COURSE PLAN FAVORITE POEMS, OLD AND NEW

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1 COURSE PLAN FAVORITE POEMS, OLD AND NEW COURSE PLAN METHODOLOGY: selected by Helen Ferris is represented by the abbreviation. Each weekly assignment is summarized in the first lines of the week s daily course plan. The specific daily assignments are outlined in the following lines indicated by the 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 abbreviations. The study questions, chapter vocabulary and glossary are located in the Literature Study Question booklets available for purchase from. Answers should be given in complete written or oral sentences. We suggest reading the weekly written assignment to the student at the beginning of the week. The student should write the assignment down on a note card (to be used as a bookmark) so that he can think about the assignment as he reads. The written assignments are suggested to be started on Thursday after the reading is done and completed by the following Monday. As the teacher, be sure to review the exam now to ensure all concepts are covered with your student as he reads the book. The exam for this book is an open-book exam, with some exceptions. It might be helpful to make copies of the poems so as your student reads and writes on their poems, you still have a clean copy of each poem for the exam. is a collection of poems from different authors and different eras. The first week of poems focuses on the question of Who am I?, the second week focuses on How do I fit in my family?, and the third question on How do I fit in the world? Many of the poems, especially in the latter half of the unit, incorporate the glory of God into their themes. How to Read a Poem Reading a poem is much different than reading a novel or short story. In a poem, the author is not always wanting you to follow a storyline or plot. Instead, they are showing just a snapshot of life to the reader. Often, poets will use pictures in order to convey that snapshot. However, instead of using real pictures out of a camera or drawn with a pencil, they use words to paint pictures in the minds of their readers. Because of this difference, readers must approach poems differently. Here is a general guide for how to approach a poem: 1) One of the most important things you can do is grab a writing utensil! A pen or pencil in your hand while you read will allow you to mark on the poem. This will help add to your understanding. 2) First, read through the poem one time without trying to figure anything out. Enjoy the words and allow yourself to just hear the poem in the same way you would when you listen to a new song for the first time. 3) Go back through the poem and look for words that might be unfamiliar to you. Write their meanings in the margins. 4) Go back through the poem again and circle, underline, or highlight words that are repeated, seem important, or are particularly vivid. By noting these words, you re paying attention to the details of the picture the author is trying to share with you. 1

2 COURSE PLAN 5) At the bottom of the poem, write what you think this poem is about. Try, as much as you can, to get past one-word responses. Instead of children, write down what aspect of the child the author is trying to convey. Relationships between children will be more helpful to you later than children. 6) Read through the poem again and use your writing utensil to indicate parts of the poem that use similes or metaphors or that seem particularly descriptive. In doing this, you re picking out the smaller pictures the author is using to paint the larger picture. 7) Draw what you see. Use the margins or a spare sheet of paper for you to draw out the images you see in the poem. By doing this, you are translating the words into the pictures the author wants you to understand. 8) Look at what you think the poem is about and refine it. Be more specific. Is there a change in the subject? What does the author hope you see in this poem? Write a whole sentence here it may help you. An important point: Poems are meant to be read aloud and it s very helpful to read them more than once. The more you do this, the better your understanding of the poem will be. Terms to Know: - Rhyme: the repetition of similar sounding words (especially the last vowel and consonant sounds) at the end of lines in poetry - Alliteration: when two or more words have the same consonant sound at the beginning of the words and occur close together (either in the same line or in subsequent lines) - Repetition/Refrain: when a word or phrase is repeated throughout a poem or sections of a poem in order to produce an effect - Simile: a figure of speech that compares two or more unlike things using the words like or as - Metaphor: a figure of speech that compares two or more unlike things without using the words like or as - Personification: giving human qualities to non-human things. 2

3 COURSE PLAN WEEK 1 Book Weekly Breakdown Goals and Notes for the Week (From Myself and I): Me, Halfway Down, The Invisible Playmate, Have the student look up all the vocabulary words for these poems in the glossary prior to reading. You may want to have the student write each one in a sentence. Study questions may be Wishing, A Little Song of completed as the student reads or at the end of the week when Life, Primer Lesson, A reading has been completed. Child s Thought of God, My Gift. Notes Student Daily Assignments Parent Daily Guidelines 1 2 Me, Halfway Down The Invisible Playmate, Wishing Have the student read Me and Halfway Down and answer Study Questions. Me. There are many poetical things going on in this poem! While there is some end-rhyme (the rhyme at the end of the line), there is no set rhyme pattern. The speaker compares themselves to several trees and flowers using similes. The overall idea is that while each of those trees and flowers belongs to a group, they are all different and individual in their own way. Halfway Down. A.A. Milne very much enjoyed writing poetry where the placement of the words on the page is important to understanding the poem. The short lines are meant to mimic the rhythm of a child skipping on the stairs. In addition, Milne separates the ideas about the stairs into separate lines to help draw your attention to them (for example, the lines about the stair not being at the bottom and lines about it not being at the top are on separate lines). There is some end-rhyme, but no set pattern. Your student will probably be able to relate to Milne s story about the stair and a place that is important to them, but may not be significant to anyone else. Have the student read The Invisible Playmate and Wishing and answer Study Questions. The Invisible Playmate. There is a set rhyming pattern for this poem (ABAB) and the author sticks closely to it. The poem focuses on a speaker who has an imaginary friend; the speaker describes her friend, Fanny, and wonders why other people don t seem to see or care about her. Wishing. The speaker in this poem wants to be something else 3

4 COURSE PLAN A Little Song of Life, Primer Lesson A Child s Thought of God, My Gift a flower, tree, or bird. But, at the end of the poem, they realize, through the kiss of their mother, that home is where they belong. While there is good rhythm in this poem, there isn t a set rhyme scheme. Unlike some of the poems we ve read before, there are no similes in this poem. Since the speaker wants to be these things instead of being like these things, there is no simile. Have the student read A Little Song of Life and Primer Lesson and answer Study Questions. A Little Song of Life. There is a set rhyme scheme to this poem. (ABCB). The main message of this poem is the celebration of life and appreciation for even the smaller things. In addition, the last two lines, is to see that we grow / nearer the sky, emphasize the idea of our work and time on Earth being devoted to what will ultimately lead us to heaven. We can be glad for the things that are here (the blue sky, etc.), but ultimately, we are working for heaven. Primer Lesson. This poem almost sounds like a cautionary tale to children. There are good examples of personification where the words are given human qualities ( they wear long boots ). There is no set rhyme or meter, so it s an example of free verse. The moral of the poem is that we should be aware of how we use proud words because we can t always take them back. Choose your words carefully. Have the student read A Child s Thought of God and My Gift and answer Study Questions. A Child s Thought of God. The central idea of this poem is how a child might perceive God. It can be difficult to connect with something that cannot be seen. Instead, the child realizes that the love of God shows through everywhere. My Gift. While this is a relatively short poem, it s packed with meaning and imagery. The speaker is thinking of who they are and what they can do for God. The images of the shepherd and the wise man are reference to the Christmas story. Finally, at the end of the poem, the speaker realizes that all God needs from us is our love. There is a set rhyme scheme to this poem (ABCB). Have the student complete the written assignment, due Monday. : Re-read the poem A Child s Thought of God. Even though the child in the poem cannot see God physically, they connect with Him through the sight and sound of every place. In one well-written paragraph, describe a place where you feel or have felt connected to God. Be as descriptive as you can! 4

5 COURSE PLAN Glossary Sentences Study Questions Other: Assignments Week 1 Grade Book Include (A) Points Earned (B) Possible Points A/B x100 =% (C) Week 1 Average Add up column C & divide by number of included assignments = % 5

6 COURSE PLAN Notes WEEK 2 Book Weekly Breakdown Goals and Notes for the Week (From My Family and I): Song for a Little House, We Thank Thee, Her Have the student look up all the vocabulary words for Song for a Little House, We Thank Thee, Her Words, Father, Sisters, The Quarrel, The Children s Hour, Prayer for this Words, Father, House in the glossary prior to reading. You may want to have Sisters, The Quarrel, the student write each one in a sentence. Study questions may be The Children s Hour, Prayer for this House. completed as the student reads or at the end of the week when reading has been completed. Student Daily Assignments Parent Daily Guidelines 1 2 Song for a Little House, We Thank Thee Her Words, Father Have the student read Song for a Little House and We Thank Thee and answer Study Questions. Song for a Little House. The little house that is described in this poem seems to be perfect. The speaker describes it as being the right shape, having the right attitude, and having a good relationship with the yard outside. There is personification in the way the speaker refers to the feelings of the house and the way it interacts with the trees and the rain. There is a set rhyme scheme (ABCB). We Thank Thee. The form of this poem sounds more like a prayer than it does a poem. The speaker is thanking God for all of the different things in their life people and parts of nature, specifically. There is a set rhyme scheme to this poem (AABBC). This would also be a good time to talk to your student about the idea of a refrain: a line or word in a poem that is repeated in order to produce a specific effect. In this case, the effect is to show God thanks. Have the student read Her Words and Father and answer Study Questions. Her Words. At first read, the beginning of the poem sounds like the speaker simply enjoys hearing their mother tell stories. It isn t until the second half of the poem that we realize the stories she was telling were Bible stories. We can see this with the awe the speaker has toward all of God s creation and how lucky they call themselves to have learned these things from their mother. There is a set rhyme scheme for this poem (ABCB). In the beautiful description provided by the speaker, we are able to see many similes and metaphors throughout the poem. Father. This poem is in a bit of a contrast 6

7 COURSE PLAN Sisters, The Quarrel The Children s Hour, Prayer for this House to the previous one about the mother. Where the last poem shows the softness and faithfulness of the mother, the father in this poem is a little harder and mostly what is described is his appearance and his intelligence. There is a set rhyme scheme to this poem (ABCB). Have the student read Sisters and The Quarrel and answer Study Questions. Sisters. Students who have younger siblings should be able to relate to this poem! It seems clear that there is a younger sister desperately wanting the attention of an older sister. The younger sister s words are in the plain type, while the older sister s words are in italics. There is rhyme in this poem, but there is no set pattern. The Quarrel. If students have siblings, this poem may ring true as well! Even if your student doesn t have siblings, they may understand what it s like to fight with someone in their relationships with cousins or friends. This poem has a set rhyme scheme (ABAB). There are not many poetic devices in this poem, but the image of the afternoon turning black in the second stanza very much contributes to the intense and upset feeling of the poem. Have the student read The Children s Hour and Prayer for this House and answer Study Questions. The Children s Hour. This poem is really lovely in the way it shows a father s love for his children. Your student might not be able to relate to it from the perspective of the father, but they may be able to see themselves in the little children coming to surprise their father. There is a set rhyme scheme for this poem (ABCB). There is an extended metaphor in this poem (a metaphor that last for most or all of a poem) with the father comparing himself and his room to a castle and his children to his attackers. At the end of the poem, the metaphor is complete when he talks of keeping the children dungeon of his heart showing the reader that the love for his children will last. Prayer for this House. This poem is a prayer for the home of the speaker. The main theme is that peace and love will stay in the house and won t be affected by the hate and storm outside. There are many examples of personification throughout the poem. In addition, the importance of faith to strengthen a house and family are emphasized. There is a set rhyme scheme to this poem (ABAB). Have the student complete the written assignment, due Monday. : Think of some things that you are grateful to God for. After re-reading We Thank Thee, try and write a stanza of your own in the same way as the author. Keep a rhyming pattern, use the same number of lines, and keep the refrain at the end. 7

8 COURSE PLAN Glossary Sentences Study Questions Other: Assignments Week 2 Grade Book Include (A) Points Earned (B) Possible Points A/B x100 =% (C) Week 2 Average Add up column C & divide by number of included assignments = % 8

9 COURSE PLAN Notes WEEK 3 Book Weekly Breakdown Goals and Notes for the Week (From From All the World to Me): We Who Were Born, The Tree, The Good Joan, The Giraffe, To the Sun From a Flower, Adoration of the Disk, Vocation, Thought of a Little Girl. Have the student look up all the vocabulary words for We Who Were Born, The Tree, The Good Joan, The Giraffe, To the Sun From a Flower, Adoration of the Disk, Vocation, Thought of a Little Girl in the glossary prior to reading. You may want to have the student write each one in a sentence. Study questions may be completed as the student reads or at the end of the week when reading has been completed. Student Daily Assignments Parent Daily Guidelines 1 2 We Who Were Born, The Tree The Good Joan, The Giraffe Have the student read We Who Were Born and The Tree and answer Study Questions. We Who Were Born. The poems in this section focus mostly on one s place in the world. This poem is from Wales and you can see the fierce pride people from this country have for their land. In particular, they think that people from the city have no idea what it s like to be from the country and what it means to live there. Your student could relate to this by thinking of the things they know about where they live that visitors may not know or appreciate. This poem has a set rhyme scheme (ABCBDEFE). The Tree. At first, it may seem as though this poem is only about a tree bearing fruit. But, it s really about giving of oneself to another. We don t see it, but the tree seems to have known from the beginning that its purpose was to give the fruit to the little girl. It denies the other two requests to take the leaf buds and the blossoms because if those things were gone, the tree would not be able to bear fruit. There is a set rhyme scheme to this poem (AABBA). There are many examples of personification with parts of nature being able to speak to one another and to the little girl. Have the student read The Good Joan and The Giraffe and answer Study Questions. The Good Joan. This poem is about Joan of Arc and her journey to save her country. There is a refrain in this poem and there is a set rhyme scheme (AABB). Joan of Arc is a symbol of hope in this poem, so discussing how a person or object can represent an abstract thought would be 9

10 COURSE PLAN To the Sun from a Flower, Adoration of the Disk Vocation, Thought of a Little Girl an important point while reading this poem. In addition, there are some beautiful images about the French countryside that you could focus on. It might be helpful to find a map of France and see where all of the places in the poem are. The Giraffe. This poem is written in free verse because it does not have a set rhythm or rhyme scheme. The description of the giraffe is very specific and the author uses some very exact words to portray what is in their mind. In addition, the speaker uses both similes and metaphors in their description. Have the student read To the Sun from a Flower and Adoration of the Disk and answer Study Questions. To the Sun from a Flower. The relationship between the flower and the sun in this poem is similar to our relationship to God, with us being the flower and God being the son. In particular, the way the flower sees itself as small and looks up to the sun reminds us of the way we look to God in His glory. There is a set rhyme scheme for this poem (ABCB). Adoration of the Disk. This poem is similar to To the Sun from a Flower because it is about animals and their worship of the sun, which is a symbol for God. The speaker focuses on many different kinds of animals and points out all of the ways in which each animal praises God differently. There is no set rhyme for this poem. Have the student read Vocation and Thought of a Little Girl and answer Study Questions. Vocation. The speaker in this poem is thinking about the benefits of having a vocation and being an adult. The child sees how all of the men doing the jobs he describes don t have to answer to anyone or be anywhere at any particular time like he does. What he doesn t realize, though, is that adults have their own responsibilities too. The poet is very descriptive and uses some similes to translate their vision to the reader. There is no set rhyme scheme for this poem. Thought of a Little Girl. The little girl, who is the speaker in this poem, gives a lively description of the nature she sees. The poet uses very specific descriptions and personification in order to show the liveliness of the wind and flowers. There is alliteration in this poem that works well with the examples of personification it is paired with in the first stanza. Your student can appreciate this poem through comparing it to an experience they have had in nature particularly in the wind. There is no set rhyme scheme for this poem. Have the student complete the written assignment, due Monday. : Compare the two poems, To the Sun from a Flower and Adoration of the Disk. In what ways are these poems similar and in what ways are they different? You should 10

11 COURSE PLAN Glossary Sentences Study Questions Other: Assignments write two paragraphs in the first paragraph, discuss how they are similar and in the second paragraph, discuss how they are different. Week 3 Grade Book Include (A) Points Earned (B) Possible Points A/B x100 =% (C) Week 3 Average Add up column C & divide by number of included assignments = % 11

12 COURSE PLAN WEEK 4 Book Weekly Breakdown Goals and Notes for the Week Notes Review Exam Written assignment: Congratulations! You have finished reading Favorite Poems Old and New. Student Daily Assignments Parent Daily Guidelines Study for the Exam. Review all your Study Questions, the starred vocabulary, the geographical locations, and the characters 1 2 Written Assignment Review Exam Exam. Exam Other: Other: Week 4 Grade Book Assignments Include (A) Points Earned (B) Possible Points A/B x100 =% (C) Week 4 Average Add up column C & divide by number of included assignments = % 12

13 ASSIGNMENT ANSWER KEY WEEK 1 : Re-read the poem A Child s Thought of God. Even though the child in the poem cannot see God physically, they connect with Him through the sight and sound of every place. In one well-written paragraph, describe a place where you feel or have felt connected to God. Be as descriptive as you can! Students will have different, personal responses to this question. WEEK 2 : Think of some things that you are grateful to God for. After re-reading We Thank Thee, try and write a stanza of your own in the same way as the author. Keep a rhyming pattern, use the same number of lines, and keep the refrain at the end. Answers here will vary, but check to make sure the student has followed the requirements listed in the prompt. WEEK 3 : Compare the two poems, To the Sun from a Flower and Adoration of the Disk. In what ways are these poems similar and in what ways are they different? You should write two paragraphs in the first paragraph, discuss how they are similar and in the second paragraph, discuss how they are different. The two poems, To the Sun from a Flower and Adoration of the Disk, are similar in many ways. The first way they are similar is the way both of them use the sun as a symbol for God. The second way they are similar is the way each poem has parts of nature worshipping the sun/god. Finally, each of the messages of the poems are the same. Both poems want us to see the importance of revering God. However, the poems are also different. In the first poem, the only part of nature worshipping the sun is a flower, whereas in the second poem there are many different kinds of animals the poet uses in their example of nature worshipping God. Finally, in the first poem the flower is talking to the sun and telling it how much it admires the sun. In the second poem, the animals are just going about their lives; they aren t actually talking to the sun/god like the flower is in the first poem. 13

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15 EXAM For this exam, you may refer to your poetry book. You may NOT refer to your notes and if your book has markings in it, please use a clean copy of all the poems. Grade: /64 Part I. Terms. Please define each of the following terms and provide one example from the text. Please include the title from which they came. (2 points each) 1. Rhyme 2. Alliteration 3. Repetition 4. Simile 5. Metaphor 6. Personification Part II. Short Answer. Please answer the following questions in complete sentences. You may refer to the poems to answer the questions. (2 points each) 1. In the poem, Prayer for this House, the poet wants the reader to feel safe in the house. What words does the poet use to show the idea of safety to the reader? 2. In the poem Me, the poet includes many similes. Please name one of them AND explain what it being compared. 3. In The Good Joan, why does the poet repeat the line, And Joan of Arc goes riding by? 4. The poet who wrote Her Words very clearly loves listening to their mother talk. What is the subject of the mother s words? What is she telling her children about? 5. What is the extended metaphor we see in the poem The Children s Hour? What is being compared? Part III. Matching. Match the poem title to the line it comes from. [Note: You MAY NOT use your book for this part of the exam.] (2 points each) a) Sisters He said he was right, / I knew he was wrong! b) The Quarrel He moves like a ship in the vastness and stillness of space c) A Little Song of Life And you fare forth in your splendor, / My blossoming heart looks to you. d) The Invisible Playmate This is the way of life, / Till the work be done. e) To the Sun from a Flower Come! cried Helen, eager Helen. / Time enough, said careful Ann. f) The Giraffe She has yellow curly hair / and her dress is always blue. 14

16 EXAM Part IV. Essay. Please answer the following question in a complete paragraph. Use as many examples as you can from the book. (20 points) Re-read the poem Vocation. Do you think the speaker is really called to all of these professions? Why or why not? What is it about each of these professions that makes them exciting for the speaker? What does the speaker like about each of the jobs? What do we know about the speaker as a person based off of how quickly he changes his interest in vocation? Part V. Vocabulary. Please use each of the vocabulary words in a sentence. (2 points each) 1. Lofty 2. Courteous 3. Veer 4. Fortress 5. Raucous 15

17 EXAM ANSWER KEY Part I. Terms. Please define each of the following terms and provide one example from the text. Please include the title of the poem from which they came. (2 points each) 1) Rhyme: when the last syllable sound of two or more words sound similar. When the other children go And there s no one seems to know from The Invisible Playmate. 2) Alliteration: when two or more words located near one another in a poem start with similar consonant sounds. Smooth sleek (line 3) from Her Words. 3) Repetition: a word or phrase repeated throughout a poem or a section of a poem by an author in order to achieve an effect. Father in Heaven, we thank Thee from We Thank Thee. 4) Simile: a figure of speech that compares two or more unlike things using the words like or as. He wears a fold / of heaven and earth across his face -- / like secrets kept, for love untold from A Child s Thought on God. 5) Metaphor: a figure of speech that compares two or more unlike things without using the words like or as. By three doors left unguarded / They enter my castle wall! from The Children s Hour. 6) Personification: giving human qualities to non-human things. Our little house is a friendly house, / it is not shy or vain from Song for a Little House. Part II. Short Answer. Please answer the following questions in complete sentences. (2 points each) 1) In the poem, Prayer for this House, the poet wants the reader to feel safe in the house. What words does the poet use to show the idea of safety to the reader? Name four words that show safety. Strengthened, faith, withstand, hearth, warm, peace, laughter, hold, love. 2) In the poem Me, the poet includes many similes. Please name one of them AND explain what it being compared. The poet is comparing themselves to a tree or flower (or any of the specific examples of those). 3) In The Good Joan, why does the poet repeat the line, And Joan of Arc goes riding by? The poet repeats this line because they want us to see the importance of Joan of Arc to the people and to illustrate how far she went on her journey. 4) The poet who wrote Her Words very clearly loves listening to their mother talk. What is the subject of the mother s words? What is she telling her children about? She is telling her children about the glory of God and where we can see Him here on Earth. 5) What is the extended metaphor we see in the poem The Children s Hour? What is being compared? The extended metaphor is the comparison the father makes between his children charging in to surprise him in his room and soldiers coming to storm a castle. We also see him carry the metaphor further when he refers to his heart as the dungeon of the castle where he will keep his children always. 16

18 EXAM ANSWER KEY Part III. Matching. Match the poem title to the line it comes from. [Note: You MAY NOT use your book for this part of the exam.] (2 points each) a) Sisters B He said he was right, / I knew he was wrong! b) The Quarrel F He moves like a ship in the vastness and stillness of space c) A Little Song of Life E_ And you fare forth in your splendor, / My blossoming heart looks to you. d) The Invisible Playmate C This is the way of life, / Till the work be done. e) To the Sun from a Flower A Come! cried Helen, eager Helen. / Time enough, said careful Ann. f) The Giraffe D_ She has yellow curly hair / and her dress is always blue. Part IV. Essay. Please answer the following question in a complete paragraph. Use as many examples as you can from the book. (20 points) Re-read the poem Vocation. Do you think the speaker is really called to all of these professions? Why or why not? What is it about each of these professions that makes them exciting for the speaker? What does the speaker like about each of the jobs? What do we know about the speaker as a person based off of how quickly he changes his interest in vocation? No, the speaker is not really called to all of these professions. We know he is not called to these professions because he changes his mind too quickly between all of them. He is drawn to the idea of the hawker because there is nothing to hurry him on. The speaker is not good about being on time to school, so here is a job where he would not have to worry about being on time anywhere. The speaker is excited about the idea of being a gardener because nobody takes him to task if he gets baked in the sun or gets wet. It seems like the speaker has probably gotten in trouble for playing in the dirt and this would be a job where he could play in the dirt all he wants. Finally, the speaker decides that he would like to be a watchman because watchmen never have to go to bed. We ve just seen that his mother has sent him to bed, so the speaker is probably seeing the job as a watchman as a way to stay up all night. We can see that the speaker is very young and not mature enough to pick his vocation. Right now, he seems to be choosing his vocation based on whatever rules he does not like, and that is not a good way to choose a vocation. 17

19 EXAM ANSWER KEY Part V. Vocabulary. Please use each of the vocabulary words in a sentence. (2 points each) 1) Lofty: Selling five hundred tickets was a rather lofty goal, but Denise decided to try and reach it anyway. 2) Courteous: They always thought Tim was a very courteous boy because of his gentle manner and the way he held the door open for his siblings. 3) Veer: Father had to veer out of the way to avoid hitting the deer with the car. 4) Fortress: There are five locks on their door and a very ferocious guard dog; that house is a fortress! 5) Raucous: I know that you are having fun with your friends, but please keep the raucous celebration down because we are trying to sleep. 18

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