Poetry Rocks Schools lesson plans can be implemented in both middle school and high school. These lessons are created to offer instructors a variety of approaches when employing poetry and prose as a reading/writing prompt, a general lesson, a cross-curricular exercise, a diversion from a standard approach, or even as an ACT/SAT preparation exercise. Created to meet the Common Core State Standards that involve Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation, the objectives and concepts are determined and developed by the instructor as one selects approaches that comply and/or compliment required material. Because our credibility lies in the uniqueness and personality of the instructor, our approach to making poetry rock facilitates many grade levels, subjects, and learning potentials of the students in the classroom. (c) 2018 Poetry Rocks Schools, LLC Page 1 of 10
Poem Acquainted with the Night - by Robert Frost I have been one acquainted with the night. I have walked out in rain and back in rain. I have outwalked the furthest city light. I have looked down the saddest city lane. I have passed by the watchman on his beat And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain. I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet When far away an interrupted cry Came over houses from another street, But not to call me back or say good-bye; And further still at an unearthly height, One luminary clock against the sky Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right. I have been one acquainted with the night. Robert Frost, "Acquainted with the Night" from The Poetry of Robert Frost, edited by Edward Connery Lathem. Copyright 1964, 1970 by Leslie Frost Ballantine. Copyright 1936, 1942 1956 by Robert Frost. Copyright 1923, 1928, 1969 by Henry Holt and Co. Reprinted with the permission of Henry Holt & Company, LLC. Source: Twentieth-Century American Poetry (2004) (c) 2018 Poetry Rocks Schools, LLC Page 2 of 10
POETRY ROCKS SCHOOLS SONG Acquainted with the Night I've been one acquainted with the night. I walked out in rain and back in rain. I ve outwalked the furthest city light. I've been one acquainted with the night. Call me if you want to feel me. Call me. I looked down the saddest city lane. I passed by the watchman on his beat, and dropped my eyes unwilling to explain. I stood still and stopped the sound of feet. Call me if you want to feel me. Call me. Not to call me back or say good-bye, and further still, at an unearthly height, one luminary clock against the sky. Whoa Call me if you want to feel me. Call me. Call me if you want to heal me, Call me if you want to feel me. Call me. 2018 Poetry Rocks Classrooms. Words of Robert Frost from Acquainted with the Night used with the permission of Henry Holt & Company, LLC. (c) 2018 Poetry Rocks Schools, LLC Page 3 of 10
Acquainted with the Night Know the artist know the work! Author: Robert Lee Frost American poet of the 1900 s, born March 26, 1874 in San Francisco CA; father was a journalist; mother, a schoolteacher (1) Upon his father s death, Robert and family moved to Lawrence, MA with his grandparents on a farm. (2) 1887 attended Dartmouth and Harvard (1) 1889 - Moved to NH farm with wife and daughter; Major family problems dealing with suicide, mental illness, and death as a result of childbirth; farming endeavors fairly unsuccessful Continued to write and publish in magazines (1) Prone to depression (4) 1912 Family moves to England for better exposure and career. Success followed with a publication of his first book, A Boy s Will. Influenced by British poets Rupert Brooke, Ezra Pound, and Edward Thomas (5) 1914 WWI broke out and the Frosts returned home to Robert s new-found credibility and success as a writer and poet. (2) 1915 bought another farm New Hampshire. (1) His career as a teacher at Dartmouth, the University of Michigan, Amherst College (1916-1938), and Middleburg College and now many poems and books being published contributed to 4 Pulitzer Prizes and other great honors. (1) 1960 Congress awarded him the Congressional Gold Medal. (6) At 86 years old, Frost was asked to write and recite a poem for JFK s inauguration. With failing sight and inability to read the new poem from the podium, Frost substituted The Gift Outright committed to memory. (6) January 29, 1963 Robert Frost died from complications of prostate surgery. (1) References: (1) "Robert Frost". Encyclopædia Britannica (Online ed.). 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-21. (2) Brodsky, Joseph, Seamus Heaney, and Derek Walcott. Homage to Robert Frost. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1996. (3) Nancy Lewis Tuten; John Zubizarreta (2001). The Robert Frost encyclopedia. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 145. ISBN 978-0-313-29464-8. (4) Frost, Robert (1995). Poirier, Richard; Richardson, Mark, eds. Collected Poems, Prose, & Plays. The Library of America. 81. New York: Library of America. ISBN 1-883011-06-X. (5) Orr, David (2015-08-18). The Road Not Taken: Finding America in the Poem Everyone Loves and Almost Everyone Gets Wrong. Penguin. ISBN 9780698140899. (6) Binkiewicz, Donna M.(2004). Federalizing the Muse: United States Arts Policy & The National Endowment for the Arts 1965-1980. The University of North Carolina Press (c) 2018 Poetry Rocks Schools, LLC Page 4 of 10
The time frame, and conditions are vital! (Research) Historical Background: World War I Diseases such as cholera, polio, tuberculosis, and pneumonia Opening Prompt: (written or oral) 1. What associations do we make with the night? Why? 2. From those associations, what moods and feelings are usually established? 3. Recall activities that commonly take place in the darkness of the night. How do they differ from those in the light of day? 4. Not all associations with the nighttime and darkness are gloomy. What important and positive activities and practices emerge from the darkness? Music: Reduce lights and play song provided or provide students with the song lyrics Brainstorming: Write the word night or dark on the board and discuss or research the denotation and idioms of the word. (Students may be advised to use an online dictionary) Denotation of night: the time from dusk to dawn when no light of the sun is visible, the quality of state of being dark. A period of dreary inactivity or affliction Denotation of dark: devoid of light, wholly or partially black, arising from or showing evil traits or desires, dismal or sad, lacking knowledge or culture, possessing depth and richness Associations of night Medical night blindness, nightmare... Science night-blooming cereus, nightglow, nightingale/nocturnal animals Social Studies night rider, night walker Associations of dark Medical dark adaptation, dark field History Dark Ages Social Studies dark horse Idioms: keep someone in the dark, deep dark secret, a shot in the dark, the dark side.. (c) 2018 Poetry Rocks Schools, LLC Page 5 of 10
Share Frost s poem Acquainted with the Dark : Read aloud or silently. Explore the multiple meanings of the words as they apply to the poem. Line 1: night nighttime is devoid of light Line 4: looked down, saddest imagery of body language and mood depict possible depression Analysis of Poem: Type: lyric Speaker: Author (the use of pronoun I) Mood: Sad, dark, gloomy, depressed Theme- Depression, frustration, doom Style and rhyme: Terza rima/successive tercets with a couplet interrupting. ABA,BCB, CDC, AA (Steady rhythmical pattern walking not too fast or slow) Literary devices: Imagery lines 6,7,8 Antithesis lines 2, 13 Hyperbole line 14 Metaphor line 12 (luminary clock) Sound devices: Alliteration line 7 Discussion or Composition: 1. Acknowledging the life of Robert Frost, what experiences would have led him to write this lyric? 2. Which phrase/s display the author s depression or his apathy? 3. How does the word acquainted (both in the title and the poem) apply to your author s purpose? What is the purpose of its repetition? 4. Locate the conditions the author exposes himself to. Line 2, 3, 4, 6. Why does he refuse to acknowledge greater communication or daylight walks? 5. What insight do the phrases, not to call me back or say good -bye imply about the author s life or experience? Replay the Music (c) 2018 Poetry Rocks Schools, LLC Page 6 of 10
Other Perspectives/Projects Art: Create a collage that expresses the mood of this poem Create a mask that would depict the character who is acquainted with the night Psychology: Reports, Speeches, 30-second Public Service Announcement, or solutions Fear of the Dark: Scotophobia/Nyctaphobia Research Sigmund Freud s theory on fear of the dark What factors in our lives influence depression? - Rejection - Poor Health or health related problems - Abuse, Verbal or Physical - Failure - Loss of employment - Drugs/alcohol - Death of family member, friend, pet - Lack of purpose - Poverty - Family problems - Peer pressure - Injustice - Mental Illness - War History: Cite some of the darkest times in our history. Example: 9/11 1. Describe the event 2. What was lost? People, Businesses, Money, Freedoms,... 3. How did the survivors respond? 4. How did the community, the country survive? 5. What efforts were made to discourage depression and influence hope? 6. What has changed since that darkest day? Are we better for it or worse? Other areas: Assassinations, Deaths, Riots, Protests, Murders, Depression, Bankruptcy of businesses, Natural disasters, Supreme Court decisions... Events of the Night: Exodus, Boston Tea Party Paul Revere s Ride Kristallnacht, Paris Attacks, American revolution, Lizzie Bordon (c) 2018 Poetry Rocks Schools, LLC Page 7 of 10
Music: Write your own Verse 3 Students can rap/sing in their own words by writing a would-be 3rd verse into the song where the instrumental section is (2:30-2:45) which is 8 bars (measures) long. Production Style/Instrumentation (This section utilizes 3 different versions of the song). 1. Compare the "acoustic rock mix" to the "electronic mix". 2. Which version do you feel you connect with more emotionally and why? 3. Does each version affect your impression of the poem? Explain. 4. Listen for the slide guitar part in the acoustic version. What emotion(s) best describe how the slide guitar part makes you feel.? 5. Now listen to the "guitar/vocal demo version". Re-listen to the other 2 mixes while trying to imagine the steps involved in recording and producing the track to get it from demo version to produced version. 6. Discuss the main similarities and differences between the way the "acoustic rock mix" and the "electronic mix" are produced; the drum sounds; vocal parts; bass; etc. Tempo / Rhythm 1. Does the tempo help tell the story? Explain 2. Would a much faster tempo change the story? How? How would this change affect you? The Bridge 1. What is a verse? Please identify it in the lyrics. 2. What is a chorus? Please identify its placement in the music. 3. What is a bridge? Describe its purpose in this song. 4. How does the end of the bridge where the chords go from minor to major make you feel? (2:25-2:30) (c) 2018 Poetry Rocks Schools, LLC Page 8 of 10
Other Analyses: The following suggestions involve a myriad of quotations/lyrics, authors/singers and genres that expand the lesson and interest for all students. Personal choice of literary quotations or song lyrics from varied artists may be used for further analysis, discussion, comparison-contrast essays, etc. Famous Quotes: I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day. -Vincent Van Gogh Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/night Conclusion: (Diary/Journal Entry) How have I been acquainted with the night? How did I or another help me deal with my dilemma? What advice might I offer Robert Frost? What might a songwriter or a famous author (one that I researched earlier) reach out to Frost? Explain. Evaluations: The following evaluations may be utilized from one or more methods within this project Brainstorming Written responses Verbal Response Group work Performance Oral Interpretation Observation Listening Analysis Research (In-class and Independent) Exam on literary terminology, comprehension and analysis Application of creative writing, artistic creations, and musical adaptions. (c) 2018 Poetry Rocks Schools, LLC Page 9 of 10
Standards: Ohio s Learning Standards for English Language Arts: L.11-12.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11 12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. b. Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., conceive, conception, conceivable). L.11-12.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and analyze their role in the text. L.11-12.6 Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. RH.11-12.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10) RH.11-12.5 Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the whole. RH.11-12.6 Evaluate authors differing perspectives on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors claims, reasoning, and evidence. WHST.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. WHST.11-12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. WHST.11-12.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis reflection, and research. WHST.11-12.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. Objectives: Students Will Be Able To (SWBAT) SWBAT: Understand the meaning of words, figurative language and authors purpose SWBAT: Create a well-written analysis of the poem under the directive of the teacher SWBAT: Analyze the primary source using technology to gain a deeper understanding of the text SWBAT: Collaborate and discuss with classmates and teacher(s) regarding theme(s) within the text SWBAT: Apply working knowledge of using textual evidence to support answers SWBAT: Identify key elements within the text (c) 2018 Poetry Rocks Schools, LLC Page 10 of 10