to Write a Haiku" that provides a detailed explanation of how to complete this genre of poetry and how to share them on Twitter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KInBpl1zXFI
Assignment
Students are to create 3 Haiku for their anthologies
Concept #6 - Limericks
Image for I Sat Next to the Duchess At Tea
A limerick is a silly poem with five lines. They are often funny or nonsensical.
The first, second and fifth lines rhyme with each other and have the same number
of syllables (typically 8 or 9). The third and fourth lines rhyme with each
other and have the same number of syllables (typically 5 or 6). Many prominent writers have experimented with this form of poetry – Roseto, Tennyson, Swinburne, Kipling, Twain, RL Stevenson, Asimov, and today the Internet is a rich an interesting source of modern Limerick.
Note: Limericks were made famous by Edward Lear, a famous author who wrote the "Book of Nonsense" in the early 1800's. This was an entire book of silly limericks. From the title of this type of poem one might be mislead into thinking that limericks were first developed in Ireland - there is a county in Ireland named "Limerick" - however Limericks aren't Irish (Edward Lear was English).
Example of a Funny Limerick
A macho young swimmer named Dwyer,
Really liked playing with fire.
One night in the dark
He swam with a shark,
And his voice is now two octaves higher.
I strongly suggest you check out this clever video entitled "The Limerick Song". It not only repeats the criteria for limerick writing, it does so by way of a typically Irish sounding song in which all of the lyrics are written in the form of limericks. Check it out! See video below!
The following weblink provides an excellent segway into teaching limericks. It includes information about the rhyming pattern (AABBA) and the rhythm (stressed syllables per line). Definitely worth checking out.
http://bit.ly/9j4lTM
A famous limerick "I Sat Next to the Duchess at Tea" (sea picture from above) has been coverted into a catchy little song for kids. Check out this video to see it performed live at a school concert in India:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjAzZh5_45g
Assignment
The students are to create 2 Limericks of their own for their poetry anthologies.
Extension opportunity: a diagram may accompany the limerick
The first, second and fifth lines rhyme with each other and have the same number
of syllables (typically 8 or 9). The third and fourth lines rhyme with each
other and have the same number of syllables (typically 5 or 6). Many prominent writers have experimented with this form of poetry – Roseto, Tennyson, Swinburne, Kipling, Twain, RL Stevenson, Asimov, and today the Internet is a rich an interesting source of modern Limerick.
Note: Limericks were made famous by Edward Lear, a famous author who wrote the "Book of Nonsense" in the early 1800's. This was an entire book of silly limericks. From the title of this type of poem one might be mislead into thinking that limericks were first developed in Ireland - there is a county in Ireland named "Limerick" - however Limericks aren't Irish (Edward Lear was English).
Example of a Funny Limerick
A macho young swimmer named Dwyer,
Really liked playing with fire.
One night in the dark
He swam with a shark,
And his voice is now two octaves higher.
I strongly suggest you check out this clever video entitled "The Limerick Song". It not only repeats the criteria for limerick writing, it does so by way of a typically Irish sounding song in which all of the lyrics are written in the form of limericks. Check it out! See video below!
The following weblink provides an excellent segway into teaching limericks. It includes information about the rhyming pattern (AABBA) and the rhythm (stressed syllables per line). Definitely worth checking out.
http://bit.ly/9j4lTM
A famous limerick "I Sat Next to the Duchess at Tea" (sea picture from above) has been coverted into a catchy little song for kids. Check out this video to see it performed live at a school concert in India:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjAzZh5_45g
Assignment
The students are to create 2 Limericks of their own for their poetry anthologies.
Extension opportunity: a diagram may accompany the limerick
Concept #7 - Rhyming Couplets
Excerpt from Green Eggs and Ham by Seuss
A rhyming couplet is a poem composed of pairs of lines of (approximately) the same length that rhyme and complete one thought. For my class, the trick will be to use this type of poetry to tell a story with a beginning, a middle and an end (see the example "Willie Goes Poo" below).
Rhyming couplets are one of the simplest rhyme schemes in poetry. It is believed that this form of poetry first became popular in sonnets in France (hence the French term couplet), however the original origins are not known for sure. What is known is that this type of poetry has been used for centuries by many of the worlds most reknowned poets. Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (a collection of stories that depict the life and times of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table) are written in rhyming couplets. John Dryden in the 16–17th century and Alexander Pope in the 18th century were both well known for their writing in heroic couplets as well. Children's books are commonly written using rhyming couplets (see excerpt of Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss) as their rhymical patterns help kids familiarize themselves with new vocabulary. Some of the most creative poets who use rhyming couplets today are rappers like Jay Z and Eninem.
To view a video clip of the Eninem song "Lose Yourself" (clean version) with the lyrics included check out this weblink: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLYH6rn3adw
Note: There is no limit to the length of the lines in a Rhyming Couplet, however it is important that the poet is consistent with the meter (beats/line or syllable count) throughout so that the lines flow together. Rhyming words are words that sound the same when spoken, but they don't necessarily have to be spelt the same.
I use the following example to demonstrate a rhyming couplet, because grade eight kids love poo humour. I include the syllable count at the end of some lines to show the consistency needed to maintain the flow. When done correctly, the reader should be able to "rap" or "march" around the room to it without breaking a stride.
Willie Goes Poo
There we were at WalMart when Willie's face turned blue. - 12 syllables
It happens every time my little brother has to poo. - 14 syllables
My mother, she starts running with one hand upon her nose. - 14
The smell is so incredible I throw up on her toes. - 14
She doesn't seem to notice far and wide from left to right,
That every person in our aisle has quickly taken flight
But now, there is a problem which we are quick to see,
While the smell is clearing level 2 our car’s on level 3.
Oh rats! The elevator's full. It seems we have to share
Two people faint right on the spot. The rest, they cry for air.
At long LAST the doors slide open, now we all have weeping eyes.
My mother's looking worried she hopes that no one dies.
The parking lot! It seemed to me we’d yet escape the harm, - 14
When the diaper sprang a leak and... poo ran down my Mommy's arm. - 15
But my Mom, she is amazing. Changed his pants quick as a flash.
Said for me to pitch the stink bomb, into the nearest trash.
Now, I love my little brother that anyone can see - 14
But the poo that ran down Mommy's arm then ran all over me. - 15
Of course I could get even putting worms into his bed - 14
But since Willie smiled and hugged me I might share a kiss instead - 16
Author Unknown
Assignment
The students are to compose 1 rhyming couplet.
The poem must be a minimum of 12 lines (6 pairs) that follow the same meter (beats/line).
The poem should also tell a story about an experience the author had (this may be fictional).
Rhyming couplets are one of the simplest rhyme schemes in poetry. It is believed that this form of poetry first became popular in sonnets in France (hence the French term couplet), however the original origins are not known for sure. What is known is that this type of poetry has been used for centuries by many of the worlds most reknowned poets. Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (a collection of stories that depict the life and times of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table) are written in rhyming couplets. John Dryden in the 16–17th century and Alexander Pope in the 18th century were both well known for their writing in heroic couplets as well. Children's books are commonly written using rhyming couplets (see excerpt of Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss) as their rhymical patterns help kids familiarize themselves with new vocabulary. Some of the most creative poets who use rhyming couplets today are rappers like Jay Z and Eninem.
To view a video clip of the Eninem song "Lose Yourself" (clean version) with the lyrics included check out this weblink: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLYH6rn3adw
Note: There is no limit to the length of the lines in a Rhyming Couplet, however it is important that the poet is consistent with the meter (beats/line or syllable count) throughout so that the lines flow together. Rhyming words are words that sound the same when spoken, but they don't necessarily have to be spelt the same.
I use the following example to demonstrate a rhyming couplet, because grade eight kids love poo humour. I include the syllable count at the end of some lines to show the consistency needed to maintain the flow. When done correctly, the reader should be able to "rap" or "march" around the room to it without breaking a stride.
Willie Goes Poo
There we were at WalMart when Willie's face turned blue. - 12 syllables
It happens every time my little brother has to poo. - 14 syllables
My mother, she starts running with one hand upon her nose. - 14
The smell is so incredible I throw up on her toes. - 14
She doesn't seem to notice far and wide from left to right,
That every person in our aisle has quickly taken flight
But now, there is a problem which we are quick to see,
While the smell is clearing level 2 our car’s on level 3.
Oh rats! The elevator's full. It seems we have to share
Two people faint right on the spot. The rest, they cry for air.
At long LAST the doors slide open, now we all have weeping eyes.
My mother's looking worried she hopes that no one dies.
The parking lot! It seemed to me we’d yet escape the harm, - 14
When the diaper sprang a leak and... poo ran down my Mommy's arm. - 15
But my Mom, she is amazing. Changed his pants quick as a flash.
Said for me to pitch the stink bomb, into the nearest trash.
Now, I love my little brother that anyone can see - 14
But the poo that ran down Mommy's arm then ran all over me. - 15
Of course I could get even putting worms into his bed - 14
But since Willie smiled and hugged me I might share a kiss instead - 16
Author Unknown
Assignment
The students are to compose 1 rhyming couplet.
The poem must be a minimum of 12 lines (6 pairs) that follow the same meter (beats/line).
The poem should also tell a story about an experience the author had (this may be fictional).
Concept #8 - Septone Poetry
A Septone poem consists of 7 lines of simple, just-for-fun, unrhymed verse. Authors commonly use their 7 digit home or cellular phone number (no area codes required) as the digits in the phone number help to establish the number of syllables the author will use per line (assume that zero requires ten syllables).
There is no set topics with Septones and students are encouraged to create a story with a beginning, middle and end. Because of the limited lines and syllables, the author has to get right to the action and may have to cut out certain words (a, the, as, ect.) in order to get their ideas across.
Examples of Septone Poems
A Romantic Walk
3 syllables - Along the
5 syllables - Murky shore we trod
2 syllables - Amidst
4 syllables - A carpet of
4 syllables - Crimson leaves, while
4 syllables - Gazing awestruck
9 syllables - At the purple sky, framed by old trees.
A second example,
A Guilty Pleasure
5 I bite into the
5 peppermint patty
5 the taste floods my mouth
1 not
2 guilty
1 no
2 regrets
Assignment
Students are to complete 1 Septone Poem for their anthologies.
There is no set topics with Septones and students are encouraged to create a story with a beginning, middle and end. Because of the limited lines and syllables, the author has to get right to the action and may have to cut out certain words (a, the, as, ect.) in order to get their ideas across.
Examples of Septone Poems
A Romantic Walk
3 syllables - Along the
5 syllables - Murky shore we trod
2 syllables - Amidst
4 syllables - A carpet of
4 syllables - Crimson leaves, while
4 syllables - Gazing awestruck
9 syllables - At the purple sky, framed by old trees.
A second example,
A Guilty Pleasure
5 I bite into the
5 peppermint patty
5 the taste floods my mouth
1 not
2 guilty
1 no
2 regrets
Assignment
Students are to complete 1 Septone Poem for their anthologies.
Concept #9 - I Remember Poems
"I Remember" Poems allow an author to share cherished memories using their own unique voice. “I remember” poems were introduced by artist and writer Joe Brainard in his book "I Remember"
(Granary Books, 2001).
They’re usually vivid, down to earth, and personal. They are free form in nature and thus are not constrained by syllable counts or rhyming schemes. They provide students with an avenue to explore personal feelings (both positive and negative) without having to concern themselves with rhyme or syllable counts.
The following is an excerpt from one of Brainard's poems:
I remember the only time I ever saw my mother cry. I was eating apricot pie.
I remember how much I used to stutter.
I remember the first time I saw television. Lucille Ball was taking ballet lessons.
I remember Aunt Cleora who lived in Hollywood. Every year for Christmas she sent my brother and me a
joint present of one book.
I remember a very poor boy who had to wear his sister’s blouses to school.
I remember shower curtains with angel fish on them.
I remember very old people when I was very young. Their houses smelled funnv.
I remember daydreams of being a singer all alone on a big stage with no scenery, just one spotlight on me, singing my heart out, and moving my audience to total tears of love and affection.
I remember waking up somewhere once and there was a horse staring me in the face.
I remember saying “thank you” in reply to “thank you” and then the other person doesn’t
know what to say.
I remember how embarrassed I was when other children cried.
I remember one very hot summer day I put ice cubes in my aquarium and
all the fish died.
I remcmber not understanding why people on the other side of the world didn’t fall off.
I remember ...
When writing this type of poetry students should focus on being specific and use concrete details to create a vivid picture for their readers.
Example of an I Remember Poem that is more focussed on a particular event. In this case, the memories of being in a particular grade 3 class.
I Remember...
I remember the first time I walked into Room 14 and I saw cursive on the wall.
I remember smiling when I saw some old classmates from second grade.
I remember a furry brown monkey swinging on his long arms at the Wild Animal Park.
I remember receiving the first letter from my pen pal and he told me he likes pizza.
I remember the sweet taste of milk chocolate in my mouth after we did fractions with Hershey bars.
I remember noticing a brightly-colored butterfly landing on my blue jeans.
Although, not exactly an I Remember Poem, I suggest you share this poem by Shane Koyczan entitled "To This Day" as it recalls a series of memories he has about being bullied (and being the bully) when he attended school. It will help to establish the tone and train of thought for the students. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltun92DfnPY
Assignment
Students are to complete 1 I Remember Poem for their analogies.
Extension opportunity: Include some diagrams around that help the reader visualize the memories.
(Granary Books, 2001).
They’re usually vivid, down to earth, and personal. They are free form in nature and thus are not constrained by syllable counts or rhyming schemes. They provide students with an avenue to explore personal feelings (both positive and negative) without having to concern themselves with rhyme or syllable counts.
The following is an excerpt from one of Brainard's poems:
I remember the only time I ever saw my mother cry. I was eating apricot pie.
I remember how much I used to stutter.
I remember the first time I saw television. Lucille Ball was taking ballet lessons.
I remember Aunt Cleora who lived in Hollywood. Every year for Christmas she sent my brother and me a
joint present of one book.
I remember a very poor boy who had to wear his sister’s blouses to school.
I remember shower curtains with angel fish on them.
I remember very old people when I was very young. Their houses smelled funnv.
I remember daydreams of being a singer all alone on a big stage with no scenery, just one spotlight on me, singing my heart out, and moving my audience to total tears of love and affection.
I remember waking up somewhere once and there was a horse staring me in the face.
I remember saying “thank you” in reply to “thank you” and then the other person doesn’t
know what to say.
I remember how embarrassed I was when other children cried.
I remember one very hot summer day I put ice cubes in my aquarium and
all the fish died.
I remcmber not understanding why people on the other side of the world didn’t fall off.
I remember ...
When writing this type of poetry students should focus on being specific and use concrete details to create a vivid picture for their readers.
Example of an I Remember Poem that is more focussed on a particular event. In this case, the memories of being in a particular grade 3 class.
I Remember...
I remember the first time I walked into Room 14 and I saw cursive on the wall.
I remember smiling when I saw some old classmates from second grade.
I remember a furry brown monkey swinging on his long arms at the Wild Animal Park.
I remember receiving the first letter from my pen pal and he told me he likes pizza.
I remember the sweet taste of milk chocolate in my mouth after we did fractions with Hershey bars.
I remember noticing a brightly-colored butterfly landing on my blue jeans.
Although, not exactly an I Remember Poem, I suggest you share this poem by Shane Koyczan entitled "To This Day" as it recalls a series of memories he has about being bullied (and being the bully) when he attended school. It will help to establish the tone and train of thought for the students. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltun92DfnPY
Assignment
Students are to complete 1 I Remember Poem for their analogies.
Extension opportunity: Include some diagrams around that help the reader visualize the memories.
Concept #10 - Concrete and Typographical Poems
Example of a Typographical Poem
The next two poetry types are visual poems. Because of their similarities I present them together.
1) "Concrete poetry— also called ‘shape poetry’—is poetry whose visual
appearance matches the topic of the poem. The words form shapes which illustrate
the poem’s subject as a picture, as well as through their literal meaning.
This type of poetry has been used for thousands of years, since the ancient Greeks began to enhance the meanings of their poetry by arranging their characters in visually pleasing ways back in the 3rd and 2nd Centuries BC.
A famous example is “The Mouse’s Tale” from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The shape of the poem is a pun on the word tale/tail, as the words follow a long wiggling line getting smaller and smaller and ending in a point." Source: http://www.poetry4kids.com/blog/news/how-to-write-a-concrete-poem/
There are two types of concrete poems (Outline and Drawing). Both are described and displayed well in the following weblink. Be sure to check out the sublink under "Drawing" that leads to the NASA website and displays a concrete poem about the first ever airplanes:
http://www.poetry4kids.com/blog/news/how-to-write-a-concrete-poem/
The following video clip is an animation of a concrete poem where the words from the poem make up an image of a train in motion entitled "The Slow Train" by Lemon Jelly. Worth a watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDO5H9HgU08
This video clip is also an animation but this time it shows the subtle difference that occurs with typographical poems. The clip is called "Poem Typography with Flash" and the poem itself is entitled "A Poem for Record Players". Notice the circular motion of the record player at the beginning. Later the clock arm tick and the birds wings flap etc. Very well done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAkOY2-1l1Y
Below are examples of both Concrete and Typographical poems that display the differences.
1) "Concrete poetry— also called ‘shape poetry’—is poetry whose visual
appearance matches the topic of the poem. The words form shapes which illustrate
the poem’s subject as a picture, as well as through their literal meaning.
This type of poetry has been used for thousands of years, since the ancient Greeks began to enhance the meanings of their poetry by arranging their characters in visually pleasing ways back in the 3rd and 2nd Centuries BC.
A famous example is “The Mouse’s Tale” from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The shape of the poem is a pun on the word tale/tail, as the words follow a long wiggling line getting smaller and smaller and ending in a point." Source: http://www.poetry4kids.com/blog/news/how-to-write-a-concrete-poem/
There are two types of concrete poems (Outline and Drawing). Both are described and displayed well in the following weblink. Be sure to check out the sublink under "Drawing" that leads to the NASA website and displays a concrete poem about the first ever airplanes:
http://www.poetry4kids.com/blog/news/how-to-write-a-concrete-poem/
The following video clip is an animation of a concrete poem where the words from the poem make up an image of a train in motion entitled "The Slow Train" by Lemon Jelly. Worth a watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDO5H9HgU08
This video clip is also an animation but this time it shows the subtle difference that occurs with typographical poems. The clip is called "Poem Typography with Flash" and the poem itself is entitled "A Poem for Record Players". Notice the circular motion of the record player at the beginning. Later the clock arm tick and the birds wings flap etc. Very well done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAkOY2-1l1Y
Below are examples of both Concrete and Typographical poems that display the differences.
2) Typographical Poetry is very similar to concrete poetry, but the technique is slightly different. In this form the words/letters within the poem are allowed to move in such a way that it displays action whereas the words and phrases used within concrete poems are more rigid.
An example of a "Drawing" Concrete Poem
A Concrete Poem
Assignment
Students are to complete 1 Concrete Poem and 1 Typographical Poem for their anthologies.
Students are to complete 1 Concrete Poem and 1 Typographical Poem for their anthologies.
Concept #11 - Alliteration Poem
Creature Alliteration - This is an Alispagnola
Alliteratiion poems deploy a technique that use the same consonant at the beginning of each stressed syllable in a line of verse. For example "behind the tree the befuddled beagle barked ".
Remember, it is the sound of the letter and not the letter itself that makes a poem alliterative. So, “great” and “gigantic” do not alliterate, but “joke” and “giant” do.
The following website shows various examples of poems in which alliteration has been employed. These range from the always popular tongue twisters (Peter Piper) to more formal usage in poems like Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven". An interesting exploration. http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-alliteration-poems.html
For this project I have the students complete a Creature Alliteration. This is a type tells you about a real or made up creature and things it does. I like it at this stage of the anthology because it is fun and it's a good way to let students imaginations run free. With this simple project they can make their dream creatures come true.
The following weblink outlines the criteria the students must use to complete this type of poem. It also includes a couple of examples that demonstrate the technique. http://bit.ly/YUVqDZ
The following video clip provides a narrated version of the child's story "Lougi Loves Leaping" which demonstrates an excellent example of alliteration. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPGyCgtzvow
Assignment
The students are to complete 1 Alliteration Poem.
They must include a diagram of what they think their creature would look like.
Remember, it is the sound of the letter and not the letter itself that makes a poem alliterative. So, “great” and “gigantic” do not alliterate, but “joke” and “giant” do.
The following website shows various examples of poems in which alliteration has been employed. These range from the always popular tongue twisters (Peter Piper) to more formal usage in poems like Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven". An interesting exploration. http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-alliteration-poems.html
For this project I have the students complete a Creature Alliteration. This is a type tells you about a real or made up creature and things it does. I like it at this stage of the anthology because it is fun and it's a good way to let students imaginations run free. With this simple project they can make their dream creatures come true.
The following weblink outlines the criteria the students must use to complete this type of poem. It also includes a couple of examples that demonstrate the technique. http://bit.ly/YUVqDZ
The following video clip provides a narrated version of the child's story "Lougi Loves Leaping" which demonstrates an excellent example of alliteration. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPGyCgtzvow
Assignment
The students are to complete 1 Alliteration Poem.
They must include a diagram of what they think their creature would look like.
Concept #12 - Create Your Own Type of Poetry
The final written component of the anthology asks the students to formulate the rules of a poem and then compose a poem that incorporates these rules.
After having to follow the rules of so many other poems during the composition of their anthologies, the students generally appreciate the opportunity to go off course and create something that is truly their own.
Things they will need to consider would be things like the minimum length of the poem, whether they will enforce a meter (number of beats/line), whether the poem will rhyme (and if so what will the rhyming pattern be), what extensions will they offer (example - could you include a diagram?).
Assignment
- The students are to complete 1 "Create Your Own Type of Poetry" .
- They must include a well developed list of rules that must be followed to complete their poem and they must include at least one exemplar that demonstrates their rules.
After having to follow the rules of so many other poems during the composition of their anthologies, the students generally appreciate the opportunity to go off course and create something that is truly their own.
Things they will need to consider would be things like the minimum length of the poem, whether they will enforce a meter (number of beats/line), whether the poem will rhyme (and if so what will the rhyming pattern be), what extensions will they offer (example - could you include a diagram?).
Assignment
- The students are to complete 1 "Create Your Own Type of Poetry" .
- They must include a well developed list of rules that must be followed to complete their poem and they must include at least one exemplar that demonstrates their rules.
Concept #13 - Interpreting Famous Poems
Edward Thomas and Robert Frost circa 1915
We have now reached the final component of the Poetry Anthologies. Our last two assignments will require the students to attempt to interpret the deeper meaning of a famous poem. I provide 4 examples for the students to choose from and then they are to complete both Part A and B of the assignment (see handout).
Before setting the students loose on their own, I spend some time looking at the Robert Frost poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay". I use this poem because it will appear later in our novel study "The Outsiders".
Nothing Gold Can Stay
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay.
Robert Frost
The following video clip provides a copy of the words of the poem with visuals of nature that help to clarify the meaning of some of the words (example - a picture of the golden hue of a budding leaf and the golden hue of the rising sun). It is not the best clip on this website, but it saves you googling images of these objects so it's worth a view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm2wKrR2uOU
We start our discussion by making predictions about the meaning of the peom from the title only. This is tough for the students, so I eventually reveal the rest of the poem and we read through it without pausing.
We reopen our discussion about what the poem might be about. Most of the students respond with answers like "nature" or "spring" which are logical at this stage of the analysis.
The next time through, we read the poem line by line (cloze reading) and try to decipher each line individually. We circle unfamiliar words (hue, subsides) and discuss phrases that are confusing (Eden sank to grief - referring to Adam and Eve being dismissed from the Garden of Eden). Gradually, the second layer of meaning begins to reveal itself. We decide that the poem is not talking just about physical nature, but also human nature. How when we are young our personalities are precious (like Gold). We have no preconceived notions of others and willingly interact with whomever we encounter. Adults pinch our cheeks and constantly tell us how cute we are. Unfortunately, this stage of life lasts all too briefly and gradually the gold begins to tarnish. We are exposed to some of the evils of the world - slavery, murder, poverty, suffering (tree of knowledge - expulsion from utopia). We become aware of ourselves and how we look and act compared to others. As life progresses we lose the blind acceptance of other humans and start to compartmentalize each other. We fit ourselves into groups that share similar characteristics - leaf subsides to leaf (black skinned/ white skinned, Catholic/ Protestant, English speaking/ French speaking etc.). These exclusive groupings lead to conflict both internally and externally and the golden hue we were born with continues to fade until the end of our life (Nothing gold can stay).
Note: This is the interpretation Johnny and Ponyboy talk about in The Outsiders where Johnny (upon hearing the poem recited by Ponyboy) implies that Ponyboy is special because he still retains his golden nature.
The following is a video clip from the movie adaptation of the novel, The Outsiders. It is entitled "The Outsiders: Nothing Gold Can Stay" and shows the portion of the movie where Johnny and Ponyboy discuss the poem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwJ-ppxCGPk
Usually by this stage of the analysis, the students are really "digging" (vocabulary used in The Outsiders) this poem, but our analysis is not quite complete.
We follow this up by researching a little about the background of Robert Frost and his frame of mind when he wrote the poem. The hope is that this will provide clues as to what might have inspired him to compose the poem.
The following weblink provides an extensive background of Robert Frost: http://bit.ly/9KovBn
By skimming through the information, we eventually arrive at Frost's personal life which reveals that he was plaqued with grief and loss throughout his life. In fact, by the time he published this poem he had suffered dearly. Both of his parents died before he was 25 (his father when he was only 11), his younger sister was institutionalized and two of his 6 children had died (a third would die less than a decade later). On top of all of this, his best friend and colleague Edward Thomas (pictured with Frost above) was killed in battle during WWI.
We then go back and analyze the poem a third time. This time we dig for the core meaning of the poem. We conclude that perhaps the poem reveals Frost's torment over the loss of his loved ones. They were precious to him (gold), but he only got to know them for a short period of time. He is separated from them (like Adam and Eve were separated from God) and now he must attempt to fit into a world full of people with which he has little attachment (leaf subsides to leaf) until he can eventually be reunited with them (dawn goes down today) at the end of his life. Happiness in this life is virtually unattainable for Frost (Nothing gold can stay).
Assignment
Select 1 of the 4 poems provided for you to include in your poetry anthology.
Complete both Parts A and B of the Poetry Analysis Sheet (see file handout)
Extension opportunity: Research the poet and try to assess his/her frame of mind and emotional state when he/she wrote the poem. Include some of these anecdotes in your analysis.
Before setting the students loose on their own, I spend some time looking at the Robert Frost poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay". I use this poem because it will appear later in our novel study "The Outsiders".
Nothing Gold Can Stay
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay.
Robert Frost
The following video clip provides a copy of the words of the poem with visuals of nature that help to clarify the meaning of some of the words (example - a picture of the golden hue of a budding leaf and the golden hue of the rising sun). It is not the best clip on this website, but it saves you googling images of these objects so it's worth a view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm2wKrR2uOU
We start our discussion by making predictions about the meaning of the peom from the title only. This is tough for the students, so I eventually reveal the rest of the poem and we read through it without pausing.
We reopen our discussion about what the poem might be about. Most of the students respond with answers like "nature" or "spring" which are logical at this stage of the analysis.
The next time through, we read the poem line by line (cloze reading) and try to decipher each line individually. We circle unfamiliar words (hue, subsides) and discuss phrases that are confusing (Eden sank to grief - referring to Adam and Eve being dismissed from the Garden of Eden). Gradually, the second layer of meaning begins to reveal itself. We decide that the poem is not talking just about physical nature, but also human nature. How when we are young our personalities are precious (like Gold). We have no preconceived notions of others and willingly interact with whomever we encounter. Adults pinch our cheeks and constantly tell us how cute we are. Unfortunately, this stage of life lasts all too briefly and gradually the gold begins to tarnish. We are exposed to some of the evils of the world - slavery, murder, poverty, suffering (tree of knowledge - expulsion from utopia). We become aware of ourselves and how we look and act compared to others. As life progresses we lose the blind acceptance of other humans and start to compartmentalize each other. We fit ourselves into groups that share similar characteristics - leaf subsides to leaf (black skinned/ white skinned, Catholic/ Protestant, English speaking/ French speaking etc.). These exclusive groupings lead to conflict both internally and externally and the golden hue we were born with continues to fade until the end of our life (Nothing gold can stay).
Note: This is the interpretation Johnny and Ponyboy talk about in The Outsiders where Johnny (upon hearing the poem recited by Ponyboy) implies that Ponyboy is special because he still retains his golden nature.
The following is a video clip from the movie adaptation of the novel, The Outsiders. It is entitled "The Outsiders: Nothing Gold Can Stay" and shows the portion of the movie where Johnny and Ponyboy discuss the poem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwJ-ppxCGPk
Usually by this stage of the analysis, the students are really "digging" (vocabulary used in The Outsiders) this poem, but our analysis is not quite complete.
We follow this up by researching a little about the background of Robert Frost and his frame of mind when he wrote the poem. The hope is that this will provide clues as to what might have inspired him to compose the poem.
The following weblink provides an extensive background of Robert Frost: http://bit.ly/9KovBn
By skimming through the information, we eventually arrive at Frost's personal life which reveals that he was plaqued with grief and loss throughout his life. In fact, by the time he published this poem he had suffered dearly. Both of his parents died before he was 25 (his father when he was only 11), his younger sister was institutionalized and two of his 6 children had died (a third would die less than a decade later). On top of all of this, his best friend and colleague Edward Thomas (pictured with Frost above) was killed in battle during WWI.
We then go back and analyze the poem a third time. This time we dig for the core meaning of the poem. We conclude that perhaps the poem reveals Frost's torment over the loss of his loved ones. They were precious to him (gold), but he only got to know them for a short period of time. He is separated from them (like Adam and Eve were separated from God) and now he must attempt to fit into a world full of people with which he has little attachment (leaf subsides to leaf) until he can eventually be reunited with them (dawn goes down today) at the end of his life. Happiness in this life is virtually unattainable for Frost (Nothing gold can stay).
Assignment
Select 1 of the 4 poems provided for you to include in your poetry anthology.
Complete both Parts A and B of the Poetry Analysis Sheet (see file handout)
Extension opportunity: Research the poet and try to assess his/her frame of mind and emotional state when he/she wrote the poem. Include some of these anecdotes in your analysis.
Concept #14 - Song Interpretation
Dexter Holland from Offspring
To complete each student's Poetry Anthology we return to where we started the unit, analyzing lyrics from a song.
In this instance though, the students are permitted to select a song (within certain parameters) of their own. The students must submit a copy of the lyrics of the song with their interpretation.
Hint: The lyrics for most songs can be easily copied from a quick Google keyword search.
The following is a list of ideas that the students must consider when completing a proper song lyric interpretation:
1) What is the meaning of the song from a superficial standpoint and from a deeper standpoint? Provide key phrases from the lyrics to support the interpretation.
2) What is it about this particular song that is important to you?
3) Research the song writer and find out if there was any motivation for writing the song? (Hello Taylor Swift breakup songs)
4) Does the beat\rhythm of the song match the emotional tone of the lyrics?
There are many websites that provide information about the background of songs. Many of these sites also include lyric interpretations and blogs about others think the song lyrics mean. Here is an example of one of those weblinks: http://www.lyricinterpretations.com/
In contrast to the Jodi Mitchell song "Circle Game" that I selected at the beginning of this unit I now select a much heavier song from Offspring entitled "Gone Away". I use this song because it was released in 1997 before the students in the class were even born. This mean that they don't have any preconceived notions of the song. I also select this song because I like it.
The lyrics for this song can be found here: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/offspring/goneaway.html
Similar to the Poetry Interpretation lesson, I start by analysing the lyrics. After the first read it becomes obvious that the author is grieving over the loss of a loved one. I then demonstrate how to use Google to do a quick check on the band members, and I quickly find that the song was composed by Bryan (aka) Dexter Holland (the lead singer) after the tragic loss of his girlfriend and mother of his child Alexa. By skimming through some blogs it quickly becomes evident that the song touches a chord with a lot of people who have suffered the loss of a loved one.
The following is the official music video that was released for this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=numCZoBFcv4
"The footage for the music video, shot in grainy quality, shows the band playing in a dark, and apparently abandoned slaughterhouse. Dexter Holland, for most of the video, sings to a shining lightbulb, presumably representative of the soul of the lost person. He
is the only band member to interact with this bulb, though other lightbulbs are shown in each band member's respective rooms. Dexter also sings into a suspended microphone which is also used in the video; it swings back and forth as the video fades to black." source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_Away
Assignment
Students are to complete 1 song interpretation for their poetry anthology.
In this instance though, the students are permitted to select a song (within certain parameters) of their own. The students must submit a copy of the lyrics of the song with their interpretation.
Hint: The lyrics for most songs can be easily copied from a quick Google keyword search.
The following is a list of ideas that the students must consider when completing a proper song lyric interpretation:
1) What is the meaning of the song from a superficial standpoint and from a deeper standpoint? Provide key phrases from the lyrics to support the interpretation.
2) What is it about this particular song that is important to you?
3) Research the song writer and find out if there was any motivation for writing the song? (Hello Taylor Swift breakup songs)
4) Does the beat\rhythm of the song match the emotional tone of the lyrics?
There are many websites that provide information about the background of songs. Many of these sites also include lyric interpretations and blogs about others think the song lyrics mean. Here is an example of one of those weblinks: http://www.lyricinterpretations.com/
In contrast to the Jodi Mitchell song "Circle Game" that I selected at the beginning of this unit I now select a much heavier song from Offspring entitled "Gone Away". I use this song because it was released in 1997 before the students in the class were even born. This mean that they don't have any preconceived notions of the song. I also select this song because I like it.
The lyrics for this song can be found here: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/offspring/goneaway.html
Similar to the Poetry Interpretation lesson, I start by analysing the lyrics. After the first read it becomes obvious that the author is grieving over the loss of a loved one. I then demonstrate how to use Google to do a quick check on the band members, and I quickly find that the song was composed by Bryan (aka) Dexter Holland (the lead singer) after the tragic loss of his girlfriend and mother of his child Alexa. By skimming through some blogs it quickly becomes evident that the song touches a chord with a lot of people who have suffered the loss of a loved one.
The following is the official music video that was released for this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=numCZoBFcv4
"The footage for the music video, shot in grainy quality, shows the band playing in a dark, and apparently abandoned slaughterhouse. Dexter Holland, for most of the video, sings to a shining lightbulb, presumably representative of the soul of the lost person. He
is the only band member to interact with this bulb, though other lightbulbs are shown in each band member's respective rooms. Dexter also sings into a suspended microphone which is also used in the video; it swings back and forth as the video fades to black." source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_Away
Assignment
Students are to complete 1 song interpretation for their poetry anthology.
Optional Activity - Host a Poetry Slam
A poetry slam is a competition in which poets read or recite original work. These performances are then judged on a numeric scale by previously selected members of the audience.
At the end of the unit, prior to the poems being formally assessed by the teacher, you may want to host a Poetry Slam where the students are given the opportunity to present one (or a few) of what they considered to be their best work.
The following clip outlines the rules of a Poetry Slam. It is appropriatley entitled "Poetry Slam Rules!!!" http://bit.ly/14laezW
At the end of the unit, prior to the poems being formally assessed by the teacher, you may want to host a Poetry Slam where the students are given the opportunity to present one (or a few) of what they considered to be their best work.
The following clip outlines the rules of a Poetry Slam. It is appropriatley entitled "Poetry Slam Rules!!!" http://bit.ly/14laezW