Response to Literature: Poetry

Transcription

1 Response to Literature: Poetry Online Resources

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3 Contents PRE-ASSESSMENT Writing a Response to Poetry Essay Scoring Guide LESSON RESOURCES Lesson 1: The Poetry Portfolio Project Description Poetry Portfolio Checklist Lesson 2: On Being a Senior (Format A) On Being a Senior (Format B) On Being a Senior Discussion Guide Cows Lesson 4: Those Winter Sundays Annotating a Poem Double-Entry Journal Protocols for Reading and Understanding Poetry Lesson 6: The Summer Day The Summer Day Frame Lesson 7: Glossary of Conventions of Poetry Directions for a Review of Poetry Terminology Lesson 8: Literary Terms Presentation Rubric Lesson 10: Poetry Comparison Chart Ode to My Socks Happiness Two for the Mag Assignment Sheet Lesson 11: Comparison Essay Rubric Lesson 13: Guidelines for Response Lesson 14: Guidelines for Revising Based on the Peer Response Guide Lesson 16: Dulce et Decorum Est Interpreting a Poem i

4 Contents Lesson 17: Approaches to Interpretation Simplified Literary Interpretation Rubric Literary Interpretation Rubric Lesson 19: O Captain! My Captain! O Captain! My Captain! Student Interpretation Lesson 22: Portfolio Project Rubric POST-ASSESSMENT Writing a Response to Poetry Essay Scoring Guide TEACHER REFERENCE MATERIALS Setting Up the Writer s Notebook Lesson 10: Poetry Comparison Chart Lesson 12: Sample Essay Scaffold Lesson 18: Sample Essay Scaffold ii

5 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 ( ) 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, ). In the public domain. 1

6 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 The poem and author are clearly introduced at the beginning of the essay The essay analyzes the poem, focusing on how its elements reveal the poet s message The analysis is well organized for the audience and purpose The analysis has a clear, logical flow of ideas The essay includes relevant reference to the poem s figurative language, sound texture, and/or form. 7. The analysis is supported with relevant lines and/or embedded quotations References to the text are cited or quoted using correct punctuation The student provides a coherent conclusion The surface features (spelling, punctuation, and grammar) are reasonably accurate Additional comments: 2

7 Lesson 1 The Poetry Portfolio 1/2 Poetry Portfolio Project Description poetry portfolio project 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 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 3

8 Lesson 1 The Poetry Portfolio 1/2 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. Two academic papers: 1. A paper that compares two poems 2. A paper that interprets a complex poem 4

9 Lesson 1 The Poetry Portfolio 1/1 Poetry Portfolio Checklist Introduction Date Completed Table of Contents Date Completed Personal Poetry Collection Number entered into Writer s Notebook: (circle) Reading Responses Number of reading responses completed: (circle) Extended Response Date Completed Comparison Essay Date Completed Interpretation Essay Date Completed 5

10 Lesson 2 What is Poetry? 1/1 On Being a Senior (Format A) 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. 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. 6

11 Lesson 2 What is Poetry? 1/1 On Being a Senior (Format B) 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. 7

12 Lesson 2 What is Poetry? 1/1 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. How are the two pieces different? What was different about the highlighting that you did? List the elements that make Format A a piece of prose. List the elements that make Format B a piece of poetry. Do you think On Being a Senior is more effective as prose or poetry. Why? 8

13 Lesson 2 What is Poetry? 1/1 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 9

14 Lesson 4 Annotating and Writing First Thoughts 1/1 Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden ( ) Sundays too my father got up early and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold, then with cracked hands that ached 5 10 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? 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 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 10

15 Lesson 4 Annotating and Writing First Thoughts 1/1 Annotating a Poem As you read, write notes about your responses to some of these questions: What do you think about this word, line, or phrase? What might this word, line, or phrase mean? What experiences have you had that are similar to that recounted in the poem? What surprised or confused you about this passage? Where did you find yourself stopping or hesitating? What stopped you at these points? What other poem/book/film/play does this remind you of? 11

16 Lesson 4 Annotating and Writing First Thoughts 1/1 Double-Entry Journal Passage from Text My ideas about this passage (thoughts, questions, similarities to my own experience, etc.) 12

17 Lesson 4 Annotating and Writing First Thoughts 1/2 Protocols for Reading and Understanding Poetry 1. Read the poem aloud all the way through. 2. Read it aloud a second time and third time, noting any words you do not know. 3. Figure out or look up the meanings of the words you do not know. 4. Read the poem for sentence sense (use the punctuation marks to help you make sentences). 5. Paraphrase each sentence (not the lines, but the sentences). 6. Try this exercise: Choose one word or phrase that you think is the most important word or phrase in the poem. Why do you think so? 7. What point does the poem seem to make? 8. What is the attitude of the poem s speaker to the subject? Is it serious? Ironic? Sarcastic? 9. Characterize the speaker of the poem. Is it addressed to someone in particular? 10. Identify patterns in the poem. Are there places where the patterns are broken? What s going on in the places where the pattern is broken? 11. Find a starting place to begin an analysis: a. What is the title and how does it contribute to the meaning? b. Look for places in the poem that connect to one another. c. Check to see if there are any obvious figures of speech, and ask yourself, What does this mean? What does it suggest? d. Look for ways the poet used literary devices (such as sound texture rhythm and rhyme and alliteration) to make or suggest meaning. 13

18 Lesson 4 Annotating and Writing First Thoughts 2/2 Protocols for Reading and Understanding Poetry 12. Begin to address the following questions: a. How do similes, metaphors, and other figures of speech enhance the meaning of the poem? b. How do the sounds of language come together to reflect the poet s intention, meaning, and/or feeling? c. How does the poem evoke your feelings? d. How does the poem cause you to think, or how does it present a different view of life? e. What s important to the poet? How do you know? f. How do the white spaces and other structures in the poem help to create meaning, imagery, mood, rhythm, and/or double meanings? g. How do musical elements in the poem enhance its meaning? 14

19 Lesson 6 Modeling 1/1 The Summer Day by Mary Oliver (b. 1935) Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper? This grasshopper, I mean 5 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. 10 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, 15 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 15

20 Lesson 6 Modeling 1/2 The Summer Day 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. The Summer Day 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. 16

21 Lesson 6 Modeling 2/2 The Summer Day Frame 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 17

22 Lesson 7 Conventions of Poetry 1/6 Glossary of Conventions of Poetry Literary Devices 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. my feet were / two fish made / of wool, / two long sharks / 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. 18

23 Lesson 7 Conventions of Poetry 2/6 Glossary of Conventions of Poetry Poetic Forms 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). blank verse lines of unrhymed iambic pentameter See iambic pentameter under scansion. free verse 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). 19

24 Lesson 7 Conventions of Poetry 3/6 Glossary of Conventions of Poetry 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 ). 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). Sound Texture Terms 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. 20

25 Lesson 7 Conventions of Poetry 4/6 Glossary of Conventions of Poetry 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. 21

26 Lesson 7 Conventions of Poetry 5/6 Glossary of Conventions of Poetry Noun Form Adjective Form Meaning Example Anapest Anapestic 2 unstressed syllables followed by a stressed / unabridged Dactyl Dactylic 1 stressed syllable followed by 2 unstressed Iamb Iambic 1 unstressed syllable followed by a stressed Spondee Spondaic 2 stressed syllables, especially when they break a pattern Trochee Trochaic 1 stressed syllable followed by an unstressed / yesterday / today / / Get lost! / 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 22

27 Lesson 7 Conventions of Poetry 6/6 Glossary of Conventions of Poetry / / / / / 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. 23

28 Lesson 7 Conventions of Poetry 1/1 Directions for a Review of Poetry Terminology define your term Define your term. Look at the glossary as well as the other resources that you have, such as anthologies and collections. find examples Find as many examples as you can so that you are sure you understand this term. Choose at least one example that will help the other people in class see the meaning of your term. design a poster Design a poster with each of these elements: 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 24

29 Lesson 8 Working on the Portfolio 1/1 Literary Terms Presentation Rubric Criteria Poster Content Title Definition Examples Illustration Presentation: Clear Organization Exhibits a structure appropriate to the audience, context, and purpose. Presentation: Effective Delivery Eye contact Rate Volume Enunciation Inflection 4 Meets Standards Has all the items on the poster placed in a legible and attractive format. Information on the poster is clear and informative with parts labeled and placed for ease of viewing. Members of the group each take a part and are effective in their delivery. 3 Approaches Standards One or more required items on the poster are missing. Poster is legible. Information is correct and informative, but may not be organized well or labeled clearly. Members of Group members the group each do not all take take a part, but a part. Some of some of the the delivery is presentation may ineffective. not be effective because of no eye contact, insufficient volume, etc. 2 Needs Instruction Required items on the poster are missing. Poster is illegible. Information may be correct but is unclear. No labels identify the parts. The poster may not have a logical organization. 1 Needs Substantial Support Several items missing from poster. May have no poster. The poster is unclear. Parts are not identified. The title may not be prominent. Members do not share in the delivery. The oral presentation is completely ineffective. 25

30 Lesson 10 Comparing Two Poems 1/1 Poetry Comparison Chart Ode to My Socks Form: Long, free verse Form: Free verse Happiness Length of Lines: Short 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 Metaphors: Happiness is having the right rain gear to play outside. Similes: None 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 Moral (implied): Same as metaphor above Common items: Articles of clothing Common items: Articles of clothing Repetition: None Repetition: great big 26

31 Lesson 10 Comparing Two Poems 1/2 Ode to My Socks by Pablo Neruda ( ) Maru Mon brought me my feet a pair were honored of socks in this way which she knitted herself 30 by 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 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. 20 of wool, two long sharks seablue, shot through by one golden thread, 25 two immense blackbirds, two cannons, 27

32 Lesson 10 Comparing Two Poems 2/2 Ode to My Socks by Pablo Neruda ( ) (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. 28

33 Lesson 10 Comparing Two Poems 1/1 Happiness by A.A. Milne ( ) John had Great Big Waterproof Boots on; 5 John had a Great Big Waterproof Hat; John had a 10 Great Big Waterproof Mackintosh Mackintosh n. a raincoat And that (Said John) 15 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 All rights reserved. 29

34 Lesson 10 Comparing Two Poems 1/1 Two for the Mag comparing and contrasting 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. 30

35 Lesson 10 Comparing Two Poems 1/1 Assignment Sheet 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: develop a thesis; create an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context; include relevant information and exclude extraneous information; make valid inferences; support judgments with relevant and substantial evidence and well-chosen details; and provide a coherent conclusion. 31

36 Lesson 11 Selecting Poems for Evaluation 1/1 Comparison Essay Rubric Criteria Compare two poems, presenting a judgment about the relative merits of each. 4 Meets the Standard Develop a thesis. Includes a thesis that takes a stand on the relative merits of two poems being compared. Create an organizing structure Include relevant information; exclude extraneous information Organizes the essay so each poem s merits are discussed clearly, either by discussing common elements at a time or by discussing one poem at a time. Information is all relevant to the task: to discuss the relative merits of two poems. Make valid inferences The writer clearly understands the poems being compared. The interpretation of the poems is based on valid inferences. Support judgments with relevant, well-chosen detail (in this case citing specific lines from the poems) Provide a coherent conclusion Demonstrate control of standard English. The writer cites lines from the poem to provide support and illustration, embeds the quotations into the writer s sentences, and explains them. The essay comes to a logical, coherent conclusion based on ideas set forth in the thesis. The writing is generally free of errors in spelling, grammar, and usage. The few errors that do occur do not impede the reader s understanding. 3 Needs Revision Includes a thesis that compares two poems. Organization of the essay is not entirely clear. The writer moves from poem to poem with no apparent plan of comparing like elements. Most of the information is relevant; the writer may include some extraneous information. The writer does not fully understand one or both of the poems being compared. Whatever inferences are made may be invalid. The writer uses quotations from the poem, but does not always explain them or embed them in the text of the essay. The essay ends with a cursory summary of what was stated. There are errors in spelling, grammar, and usage, but for the most part, the errors do not impede the reader s understanding. More careful editing would eliminate the errors. 2 Needs Instruction Does not include a clear thesis about the relative merits of two poems being compared. The essay is not organized in a way to make clear what is being compared: elements or effectiveness of poems. No criteria for comparison are present. Some of the information in the essay seems to be off-topic; the writer has not shown the relevancy of information. The writer has not made convincing interpretations of the poems. Inferences may be unclear or not fully explained. The writer has few or no citations from the poems. The essay just ends without making a clear point or summarizing. The essay has not been proofread or edited well. Frequent surface errors distract the reader. 1 Needs Substantial Support Does not take a stand or include a thesis. The essay rambles without any clear organization. The essay is clearly offtopic. The writer has not made any inferences about the poems, nor are interpretations given. The writer has neither cited the poems to explain lines nor provided relevant details. The essay is so brief as to be under-developed. The errors in the paper are so numerous as to make the essay unreadable. 32

37 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: Answer this question: What is the essay s greatest strength? Write a few sentences of honest comment, stating what you feel about the essay as a whole. Tell the writer whether his or her essay is readable and convincing. Tell the writer how he or she has provided a responsible evaluation 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. 33

38 Lesson 13 Responding and Revising 2/2 Guidelines for Response Paraphrase the writer s thesis about how the two poems are the similar and/or different. Is the first paragraph clear or does it sound uncertain? Explain. If necessary, describe how the writer could improve the beginning. List the claims the writer makes; check to see whether the claims relate to the thesis. Note the supporting reasons given; check whether the evidence 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. Is there too much summary or too little analysis? Explain and make suggestions as to how the writer might improve the balance. Note passages that are particularly effective surprising ideas, memorable phrases, or striking images. Let the writer know what you admire in the essay. If you find any places that are difficult to understand or that need transitions, mark these passages in light pencil on the draft and identify them on your response paper. The concluding paragraph should not simply summarize it should offer additional insights. Tell the writer your views on the conclusion and how it might be strengthened. 34

39 Lesson 14 Revising for Clarity and Coherence 1/1 Guidelines for Revising Based on the Peer Response Guide 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. Revising For 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. 35

40 Lesson 16 Interpretation: Reading a Complex Poem 1/2 Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen ( ) Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, hags n. ugly, old and unpleasant women (derogatory) 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. 5 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, 10 Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time, But someone still was yelling out and stumbling floundering, v. moving in an uncontrolled way lime, n. lye, a caustic substance that can burn 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. guttering, v. (coined meaning possibly referring to sounds, like water in a gutter, a drowning person might make) 15 In all my dreams before my helpless sight, He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. 36

41 Lesson 16 Interpretation: Reading a Complex Poem 2/2 Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen ( ) 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, 20 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, 25 My friend, you would not tell with such high zest zest, n. enthusiasm To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori. Pro patria mori, It is sweet and fitting to die for one s country. 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. 37

42 Lesson 16 Interpretation: Reading a Complex Poem 1/1 Interpreting a Poem Prompt Write 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: develop a thesis; create an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context; include relevant information and exclude extraneous information; make valid inferences; support judgments with relevant and substantial evidence and well-chosen details; and provide a coherent conclusion. 38

43 Lesson 17 Interpretation: Choosing a Complex Poem 1/2 Approaches to Interpretation Puzzling Lines Readers often approach by starting from a line or section that surprises or puzzles them. They begin by looking closely at its content, then looking closely at the context: What immediately precedes and follows that section? What do the key words mean? What attitudes or values or ideas are associated with them? Once they gain some understanding into that line or section, readers then reread 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 Readers often notice specific patterns of words, lines, and images in 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. Often it is where the pattern is broken that the poet is emphasizing something important. Familiar Literary Themes Often, poets explore themes such as: 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. 39

44 Lesson 17 Interpretation: Choosing a Complex Poem 2/2 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 40

45 Lesson 17 Interpretation: Choosing a Complex Poem 1/1 Simplified Literary Interpretation Rubric Criteria Analyze and interpret a poem, explaining how literary elements contribute to the meaning Develop a thesis 4 Meets the Standard Includes a thesis that explains how the poet uses literary elements to create meaning. Create an organizing structure Organizes the essay so that the literary elements are explained and discussed logically and clearly. Include relevant information; exclude extraneous information Make valid inferences Support judgments with relevant, well-chosen detail (in this case citing specific lines from the poems) Information is all relevant to the task; no irrelevant details or digressions cloud the task. 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. The writer cites lines from the poem to provide support and illustration, embeds the quotations into the writer s sentences, and explains them. Provide a coherent conclusion 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. 41

46 Lesson 17 Interpretation: Choosing a Complex Poem 1/1 Literary Interpretation Rubric Criteria Analyze and interpret a poem, explaining how literary elements contribute to the meaning 4 Meets the Standard Develop a thesis Includes a thesis that explains how the poet uses literary elements to create meaning. Create an organizing structure Organizes the essay so that the literary elements are explained and discussed logically and clearly. Include relevant information; exclude extraneous information Information is all relevant to the task; no irrelevant details or digressions cloud the task. Make valid inferences The writer suggests a credible meaning for the poem and makes compelling explanations of the poet s craft. The interpretation of the poems is based on valid inferences. Support judgments with relevant, well-chosen detail (in this case citing specific lines 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. Provide a coherent conclusion 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. 3 Needs Revision Includes a thesis that states the meaning of the poem. Most of the information is relevant; the writer may include some extraneous information. The writer does not fully understand the poem being analyzed. Inferences made may be invalid. The writer uses quotations from the poem, but does not always explain them or embed them in the text of the essay. The essay ends with a cursory summary of what was stated. There are errors in spelling, grammar, and usage, but for the most part, the errors do not impede the readers understanding. More careful editing would eliminate the errors. 2 Needs Instruction Does not include a clear thesis about how the poet uses literary devices to create meaning. Some of the information in the essay seems to be off-topic; the writer has not shown the relevancy of information. The writer has not made convincing analysis of the poem. Inferences may be unclear or not fully explained. The writer may use quotations from the poem, but does not explain them, embed them in the writing, or use quotation marks to set them off. The essay ends without effective closure. The writing includes errors in spelling, grammar, and/or usage that keep the reader from reading fluently. 1 Needs Substantial Support Does not include a thesis. Organization of the essay The essay is not organized The essay rambles without is not entirely clear. The in a way to make clear any clear organization. writer moves from element either the meaning of the to element with no apparent poem or the literary devices plan. that help to create that meaning. The essay is clearly offtopic. The writer has not made any inferences about the poems; nor are interpretations given. The writer does not cite the poems. There is no conclusion made in the writing. The writing has frequent errors in spelling, grammar, and usage. 42

47 Lesson 19 Examining an Essay with the Rubric 1/1 O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman ( ) 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; 5 But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. 10 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! 15 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, 20 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, ). In the public domain. 43

48 Lesson 19 Examining an Essay with the Rubric 1/2 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. 44

49 Lesson 19 Examining an Essay with the Rubric 2/2 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. 45

50 Lesson 22 Completing the Poetry Portfolio 1/1 Portfolio Project Rubric Criteria Includes all required parts: Introduction, table of contents, collection of 10 poems, responses to poems, 1 detailed response to a poem, 2-poems essay, analysis essay Literary analysis of the poems: Interpret significant works of poetry Demonstrate knowledge of metrics, rhyme scheme, rhythm, alliteration and other conventions of poetry Identify and explain the themes found in a single literary work Creates predictable structures through the use of headings, table of contents, white space, graphics, etc. 4 Meets Standards Includes all required parts of the Portfolio Project. Insightfully responds to poetry, using language of literary analysis. Makes a reasonable interpretation of a significant poem. Demonstrates knowledge of the conventions of poetry. Identifies themes in several works. Presents a neat, portfolio: assignments and poems with a table of contents identifying the location of all parts. 3 Needs Revision Includes all parts of the Portfolio Project, though some of the parts may not be complete. Responds to poetry using language of literary analysis. Makes an interpretation of a poem. Demonstrates knowledge of the conventions of poetry. Identifies themes of poems. Presents a portfolio of assignments and poems with a table of contents. 2 Needs Instruction Some of the required pieces of the portfolio are incomplete or missing. Responds to the poetry almost entirely with personal connections and little use of the language of literary analysis. Makes an interpretation of a poem. Demonstrates little knowledge of the conventions of poetry. May identify a theme of a poem. Pieces of the portfolio are collected, but not in any particular order. 1 Needs Substantive Support Is missing several parts of the required pieces of the portfolio. Fails to respond to poems with the language of literary analysis. May paraphrase or restate the poem in only a literal retelling. Too little is written in order to satisfy the requirements of interpretation. Does not demonstrate any knowledge of the conventions of poetry. Does not identify themes of any of the works. Portfolio is turned in, but is incomplete, messy, and unorganized. 46

51 Post-Assessment 1/1 Writing a Response to Poetry Essay Directions Read 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. My Papa s Waltz by Theodore Roethke ( ) The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother s countenance Could not unfrown itself. The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle; At every step you missed My right ear scraped a buckle. You beat time on my head With a palm caked hard by dirt, Then waltzed me off to bed Still clinging to your shirt. 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. 47

52 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 The poem and author are clearly introduced at the beginning of the essay The essay analyzes the poem, focusing on how its elements reveal the poet s message The analysis is well organized for the audience and purpose The analysis has a clear, logical flow of ideas The essay includes relevant reference to the poem s figurative language, sound texture, and/or form. 7. The analysis is supported with relevant lines and/or embedded quotations References to the text are cited or quoted using correct punctuation The student provides a coherent conclusion The surface features (spelling, punctuation, and grammar) are reasonably accurate Additional comments: 48

53 The Writer s Notebook 1/4 Setting Up the Writer s Notebook purpose 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: Write their initial responses to poems and their ideas for paper Keep reading response logs in preparation for their Poetry Portfolios Write summaries of group discussions about ideas Write lines of poetry that they like and lines they compose Write definitions of words they need to know in order to write educated responses 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. instructions 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: At the top of the very first page, write the title Table of Contents. To the left of the title, write Date. To the right of the title, write Page Number. On the first line below the title, list the sections and corresponding page numbers of the notebook as shown: Writing Explorations, Sentence Explorations, and Language Glossary. Draw a line under the last listed section (the glossary), and place a Roman numeral I (lower case) in the lower-right corner. 49

54 The Writer s Notebook 2/4 Setting Up the Writer s Notebook Date Table of Contents Page # I. Writing Explorations 1 II. Sentence Explorations # III. Glossary # 20 pages from the end Last page of the notebook i Continue numbering pages, 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. ii iii 50

55 The Writer s Notebook 3/4 Setting Up the Writer s Notebook Conclude with page vi. On the seventh page, create a title page for Writing Explorations, and place a number 1 in the lower-right corner as shown. I. Writing Explorations vi 1 Continue numbering pages, front and back. About 20 pages from the end of the notebook, create another section titled Sentence Explorations. II. Sentence Explorations # # 51

56 The Writer s Notebook 4/4 Setting Up the Writer s Notebook On the very last page of the notebook, create a section titled Language Glossary. Students can work backwards in their notebooks to record genre- specific vocabulary, definitions, usage terms, etc. III. Language Glossary # You may want to provide sticky-note tabs for students to use to separate the sections. 52