response to - niagara falls city school districtnotes1.nfschools.net/empforms.nsf... · contents i...

Online Resources

Response toLiterature: Poetry

America’s Choice® is a subsidiary of the National Center on Education and the Economy® (NCEE), a Washington, DC-based non-profit organization and a leader in standards-based reform. In the late 1990s, NCEE launched the America’s Choice School Design, a comprehensive, standards-based, school-improvement program that serves students through partnerships with states, school districts, and schools nationwide. In addition to the school design, America’s Choice provides instructional systems in literacy, mathematics, and school leadership. Consulting services are available to help school leaders build strategies for raising student performance on a large scale.

© 2009 by America’s Choice

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without permission from the America’s Choice permissions department. America’s Choice® and the America’s Choice logo are registered trademarks of America’s Choice.

Every effort has been made to contact the copyright holders for permission to reprint borrowed material where necessary. We regret any oversights that may have occurred and would be happy to rectify them in future printings.

First printing, 20091 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 13 12 11 10 09

ISBN 978-1-60637-248-7 www.americaschoice.org

[email protected] 800.221.3641

Contents

i Response to Literature: Poetry

Response to Literature: Poetry

PRE-ASSESSMENT Writing a Response to Poetry Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Scoring Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

LESSON RESOURCESLesson 1: The Poetry Portfolio Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Poetry Portfolio Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Lesson 2: On Being a Senior (Format A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 On Being a Senior (Format B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 On Being a Senior Discussion Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Cows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Lesson 4: Those Winter Sundays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Annotating a Poem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 Double-Entry Journal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Protocols for Reading and Understanding Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Lesson 6: The Summer Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 “The Summer Day” Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Lesson 7: Glossary of Conventions of Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Directions for a Review of Poetry Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Lesson 8: Literary Terms Presentation Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Lesson 10: Poetry Comparison Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Ode to My Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Happiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Two for the Mag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Assignment Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1

Lesson 11: Comparison Essay Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Lesson 13: Guidelines for Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Lesson 14: Guidelines for Revising Based on the Peer Response Guide . . . . . . . 35

Lesson 16: Dulce et Decorum Est . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Interpreting a Poem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Contents

ii Response to Literature: Poetry

Response to Literature: Poetry

Lesson 17: Approaches to Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Simplified Literary Interpretation Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Literary Interpretation Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Lesson 19: O Captain! My Captain! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 “O Captain! My Captain!” Student Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Lesson 22: Portfolio Project Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

POST-ASSESSMENT Writing a Response to Poetry Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Scoring Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

TEACHER REFERENCE MATERIALSSetting Up the Writer’s Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Lesson 10: Poetry Comparison Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Lesson 12: Sample Essay Scaffold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54Lesson 18: Sample Essay Scaffold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

1 Response to Literature: Poetry

Pre-Assessment • 1/1

Writing a Response to Poetry Essay

Directions

Read the following poem carefully . As you read, make notes about your initial responses, questions, and insights . Use these notes to write a well-organized essay . Explain how elements of the poem, such as structure, diction, repetition, and imagery, reveal the speaker’s response to the astronomy lecture .

When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer Walt Whitman (1819–1892)

When I heard the learn’d astronomer,

When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,

When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,

When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,

How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,

Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,

In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,

Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars .

Whitman, Walt . “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer,” from LEAVES OF GRASS, (Philadelphia: David McKay, 1891-92) . In the public domain .


Pre-Assessment • 1/1

Scoring Guide

Response to Poetry Essay

Student’s Name: Student ID:

Read each of the statements below, and circle the number on the scale that most accurately reflects your assessment of the paper .

4 = strong 3 = moderately strong 2 = somewhat weak 1 = weak

1 . The student’s informal notes indicate initial responses to the poem’s lines language, and ideas . 4 3 2 1

2 . The poem and author are clearly introduced at the beginning of the essay . 4 3 2 1

3 . The essay analyzes the poem, focusing on how its elements reveal the poet’s message .

4 3 2 1

4 . The analysis is well organized for the audience and purpose . 4 3 2 1

5 . The analysis has a clear, logical flow of ideas 4 3 2 1

6 . The essay includes relevant reference to the poem’s figurative language, sound texture, and/or form .

4 3 2 1

7 . The analysis is supported with relevant lines and/or embedded quotations .

4 3 2 1

8 . References to the text are cited or quoted using correct punctuation . 4 3 2 1

9 . The student provides a coherent conclusion . 4 3 2 1

10 . The surface features (spelling, punctuation, and grammar) are reasonably accurate .

4 3 2 1

Additional comments:


Lesson 1 • The Poetry Portfolio 1/2

Poetry Portfolio Project Description

The Poetry Portfolio Project will begin in your Writer’s Notebook with drafts of the introductory essay and some responses to poems we will study . The portfolio will become a separate piece that contains:

• A portfolio introduction: An essay that sets forth your ideas about some of the following questions:

– What is poetry (in your own words)?

− What poems can you remember having read, heard, or studied?

− How does poetry differ from other forms of literature?

− What kinds of people read poetry?

− What kinds of people write poetry?

− Why do we study poetry in school?

• A table of contents

• A collection of poems: 10 or more poems (from any source) that you copy into your Writer’s Notebook because you like them

• Reading responses: A collection of personal responses to 10–15 poems from the classroom anthology . These poems do not need to be copied from the textbook, but you will reference titles, authors, and page numbers . You will learn some reading response formats . These poems should represent poems that you:

− Like

− Find intriguing

− Find difficult, but worth attempting to understand

poetryportfolioproject


Poetry Portfolio Project Description


• One additional extended response: A response in whatever form you choose to one poem that you select . Your response might include annotating, drawing, and modeling, and/or writing an interpretation . It might involve an autobiographical piece stimulated by the poem . Label this response “Extended Response .”

• Twoacademicpapers:

1 . A paper that compares two poems

2 . A paper that interprets a complex poem


Introduction Date Completed

TableofContents Date Completed

Personal Poetry Collection Number entered into Writer’s Notebook: (circle)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Reading Responses Number of reading responses completed: (circle)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Extended Response Date Completed

Comparison Essay Date Completed

Interpretation Essay Date Completed


Poetry Portfolio Checklist


Suddenly all the juice flowed out of me, staining the floor . I sit on my hard plastic seat, information flying around, wondering who I will lunch with . Brrrrrrrrrhm . Smile stamped on, I float to my next class, leafing through a Mademoiselle; more stamped smiles . I fly out the window and I’m free, running around on blue skied grass . Brrrrrrrrrhm . Madly, I copy questions, the teacher winks . This room has shrunk over the last four years . In my book, names I’ve watched grow old Go off to College . I sit struggling in my High School skin; detestable thing! Brrrrrrrrrhm . I will endure . I leave a strip of skin behind, and, and move to the next class .

On Being a Senior (Format A)

Lesson 2 • What is Poetry? 1/1

5

10



Suddenly all the juice flowed out of me,

Staining the floor .

I sit on my hard plastic seat,

Information flying around,

Wondering who I will lunch with .

Brrrrrrrrrrrhm .

Smile stamped on,

I float to my next class,

leafing through a Mademoiselle;

More stamped smiles .

I fly out the window and I’m free,

Running around on blue skied grass .

Brrrrrrrhm .

Madly, I copy questions,

The teacher winks .

This room has shrunk over the last four years .

In my book, names I’ve watched grow old

Go off to College .

I sit struggling in my High School skin;

Detestable thing!

Brrrrrrrhm .

I will endure .

I leave a strip of skin behind,

And, and move to the next class .

On Being a Senior (Format B)

5

10 15 20


“On Being a Senior” Discussion Guide


Talk about the following questions with your partner(s) . At the end of your discussion, be prepared to share your insights with the class .

• Howarethetwopiecesdifferent?Whatwasdifferentaboutthehighlightingthatyoudid?

• ListtheelementsthatmakeFormatAapieceofprose.

• ListtheelementsthatmakeFormatBapieceofpoetry.

• Doyouthink“OnBeingaSenior”ismoreeffectiveasproseorpoetry.Why?



Cows

The cows stand under the trees in the wet grass . How graceful

they look—how unlike themselves . We get out and lean on the fence .

The cows don’t seem to notice we are there .

© iStockphoto .com


ThoseWinterSundaysby Robert Hayden (1913–1980)

Lesson 4 • Annotating and Writing First Thoughts 1/1

Sundays too my father got up early

and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,

then with cracked hands that ached

from labor in the weekday weather made

banked fires blaze . No one ever thanked him .

I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking .

When the rooms were warm, he’d call,

and slowly I would rise and dress,

fearing the chronic angers of that house,

Speaking indifferently to him,

who had driven out the cold

and polished my good shoes as well .

What did I know, what did I know

of love’s austere and lonely offices?

“Those Winter Sundays .” Copyright © 1966 by Robert Hayden, from ANGLE OF ASCENT: New and Selected Poems by Robert Hayden . Used by permission of Liveright Publishing Corporation

banked adj. to cover (a fire) as with ashes, to ensure continued low burning

chronic adj. marked by a long duration or frequent recurrence

indifferently adv. done in a way that indicates things don’t matter one way or the other

austere adj. stern and cold in appearance or manner

5

10


Asyouread,writenotesaboutyourresponsesto some of these questions:

• Whatdoyouthinkaboutthisword,line,orphrase?

• Whatmightthisword,line,orphrasemean?

• Whatexperienceshaveyouhadthataresimilartothatrecountedin thepoem?

• Whatsurprisedorconfusedyouaboutthispassage?

• Wheredidyoufindyourselfstoppingorhesitating?Whatstoppedyouatthesepoints?

• Whatotherpoem/book/film/playdoesthisremindyouof?


Annotating a Poem


PassagefromText My ideas about this passage (thoughts, questions, similarities tomyownexperience,etc.)

Double-Entry Journal




Protocols for Reading and Understanding Poetry

1. Readthepoemaloudallthewaythrough.

2. Readitaloudasecondtimeandthirdtime,notinganywordsyoudo notknow.

3. Figureoutorlookupthemeaningsofthewordsyoudonotknow.

4. Readthepoemforsentencesense(usethepunctuationmarkstohelpyoumakesentences).

5. Paraphraseeachsentence(notthelines,butthesentences).

6. Trythisexercise:Chooseonewordorphrasethatyouthinkisthemostimportantwordorphraseinthepoem.Whydoyouthinkso?

7. Whatpointdoesthepoemseemtomake?

8. Whatistheattitudeofthepoem’sspeakertothesubject?Isitserious?Ironic?Sarcastic?

9. Characterizethespeakerofthepoem.Isitaddressedtosomeoneinparticular?

10. Identifypatternsinthepoem.Arethereplaceswherethepatternsarebroken?What’sgoingonintheplaceswherethepatternisbroken?

11. Findastartingplacetobeginananalysis:

a.Whatisthetitleandhowdoesitcontributetothemeaning?

b. Lookforplacesinthepoemthatconnecttooneanother.

c. Checktoseeifthereareanyobviousfiguresofspeech,andaskyourself,“Whatdoesthismean?Whatdoesitsuggest?”

d. Lookforwaysthepoetusedliterarydevices(suchassoundtexture—rhythmandrhymeandalliteration)tomakeorsuggestmeaning.


Protocols for Reading and Understanding Poetry


12. Begintoaddressthefollowingquestions:

a. Howdosimiles,metaphors,andotherfiguresofspeechenhancethemeaningofthepoem?

b. Howdothesoundsoflanguagecometogethertoreflectthepoet’sintention,meaning,and/orfeeling?

c. Howdoesthepoemevokeyourfeelings?

d. Howdoesthepoemcauseyoutothink,orhowdoesitpresentadifferentviewoflife?

e.What’simportanttothepoet?Howdoyouknow?

f. Howdothewhitespacesandotherstructuresinthepoemhelptocreatemeaning,imagery,mood,rhythm,and/ordoublemeanings?

g. Howdomusicalelementsinthepoemenhanceitsmeaning?


Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I mean—

the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,

who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down—

who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes .

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face .

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away .

I don’t know exactly what a prayer is .

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down

into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I have been doing all day .

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

From House of Light by Mary Oliver . Copyright © 1990 by Mary Oliver . Reprinted by permission of Beacon Press, Boston

TheSummerDayby Mary Oliver (b. 1935)

Lesson 6 • Modeling 1/1

5

10

15



“TheSummerDay”Frame

Write your first draft below each line of the original . Keep those words or phrases that appear in bold print . Replace all the others . Notice that some punctuation marks are in bold . When you are satisfied with the result, copy the bolded words and substitutions into your Writer’s Notebook as your modeled poem .

TheSummerDay

Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I mean—

the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,

who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down—

who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes .

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face .


Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away .

I don’t know exactly what a prayer is .

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down

into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I have been doing all day .

Tell me, what else should I have done?

© iStockphoto .com


“TheSummerDay”Frame


Lesson 7 • Conventions of Poetry 1/6

LiteraryDevices

simile—a figurative expression in which an element is provided with special attributes through a

comparison with something quite different . The words like or as create the comparison .

“Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, / Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge” from “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen (p . 38) . The soldiers in the poem are compared to beggars and hags .

metaphor—a figurative expression consisting of two elements in which one element is provided

with special attributes by being equated with a second unlike element .

“myfeetwere / twofishmade / of wool, / twolongsharks / seablue…” from “Ode to My Socks” by Pablo Neruda (p . 28) . The stockinged feet are compared to fish and to sharks .

personification—the attribution of human qualities to nature, animals, or things .

“Death, be not proud,” from “Death, Be Not Proud” by John Donne (p . 55) . Death is assumed to have (or want) the human quality of pride

symbol—a thing or an action that embodies more than its literal, concrete meaning .

The fleas in “Fleas” by Ogden Nash (p .57), represent all forms of pestilence .

GlossaryofConventionsofPoetry




PoeticForms

ballad—a narrative poem, originally of folk origin, usually focusing upon a climactic episode and

told without comment . The most common form is a quatrain of alternating four-and three-stress

iambic lines, with the second and fourth lines rhyming . Often the ballad will employ a refrain—that

is, the last line of each stanza will be identical or similar .

See “Bonny Barbara Allan” (p . 53) .

blankverse—lines of unrhymed iambic pentameter

See iambic pentameter under scansion.

freeverse—poetry, usually unrhymed, that does not adhere to the metric regularity of

traditional verse .

haiku—an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin having three lines containing usually 5, 7, and 5

syllables respectively . A poem in this form usually has a seasonal reference .

“Hummingbird” — “An electric squeak / a flashing blur that buzzes / guards the hibiscus .”

pantoum—a form of poetry similar to a villanelle . It is composed of a series of quatrains; the

second and fourth lines of each stanza are repeated as the first and third lines of the next . This

pattern continues for any number of stanzas, except for the final stanza, which differs in the

repeating pattern . The first and third lines of the last stanza are the second and fourth of the

penultimate; the first line of the poem is the last line of the final stanza, and the third line of the

first stanza is the second of the final . Ideally, the meaning of lines shifts when they are repeated

although the words remain exactly the same: this can be done by shifting punctuation, punning, or

simply recontextualizing .

See “Pantoum 9/24/98” by Patricia Lay-Dorsey (p . 71) .




sonnet—a lyric poem of fourteen lines, usually of iambic pentameter. The two major types are the

Petrarchan and Shakespearean . The Petrarchan sonnet is divided into an octave (the first eight

lines, rhymed abbaabba) and a sestet (the final six lines, usually rhymed cdecde or cdcdcd) . The

Shakespearean sonnet consists of three quatrains and a concluding couplet, rhymed abab cdcd

efef gg .

See Sonnets 29 and 130, Shakespearean sonnets (pp . 76–77) .

villanelle—a French verse form of nineteen lines (of any length) divided into six stanzas—five

triplets and a final quatrain—employing two rhymes and two refrains . The refrains consist of lines

one (repeated as lines six, twelve, and eighteen) and three (repeated as lines nine, fifteen, and

nineteen) .

See “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas (p . 56) .

SoundTextureTerms

alliteration—the repetition within a line or phrase of the same initial

consonant sound .

“Death, thou shalt die” in John Donne’s “Death, Be Not Proud” (p . 55), and “And mouth with myriad subtleties” in Paul Laurence Dunbar’s “We Wear the Mask” (p . 85) .

onomatopoeia—language that sounds like what it means .

Words like buzz, bark, and hiss are onomatopoeic .

rhyme—the repetition of the final stressed vowel sound and any sounds following (debate, relate;

pelican, belly can) produces perfect rhyme . When rhyming words appear at the end of lines, the

poem is end-rhymed . When rhyming words appear within one line, the line contains internal rhyme.

When the correspondence in sounds is imperfect (heaven, given; bean, gun) off-rhyme, or near

rhyme, is produced .




Scansion

Scansion describes the rhythms of poetry by dividing the lines into feet, marking the locations of

stressed (/) and unstressed (˘) syllables, and counting the syllables . To describe the rhythm of a

poem, we mark the stresses and absences of stress and count .

2 beats to the line = dimeter

3 beats to the line = trimeter

4 beats to the line = tetrameter

5 beats to the line = pentameter

6 beats to the line = hexameter

7 beats to the line = heptameter

8 beats to the line = octameter

Each rhythmical pattern (which contains 1 beat) in a line of poetry is called a foot . Thus a line of

poetry with 5 beats is called pentameter .

There are many terms that describe the rhythmical patterns in poetry in English . The major

forms are anapestic, dactylic, iambic, spondaic, and trochaic . The following chart below explains

each one .


NounForm AdjectiveForm Meaning ExampleAnapest Anapestic 2 unstressed syllables

followed by a stressed˘ ˘ /unabridged

Dactyl Dactylic 1 stressed syllable followed by 2 unstressed

/ ˘ ˘yesterday

Iamb Iambic 1 unstressed syllable followed by a stressed

˘ /today

Spondee Spondaic 2 stressed syllables, especially when they break a pattern

/ /Get lost!

Trochee Trochaic 1 stressed syllable followed by an unstressed

/ ˘apple

To help a youngster in his family remember the forms of rhythm, Samuel Taylor Coleridge

composed a poem, part of which is shown here:

Trochee trips from long to short,

From long to long in solemn sort .

Slow Spondee stalks, strong foot, yet ill able

Ever to come up to Dactyl trisyllable .

Iambics march from short to long .

With a leap and a bound the swift Anapests throng .

Much of Shakespeare’s verse and nearly all of his plays are written in iambic pentameter . See the

scansion of lines from Sonnet 130 on the next page . You’ll note that the predominate rhythmic

pattern is ˘ / (iambic) and five feet in each line (pentameter) .



Coleridge, Samual Taylor . “Metrical Feet .” In the public domain




˘ / ˘ ˘ / ˘ / ˘ / ˘ /

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;

/ ˘ ˘ / ˘ / ˘ / ˘ /

Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;

˘ / ˘ / ˘ / ˘ / ˘ /

If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

˘ / ˘ / / / / ˘ ˘ /

If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head .


• Defineyourterm.Lookattheglossaryaswellastheotherresources that you have, such as anthologies and collections .

• Findasmanyexamplesasyoucansothatyouaresureyouunderstand this term . Choose at least one example that will help the other people in class see the meaning of your term .

• Designaposterwitheachoftheseelements:

− The literary term as the title, written boldly

− A definition of the term

− One or two examples, illustrating in language what the term looks like when it is used in a poem . Be prepared to read the example and to explain the term clearly enough that everyone in class understands .

− A picture or graphic organizer explaining, illustrating, or clarifying the term you are presenting


DirectionsforaReviewofPoetryTerminology

defineyourterm

find examples

design a poster


Criteria

4M

eets Stand

ards

3A

pp

roaches

Standard

s

2 N

eeds

Instruction

1N

eeds

Substantial

Supp

ort

Po

ster C

on

ten

t•Title•D

efinitio

n•E

xamples

•Illustration

Has all the

items o

n the p

oster p

laced

in a legib

le and

attractive form

at .

One o

r mo

re req

uired item

s o

n the po

ster are m

issing . P

oster is

legib

le .

Req

uired item

s o

n the po

ster are m

issing . P

oster is

illegib

le .

Several item

s m

issing fro

m

po

ster . May have

no p

oster .

Pre

sen

tatio

n:

Cle

ar

Org

an

iza

tion

Exhib

its a structure ap

pro

priate to

the aud

ience, co

ntext, and

purp

ose .

Inform

ation

on the p

oster

is clear and

inform

ative with

parts lab

eled and

p

laced fo

r ease o

f viewing

.

Inform

ation

is correct and

info

rmative,

but m

ay not b

e o

rganized

well o

r lab

eled clearly .

Inform

ation m

ay b

e correct b

ut is unclear . N

o

labels id

entify the p

arts . The

po

ster may no

t have a lo

gical

org

anization .

The p

oster is

unclear . Parts are

not id

entified

. T

he title may no

t b

e pro

minent .

Pre

sen

tatio

n:

Effe

ctiv

e

De

live

ry•E

yecontact

•Rate

•Volum

e•E

nunciation

•Inflectio

n

Mem

bers o

f the g

roup

each take a p

art and are

effective in their

delivery .

Mem

bers o

f the g

roup

each take a p

art, but

som

e of the

presentatio

n may

not b

e effective

because o

f no

eye contact,

insufficient

volum

e, etc .

Gro

up m

emb

ers d

o no

t all take a p

art . So

me o

f the d

elivery is ineff

ective .

Mem

bers d

o

not share in the

delivery . T

he oral

presentatio

n is co

mp

letely ineff

ective .

LiteraryTermsPresentationRubric

Lesson 8 • Working on the Portfolio 1/1


Lesson 10 • Comparing Two Poems 1/1

Poetry Comparison Chart

Ode to My Socks Happiness

Form: Long, free verse

Length of Lines: Short

Metaphors: “my feet were two fish, two long sharks, two immense blackbirds, two immense cannons”

Similes: “ two socks as soft as rabbits””my feet seemed to me unacceptable like two decrepit firemen”

Moral (included): “beauty is twice beauty and what is good is doubly good when it is a matter of two socks and made of wool in winter”

Common items: Articles of clothing

Repetition: None

Form: Free verse


Metaphors: Happiness is having the right rain gear to play outside .

Similes: None

Moral (implied): Same as metaphor above


Repetition: “great big”



Ode to My Socks by Pablo Neruda (1904–1973)

Maru Mon brought me

a pair

of socks

which she knitted herself

with her sheep-herder’s hands,

two socks as soft

as rabbits .

I slipped my feet

into them

as though into

two

cases

knitted

with threads of

twilight

and goatskin .

Violent socks

my feet were

two fish made

of wool,

two long sharks

seablue, shot

through

by one golden thread,

two immense blackbirds,

two cannons,

my feet

were honored

in this way

by

these

heavenly

socks .

They were

so handsome

for the first time

my feet seemed to me

unacceptable

like two decrepit

firemen, firemen

unworthy

of that woven

fire,

of those glowing

socks .

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45


Ode to My Socks by Pablo Neruda (1904–1973) (continued)


Nevertheless

I resisted

the sharp temptation

to save them somewhere

as schoolboys

keep

fireflies,

as learned men

collect

sacred texts,

I resisted

the mad impulse

to put them

in a golden cage

and each day give them

birdseed

and pieces of pink melon .

Like explorers

in the jungle who hand

over the very rare

green deer

to the spit

and eat it

with remorse,

I stretched out

my feet

and pulled on

the magnificent

socks

and then my shoes .

The moral

of my ode is this:

beauty is twice

beauty

and what is good is doubly

good

when it is a matter of two socks

made of wool

in winter .

Translated from the Spanish by Stephen Mitchell

“Ode to My Socks” from FULL WOMAN, FLESHLY APPLE, HOT MOON: SELECTED POETRY OF PABLO NERUDA, Translated by Stephen Mitchell . Translation copyright © 1997 by Stephen Mitchell . Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers .

50

55

60

65

70


Happiness by A.A. Milne (1882–1956)


Mackintosh n. a raincoat

John had

Great Big

Waterproof

Boots on;

John had a

Great Big

Waterproof

Hat;

John had a

Great Big

Waterproof

Mackintosh—

And that

(Said John)

Is

That .

“Happiness”, from WHEN WE WERE YOUNG by A .A . Milne, illustrations by E .H . Shepard, copyright 1924 by E .P . Dutton, renewed 1952 by A .A . Milne . Used by permission of Dutton Children’s Books, A Division of Penguin Young Readers Group, A Member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc ., 345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014 . All rights reserved .

5

10

15


Our literary magazine could include a section of paired poems, poetry that when put next to each other would create an interest in reading the two together . One excellent pair to include would be Pablo Neruda’s “Ode to My Socks” with A . A . Milne’s “Happiness .” Although the two poems contrast in

obvious ways, they also go together nicely because of their positive attitudes towards simple clothing items .

First, it is easy to see what is different about these two poems . Neruda’s is a long poem, rich with fantastic imagery and metaphor . In the poem, the speaker receives a pair of socks as a gift . The “magnificent” socks transform the speaker’s feet into “two fish made / of wool, / two long sharks .” Those certainly aren’t common comparisons . At one point in the poem, the speaker considers saving the socks “as schoolboys / keep / fireflies .” But finally, the speaker decides against saving the socks and says, “I stretched out / my feet / and pulled on / the magnificent / socks .” All through the poem, the speaker piles up the imagery and figurative language: “socks as soft / as rabbits” and “cases / knitted / with threads of / twilight / and goatskin .” The feet become “two immense blackbirds, / two cannons” and the socks are “heavenly .” The poem concludes with a moral about beauty and goodness .

On the other hand, Milne’s “Happiness” is short and repetitious and without metaphor, unless one considers the title a metaphor—happiness is that experience of being out in the rain with the right rain gear . Milne’s poem speaks with the matter of fact voice of someone describing a child’s dressing himself in “Great Big” boots and hat and raincoat . There’s nothing very fancy or fanciful about the descriptions here . The repeated “Great Big” suggests an image of a little boy in oversized clothing, absolutely satisfied with what he has . “And that / (Said John) / Is / That” concludes the poem .

What the poems have in common is a joy in everyday clothing items, items that are just right—warm socks “made of wool / in winter” and rain gear that gives “John” happiness . So, putting the two poems together would make good sense .

TwofortheMag


comparing and

contrasting


Assume that the editor of the high school literary magazine has agreed to use both the poems you chose for your evaluation . He has asked you to write a substantial introduction to the two poems, comparing them, contrasting them, and perhaps telling why they were paired for this anthology .

The evaluation will compare two poems, presenting a judgment of the relative merits of each .

To meet the American Diploma Project benchmark (C9), the essay will:

• developathesis;

• createanorganizingstructureappropriatetopurpose,audience,andcontext;

• includerelevantinformationandexcludeextraneousinformation;

• makevalidinferences;

• supportjudgmentswithrelevantandsubstantialevidenceandwell-chosendetails; and

• provideacoherentconclusion.

Assignment Sheet



Lesson 11 • Selecting Poems for Evaluation 1/1

Comparison Essay Rubric

Criteria

Comparetw

opoem

s,p

resenting a jud

gm

ent abouttherelativem

erits ofeach.

4

Meets the Stand

ard3

Need

sRevisio

n2

Need

s Instruction

1 N

eeds Sub

stantial Sup

po

rt

Develo

pathesis.

Includes a thesis that

takes a stand o

n the relative m

erits of tw

o

po

ems b

eing co

mp

ared .


com

pares tw

o p

oem

s .D

oes no

t include a clear

thesis abo

ut the relative m

erits of tw

o p

oem

s b

eing co

mp

ared .

Do

es not take a stand

or

include a thesis .

Createano

rganizing

structure

Org

anizes the essay so

each po

em’s m

erits are d

iscussed clearly, either

by d

iscussing co

mm

on

elements at a tim

e or b

y d

iscussing o

ne po

em at

a time .

Org

anization o

f the essay is no

t entirely clear . T

he writer m

oves fro

m p

oem

to p

oem

w

ith no ap

parent p

lan of

com

paring

like elements .

The essay is no

t o

rganized

in a way to

m

ake clear what is b

eing

com

pared

: elements

or eff

ectiveness of

po

ems . N

o criteria fo

r co

mp

arison are p

resent .

The essay ram

bles

witho

ut any clear o

rganizatio

n .

Includerelevant

inform

ation; exclud

e extraneo

us inform

ation

Inform

ation is all relevant

to the task: to

discuss

the relative merits o

f two

p

oem

s .

Mo

st of the info

rmatio

n is relevant; the w

riter m

ay include so

me

extraneous info

rmatio

n .

So

me o

f the inform

ation

in the essay seems to

be

off

-top

ic; the writer has

not sho

wn the relevancy

of info

rmatio

n .

The essay is clearly o

ff-

top

ic .

Makevalid

inferencesT

he writer clearly

understand

s the po

ems

being

com

pared

. The

interpretatio

n of the

po

ems is b

ased o

n valid

inferences .

The w

riter do

es not fully

understand

one o

r bo

th o

f the po

ems b

eing

com

pared

. Whatever

inferences are mad

e may

be invalid

.

The w

riter has not

mad

e convincing

interp

retations o

f the p

oem

s . Inferences may

be unclear o

r not fully

explained

.

The w

riter has not m

ade

any inferences abo

ut the p

oem

s, nor are

interpretatio

ns given .

Supportjud

gmentsw

ithrelevant,w

ell-chosen

detail (in this case citing

specifi

clinesfromthe

po

ems)

The w

riter cites lines fro

m the p

oem

to

provid

e supp

ort and

illustratio

n, emb

eds

the quo

tations into

the w

riter’s sentences, and

explains them

.

The w

riter uses q

uotatio

ns from

the p

oem

, but d

oes no

t alw

ays explain them

or

emb

ed them

in the text o

f the essay .

The w

riter has few o

r no

citations fro

m the

po

ems .

The w

riter has neither cited

the po

ems

to exp

lain lines nor

provid

ed relevant d

etails .

Provid

eacoherent

conclusio

nT

he essay com

es to

a log

ical, coherent

conclusio

n based

on

ideas set fo

rth in the thesis .

The essay end

s with

a cursory sum

mary o

f w

hat was stated

.

The essay just end

s w

ithout m

aking a clear

po

int or sum

marizing

.

The essay is so

brief as

to b

e under-d

evelop

ed .

Dem

onstrate co

ntrol o

f stand

ardEnglish.

The w

riting is g

enerally free o

f errors in sp

elling,

gram

mar, and

usage .

The few

errors that d

o

occur d

o no

t imp

ede the

reader’s und

erstanding

.

There are erro

rs in sp

elling, g

ramm

ar, and

usage, b

ut for the m

ost

part, the erro

rs do

not

imp

ede the read

er’s und

erstanding

. Mo

re careful ed

iting w

ould

elim

inate the errors .

The essay has no

t been

pro

ofread

or ed

ited w

ell . F

requent surface erro

rs d

istract the reader .

The erro

rs in the pap

er are so

numero

us as to

make the essay

unreadab

le .


Lesson 13 • Responding and Revising 1/2

Guidelines for Response

Provide information and answer all questions as honestly, completely, and clearly as you can . Write the kind of helpful response you would like to receive . Title a sheet of paper: “Peer Response to the Writing of ______________ (insert name of partner).” Put your name in the top-right corner of the page .

Part I. General Response to the Comparison Paper about Two Poems

Read your partner’s paper and:• Answerthisquestion:Whatistheessay’sgreateststrength?

• Writeafewsentencesofhonestcomment,statingwhatyoufeel about the essay as a whole .

• Tellthewriterwhetherhisorheressayisreadableandconvincing .

• Tellthewriterhowheorshehasprovidedaresponsibleevaluation or interpretation of the text(s) .

Part II. Specific Response: Analyzing the Main Characteristics of the Comparison

Write a detailed, step-by-step description and analysis of the main characteristics of your partner’s draft . This analysis will not only help your partner revise the draft, but it will also teach you a great deal about your own writing .

Read your partner’s draft for the second time . Write your responses to the following numbered requests on the same lined paper that you used for Part I . Be sure to refer to specific page numbers, paragraphs, and lines to help your partner understand your comments .


Guidelines for Response

Lesson 13 • Responding and Revising 2/2

• Paraphrasethewriter’sthesisabouthowthetwopoemsarethe similar and/or different .

• Isthefirstparagraphclearordoesitsounduncertain?Explain . If necessary, describe how the writer could improve the beginning .

• Listtheclaimsthewritermakes;checktoseewhethertheclaims relate to the thesis .

• Notethesupportingreasonsgiven;checkwhethertheevidence illustrates each reason . Does the writer have some direct quotations as proof from the text? Is the support sufficiently detailed? If not, indicate where the writer needs to elaborate .

• Istheretoomuchsummaryortoolittleanalysis?Explainandmake suggestions as to how the writer might improve the balance .

• Notepassagesthatareparticularlyeffective—surprisingideas, memorable phrases, or striking images . Let the writer know what you admire in the essay .

• Ifyoufindanyplacesthataredifficulttounderstandorthatneed transitions, mark these passages in light pencil on the draft and identify them on your response paper .

• Theconcludingparagraphshouldnotsimplysummarize—itshould offer additional insights . Tell the writer your views on the conclusion and how it might be strengthened .


GuidelinesforRevisingBasedonthePeerResponseGuide

Lesson 14 • Revising for Clarity and Coherence 1/1

The final decisions belong to you, the writer . Remember that you are the author of the paper and that gives you the authority to say what you want and how you want it . But do consider your partner’s responses carefully; it is important to know how readers respond to your writing .

RevisingFor revising, it is very helpful if you can hear your words aloud . So we strongly recommend that you read the draft aloud to yourself and/or have someone read it aloud to you and work together to make the changes and corrections .

As you hear your words, you may identify awkward sentences or unclear ideas . Use your own knowledge plus that of your response partner’s observations to revise your paper . Use the rubric to guide you for creating an essay that “Meets the Standards .”

Editing This is the time to proofread your work and correct any spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors . Your revision is the finished product . A paper filled with errors is difficult to read, and all your wonderful ideas and hard work may be lost in the confusion . At the next class meeting, you will have additional and specific help in editing .


Lesson 16 • Interpretation: Reading a Complex Poem 1/2

Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen (1893–1918)

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,

Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,

Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs

And towards our distant rest began to trudge .

Men marched asleep . Many had lost their boots

But limped on, blood-shod . All went lame, all blind;

Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots

Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind .

Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling,

Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,

But someone still was yelling out and stumbling

And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime . . .

Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,

As under a green sea, I saw him drowning .

In all my dreams before my helpless sight,

He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning .

hags n. ugly, old and unpleasant women (derogatory)

floundering, v. moving in an uncontrolled way

lime, n. lye, a caustic substance that can burn

guttering, v. (coined meaning possibly referring to sounds, like water in a gutter, a drowning person might make)

5

10

15


Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen (1893–1918)


zest, n. enthusiasm

Pro patria mori, It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country .

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace

Behind the wagon that we flung him in,

And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,

His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;

If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood

Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,

Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud

Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—

My friend, you would not tell with such high zest

To children ardent for some desperate glory,

The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est

Pro patria mori.

By Wilfred Owen, from THE COLLECTED POEMS OF WILFRED OWEN, copyright © 1963 by Chatto & 10,000 copies Windus, Ltd . Reprinted by permission of New DIrections Publishing Corp .

20

25



Interpreting a Poem

PromptWrite an essay for the readers of your portfolio . In this essay, take the opportunity to show off the skills you have learned about understanding and writing about poetry . Choose a complex poem, one not immediately accessible to readers . In a well-written essay, show how your analysis and understanding of the literary devices used by the poet have contributed to your interpretation of the meaning of the poem .

The essay will analyze a poem, explaining how literary elements in the poem contribute to an effect or meaning .

To meet the American Diploma Project benchmark (C9), the essay will:

• developathesis;

• createanorganizingstructureappropriatetopurpose,audience, and context;

• includerelevantinformationandexcludeextraneousinformation;

• makevalidinferences;

• supportjudgmentswithrelevantandsubstantialevidenceandwell-chosendetails; and

• provideacoherentconclusion.


Lesson 17 • Interpretation: Choosing a Complex Poem 1/2

Approaches to Interpretation

PuzzlingLines• Readersoftenapproachbystartingfromalineorsectionthatsurprisesor

puzzles them .

• Theybeginbylookingcloselyatitscontent,thenlookingcloselyatthe

context:

− What immediately precedes and follows that section?

− What do the key words mean?

− What attitudes or values or ideas are associated with them?

• Oncetheygainsomeunderstandingintothatlineorsection,readersthenre-

read the entire poem, annotating words, images, lines, sections, and / or ideas

that help them understand the importance of that section .

Patterns of Words and Images• Readersoftennoticespecificpatternsofwords,lines,andimagesin

poetry . Reading carefully and annotating these patterns often lead to an

understanding of both the meaning of the poem and the skill of the poet .

• Oftenitiswherethepatternisbrokenthatthepoetisemphasizingsomething

important .

FamiliarLiteraryThemes• Often,poetsexplorethemessuchas:

− Conflict—either between an individual and society, an individual’s desires

and values, one individual and another, or between larger forces, such as

society and nature .


Approaches to Interpretation


− A journey or quest—to understand, for example, or to accomplish

something of value (a lover’s affection, etc .)

− A new experience or understanding of something that has occurred

− Relationships—between generations, genders, groups, society and nature,

natural forces, the tension between life and death, etc .

− Doubles—often opposites are paired in poetry in order to allow the poet

and reader to think about their similarities, differences, and implications

or values .

− Spiritual insights


CriteriaAnalyzeandinterpretapoem,explaininghowliteraryelements

contribute to the meaning

4 Meets the Standard

Developathesis Includes a thesis that explains how the poet uses literary elements to create meaning .

Createanorganizingstructure Organizes the essay so that the literary elements are explained and discussed logically and clearly .

Includerelevantinformation;exclude extraneous information

Information is all relevant to the task; no irrelevant details or digressions cloud the task .

Makevalidinferences The writer suggests a credible meaning for the poem and makes compelling explanations of the poet’s craft . The interpretation of the poem is based on valid inferences .

Supportjudgmentswithrelevant,well-chosendetail(inthiscasecitingspecificlines from the poems)

The writer cites lines from the poem to provide support and illustration, embeds the quotations into the writer’s sentences, and explains them .

Provideacoherentconclusion The essay comes to a logical, coherent conclusion based on ideas set forth in the thesis .

Demonstrate control of standard English

The writing is generally free of errors in spelling, grammar, and usage . The few errors that do occur do not impede the readers’ understanding .

SimplifiedLiteraryInterpretationRubric



Literary Interpretation Rubric

Lesson 17 • Interpretation: Choosing a Complex Poem 1/1C

riteriaAnalyzeand

interpreta

poem

,explaining

howliter-

ary elements co

ntribute to

the m

eaning

4

Meets the Stand

ard3

Need

sRevisio

n2

Need

s Instruction

1 N

eeds Sub

stantial Sup

po

rt

Develo

pathesis


explains ho

w the p

oet uses

literary elements to

create m

eaning .

Includes a thesis that states

the meaning

of the p

oem

. D

oes no

t include a clear

thesis abo

ut how

the po

et uses literary d

evices to

create meaning

.

Do

es not includ

e a thesis .

Createano

rganizing

structure

Org

anizes the essay so that

the literary elements are

explained

and d

iscussed

log

ically and clearly .

Org

anization o

f the essay is no

t entirely clear . The

writer m

oves from

element

to elem

ent with no

app

arent p

lan .

The essay is no

t org

anized

in a way to

make clear

either the meaning

of the

po

em o

r the literary devices

that help to

create that m

eaning .

The essay ram

bles w

ithout

any clear org

anization .

Includerelevant

inform

ation; exclud

e extraneo

us inform

ation

Inform

ation is all relevant

to the task; no

irrelevant d

etails or d

igressio

ns cloud

the task .

Mo

st of the info

rmatio

n is relevant; the w

riter may

include so

me extraneo

us info

rmatio

n .

So

me o

f the inform

ation

in the essay seems to

be

off

-top

ic; the writer has

not sho

wn the relevancy o

f info

rmatio

n .

The essay is clearly o

ff-

top

ic .

Makevalid

inferencesT

he writer sug

gests a

credib

le meaning

for

the po

em and

makes

com

pelling

explanatio

ns o

f the po

et’s craft . The

interpretatio

n of the p

oem

s is b

ased o

n valid inferences .

The w

riter do

es not fully

understand

the po

em b

eing

analyzed . Inferences m

ade

may b

e invalid .

The w

riter has not m

ade

convincing

analysis of the

po

em . Inferences m

ay b

e unclear or no

t fully exp

lained .

The w

riter has not m

ade any

inferences abo

ut the po

ems;

nor are interp

retations

given .

Supportjud

gmentsw

ithrelevant,w

ell-chosend

etail(inthiscaseciting

specifi

clines fro

m the p

oem

s)

The w

riter cites lines fro

m the p

oem

to p

rovide

supp

ort and

illustration,

emb

eds the q

uotatio

ns into

the writer’s sentences, and

exp

lains them .

The w

riter uses quo

tations

from

the po

em, b

ut do

es no

t always exp

lain them o

r em

bed

them in the text o

f the essay .

The w

riter may use

quo

tations fro

m the p

oem

, b

ut do

es not exp

lain them,

emb

ed them

in the writing

, o

r use quo

tation m

arks to

set them o

ff .

The w

riter do

es not cite the

po

ems .

Provid

eacoherent

conclusio

nT

he essay com

es to a

log

ical, coherent co

nclusion

based

on id

eas set forth in

the thesis .

The essay end

s with a

cursory sum

mary o

f what

was stated

.

The essay end

s witho

ut eff

ective closure .

There is no

conclusio

n mad

e in the w

riting .

Dem

onstrate co

ntrol o

f stand

ard E

nglish

The w

riting is g

enerally free o

f errors in sp

elling,

gram

mar, and

usage . T

he few

errors that d

o o

ccur d

o no

t imp

ede the read

ers’ und

erstanding

.

There are erro

rs in spelling

, g

ramm

ar, and usag

e, but

for the m

ost p

art, the errors

do

not im

ped

e the readers’

understand

ing . M

ore careful

editing

wo

uld elim

inate the erro

rs .

The w

riting includ

es errors

in spelling

, gram

mar, and

/or

usage that keep

the reader

from

reading

fluently .

The w

riting has freq

uent erro

rs in spelling

, gram

mar,

and usag

e .


O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman (1819–1892)

Lesson 19 • Examining an Essay with the Rubric 1/1

5

10

15

20

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,

The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead .

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;

Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,

For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,

For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

Here Captain! dear father!

The arm beneath your head!

It is some dream that on the deck,

You’ve fallen cold and dead .

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,

My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,

The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,

From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;

Exult O shores, and ring O bells!

But I with mournful tread,

Walk the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead .

Whitman, Walt . “O Captain! My Captain!”, from LEAVES OF GRASS (Philadelphia: David McKay, 1891-92) . In the public domain .


“O Captain! My Captain!” Student Interpretation


Analysis of Walt Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!”

Captain: (noun) a person who is at the head of or in authority over others; chief;

leader; a person of great power and influence .

It is by my understanding that this poem was written by Walt Whitman to portray

his feelings about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln . But I also believe that

this poem applies to any fallen leader in history . The application to great leaders

in history is reflected in the title, “O Captain! My Captain!” The title in every great

poem embodies the essence of the writer’s intentions . And this is no exception .

Whitman utilized several poetic tactics to write this poem . The most obvious

technique is his choice to write three eight-line phrases . After the fourth line,

each phrase begins to expand with an additional indentation . But even within

these phrases, a variety of methods are used . The main structure of the phrase

resembles that of a free-verse poem, in that there is no recognizable syllable

structure . But when it is read aloud, there is a powerful presence of rhythm .

As for the area of “rhyme,” the structure Whitman uses is a little more complex .

Within each line there is no rule of rhyme, but within each phrase there are

several . For the first four lines of each phrase, the last words of sequential lines

rhyme (two by two) . However, the last four lines follow a pattern of a not-rhyming

line followed by one that always ends in and –ead word . And the final rule that

connects them all is the fact that all three phrases end in saying, “fallen cold

and dead .”

As for metaphor, Whitman was successful in maintaining the established theme

of a ship returning from a victorious battle . This is shown when he says, “the ship

has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won .” A joyful occasion until, as

if in some dreaded nightmare, he turns to find his beloved Captain slain upon the

deck of the very ship he led to victory . Whitman poetically writes this horrifying

moment when he writes, “While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and

daring: But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red .”


“O Captain! My Captain!” Student Interpretation


In the second phrase of Whitman’s poem, we see his reluctance to accept the

tragic death when he asks his captain to “rise up and hear the bells .” He then

proceeds to find signs of that his Captain still exists . “Rise up—for you the flag

is flung—for you the bugle trills .” And as it slowly becomes closer to reality in

his mind, he continues to refuse to accept his Captain’s bitter end . He ends this

phrase by hoping that “it is some dream .” Perhaps he refuses due to his love that

is portrayed when he exclaims, “dear father!”

Finally the fateful truth seeps into his soul as he looks upon his Captain . He

suddenly realizes that “his lips are pale and still,” and that their “ship comes in with

object won .” And for his, he realizes that he should be grateful, so he says “Exult,

O shores, and ring, O bells!” “But I with mournful tread,” he continues, “walk

the deck my Captain lies,” showing that he still mourns his Captain’s death . This

represents how we all must move on and celebrate the victory of our freedom .

Even if our leader is . . .“Fallen cold .”


Lesson 22 • Completing the Poetry Portfolio 1/1

Portfolio Project RubricC

riteria4

Meets

Standard

s

3Need

sRevisio

n

2 N

eeds

Instruction

1N

eeds

Substantive

Supp

ort

Includes all req

uired

parts: Intro

ductio

n, tab

le of co

ntents, co

llection o

f 10

po

ems, resp

onses

to 10

-15 po

ems, 1

detailed

respo

nse to

a po

em, 2-p

oem

s essay, analysis essay

Includes all req

uired

parts o

f the Po

rtfolio

P

roject .

Includes all p

arts of

the Po

rtfolio

Pro

ject, tho

ugh so

me o

f the p

arts may no

t be

com

plete .

So

me o

f the required

p

ieces of the p

ortfo

lio

are incom

plete o

r m

issing .

Is missing

several p

arts of the req

uired

pieces o

f the po

rtfolio

.

Literary analysis of

the po

ems:

•Interpret

signifi

cantworks

of p

oetry

•Dem

onstrate

knowled

geo

fm

etrics, rhyme

scheme, rhythm

, alliteratio

n and

otherco

nventions

of p

oetry

•Identifyand

exp

lain the themes

found

in a single

literarywork

Insightfully resp

ond

s to

po

etry, using

languag

e of literary

analysis .

Makes a reaso

nable

interpretatio

n of a

signifi

cant po

em .

Dem

onstrates

know

ledg

e of the

conventio

ns of p

oetry .

Identifi

es themes in

several wo

rks .

Resp

ond

s to p

oetry

using lang

uage o

f literary analysis .

Makes an interp

retation

of a p

oem

.

Dem

onstrates

know

ledg

e of the

conventio

ns of p

oetry .

Identifi

es themes o

f p

oem

s .

Resp

ond

s to the

po

etry almo

st entirely w

ith perso

nal co

nnections and

little use o

f the languag

e of

literary analysis .

Makes an interp

retation

of a p

oem

.

Dem

onstrates little

know

ledg

e of the

conventio

ns of p

oetry .

May id

entify a theme

of a p

oem

.

Fails to

respo

nd

to p

oem

s with the

languag

e of literary

analysis .

May p

araphrase o

r restate the p

oem

in o

nly a literal retelling .

Too

little is written

in ord

er to satisfy

the requirem

ents of

interpretatio

n . D

oes no

t dem

onstrate

any know

ledg

e of the

conventio

ns of p

oetry .

Do

es not id

entify them

es of any o

f the w

orks .

Creates p

redictab

le structures thro

ugh

the use of head

ings,

table o

f contents,

whitesp

ace,grap

hics,etc.

Presents a neat,

po

rtfolio

: assignm

ents and

po

ems w

ith a tab

le of co

ntents id

entifying the

locatio

n of all p

arts .

Presents a p

ortfo

lio

of assig

nments and

p

oem

s with a tab

le of

contents .

Pieces o

f the po

rtfolio

are co

llected, b

ut not

in any particular o

rder .

Po

rtfolio

is turned

in, but is inco

mp

lete, m

essy, and

unorg

anized .


DirectionsRead the following poem carefully . As you read, note your initial responses, questions, and insights . Then, use these notes to write a well-organized essay . Explain how elements of the poem, such as structure, diction, repetition, and imagery, reveal the speaker’s response to the father’s actions .

MyPapa’sWaltz by Theodore Roethke (1908-1963) The whiskey on your breathCould make a small boy dizzy;But I hung on like death:Such waltzing was not easy .

We romped until the pansSlid from the kitchen shelf;My mother’s countenanceCould not unfrown itself .

The hand that held my wristWas battered on one knuckle;At every step you missedMy right ear scraped a buckle .

You beat time on my headWith a palm caked hard by dirt,Then waltzed me off to bed

Still clinging to your shirt .

Writing a Response to Poetry Essay

Post-Assessment 1/1

“My Papa’s Waltz,” copyright 1942 by Hearst Magazine, Inc ., from COLLECTED POEMS OF THEODORE ROETHKE . Used by permission of Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc .


Post-Assessment 1/1

Scoring Guide

Response to Poetry Essay

Student’s Name: Student ID:

Read each of the statements below, and circle the number on the scale that most accurately reflects your assessment of the paper .

4 = strong 3 = moderately strong 2 = somewhat weak 1 = weak

1 . The student’s informal notes indicate initial responses to the poem’s lines language, and ideas . 4 3 2 1

2 . The poem and author are clearly introduced at the beginning of the essay . 4 3 2 1

3 . The essay analyzes the poem, focusing on how its elements reveal the poet’s message .

4 3 2 1

4 . The analysis is well organized for the audience and purpose . 4 3 2 1

5 . The analysis has a clear, logical flow of ideas . 4 3 2 1

6 . The essay includes relevant reference to the poem’s figurative language, sound texture, and/or form .

4 3 2 1

7 . The analysis is supported with relevant lines and/or embedded quotations .

4 3 2 1

8 . References to the text are cited or quoted using correct punctuation . 4 3 2 1

9 . The student provides a coherent conclusion . 4 3 2 1

10 . The surface features (spelling, punctuation, and grammar) are reasonably accurate .

4 3 2 1

Additional comments:


The Writer’s Notebook is central to this study . It an an important tool, or artifact, for the work that students will do . You will use keep and use your own notebook to model writing strategies throughout the study . In this notebook, students will:

• Writetheirinitialresponsestopoemsandtheirideasforpaper

• KeepreadingresponselogsinpreparationfortheirPoetryPortfolios

• Writesummariesofgroupdiscussionsaboutideas

• Writelinesofpoetrythattheylikeandlinestheycompose

• Writedefinitionsofwordstheyneedtoknowinordertowriteeducatedresponses to the poems they read

In short, the Writer’s Notebook will become students’ own textbooks for this genre study . To effectively serve this purpose, the Writer’s Notebook needs to be a book that students create themselves .

The following instructions and illustrations will help you and your students set up your Writer’s Notebooks . We recommend that use use a bound notebook such as a composition book or a spiral notebook . You can guide students through these steps:

• Atthetopoftheveryfirstpage,writethetitleTableofContents .

• Totheleftofthetitle,writeDate .

• Totherightofthetitle,writePage Number .

• Onthefirstlinebelowthetitle,listthesectionsandcorrespondingpagenumbers of the notebook as shown: Writing Explorations, Sentence Explorations, and Language Glossary .

• Drawalineunderthelastlistedsection(theglossary),andplaceaRomannumeral “I” (lower case) in the lower-right corner .

Setting Up the Writer’s Notebook

The Writer’s Notebook •1/4

purpose

instructions




Date Table of Contents Page #I. Writing Explorations 1II. Sentence Explorations #III. Glossary #

i

20 pages from the end

Last page of the notebook

• Continuenumberingpages, front and back, using Roman numerals . Stop with page “vi .” Numbers for the back of pages can be placed in the lower-left corner as shown .

iiiii




• Concludewithpage “vi .”

• Ontheseventhpage, create a title page for Writing Explorations, and place a number “1” in the lower-right corner as shown .

• Continuenumberingpages, front and back . About 20 pages from the end of the notebook, create another section titled Sentence Explorations .

1vi

I. Writing

Explorations

##

II. Sentence

Explorations




• Ontheverylastpage of the notebook, create a section titled Language Glossary . Students can work backwardsintheirnotebooks to record genre- specific vocabulary, definitions, usage terms, etc .

• Youmaywanttoprovidesticky-note“tabs”forstudentstousetoseparatethesections.

III. Language Glossary

#


“Ode to My Socks” “Happiness”

Form: Long, free verse


Metaphors: “my feet were two fish, two

long sharks, two immense blackbirds, two

immense cannons”

Similes: “two socks as soft as rabbits”

“my feet seemed to me unacceptable like

two decrepit firemen”

Moral (included): “beauty is twice beauty

and what is good is doubly good when

it is a matter of two socks made of wool

in winter”


Repetition: None

Form: Free verse


Metaphors: Happiness is having

the right rain gear to play outside

Similes: None

Moral (implied): Same as metaphor above


Repetition: “great big”

Poetry Comparison Chart



SampleEssayScaffold

Lesson 12 • Writing an Initial Draft: Comparison 1/1

Write about the first poem, a feature at a time . Possible sentence frames: This is a poem about ___________ .One important feature of this poem is ___________ . Another feature is ___________ .

Write about the second poem, one feature at a time, in the same order as you wrote about the first . Possible sentence frames:The two poems share some important similarities (or differences) . One difference in the two poems is ___________ .Poem one has/does ___________ ; however, poem two has/does ___________ .

BODY PARAGRAPHS

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

Briefly summarize

the poems’ similarities and differences .

Come to a conclusion . Answer the question, “So what?”

Possible sentence frame:Placing both of these poems next to each other will help readers

see/ understand ___________ .

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

Start with the general topic . Name the two poems, their authors’ names, and give a general statement about their meanings

and that they should be paired .

Get to your thesis: Why should they be paired? Name two or three features the poems

have in common and two or three features which differ .


SampleEssayScaffold

Lesson 18 • Writing an Initial Draft: Analysis 1/1

SampleEssayScaffold

Write about the poem, one section at a time . Possible sentence frames This meaning is first revealed in the line, “___________ .” In this line, the poet says ___________ . The pattern first appears when the poet writes, “___________, “ noting that ___________ .This theme appears early in the poem, when the poet states, “___________ .”

Continue through the poem, noting specific lines that support your interpretation and explaining their connection to the meaning that you have identified .

BODY PARAGRAPHS

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

Briefly summarize the

meaning/pattern/theme

of the poem . Come to a conclusion .

Answer the question, “So what?”

Possible sentence frame:

In the poem, “___________,” ___________ (the writer)

reveals ___________ .

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

Start with the general topic . Name the poem, its author’s name,

and give a general statement about its meaning .

Get to your thesis: What does this poem

mean? Explain the meaning briefly .

response to - niagara falls city school districtnotes1.nfschools.net/empforms.nsf... · contents i...

Documents