Secondary Language Arts Poetry on the Web

Curriculum page : Language Arts Curriculum : Language Arts Lesson Plans

Appropriate for Grade: 8

Supporting Mastery of Outcomes: 801, 809 or 811/812

Lesson Objectives: The student

• will search a web site and locate a poem written by a specific poet whose work appears in the grade 8 anthology,

• list the elements of *imagery in the two poems by the same poet and compare these images as a reflection of the style of the poet,

• present orally or in writing examples of imagery and an analysis of the imagery.

  *Note: Imagery in this lesson refers to the poet's use of the five senses.

Time Needed to Complete the Lesson: 2 Period(s) 80 Minutes

Materials Needed to Complete the Lesson:

1. Babusci, Roger et al., eds. Prentice Hall Literature Silver. 2nd ed.
        Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey:1991.
        "Poetry" pp. 503 - 609
        "Section 2: Understanding the Parts of a Literary Work: Analysis and Interpretation"
        "Lesson 4: Writing About Images," pp. 758-759
        "Lesson 5:Writing About Sound," 761-763

2. Poetry Analysis Worksheet

Web Sites Required to Complete the Lesson: Poets included in the list which follows have poems in the Prentice Hall Silver anthology. Additional poems written by these poets may be found at web sites on the Internet by following these steps:

1. From the O.P.S. web server, select "Search."
2. On the search box, type quotation marks, the poet's name (see list below), and closing quotation marks.
3. Scroll down the poetry collections listed.
4. Choose one of the selections listed to review.
5. Select a poem from the collection selected to read and review.

   Sylvia Plath	Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
   Joaquin Miller	John Greenleaf Whittier
   Walt Whitman	May Swenson
   Sara Teasdale	Alfred Lord Tennyson
   Langston Hughes	Robert Frost
   Walter de la Mare	Shel Silverstein
   Basho	William Shakespeare
   N. Scott Momaday	Maxine Kumin

Lesson Procedures:

Period 1	- Students will read the definition of imagery in Prentice Hall Silver, p.814. - From an overhead or in the book, students will review p.758 of Prentice Hall Silver. - Students will be assigned a poet from the list. They will read the poet's poem in the anthology and, using the worksheet, they will list the images found. (Depending on class size, partners may be necessary for this and follo wing activities.)
Period 2	- Students will access the web, search, locate, and print a poem by the same poet. - Continuing on the worksheet, students will list images found in the new poem and will compare the imagery using the questions as a guide.
Period 3	- The teacher will explain the oral presentation or written report and will list the criteria for evaluation of the presentations. - Using information gathered on the worksheet, students will prepare an oral or written report. (This preparation could be homework if they are working individually.)
Period 4	- Students will give oral presentations or turn in written reports.

Notes:

1. Periods 3 and 4 are optional using the worksheet as evaluation.
2. This lesson could be used for a class or modified for individual student use to work with the available technology.
3. For a second lesson, or as a challenge activity, use the information on sound found in Prentice Hall Silver, pp. 761-763, to further explore the style of the poet.
4. Another option would be to have students write a poem using the images they have gathered.
5. Criteria for evaluating the oral presentation (in addition to the content information) could include preparation, projection, enunciation, pronunciation, eye contact, posture, gestures, and language usage.

Lesson Assessment: Students will be successful in the lesson if they are able to:

1. use the web search appropriately to complete the lesson,
2. list and analyze the imagery of two poems by the same poet, and
3. prepare an oral or written presentation of the found information.