Activities
Structural Elements of a Poem
Students will identify the structural elements of a poetry including repetition, rhyme, rhythm, and verse. In this unit, students will be immersed to different kinds of poems. When the students begin the activity on patriotic poems, they will be exposed to poems that have multiple verses. Most people just learn one verse of an entire patriotic poem and my students will learn the entire poem. Students know that the "National Anthem" is one verse taken from "Star Spangle Banner." The poem by Frances Scott Key, "America the Beautiful," and "Stars and Stripes Forever" contains four verses in each poem. "This Land is Your Land" has seven verses. Download the complete verses from www.usa-flag-site.org to show students the other verses of the poems.
Rhymes and rhythm are important elements of a poem. Before beginning the next lesson, brainstorm with students about what grandmother means to them. Guide students to discuss weaving a rug and people who weave rugs. The Goat in the Rug by Nancy Winslow Parker and the poem Wisdom Weaver by Jann A. Johnson helps students understand the process and procedures of rug weaving. Then discuss the poetic patterns and rhythm of the poem. The main emphasis will be on how Navajos use sheep to sustain life, especially using the wool for rug weaving. Nursery Rhymes that mention sheep like Baa Baa Black Sheep, Little Boy Blue, and Mary Had a Little Lamb rhymes and repetition are addition poem resources students will use. Reading the nursery rhymes to identify the rhymes and repetition in the poem and how it creates a rhythm helps students to use modalities. Students will recite a Nursery Rhyme of their choice, with fluency and with rhythm.
Delivery of a Patriotic Poem
The objective of the activity is for students to recite and present a poem using appropriate rhythm, rate, phrasing and expression. I will introduce patriotism by reading the poem That American Flag by Luci Tapahonso. I will lead the students in a discussion about the meaning of the poem. I want students to realize that the poem is about the trials and tribulation of the Navajo people. To the Navajos, the American Flag represents endurance and survival of their ancestors during The Long Walk, a poignant time in Navajo History. Today the Navajo people demonstration patriotism by opening cultural events and celebrations with a flag ceremony.
I will facilitate a discussion with the students about an opening flag ceremony that they have witnessed during a cultural event. I will ask students about songs, poems and chants they heard as part of the opening ceremony. Then I will lead the students to discuss and interpret the meaning of "The Pledge of Allegiance" and "The National Anthem." Students will learn these poems represent freedom and patriotism for all people.
Reciting the "Pledge of Allegiance" and "The National Anthem" requires a special rhythm, rate, and phrasing. Students will use a YouTube video to view a performance of the "National Anthem" and use it as guidance to deliver the poem with appropriate rhythm, rate, and phrasing. The two poems are recited daily to practice oral reading fluency as a whole class until they are able to perform them without the aid of the video. Students are divided into four groups and each group will select another patriotic poem such as "America the Beautiful," "God Bless America," "This Land is Your Land," or "Stars and Stripes Forever." Again, the students will practice in small groups with the aid of a YouTube video to practice rhythm, rate, and phrasing. The students will perform the patriotic poem at the end of the unit.
Write a Simple Poem
In this activity, the objective is for students to write a simple poem using rhythm, and rhyme. A PowerPoint with pictures from Shiprock Fair includes images of the parade, Navajo social song and dance, Pow-wow, Indian Market, carnival, and rodeo and will be used so students are able to produce a simple poem. I will guide students to develop language skills by using a Sentence Patterning Chart (SPC). With guidance, the students will discuss the pictures and complete the SPC by describing the picture with adjectives, verbs, adverbs, nouns, and prepositional phrase. Students will identify the nouns, and actions of the people in the story. Using the SPC, the students will create an oral chant to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell. The chant will allow the students to practice sentence rhythm. Once they establish the rhythm of sentence fluency and sentence structure, I will introduce "Here, There" poetry frame. The students will create a poem using "Here, There" poetry frame.
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