Classroom Activity III
Poetic Expressions in Symphonic Sensations
Goals: Students will read or recite poems in unison or individually for speech improvement in pitch, tone, volume, rate, diction, enunciation, and clear interpretation of selections. Students will understand theme, alliteration, assonance, etc. Student will practice and become familiar with writing poetry in different forms. Students will improve their reading, spelling, vocabulary, and grammar skills. Students will become more confident in group interactions and in their ability to write poetry. Student will become familiar with the origin, rules, judging, and techniques of a poetry slam. Students will learn and understand the difference between a individually performed/written poem and a group performance or writing.
Objectives: This lesson is designed for students in high school and can be adapted to serve students in learning support environments. PA State Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening 1.1.11. C; 1.1.11.H; 1.3.11.C; 1.3.11.D; 1.3.11.E; 1.3.11.F; 1.6.11.A; 1.6.11.B; 1.6.11.C; 1.6.11.D; 1.6.11.E; 1.6.11.F; 1.7.11.A; 1.7.11.C. PA Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities 9.2.12.A; 9.2.12.B; 9.2.12.C; 9.2.12.F; 9.12.K; 9.3.12.A.
Materials: 3x5 cards, LCD Projector, Interactive Whiteboard; audio speakers, Internet access, computer, microphone, iPod, or other recording and/or video devices, photocopies of all text to be memorized.
Procedure: Day One: Group students in sets of four or five from the way in which they enter the classroom on this day. Give one person in each group a 3x5 card that gives them a theme (all themes distributed will overlap) and a letter to write the poem using alliteration or assonance (i.e. a sound using the letter "S" or a memory using the letter "L" or a city using the letter "D"). Tell the class that each student in the group is required to write at least one line of verse to contribute to the poem or have the instructions posted on the board. The line must use the beginning letter and they can check with a group partner for end words to create rhyme schemes. Next students will share their lines with their group members and begin to arrange the lines to create a performance piece. Students will be instructed to consider, tone, pitch, spelling, rhythm, silent spaces, and meaning. They have to record the group's written work at the end of the class to take home.
Day Two: Groups will sit together again upon entering classroom. On the board have written the instructions for the day, review revisions made by group members discuss what works and doesn't work. Decide how to perform the piece - who will say what line, word or phrase, how pitch will be used, male/female statements, how feelings will be expressed. Explain your choices to each other. Disagree agreeably and if not call the teacher to assist the group. The poetic piece should be completed in 15 minutes. At the end of the 15 minutes, ask groups to share orally their work.
Assignment(s): Day 1 - Revisit and revise written work of the day. Considering line length, rhyme patterns, use of the letter assigned to group and meaning corresponding to the theme. Students are to check spelling again and find spaces in the writing for a performance pause.
Follow-up activity: The groups whose poetic presentations are better and best will be showcased at local Slam poetry venues, local poetry cafes, and recorded for school district podcasts archives. To determine poetry group rankings, design a rubric to assess the levels. Further use of the student work can be uploaded onto the school's website or in a blogging website for viewing. Student may also want to draw attention to their work on YouTube.
Assessments: Perfect performances completed without reading will determine proficiency in grading. Use a poetry check sheet (to mark any words said incorrectly or out of order), a judging panel made up of 3 classmates of other poetry groups. Assign each person on the judges' panel a specific detail to watch/listen for of all participants in the poems performance: voice and articulation; physical presence; ease in transition and flow; accuracy. Design a rubric to meet the needs of the class.
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