Teaching Strategies
Close Reading and Annotation
One strategy to use through the unit is close reading and annotation. When students read poems during this unit, they will always be required to annotate their poems. First each poem should be read multiple times. At the beginning of the unit, not only will they be given a list of figurative language, but I will model how to annotate a poem. We will do this together as a class using either a SmartBoard or Document camera. I will usually show my students my annotated copy of a poem scribbled over with many, many markings and I will tell them that I want their poem to bleed with annotations. One strategy I like to use is having their first reading strictly to focus on vocabulary they don’t understand, looking up definitions and finding words and images that stand out to them. For the second reading, I will have students identify types of figurative language and literary techniques, to be labeled on their poem. The third time they read through, I want students to start to piece together meaning, paying particular attention to patterns that they notice. They can ask themselves: What does this metaphor mean? What sort of tone do these words and images convey? I remind students not to be fearful of wrong interpretations, but to write down ideas or words that might suggest the meaning they are arriving at.
Debate Circles
Another strategy to be used is structured argument in the form of debate circles. First, have students make a T-chart of pros and cons of the given argument. Students sit in groups of 5 and they number off 1-5. Then, the teacher would assign number 5 as the judge and 1-4 as the debaters. Student 1 gets to pick which side he or she will be arguing. Next, the teacher will give students one minute to prepare for their argument, and then one minute to argue. Apply to each round. Student 1 must use textual evidence to support their argument. Student 2 will automatically argue the opposite side, even if they don’t agree with the side they are representing. Student 3 will reinforce Student 1’s argument providing textual evidence. Subsequently, Student 4 will argue the other side. The judge takes notes on the arguments and decides which side wins. At the end of the 4th round, the judge indicates to the class which side wins and explains why.
Small Group Poetry Jigsaw
Small Group Poetry Jigsaw will be used quite a bit to accommodate the considerable amount of poetry the unit proposes. For example, in small groups, students will receive a poem and they will become experts on that particular poem by identifying figurative language, tone, and theme, using TPCASTT or careful annotation. Once students understand their poems, they then jigsaw into groups where they become the expert about their poem, and also listen and take notes about the other poems presented by other members in their jigsaw group.
Creative Writing
Creative Writing will be essential to this unit. As students study author’s craft, I want them to use their creativity and imagination to play with language and to let their unique voice sing. Students, using the literary devices studied, will create an original poem that either celebrates or criticizes some aspect of America.
Imitation Writing
When asked about how he learned to write poetry in Allen Verbatim, Allen Ginsberg says, “Where do poets learn? Not in workshops like this; they learn from poets they’ve admired, trying to be like them.”30 With this in mind, I want my students to stylistically imitate the poets we read through use of similar syntax and literary devices. Through this imitation, students will get a better command of language and better understanding of figurative language.
Digital Media Project Based Learning
Digital Media Project Based Learning is what I will use for my culminating activity. Students will use digital media to create a representation of the poem that they will be writing at the end of this unit. Adrienne Rich writes, “What kind of dialogue can exist between poets who are citizens of the United States and their countrypeople? What points of focus or connection exist? What could precipitate such a dialogue? The answers...are: Poetry needs to be better taught in the schools. There should be excellent, ‘exciting’ programs about poetry on television, radio. There should be poetry videos, like music videos, to bring poems to a mass audience.”31 Using digital media, the students’ own passion and focus of interest, and Rich’s insistence on making poetry more exciting by creating poetry videos, the resulting project will combine students’ fine-tuned analysis and writing skills with a visual product to be shared with other people.
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