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English Language and Literature Grade 10 Academic Creative Writing Unit (Poetry & Short Stories) Natalie Morgante Theresa Chenard ONTARIO CURRICULUM EXPECTATIONS: Grade 10, Academic English (ENG 2D) Oral Communication 2. Speaking to Communicate: Use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. 2.1 Purpose—Students will communicate orally for a variety of purposes, using language appropriate for the intended audience 2.2 Interpersonal Speaking Strategies—Students will demonstrate an understanding of a variety of interpersonal speaking strategies and adapt them to suit the purpose, situation, and audience, exhibiting sensitivity to cultural differences. 2.4 Diction and Devices—Student will use appropriate words, phrases, and terminology, and several different stylistic devices, to communicate their meaning and engage their intended audience. 2.5 Vocal Strategies—Students will identify a variety of vocal strategies, including tone, pace, pitch, and volume, and use them appropriately and with sensitivity to audience needs and cultural differences. Reading and Literature Studies 1. Reading for Meaning: Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, informational, and graphic texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning. 1.3 Demonstrating Understanding of Content—Students will identify the most important ideas and supporting details in texts, including increasingly complex texts. 1.4 Making Inferences—Students will make and explain inferences about texts, including increasingly complex texts, supporting their explanations with wellchosen stated and implied ideas from the texts. 1.6 Analysing Texts—Students will analyse texts in terms of the information, ideas, issues, or themes they explore, examining how various aspects of the texts contribute to the presentation or development of these elements. 1.7 Evaluating Texts—Students will evaluate the effectiveness of texts, including increasingly complex texts, using evidence from the text to support their opinions. 2. Understanding Form and Style: Recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning. 2.1 Text Forms—Students will identify a variety of characteristics of literary, informational, and graphic text forms and explain how they help communicate meaning 2.2 Text Features—Students will identify a variety of text features and explain how they help communicate meaning. 2.3 Elements of Style—Students will identify a variety of elements of style in texts and explain how they help communicate meaning and enhance the effectiveness of the texts. Writing 1. Developing and Organizing Content: Generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience. 1.1 Identifying Topic, Purpose, and Audience—Students will identify the topic, purpose, and audience for a variety of writing tasks 1.2 Generating and Developing Ideas—Students will generate, expand, explore and focus ideas for potential writing tasks, using a variety of strategies and print, electronic, and other resources, as appropriate. 2. Using Knowledge of Form and Style: Draft and revise their writing, using a variety of literary, informational. And graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience 2.1 Form—Students will write for different purposes and audiences using a variety of literary, graphic, and informational forms. 2.2 Voice—Students will establish a distinctive voice in their writing, modifying language and tone skillfully to suit the form, audience, and purpose for writing. 2.3 Diction—Students will use appropriate descriptive and evocative words, phrases, and expressions to make their writing clear, vivid, and interesting for their indented audience. 2.6 Revision—Students will revise drafts to improve the content, organization, clarity, and style of their written work, using a variety of teacher-modelled strategies. 3. Applying Knowledge of Conventions: Use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively. 3.2 Vocabulary—Students will build vocabulary for writing by confirming word meaning(s) and reviewing and refining word choice, using a variety of resources and strategies, as appropriate for the purpose. 3.7 Producing Finished Work—Students will produce pieces of published work to meet criteria identified by the teacher, base on the curriculum expectations. 4. Reflecting on Skills and Strategies: Reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing process. 4.3 Portfolio—Students will select a variety of examples of different types of writing that they think reflect significant advances in their growth and competence as writers and explain the reasons for their choice. DAY 1: Introduction to Poetry Materials: 4 Corners signs Statements for the 4 corners activity (1 copy for the teacher) Chalk and chalkboard Photocopies of “Is this Poetry?” worksheet (1 for every student) 6 Different coloured file folders 6 Sonnets to be placed in folder #1 (Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare, Sonnet 79 by Edmund Spencer, Sonnet 21 by Elizabeth Barret Browning, Holy Sonnet X: Death Be Not Proud by John Donne, Sonnet XIX by John Milton, and Sonnet-To Genevra by Lord Byron). 6 Limericks to be placed in folder #2 (Crowded Tub by Shel Silverstein, Untitled by Edward Lear, Brown Dog Called Spot by Rebecca Telford, old Man Of Quebec by Edward Lear, Our Happy Hands by Herbert Nehrlich, and An Old Man From The Cape by Shadigo Claws). 6 Concrete poems to be placed in folder #3 (The Mouse’s Tale by Lewis Carroll, Untitled by Harold de Campos, Silence by Eugen Gormringer, l(a…leaf falls on lonlieness) by E.E. Cummings, Exhausted by Jennifer Kathleen Phillips, and Easter Wings by George Herbert). 2 Sound poems to be placed in folder #4 (Pavlov’s Dog 1 by Bill Bissett, and The Loch Ness Monster’s Song by Edwin Morgan). 5 Free verse poems, to be placed in folder #5 (After the Sea-Ship by Walt Whitman, Autumn by T.E Hulme, The Embankment by T.E Hulme, The More Loving One by W.H Auden, and Irony by D.H Lawrence). 3 Odes, to be placed in folder #6 (Ode to Tomatoes by Pablo Neruda, Ode to Stephen Dowling by Mark Twain, and Ode to a Grecian Urn by John Keats). Procedures: Teacher’s Actions Students’ Actions Teacher asks the class to take 30 seconds to think about what they know about poetry. Students take 30 seconds and quietly think about poetry. After 30 seconds, the teacher then asks the students to turn to the person beside, behind, or in front of them and discuss poetry. The teacher instructs the students to write some of their ideas down. Students find an elbow partner (sitting behind, in front, or beside them) and talk about what they think poetry is and some types of poetry. They write down some of their ideas After a minute or so, the teacher then asks some of the students to share their ideas. Some of the students share their ideas about poetry. As the students share their ideas, the teacher should record them on the chalkboard using a web or mind/concept map. The teacher should also encourage the class to brainstorm and describe specific types of The students share the ideas that they have written down. Hopefully the brainstorming session will help them to activate their schemas resulting in recalling specific information that they have learned in the poetry. If the students get stuck, the teacher should guide them (or give them clues) to some answers. (This is a diagnostic activity. The teacher will be able to tell what the class knows based on their answers). When the activity is over, the teacher asks the students if they have any questions. past. The teacher then begins to explain the instructions for the following activity as he/she tapes a sign onto each of the four corners of the room. The students remain seated while the teacher explains the instructions for the next activity. The teacher explains that he/she will read a The students then stand up, where they are question to the students, and that the students and wait for the teacher to read the first then must respond to the question by question standing in the corner with the appropriate sign. The series of questions are all opinion based and therefore the signs read “Strongly Agree,” “Agree,” “Disagree,” and “Strongly Disagree.” If students do not identify with any of the four responses, the teacher explains that they are able to stand on the wall between the signs. The teacher then reads the questions. After the teacher reads each question, he/she asks specific students why they chose the answer that they did. This will incite meaningful dialogue and debate between students who have differing opinions. As the students debate, and support their opinions, the teacher encourages other students to move to different signs if their opinion changes. The students answer the questions by standing in the appropriate corner of the room. They discuss their reasons why they chose the answers that they did. As they discuss their opinions, other students change their answers and therefore, walk to different corners of the room. The teacher then divides students into groups The students line themselves up according to by having them line up according to height; height (shortest to tallest) without speaking. shortest to tallest without speaking. As students are organizing themselves, the teacher creates six activity centers by placing six different coloured folders around the classroom. Each folder contains poems that represent different types of poetry. For example, the first folder contains examples of sonnets, the second folder contains examples of limericks, the third folder contains concrete poems, the fourth folder contains sound poems, the fifth folder contains free verse poems, and the sixth contains odes. The teacher then numbers off the students (from one to six) and assigns each group a folder. The students are numbered off and put into groups. They sit in the desks around their assigned folder. The teacher then distributes the worksheet and explains the following instructions. As a group, students are required to examine the poems in the folder and discuss their similarities and differences. They are then to answer the questions on the sheet. They will have 6-10 minutes at each station to do this. The students take the sheets and get out a pen or pencil. After the teacher explains the instructions the students begin the task. They take the poems out of the folder, read them and then discuss their thoughts with the group. They then complete part of the worksheet. After six minutes (or so) they move along to the next folder and repeat the process. Once, all the groups have gone through all of The students share some of the thoughts, the folders, the teacher debriefs the students feelings, and responses that they wrote down by getting some of them to share their on their worksheets. responses and talking about the activity. The teacher then collects the worksheets to analyze for diagnostic purposes. Students then hand in their worksheets into the teacher so he/she can use them for diagnostic assessment purposes. STRONGLY AGREE AGREE STRONGLY DISAGREE DISAGREE 4 Corners Statements 1. Poetry ALWAYS rhymes. 2. Most poetry is about love. 3. There are few vey professional poets in today’s society. 4. Poetry is a dead medium. 5. All poems have a profound message or moral. 6. All poems use flowery language and is therefore confusing. 7. Poetry can only be enjoyed by scholars-everyday people do not read poetry. 8. Most poems are about the poet; they are autobiographical. 9. Poetry is too complex for teens to write. 10. Poetry does not tell stories, it only describes emotions. “Is this Poetry?” Worksheet FOLDER #1 Genre: . Description: . . . Something I like about this genre is: . . Something I do not like about this genre is: . . Is this poetry? Why/why not?: . . . FOLDER #2 Genre: . Description: . . . Something I like about this genre is: . . Something I do not like about this genre is: . . Is this poetry? Why/why not?: . . . FOLDER #3 Genre: . Description: . . . Something I like about this genre is: . . Something I do not like about this genre is: . . Is this poetry? Why/why not?: . . . FOLDER #4 Genre: . Description: . . . Something I like about this genre is: . . Something I do not like about this genre is: . . Is this poetry? Why/why not?: . . . FOLDER #5 Genre: . Description: . . . Something I like about this genre is: . . Something I do not like about this genre is: . . Is this poetry? Why/why not?: . . . FOLDER #6 Genre: . Description: . . . Something I like about this genre is: . . Something I do not like about this genre is: . . Is this poetry? Why/why not?: . . . Sonnet 18 William Shakespeare (Folder #1) Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou growest: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this and this gives life to thee. Sonnet 79 Edmund Spencer (Folder #1) Men call you fair, and you do credit it, For that yourself you daily such do see: But the true fair, that is the gentle wit And virtuous mind, is much more praised of me. For all the rest, however fair it be, Shall turn to naught and lose that glorious hue: But only that is permanent and free From frail corruption that doth flesh ensue, That is true beauty; that doth argue you To be divine and born of heavenly seed; Derived from that fair spirit, from whom all true And perfect beauty did at first proceed: He only fair, and what he fair hath made: All other fair, like flowers, untimely fade. Sonnet 21 Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Folder #1) Say over again, and yet once over again, That thou dost love me. Though the word repeated Should seem 'a cuckoo-song,' as thou dost treat it, Remember, never to the hill or plain, Valley and wood, without her cuckoo-strain Comes the fresh Spring in all her green completed. Beloved, I, amid the darkness greeted By a doubtful spirit-voice, in that doubt's pain Cry, 'Speak once more—thou lovest! 'Who can fear Too many stars, though each in heaven shall roll, Too many flowers, though each shall crown the year? Say thou dost love me, love me, love me—toll The silver iterance!—only minding, Dear, To love me also in silence with thy soul. Holy Sonnet X: Death Be Not Proud John Donne (Folder #1) Death, be not proud, though some have callèd thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me. From rest and sleep, which yet thy pictures be, Much pleasure, then from thee much more, must low And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones and soul's delivery. Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings and desperate men And dost with poison, war and sickness dwell, And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then ? One short sleep past, we wake eternally, And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die. Sonnet XIX John Milton (Folder #1) When I consider how my light is spent, Ere half my days in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest He returning chide, 'Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?' I fondly ask. But patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies, 'God doth not need Either man's work or his own gifts. Who best Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed, And post o'er land and ocean without rest; They also serve who only stand and wait.' Sonnet- to Genevra Lord Byron (Folder #1) Thy cheek is pale with thought, but not from woe, And yet so lovely, that if Mirth could flush Its rose of whiteness with the brightest blush, My heart would wish away that ruder glow: And dazzle not thy deep-blue eyes---but, oh! While gazing on them sterner eyes will gush, And into mine my mother's weakness rush, Soft as the last drops round Heaven's airy bow. For, though thy long dark lashes low depending, The soul of melancholy Gentleness Gleams like a Seraph from the sky descending, Above all pain, yet pitying all distress; At once such majesty with sweetness blending, I worship more, but cannot love thee less. Crowded Tub Shel Silverstein (Folder #2) There’s too many kids in this tub. There’s too many elbows to scrub. I just washed a behind That I’m sure wasn’t mine, There’s too many kinds in this tub. Untitled Edward Lear (Folder #2) There was a Young Lady whose chin, Resembled the point of a pin; So she had it made sharp, And purchased a harp, And played several tunes with her chin. Brown Dog Called Spot Rebecca Telford (Folder #2) There was a brown dog called Spot, Who tied up his tail with a knot To remember his bone Which he'd left back at home When he sometimes went out for a trot. Old Man Of Quebec Edward Lear (Folder #2) There was an Old Man of Quebec, A beetle ran over his neck; But he cried, 'With a needle, I'll slay you, O beadle!' That angry Old Man of Quebec. Our Happy Hands Herbert Nehrlich (Folder #2) Is there something this life can provide that would have you or me satisfied? As they chase after gold our happy hands hold better jewels by far and by wide. An Old Man From The Cape Shadigo Claws (Folder #2) There was an old man from the Cape, Who made himself garments of crepe. When asked if they tear he replied, 'Here and there, But they keep such a beautiful shape! ' “The Mouse’s Tale” (From “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”) Lewis Carroll (Folder #3) Untitled (1958) Haroldo de Campos (Folder #3) Silence Eugen Gomringer (Folder #3) l(a…(a leaf falls on loneliness) E.E Cummings (Folder #3) l(a le af fa ll s) one l iness Exhausted Jennifer Kathleen Phillips (Folder #3) Easter Wings George Herbert (Folder #3) Lord, who createdst man in wealth and store, Though foolishly he lost the same, Decaying more and more, Till he became Most poore: With thee Oh let me rise As larks, harmoniously, And sing this day thy victories: Then shall the fall further the flight in me. My tender age in sorrow did beginne: And still with sicknesses and shame Thou didst so punish sinne, That I became Most thinne. With thee Let me combine And feel this day thy victorie: For, if I imp my wing on thine Affliction shall advance the flight in me. Pavlovs Dog 1 Bill Bissett (Folder #4) wud yu rathr onlee b ths happee thn fullee trusting agen n gettin whackd whappd wun mor time as yu cirkul th reel prize yr own focus on yrself innr serenitee yr love happee being without goal attainment alredee is not self having bells ar ringing great smells b careful sumthing mite not work having can b valu n thers no food nun not dont care abt things yu have no powr ovr agen n get reelee miserabul sew thers a ringing sum wundrful perfumeree from th larkspur hydrangea roses n plums pears n a kleer lake neer by valu can protekt its virtual realitee sumwun may honor theyr agreement with yu if they dont sum thing els may still cum up gud happeeness is sew tempting yu dont want 2 fall apart if yu dont get it meditating tails or heds oftn its not binaree its in th 7th or third opsyun th magik resides wait 4 it hungree awkward re wired agilitee taking yr time fr sure but redee 2 leep The Loch Ness Monster’s Song Edwin Morgan (Folder #4) Sssnnnwhuffffll? Hnwhuffl hhnnwfl hnfl hfl? Gdroblboblhobngbl gbl gl g g g g glbgl. Drublhaflablhaflubhafgabhaflhafl fl fl gm grawwwww grf grawf awfgm graw gm. Hovoplodok - doplodovok - plovodokot - doplodokosh? Splgraw fok fok splgrafhatchgabrlgabrl fok splfok! Zgra kra gka fok! Grof grawff gahf? Gombl mbl bl blm plm, blm plm, blm plm, blp After the Sea-Ship Walt Whitman (Folder #5) After the sea-ship, after the whistling winds, After the white-gray sails taut to their spars and ropes, Below, a myriad myriad waves hastening, lifting up their necks, Tending in ceaseless flow toward the track of the ship, Waves of the ocean bubbling and gurgling, blithely prying, Waves, undulating waves, liquid, uneven, emulous waves, Toward that whirling current, laughing and buoyant, with curves, Where the great vessel sailing and tacking displaced the surface, Larger and smaller waves in the spread of the ocean yearnfully flowing, The wake of the sea-ship after she passes, flashing and frolicsome under the sun, A motley procession with many a fleck of foam and many fragments, Following the stately and rapid ship, in the wake following. Autumn T.E Hulme (Folder #5) A touch of cold in the Autumn night I walked abroad, And saw the ruddy moon lean over a hedge Like a red-faced farmer. I did not stop to speak, but nodded; And round about were the wistfl stars With white faces like town children. The Embankment T.E Hulme (Folder #5) (The fantasia of a fallen gentleman on a cold, bitter night.) Once, in finesse of fiddles found I ecstasy, In the flash of gold heels on the hard pavement. Now see I That warmth’s the very stuff of poesy. Oh, God, make small The old star-eaten blanket of the sky, That I may fold it round me and in comfort lie. The More Loving One W.H Auden (Folder #5) Looking up at the stars, I know quite well That, for all they care, I can go to hell, But on earth indifference is the least We have to dread from man or beast. How should we like it were stars to burn With a passion for us we could not return? If equal affection cannot be, Let the more loving one be me. Admirer as I think I am Of stars that do not give a damn, I cannot, now I see them, say I missed one terribly all day. Were all stars to disappear or die, I should learn to look at an empty sky And feel its total darkness sublime, Though this might take me a little time. Irony D.H Lawrence (Folder #5) Always, sweetheart, Carry into your room the blossoming boughs of cherry, Almond and apple and pear diffuse with light, that very Soon strews itself on the floor; and keep the radiance of spring Fresh quivering; keep the sunny-swift March-days waiting In a little throng at your door, and admit the one who is plaiting Her hair for womanhood, and play awhile with her, then bid her depart. A come and go of March-day loves Through the flower-vine, trailing screen; A fluttering in of doves. Then a launch abroad of shrinking doves Over the waste where no hope is seen Of open hands: Dance in and out Small-bosomed girls of the spring of love, With a bubble of laughter, and shrilly shout Of mirth; then the dripping of tears on your glove. Ode To Tomatoes Pablo Neruda (Folder #6) The street filled with tomatoes, midday, summer, light is halved like a tomato, its juice runs through the streets. In December, unabated, the tomato invades the kitchen, it enters at lunchtime, takes its ease on countertops, among glasses, butter dishes, blue saltcellars. It sheds its own light, benign majesty. Unfortunately, we must murder it: the knife sinks into living flesh, red viscera a cool sun, profound, inexhaustible, populates the salads of Chile, happily, it is wed to the clear onion, and to celebrate the union we pour oil, essential child of the olive, onto its halved hemispheres, pepper adds its fragrance, salt, its magnetism; it is the wedding of the day, parsley hoists its flag, potatoes bubble vigorously, the aroma of the roast knocks at the door, it's time! come on! and, on the table, at the midpoint of summer, the tomato, star of earth, recurrent and fertile star, displays its convolutions, its canals, its remarkable amplitude and abundance, no pit, no husk, no leaves or thorns, the tomato offers its gift of fiery color and cool completeness. Ode To Stephen Dowling Mark Twain (Folder #6) And did young Stephen sicken, And did young Stephen die? And did the sad hearts thicken, And did the mourners cry? No; such was not the fate of Young Stephen Dowling Bots; Though sad hearts round him thickened, 'Twas not from sickness' shots. No whooping-cough did rack his frame, Nor measles drear, with spots; Not these impaired the sacred name Of Stephen Dowling Bots. Despised love struck not with woe That head of curly knots, Nor stomach troubles laid him low, Young Stephen Dowling Bots. O no. Then list with tearful eye, Whilst I his fate do tell. His soul did from this cold world fly, By falling down a well. They got him out and emptied him; Alas it was too late; His spirit was gone for to sport aloft In the realms of the good and great. Ode to a Grecian Urn John Keats (Folder #6) Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness, Thou foster-child of silence and slow time, Sylvan historian, who canst thus express A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme: What leaf-fring'd legend haunt about thy shape Of deities or mortals, or of both, In Tempe or the dales of Arcady? What men or gods are these? What maidens loth? What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy? Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard Are sweeter: therefore, ye soft pipes, play on; Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd, Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone: Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare; Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss, Though winning near the goal - yet, do not grieve; She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair! Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed Your leaves, nor ever bid the spring adieu; And, happy melodist, unwearied, For ever piping songs for ever new; More happy love! more happy, happy love! For ever warm and still to be enjoy'd, For ever panting, and for ever young; All breathing human passion far above, That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd, A burning forehead, and a parching tongue. Who are these coming to the sacrifice? To what green altar, O mysterious priest, Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies, And all her silken flanks with garlands drest? What little town by river or sea shore, Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel, Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn? And, little town, thy streets for evermore Will silent be; and not a soul to tell Why thou art desolate, can e'er return. O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede Of marble men and maidens overwrought, With forest branches and the trodden weed; Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral! When old age shall this generation waste, Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st, "Beauty is truth, truth beauty," - that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know. DAY 2: Literary Terms and Modern Poetry Materials: Photocopied handouts of literary terms and found poetry activity Markers/ pencils/ crayons Chart paper A list of topics on which students can base their graffiti Chalkboard/ whiteboard Chalk/whiteboard markers Chalkboard/whiteboard eraser Participation rubric Procedures: Teacher’s Actions Before class begins, the teacher must place various pieces of chart paper around the room at six possible stations. This paper is provided for the graffiti “found” poetry activity to come. In addition, a list of different thought provoking topics will be posted at each station to provide students with a starting point for their graffiti designs regarding content. Additionally, all handouts for the lesson will be arranged in a packaged form and placed on the students’ desks before class Students’ Actions At the beginning of class, the teacher will take roughly 5 minutes to debrief yesterday’s lesson, reflecting on the various types of poetry introduced and the activities explored. In particular, there will be focus on student interest and engagement in these types of activities, as well as their overall grasp and comfort level with the poetry introduced. In doing so, the teacher will write the titles of the poetry forms and ask students to list what they remember about that particular style or any initial impressions of that style. Students enter the room and take their seats. Students will express their likes and dislikes about the activities, and will be asked to recap their knowledge of the various poetry forms introduced. Students will review the forms of poetry by offering comments about the styles explored as well as their initial thoughts or similarities and differences found between the various poetic forms. After debrief, the teacher will erase the board and write literary terms on the board, Students will be given roughly 2 minutes and asked to work with an elbow partner to namely; characterization, irony, figurative language, theme, and symbol. Throughout the students’ paired brainstorming sessions, the teacher will circle the room and probe students about their brainstorming ideas and give help where needed by perhaps offering hints or examples that may better their understanding of the terms being explored. quickly jot down any known knowledge or related terms, definitions, ideas, examples etc. In doing so, it provides students with the opportunity to assess their knowledge and understanding of these terms, as well as practice brainstorming ideas in a paired setting Next, students will be given roughly 2 minutes switch partners, and as a result, exchange ideas and knowledge concerning the literary terms on the board. Upon completion of paired brainstorming, the teacher will then invite students to share their ideas and knowledge with the remainder of the class in a similar, yet class collaborative brainstorming technique. With each participant, the teacher will record on the board any information shared, providing students with a visual representation of the terms explored. Additionally, after developing basic definitions, the teacher will invite the class to offer any examples they have come up with; if feedback and examples are limited, the teacher will then have prepared examples and mind and attempt to present the students with relatable material so that a strong association can be made between term, definition, and example. This step should take approximately 6 minutes of the lesson. After completing the paired brainstorming activity, students will offer their findings and conclusions towards the class brainstorm found on the board. Next, the teacher will briefly explore the literary terms package found at each students desk and discuss unfamiliar terms in greater detail with examples where applicable. In addition, the teacher will explain that some of the terms are straight forward and that students should put aside time to read over the package. This component of the lesson should take roughly 20 minutes to complete. Students will follow along with the literary terms package and are invited to points out terms they find confusing or foreign. In addition, questions concerning the terms directly are welcomed. Upon completion of the literary terms Students will be introduced to the idea of discussion, the focus on words and their meaning will then be directed towards an activity that utilizes random words drawn from other literary pieces in the form of “found” poetry. This style of poetry will be demonstrated to the students by the teacher through exploration of an example and a brief explanation of how found poetry is created. This exemplar and explanation should take 5 minutes of the class. found poetry and will be invited to read over the hand out as it is being discussed, as well as pose questions for clarification. Next, the teacher will explain the “Graffiti and Found Poetry” activity, where students will be asked to rotate every 2-3 minutes from each of the six stations set up around the room (this was done before class, as previously mentioned). Before the activity begins, the teacher will explain that at each station, there are pencils/markers/crayons available for students to write graffiti, in the form of words or short phrases, which will later be used to create found poetry. The teacher will allot 15 minutes for the rotations and student participation at each station. Not only will the teacher keep track of the time in terms of rotation, but they themselves will also roam the room, providing students with feedback, observing the appropriateness and completeness of the graffiti pieces, ensuring students are on task and perhaps adding their own input to add to the overall process. Additionally, the teacher will help students if they are unsure of the task, or need a push in the right direction. After listening to the teacher’s instructions, the students will be given the opportunity to select which stations they visit, yet are encouraged to work at that station for roughly 2-3 minutes. After completing their graffiti piece for a station, they will rotate to the next station, upon the cue by the teacher, and continue to use the helpful cues posted on the wall to create their graffiti. Questions and clarification are always encouraged from the students. After the graffiti station rotations are completed, the teacher will divide the students into six groups (random numbering techniques will be used, numbering each student as a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6) and will assign each group one of the chart papers from a graffiti station. Next, the teacher will ask students to review the content of their chart paper, and begin to create their own found poetry (with Upon being divided into their respective groups, students will review the content found on the chart paper and refer to the example discussed in class in order to construct their own found poetry. Each student will be responsible for his/her contribution, as it will be monitored by the teacher, and the students will present their group poem in the next class. frequent reference to the exemplar for indirect guidance) within the 15 minutes allotted. The teacher will also explain that it is important to have their poems complete as a group, as they will be read aloud the next day in class. Additionally, the teacher will roam the room to ensure that students are contributing, on task, and that any questions are addressed. During this time, the teacher will also fill out a formative assessment rubric for participation for each student. Also, the teacher will record group members in case this is forgotten Lastly, the teacher will assign a small homework assignment, where the students are required to create their own found poetry (individually) and submit it the next day as part of their portfolio. The teacher will allow 5 minutes for a quick debrief of the activity and explanation of the homework assignment which will call upon the students to find a random article, blog, book, short story, etc., or essentially any written piece at home, and extract words to create found poetry, using a similar process as demonstrated by the initial exemplar. At this point, the students are invited to share their comments and overall impressions of found poetry and the activity in general. Additionally, they are able to begin thinking about their homework assignment and ask questions if needed. Literary and Poetic Terms Handout Allegory - An allegory is a form of story in which the characters represent not only themselves, but also an abstract concept such as greed or jealousy or justice or peace. George Orwell’s Animal farm or John Bunyon’s Pilgrim’s Progress are both examples of allegories Alliteration - A variety of sound devices are used in both poetry and prose. One of these, alliteration, is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of a series of words. “She sells seashells by the seashore” is an example of alliteration. Allusion - An allusion is a reference to a well-known literary work or public icon. Usually all the ideas and connotations connected with the referenced work or icon are packaged up within the allusion and meant to inform the reader’s understanding of whatever the allusion is included in. Analogy - A comparison that, usually, explains an abstract concept by applying the attributes of a physical concept is an analogy. e.g. A street light is like a star. Both provide light at night, both are in predictable locations, both are overhead, and both serve no function in the daytime. Antagonist - An antagonist is a character who opposes the protagonist of a story. As a protagonist is the main character with a conflict to resolve, an antagonist usually blocks or opposes the protagonist in this resolution of the conflict. Antithesis - A contrast to a thesis or set of ideas Apostrophe - Addressing a divine being or an abstract concept is an example of apostrophe. For example, if you were worried about passing an exam, you might exclaim, “Oh brain, do your best!” Or, you might pray, “God, please help me remember.” Both are examples of apostrophe. Assonance - Assonance is a sound device. It is the repetition of vowel sounds. For example, the phrase “How now brown cow.” contains assonance. Audience - Audience is the reader for whom the piece of writing is intended. One might write differently, for example, when addressing a group of professionals in a given field as opposed to the general public. Atmosphere - The overall emotional quality created by the setting is the atmosphere of a piece of literature. Bias - A bias is a particular slant or narrow position taken on an issue. This slant might be apparent through the language chosen to describe certain things or people. It could be apparent through the things that are not addressed. Blank Verse - Blank verse is a form of unrhyming poetry that has a regular rhythm. This rhythm is Iambic pentameter: a pattern of stressed and unstressed beats that occur five times per line. Shakespeare used blank verse to indicate the importance of a particular speaker in his drama. Cacophony - The creation of harsh jangling sounds through imagery or pronunciation is cacophony. For example, Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Characterization - Characterization is the creation of a fictional individual through a description of their appearance, speech, thoughts, and behavior. It may be direct characterization—being told outright what a character’s attributes are—or indirect—having to conclude what a character’s traits are because of their actions or speech Chronological Order - A story in which the events are told in the order they actually occurred in time is told in chronological order. A story that begins by telling the reader the outcome— such as a murder that has occurred—and then goes back to fill in what happened before the outcome is not in chronological order Cliché - A cliché is a phrase that has lost its freshness through over use. Writing that uses clichés is considered to be lacking in creativity and originality. Comedy - The dramatic form in which everything turns out “happily ever after” is a comedy. In Ancient Greece a comedy usually involved a young person at odds with society’s demands who uses subterfuge to solve the dilemma. Conflict - Conflict is the struggle between two opposing forces. As a literary device, conflict is often categorized as man against man, man against himself, and man against nature. Connotation - The connotation is the underlying or understood meaning of a word as opposed to the denotation which is the dictionary meaning of a word. Connotations are often more easily perceived by native speakers of a language. Consonance - Consonance is similar to alliteration in that it is a repetition of consonant sounds. However, unlike alliteration, consonance does not have to happen at the beginning of a word. For example, ”book, plaque, thick”. Couplet - A set of two rhyming lines is a couplet. Denotation - The dictionary definition of a word is its denotation. See connotation. Dialect - Dialect is the pronunciation and phraseology of a language that differs between native speakers of a language who live in different regions. Diction - This term indicates the choice a writer or speaker makes between wording and/or sentence structure. Most commonly, one differentiates between informal and formal diction. Informal diction is the language you might use in an everyday conversation with friends. Formal diction is what you might use in presenting to an audience of adults. Didactic - A didactic essay, for example, instructs or teaches what is considered to be morally right or proper behaviour. A narrative essay that ends with the conclusion “Don’t drink and drive” is didactic Dilemma - A choice between two equally unfavourable outcomes. Dissonance - One of the sound devices, dissonance Is the creation of tones that seem harsh or disagreeable. Dramatic Irony - Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows that something is about to or is occurring that the characters are not aware of Editorial - Literally, an editorial is the expression of a particular opinion of an editor. However, a writing instructor might also suggest less editorializing in your writing which suggests you should show rather than tell. Elegy - An elegy mourns the loss of something or someone. This could be a character who has died or a general loss, such as a “loss of innocence Emotional Appeal- Persuasive essay writing, and advertisements, in particular, appeal to human emotional responses. These appeals are not exclusive to, but may take the form of images—kittens and babies, for example—that appeal to a particular protective or tender side or wording designed to inflame indignation. Epic - A long narrative poem that tells of a hero’s deeds is an epic. Homer’s Odyssey and the Anglo Saxan poem Beowulf are both epics. Epiphany - An epiphany is a sudden realization or illumination. Can be thought of as an “ah ha” or “ah!” moment. Epigram - Two literary definitions are acceptable for epigram. One definition is that it is a short witty poem and the other definition is that it is a short witty saying. Either way, the following by John Dryden is a good example of an epigram. Here lies my wife: here let her lie! Now she's at rest — and so am I. Euphemism - Rather than say things bluntly that could be considered offensive or crude or too blunt, we soften harsh realities by using euphemisms. For example, you might excuse yourself to the washroom rather than toilet Fable - A fable is a brief narrative that contains a specific lesson or moral to be learned. Often animals are used as the characters. Aesop’s fables are a well-known collection. Farce - Farce is a type of comedy that often mocks something or someone through light satire and/or unlikely events. CBC’s production, The Royal Canadian Air Farce has examples of this literary device Figurative Language - Figurative language is any imaginative comparison, such as a metaphor, simile, or personification. Flashback - A flashback is an interruption in the narrative sequence of events into past occurrences. A simply recollection of a memory or things that happened in the past is not flashback. Ondaatje’s The English Patient is interwoven with flashback. Foreshadowing - Hints at events about to occur are foreshadowing. For example, in Earle Birney’s poem “David”, Bob’s comment “that’s the first I knew that a goat could slip” presages the mountain climbing accident he and David have. Free verse - Poetry with no regular rhythm and no regular rhyme is free verse. Irony - There are several kinds of irony, but common to each is the notion of something other that what was expected to a wryly humourous effect. E.g. dramatic irony, situational irony and verbal irony. Jargon - Jargon is the set of technical terms associated with a particular profession or group of people. An essay that is intended for a general audience but is loaded with jargon would be considered badly written. Juxtaposition - Two characters or images or settings, for example, may be described in close proximity to one another in order to emphasize their similarities or their differences. This is juxtaposition. Lyric - Although there are many definitions for a lyric poem, they all seem to have in common the expression of a deeply felt emotion or personal response. The tone of a lyric poem is frequently expressed as reflective. Metaphor - A metaphor is defined as a comparison between two or more seemingly unalike things that does not include the words “like or as”. For example: All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; — (William Shakespeare, As You Like It) Meter - The meter is the pattern of rhythm—the repetition of stressed and unstressed syllables—in a line of poetry. Iambic pentameter is a type of meter. Mood - Mood is the overall emotional quality created by a piece of literature. Myth - Myths are stories that may have some historical fact in them but tend to include the supernatural or the improbable. More importantly, perhaps, are the cultural values and universal truths about human nature revealed by the stories Narrator - A narrator is the teller of story. The narrative voice may be from various points of view such as first person, third person, omniscient. Objective tone - An objective tone is created by the writer’s wording so that the piece of writing seems to be unbiased and unemotional. The antonym of objective is subjective which means personal experience and opinions are expressed. Octave - In poetry, an eight line stanza is an octave. See sonnet. Ode - An ode is a lyrical poem of complex structure that often is written in praise of something or someone Onomatopoeia - “Crash, bam, boom” are examples of onomatopoeic words as they sound like the sounds they represent. Oxymoron - An oxymoron is a phrase that has an inherent contradiction in it. For example, jumbo shrimp, boneless ribs, global village. Paradox - A paradox is a statement that seems to contain a contradiction, but has an underlying truth. For example, “To find yourself, you must lose yourself.” Parody - Mimicking something or someone by exaggerating or copying certain traits with a satirical intent is a parody. Pathos - Writers create pathos when they develop sympathy in the reader through imagery or events. Personal Essay - As the name suggests, a personal essay is about a person’s life. It is, therefore, subjective and reflective. Personification - If you noted that the “wind whispered through the trees” you would be using personification as it is attributing human characteristics to inanimate things. Persuasive essay - The goal of this style of essay is to convince the reader to think or act differently. It may, therefore, contain emotional appeals and be written in a style that is designed to grab a reader’s attention. Prologue - Before a drama or a narrative might come a prologue. It might explain a brief background that is pertinent but not integral to the plot. Propaganda - This is a message or set of messages designed to specifically shape public opinion or thinking in order to accomplish a certain set of goals, usually political in nature. Protagonist - The protagonist is the main character with a conflict to resolve. See antagonist. Proverb - A short, easily understood phrase that expresses a common sense truth is a proverb. Purpose - Purpose is the intent of the writer in using the style he/she chose. Pun - Puns are plays on words and usually take advantage of words that are spelled differently but are pronounced similarly. For example, “Why did she want to date a mushroom? She’d heard he was a “fungi”. (fun guy) Quatrain - A quatrain is a stanza that is four lines in length. Refrain - A refrain is a repeated set of lines or words. Rhetorical question - A rhetorical question is not meant to be literally answered but to provoke thought. Rhyme - Rhyme is the repetition of a similar sound in words. A rhyme may be internal— within a line—but, in English poetry, is more commonly at the end of a line. For example, Jack and Jill went up a hill, to fetch a pail of water, Jack fell down and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after. Rhythm - Rhythm is the beat of a line of poetry or prose. Satire - A scathing piece of literature than points out human folly Sestet - A six line stanza in a poem Simile - A simile is an imaginative comparison using “like” or “as”. For example, “She ran like a leopard.” is a simile comparing a runner to a leopard. Soliloquy - A soliloquy is an extended and uninterrupted speech by a character who is usually alone on the stage and speaking his/her innermost thoughts. Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” speech is a very famous soliloquy. Sonnet - Sonnets are 14 line poems that have a specific meter and rhyme scheme. The Shakespearean sonnet contains four quatrains and ends with a couplet. The Petrarchan sonnet begins with an octave and ends with a sestet. As well, sonnets follow a pattern of development for the ideas they express. Speaker - When discussing poetry, one refers to the narrator as the speaker of the poem. Do not assume that the poet is the speaker of the poem Stanza - A stanza is a group of lines in a poem. Stereotype - A stereotypical has a specific set of traits usually associated with a group of people. These traits might be either positive or negative. Rightly or wrongly, stereotypes are too general to be true of everyone in a group. Style - In a literary sense, style is the way a writer puts together the words he/she chooses. For example, Hemmingway is noted for his use of sparse dialogue and understatement. Symbol - Symbols are images that represent something else. For example, the symbol for poison is a skull and crossbones. Similarly, in Hemmingway’s “Hills like White Elephants”, “white elephants” represent things a person is given but that no one seems to want, which is symbolic of the central tension of the short story. Theme - This is the statement that describes the “big picture” or the universal truth about human nature or existence Thesis - All essays have a thesis which is the underlying or explicit statement being proved. Tone - Tone is the emotional attitude toward a subject conveyed by the writer’s word choice. Tragedy - In literary terminology, a tragedy contains certain elements: a protagonist of high position or esteem who has a fatal character flaw and events that reveal that fatal flaw, resulting in the downfall and / or death of the protagonist and those around him/her. Topics/ Helpful Suggestions for “Found” Poetry Group Graffiti Activity 1. What is the title of your favourite song? OR Write a lyric or two from a song you like/ have stuck in your head. 2. Write a few words about a wish or dream you may have. 3. Write a few words about your favourite concert/ class/ road trip/ vacation. 4. Write a few words about the hardest thing you have ever done. 5. Write a few words about the strangest or most interesting dream you’ve ever had. 6. Write a few words about how you see yourself in 5 years. Student Participation Rubric Name of Student:____________________________ COMMENTS: DAY 3 Found Poetry Presentation and Traditional Poetry Materials: Photocopies of types of poetry handout with poem examples Thought-provoking questions (found on types of poetry handout) Photocopies of peer evaluation form Procedures: Teacher’s Actions Before class begins, the teacher will handout photocopy packages at each students’ desk containing the “types of poetry” handout, as well as a peer evaluation form for each student Upon student arrival, the teacher will remind students of the group “found” poetry presentations, which consist of reading the poem created as a group. Groups are encouraged to volunteer their participation; however, if there are no volunteers to present first, the teacher will decide which groups precede. Before presentations, the teacher will explain that observing groups are to fill out the peer evaluation form which will essentially ask students to comment on what they liked about the poem, what stood out, what the poets meant, and any helpful suggestions. The teacher will allot 20 minutes for presentations to take place, assigning roughly 3 minutes for each group presentation. During these three minutes, the teacher has the students introduce their group members, the graffiti piece they based their poem off of, a reading of the poem and its title, and finally leaving room for some students to offer components of their evaluation to the group. The teacher will collect this peer feedback at the end of presentations so that this feedback can be made available for students when selecting portfolio items to showcase. Students’ Actions Students enter the classroom and sit at their desks. Upon request, the students re-enter their “found” poetry group. Students will take a minute to review their group poem and prepare to read it aloud to the class when called upon or volunteering. When presenting, the students must briefly introduce their group members and discuss the graffiti item they had based their poem off of, followed by a reading of their poem. This can be accomplished in anyway decided by the students; however, all must participate in at least one aspect of their presentation. If the group is observing another presentation, students within each group have their own evaluation form, but can work within their group to constructively critique other presentations according to the format provided. After a presentation ends, students will then share these comments with the class if called upon. For the next component of the lesson, the teacher will review various forms of traditional poetry with the class, alongside the examples used to explore each type. Notably, the exemplars are nature based in order to address environmental literacy, and the authors vary in culture to promote multicultural literacy. There are ten poem types to be explored, and as a result, 35 minutes will be assigned to explore the various types. The teacher will introduce the type of poem and offer a brief explanation, meanwhile asking students to read parts or the entire example offered for the poem type being examined. For each type of poem, the teacher will ask the students if they notice any patterns, rhyming schemes, figurative language, etc. In order to accomplish this, the teacher will ask students to have their literary terms package available for review for discussion of the poems and various styles. Students will explore various types of poetry through discussion based learning. In addition to participating in discussion, students are encouraged to read the example poetry and answer questions posed by the teacher. In their discussion and dissection of traditional poetry, they are also responsible for having their literary terms package with them to “hunt” for figurative language, rhyming schemes, etc. to further the discussion and practice these terms on a frequent basis. For the remaining 20 minutes, the teacher will ask the students to pair with an elbow partner and reflect on the following questions; Who are the authors of these poems? Where do you think their story comes from? What do these poems have in common? What sets them apart from one another? In doing so, the teacher is asking his/her students to think critically about these pieces and reflect on what makes each type of poetry unique. Lastly, after reviewing the answers to these questions, the teacher will assign a homework component, asking students to select a style of poetry and produce a poem in that style for the next class. During these 20 minutes, the teacher allows time to work on the homework, and is constantly conferencing with students to check for understanding and providing additional support. After reviewing the handout, students will conference with an elbow partner by answering the questions found at the bottom of the handout (Who are the authors of these poems? Where do you think their story comes from? What do these poems have in common? What sets them apart from one another?). After this discussion, students will then have an opportunity to select a preferred style of poetry and create their own as a homework assignment. This poem is to be completed for the next class as time in class is given. Forms of Poetry Poetry is the expression of a thought, an idea, a concept or a story in a structured form which has a flow and a music created by the sounds and syllables in it. All types of poetry are often written in several styles. These styles are defined by the number of lines in each stanza, the syllables used in each line or the structures of rhyme used and so on. Here is a list of the main types of poetry commonly used by poets all over the world. Basic Forms of Poetry: Ballad: This is an old style of writing poetry, which was used to tell stories. A ballad usually has stanzas made up of either seven or eight or ten lines, and ends with a short four or five line stanza. Each stanza ends with the same line, which is called ‘a refrain’. Example: THE ARCTIC INDIAN’S FAITH. By Thomas D’Arcy McGee (A Famous Canadian) I. We worship the spirit that walks unseen Through our land of ice and snow: We know not His face, we know not His place, But His presence and power we know. II. Does the Buffalo need the Pale-face word To find his pathway far? What guide has he to the hidden ford, Or where the green pastures are? Who teacheth the Moose that the hunter’s gun Is peering out of the shade— Who teacheth the doe and the fawn to run In the track the Moose has made? III. Him do we follow, Him do we fear— The spirit of earth and sky;— Who hears with the Wapiti’s* eager ear His poor red children’s cry. Whose whisper we note in every breeze That stirs the birch canoe— Who hangs the reindeer moss on the trees For the food of the Caribou. IV. That Spirit we worship who walks unseen Through our land of ice and snow: We know not His face, we know not His place, But His presence and power we know. *Wapiti—the Elk. Couplet: Perhaps the most popular type of poetry used, the couplet has stanzas made up of two lines which rhyme with each other. Example: Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening, By Robert Frost Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year. He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound's the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. Another example? Ode to Autumn, By John Keats 1. Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; Conspiring with him how to load and bless With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run; To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees, And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells With a sweet kernel; to set budding more, And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease, For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells. 2. Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store? Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find Thee sitting careless on a granary floor, Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind; Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep, Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while thy hook Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers: And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep Steady thy laden head across a brook; Or by a cyder-press, with patient look, Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours. 3. Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they? Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,— While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day, And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue; Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn Among the river sallows, borne aloft Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies; And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn; Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft; And gathering swallows twitter in the skies Quatrain: This kind of poem has four lines in a stanza, of which the second and fourth lines rhyme with each other and have a similar syllable structure. CALL OF THE SEA (PANTOUM) By: Hema Ravi, India The waves are dancing with joy, Urging fisher folk to come along. Hidden treasures are there to enjoy, Mother Nature’s lap is where they belong. Urging fisher folk to come along, To cast their nets into the depths, Mother Nature’s lap is where they belong, As they wait for a catch with bated breaths. Casting their nets into the depths, Swiftly rowing their boats along. As they wait for a catch with bated breaths, Their voices gently break into song. Swiftly rowing their boats along Hidden treasures are there to enjoy, Their voices gently break into song, The waves are dancing with joy. Cinquain: This is another unique type of poetry style. As the name suggests, it is made up of five lines. The first line is just one word, which is often the title of the poem. The second line has two words which describe the first line. The third line has three words, and is mostly the action part of the poem. The fourth line is four words describing the feelings. And the fifth line, again, has just one word which is the title of the poem. For example: “Forest’, By: Marinela Reka Forest Precious, sublime Swaying, prancing, leaping Beauty which humbles everyone Nature Iambic Pentameter: This is a very complicated style of writing poetry, but was often used by classical poets. This style uses the syllable stresses to create the musical sound. There is one short sounding syllable followed by one long sounding syllable, at the end of each of the five stanzas in a row. THE SONG OF LIFE (IN STRICT IAMBIC PENTAMETER) Koyel Mitra, India When cherry flowers spread their pink array, Then spring comes with its charming, lovely grace. A zephyr fondles the lush green display And gently holds them in a tight embrace. A respite from the chilly winter snow, Its pleasant, cheerful nature welcomes all. The golden sun shines with a mellow glow, With beauty tulips blossom; large and small. Lambs frisk about while shepherds pipe sweet songs, The dulcet tunes of cuckoos reach my ears, The happy bell of my heart booms and dongs, Resounds through air that dries my glassy tears. My gloom effaced with fast approach of spring, Heart full of glee, the song of life I sing. Sonnet: This type of poem contains fourteen lines and follows conventional structures of rhyme. “Don’t Blame Nature”, by: John Celes Why challenge Mother Nature, man, in vain? Accept her superiority and pow’r; One can’t traverse with equal speed each lane; Take blame for every flood, wind, drought and show’r! When hot, the excess steam must be let off; When cold, one needs to cover to gain heat; When Nature’s in a furious mood, don’t scoff; Find solutions better and don’t retreat. When Nature sends a breeze, man loves her touch; When Nature blows a wind fierce, men rant, rave; Yet, Nature balances her acts so much; From natural disasters, man ought to save. Align with Nature: Love the way she works; But cursing God brings man more Nature’s jerks! Haiku: This is again a very structured method of writing poetry. This has its origins in Japan. This method does not use rhyme. There are three lines of five, seven and five syllables each. The poem must essentially talk about some aspect of Nature. "Unity" by: Lily Wang Stretching meadows The soul breathes in unison with The pulse of wind Free Verse: This is a method of writing poetry, which does not essentially follow any structure or style. There is no fixed meter and no structure regarding rhyme and lines in each stanza. This kind of poetry is quite popular with modern poets. “Waterfall” by Hugh Cook (Britain/ New Zealand) Under extremest skies, asundered mountains Rift through the mist and are gone. Marooned on a wall of vertigo, a single tree Hangs long pause. Below, a plummet down, Launching from a ravenous gorge, Oiled in a slide of moil and whirl, A river quickens, Its smooth intent of impetus and purpose Marbled with the lighter-darker Darker-lighter weave and shift Of switchback gravity flecked with foam. In thrust of flood it threats from force to force Until momentum, Pitched by a rock, a heave of opposition, Bursts splinter-spree, brief ice Collapsing as it falls and spills To the kick and jolt of lurch and gone, As rapids in a boiling purge Lynch down a chute to the avalanche leap Where water rolling water sprints a cliff. Crashing in sheer concussions, Brute water falls as waterfall, Gusting in spray and topple, Plumed with the gush of foam, with whitest gash. Hanging forever on the keynote of descent, It falls, The plunge of freezing steam Booming in broils, in light cascading To the terminal ravish of the rocks of descent. Epic: This poem is usually a long and descriptive one which tells a story. Epics usually are longer than most poems and may even take up a book. Example: Homer’s ‘Iliad’. Hiawatha's Departure from The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow By the shore of Gitchie Gumee, By the shining Big-Sea-Water, At the doorway of his wigwam, In the pleasant Summer morning, Hiawatha stood and waited. All the air was full of freshness, All the earth was bright and joyous, And before him through the sunshine, Westward toward the neighboring forest Passed in golden swarms the Ahmo, Passed the bees, the honey-makers, Burning, singing in the sunshine. Bright above him shown the heavens, Level spread the lake before him; From its bosom leaped the sturgeon, Aparkling, flashing in the sunshine; On its margin the great forest Stood reflected in the water, Every tree-top had its shadow, Motionless beneath the water. From the brow of Hiawatha Gone was every trace of sorrow, As the fog from off the water, And the mist from off the meadow. With a smile of joy and triumph, With a look of exultation, As of one who in a vision Sees what is to be, but is not, Stood and waited Hiawatha. Limerick: This is a very witty and often vulgar kind of a poem, which is quite short. This poem has five lines in a stanza. The first, second and fifth line have the same metrical structure and they rhyme with each other. They contain seven to ten syllables each. The second and fourth lines have the same metrical structure and rhyme with each other. These contain five to seven syllables. TWO TREES (Limerick) William Thomas Dodd, Germany The willow and the oak both went up in smoke. Nature destroyed, mother annoyed, fire starters think it’s a joke These are by no means, all types of poetry forms used. But these are the basics. Most poets use these forms and structures while writing their poems. The form and structure of the poem, ideally should not limit the thought or the idea conveyed by the poet. However, these styles of writing help make the poem more musical in its flow. Something to think about… Who are the authors of these poems? Where do you think their story comes from? What do these poems have in common? What sets them apart from one another? Class Activity: Looking at Modern Poetry “Found Poetry” What is it? Found poems take existing texts and refashion them, reorder them, and present them as poems. The literary equivalent of a collage, found poetry is often made from newspaper articles, street signs, graffiti, speeches, letters, or even other poems. A pure found poem consists exclusively of outside texts: the words of the poem remain as they were found, with few additions or omissions. Decisions of form, such as where to break a line, are left to the poet. Example? Two articles are examined, and interesting words are selected, or “found” by the author. These words can then be used, in anyway, to construct the author’s own poem, such as the following: Finding Home gray territories cover vast miles do not migrate hunt your boundaries learn your way home Performance Task: We will create our own “found” poetry! How? Through the art of graffiti! There will be six stations set up around the classroom, each having a piece of chart paper and a variety of markers to use for designing your graffiti. In addition, there are also helpful suggestions posted beside the chart paper. It is your job to produce words and phrases that reflect the ideas presented at each work station. Remember; be creative, respectful, and have fun! Eventually, we will have enough graffiti to construct our own found poetry! Found Poetry Evaluation Form Group Members: Title of “Found” poem: What did you like about the poem? What parts of the poem stood out for you? Why? What do you think the poets are talking about in their poem? Do you have any helpful suggestions for the poets? DAY 4: Imagery & Concrete Poems Materials: Pieces of lined paper (a 1/2 page for each student) Pictures of different landscapes, animals, and/or plants Examples of concrete poems on PowerPoint or transparency (can use the concrete poems from the previous folder activity) Laptops (if available) Magazines Glue Scissors Bristol board Markers, crayons, and/or pencil crayons Procedures: Teacher’s Actions Students’ Actions Before class begins the teacher tapes up pictures of landscapes, animals, and/or plants around the classroom. He/She could also play some relaxing nature sounds or soundscapes. The students enter the room and take their seats. To begin class, the teacher asks the students what they think the most popular themes in poetry are. As the class answers, the teacher writes their responses on the board. The students answer the teacher’s question(s). The teacher then begins talking about the importance of the environment and nature imagery in various genres of poetry. This can be done with the use of a PowerPoint, transparency, or any other type of presentation technology. The main idea is to discuss how words are used to create images (imagery), and that concrete pomes actually do this. Students sit and take notes and ask questions when they need information to be clarified or expanded on. The teacher will then show students examples of concrete poem either in print, with the projector, or on a transparency. Some students volunteer to read the poems aloud. The teacher then hands out the ½ pieces of paper to the students. The teacher explains the next activity. He/She tells the students to think about an image from nature (it can be a landscape, a place, a plant or an animal). The teacher then tells the students to write their word on their piece of paper and then crumple it up into a ball. The students sit and listen to the teacher’s instructions. They look at the pictures around the room for inspiration and then write their word on their piece of paper. They then crumple their papers into small balls. The teacher then tells students to stand up The students throw their balls and then pick and throw their balls (not at anyone) across up a new one. the room. After they have thrown their ball, they are to pick up a different ball. The teacher tells the students to uncrumple their new ball, think about another (new) image from nature, and write it underneath the first word on the paper. The teacher then tells the students to once again, crumple up their paper into a ball and throw it across the room. The students write their new word on the paper, crumple it up again, and throw it across the room. This is repeated until there are 3 nature words on the paper. This is repeated until there are 3 nature words on the paper. The teacher then tells the students that they will be creating their own concrete poems based on one of the three words on their papers. They may draw their poem, use a laptop to create it, or cut out words from magazines and newspapers and paste them on Bristol board to make their poem. Students use the rest of the period to start (and hopefully finish) their concrete poems. At the end of class, the teacher collects the poems so he/she can give the students meaningful feedback that they can use during the editing process. The students hand in their poems to receive feedback. DAY 5: Sound Poetry Materials: A digital copy (on PowerPoint) of Edwin Morgan’s The Loch Ness Monster’s Song Audio recording of Edwin Morgan’s The Loch Ness Monster’s Song (can be found at http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoem.do?poemId=1683 Projector and/or Smartboard Copies of blank T chart template (1 for every student) A poem recited in a different language (Russian) for T chart activity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU0VlNBboTA Bristol board or large blank paper Markers, crayons, and/or pencil crayons Optional: Youtube Videos of sound poetry performances Procedures: Teacher’s Actions Students’ Actions The teacher puts a Edwin Morgan’s The Loch Ness Monster’s Song on the projector or transparency. He/She asks the students what they think the poem is about. The students give their impressions about the poem. They may make general comments or ask questions. The teacher gives the students some important background information about sound poetry including: the time period in which it became popular, some famous poets/artists, some unique features of the genre, etc. The students take notes if they feel it is appropriate. The teacher then asks the class if anyone wants to attempt to read the poem aloud. The teacher leads a discussion about the possible ways in which the poem could be read/performed. A brave student may volunteer to read the poem, but this is unlikely. With some guidance from the teacher, the students talk about how some of the words might sound and how the poem could be read. The teacher writes down some of the students’ predictions, ideas, and opinions on the board. The teacher then plays the audio The Loch Ness Monster’s Song being read by the Edwin Morgan. This is available online at: http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive /singlePoem.do?poemId=1863 The teacher then asks the students how their The students listen to the audio and/or watch the video. Students debate and discuss their predictions were different from the actual reading prediction compared to the actual of the poem. This discussion should lead to the idea reading of the poem. that the poems really need to be performed and heard rather than read. The teacher then distributes a T chart to each of the students. He/She instructs the students to write “sound poetry” at the top of the left column and “International poetry” at the top of the right column. The students write “sound poetry” at the top of the left column and “International poetry” at the top of the right column. To reinforce the importance of sound (and to include multicultural literacy) the teacher then displays a poem written in a different language. (This could be a famous poem, or could be a poem in the first language of a student in the class. If this is the case, ask the teacher asks the student to read it aloud in their language to the rest of the class, if they are comfortable doing so. If this is not the case, the teacher must find audio (or video) of a person reading the poem in its original language. A good resource can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU0VlNBboTA) The teacher then asks the students what similarities and differences there are between sound poetry and poetry written in a different language. He/She writes down the students’ answers in a T chart on the board. The students raise their hands and share their ideas when they are called on by the teacher. They write the same information on their T charts as the teacher writes on the board. The teacher then divides the class into groups of 4- The students break into groups and 5 students. The teacher instructs each group to push push their desks together to make a 4 desks together (facing each other) and sit around bigger working surface. them. As the students are organizing themselves, the teacher gives each group a large piece of bristol board or paper, markers, crayons, and/or pencil crayons. The students sit around the desks and wait for further instruction. The teacher then tells the students that they are going to listen to another sound poem but that this time, they are to draw what they hear and feel. If the poem makes them feel mad or confused, they must find a way to visually represent their feelings. If they think the poem is about love or friendship, they have to find a way to visually represent the The students sit and listen to the instructions. themes. The teacher also explains that the group can draw one cohesive image, or each person can draw whatever they wish on the same sheet. He/She also explains that students can be as literal or abstract as they want with their artwork. The teacher turns off some of the lights in the classroom to set the mood and then plays only audio of a sound poem. The students being drawing and writing. When the poem is finished, the teacher asks the first group to stand up where they are and share their pictures. The students finish their drawing. Each student in the group explains their interpretation of the poem and how they visually represented it. The teacher then asks the next group to do the same thing, and so on and so forth until all of the students have shared their interpretations and artwork. As the students share their work, the teacher should help them to make connections between each others’ interpretations and drawings. (I.E if the students are all using the colour green, or mention feeling confused the teacher should try to encourage the students to find these connections). The students stand up and explain their artwork, how they felt about the poem, and what they think the poem was about. They ask each other questions and attempt to make connections between each others’ work. The teacher then asks the students to respond to the following questions in their journals: 1. How is sound poetry different from other genres of poetry that we have studied? 2. When you were listening to the poetry, how did it make you feel? What images came to mind? The teacher then assigns the class homework; each student must write their own sound poem to put in their portfolio at the end of the unit. The students take 10-15 minutes to respond the questions in their journals. If there is time remaining, they then begin to work on their sound poems until the end of the class. T-Chart 1. . 2. . DAY 6 Famous Poets, Poetry Analysis, and “Writing in the style of” Group Activity Materials: Computer access Famous Poets package and Poetry analysis worksheet (photocopied for each student) Pieces of paper and a hat for a draw Chalk/ whiteboard marker Chalkboard/ whiteboard Procedures: Teacher’s Actions Before class begins, teacher will distribute handout package containing famous poets and their poems, as well as a poetry analysis sheet. Students’ Actions Teacher will take 2 min to debrief the Students will discuss sound poetry, sound poetry; activities explored the likes/dislikes about activities, previous day, and what students have learnt as a result. Teacher will introduce the idea of famous poets by having a brief brainstorming activity, roughly 3 minutes in length, asking students about poets they are familiar with. Students will, as a class, brainstorm poets that they are familiar with, as well as famous poets they made have encountered or heard of. Teacher will then refer to the famous poets package and ask students to look over the poems to see which titles appear most interesting. The teacher will then select two poems to be read by the class (individual volunteers or selected by teacher), and discuss similarities and differences in style, content, format, etc. This discussion and reading is assigned 10 minutes. Students will briefly glance over poems by famous poets in their handouts and vote about which two poems will be read by the individuals selected from the class. They will then discuss similarities and differences in style, content, format, etc. Since a poetry analysis is to be completed, the teacher will have the students pick one of the two poems read and conduct a thorough analysis of the poem according to Students will refer to the worksheet provided upon voting which of the two selected poems will be analyzed. Students will participate in the double journal entry the worksheet provided. This is to exemplify the necessary steps in dissecting the poem. The teacher will start by “translating” the poem, stanza by stanza, in a double journal entry fashion displayed on the chalk/whiteboard (one column is the lines from the poem, and the neighbouring column consists of comments). Next, the teacher will work through the poetry analysis worksheet with the class in a stepwise manner, guiding the students in the process but relying heavily on their responses. This activity will take 15 minutes. style dissection of the poem, followed by answering questions posed by the teacher, which are directly from the poetry analysis worksheet. The teacher will then arrange students into 8 groups, numbering students at random (from 1 to 9), and have the various poems and poets written on small pieces of paper (excluding the poem discussed in class) for one of the group members to select on their group’s behalf. Upon selection, the teacher will assign the poetry analysis handout activity, previously completed as a class, to the individual group members. The teacher will allow the groups 25 minutes to work on their poetry analysis, and will frequently visit groups to check on progress and answer questions. Students will get into their assigned groups and designate one group member to select a poem and poet from the hat. The teacher will then direct attention to having individual students work within their groups on creating their own poem in the style of the author their group has explored. The teacher will provide help if needed, as well as answer any additional questions. 20 minutes are assigned for this task, and the poem is due the next day. Students will then attempt to create their own poetry in the style of the famous poet their group has explored. They are responsible for their own poems, but can discuss and edit each others’ work to help one another out. Students will conference with teacher to assess progress and ask questions if needed. In their groups, students will explore the selected author and text according to the poetry analysis handout. Computer access may be required (practice research skills and technology literacy). Students will complete their analysis for homework if it is not done in class time allotted. Don’t You Know It? They’re a Famous Poet! Below are a few notable poets that present varying writing styles of poetry. Examine each one closely. You will be responsible for analyzing at least one of the following poems using the worksheets provided. THE HIPPOPOTAMUS by: T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) The broad-backed hippopotamus Rests on his belly in the mud; Although he seems so firm to us He is merely flesh and blood. Flesh-and-blood is weak and frail, Susceptible to nervous shock; While the True Church can never fail For it is based upon a rock. The hippo's feeble steps may err In compassing material ends, While the True Church need never stir To gather in its dividends. The 'potamus can never reach The mango on the mango-tree; But fruits of pomegranate and peach Refresh the Church from over sea. At mating time the hippo's voice Betrays inflexions hoarse and odd, But every week we hear rejoice The Church, at being one with God. The hippopotamus's day Is passed in sleep; at night he hunts; God works in a mysterious way-The Church can sleep and feed at once. I saw the 'potamus take wing Ascending from the damp savannas, And quiring angels round him sing The praise of God, in loud hosannas. Blood of the Lamb shall wash him clean And him shall heavenly arms enfold, Among the saints he shall be seen Performing on a harp of gold. He shall be washed as white as snow, By all the martyr'd virgins kist, While the True Church remains below Wrapt in the old miasmal mist. Journey Of The Magi by T. S. Eliot 'A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a journey: The ways deep and the weather sharp, The very dead of winter.' And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory, Lying down in the melting snow. There were times we regretted The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces, And the silken girls bringing sherbet. Then the camel men cursing and grumbling And running away, and wanting their liquor and women, And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters, And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly And the villages dirty and charging high prices: A hard time we had of it. At the end we preferred to travel all night, Sleeping in snatches, With the voices singing in our ears, saying That this was all folly. Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley, Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation; With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness, And three trees on the low sky, And an old white horse galloped in away in the meadow. Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel, Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver, And feet kicking the empty wine-skins. But there was no imformation, and so we continued And arrived at evening, not a moment too soon Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory. All this was a long time ago, I remember, And I would do it again, but set down This set down This: were we led all that way for Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly, We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death, But had thought they were different; this Birth was Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death. We returned to our places, these Kingdoms, But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation, With an alien people clutching their gods. I should be glad of another death. Ashes of Soldiers. by Walt Whitman ASHES of soldiers! As I muse, retrospective, murmuring a chant in thought, Lo! the war resumes—again to my sense your shapes, And again the advance of armies. Noiseless as mists and vapors, From their graves in the trenches ascending, From the cemeteries all through Virginia and Tennessee, From every point of the compass, out of the countless unnamed graves, In wafted clouds, in myraids large, or squads of twos or threes, or single ones, they come, And silently gather round me. Now sound no note, O trumpeters! Not at the head of my cavalry, parading on spirited horses, With sabres drawn and glist’ning, and carbines by their thighs—(ah, my brave horsemen! My handsome, tan-faced horsemen! what life, what joy and pride, With all the perils, were yours!) Nor you drummers—neither at reveille, at dawn, Nor the long roll alarming the camp—nor even the muffled beat for a burial; Nothing from you, this time, O drummers, bearing my warlike drums. But aside from these, and the marts of wealth, and the crowded promenade, Admitting around me comrades close, unseen by the rest, and voiceless, The slain elate and alive again—the dust and debris alive, I chant this chant of my silent soul, in the name of all dead soldiers. Faces so pale, with wondrous eyes, very dear, gather closer yet; Draw close, but speak not. Phantoms of countless lost! Invisible to the rest, henceforth become my companions! Follow me ever! desert me not, while I live. Sweet are the blooming cheeks of the living! sweet are the musical voices sounding! But sweet, ah sweet, are the dead, with their silent eyes. Dearest comrades! all is over and long gone; But love is not over—and what love, O comrades! Perfume from battle-fields rising—up from foetor arising. Perfume therefore my chant, O love! immortal Love! Give me to bathe the memories of all dead soldiers, Shroud them, embalm them, cover them all over with tender pride! Perfume all! make all wholesome! Make these ashes to nourish and blossom, O love! O chant! solve all, fructify all with the last chemistry. Give me exhaustless—make me a fountain, That I exhale love from me wherever I go, like a moist perennial dew, For the ashes of all dead soldiers. I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud by William Wordsworth I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced, but they Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee; A poet could not be but gay, In such a jocund company! I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils. Tell all the Truth but tell it slant -- by Emily Dickinson Tell all the Truth but tell it slant -Success in Circuit lies Too bright for our infirm Delight The Truth's superb surprise As Lightning to the Children eased With explanation kind The Truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blind -- Nobody knows this little Rose by Emily Dickinson Nobody knows this little Rose -It might a pilgrim be Did I not take it from the ways And lift it up to thee. Only a Bee will miss it -Only a Butterfly, Hastening from far journey -On its breast to lie -Only a Bird will wonder -Only a Breeze will sigh -Ah Little Rose -- how easy For such as thee to die! The Best Thing In The World by Elizabeth Barrett Browning What's the best thing in the world? June-rose, by May-dew impearled; Sweet south-wind, that means no rain; Truth, not cruel to a friend; Pleasure, not in haste to end; Beauty, not self-decked and curled Till its pride is over-plain; Light, that never makes you wink; Memory, that gives no pain; Love, when, so, you're loved again. What's the best thing in the world? —Something out of it, I think. The Soul's Expression by Elizabeth Barrett Browning WITH stammering lips and insufficient sound I strive and struggle to deliver right That music of my nature, day and night With dream and thought and feeling interwound And inly answering all the senses round With octaves of a mystic depth and height Which step out grandly to the infinite From the dark edges of the sensual ground. This song of soul I struggle to outbear Through portals of the sense, sublime and whole, And utter all myself into the air: But if I did it,--as the thunder-roll Breaks its own cloud, my flesh would perish there, Before that dread apocalypse of soul. This Is A Photograph Of Me by Margaret Atwood It was taken some time ago. At first it seems to be a smeared print: blurred lines and grey flecks blended with the paper; then, as you scan it, you see in the left-hand corner a thing that is like a branch: part of a tree (balsam or spruce) emerging and, to the right, halfway up what ought to be a gentle slope, a small frame house. In the background there is a lake, and beyond that, some low hills. (The photograph was taken the day after I drowned. I am in the lake, in the center of the picture, just under the surface. It is difficult to say where precisely, or to say how large or small I am: the effect of water on light is a distortion but if you look long enough, eventually you will be able to see me.) Name_______________ Period_____Date_____ __ Poetry Analysis Worksheet Title of Poem___________________________________________ Author__________________________________________________ Five Important Facts About The Author: 1]. 2]. 3]. 4]. 5]. Literal Meaning After you read the poem, what does the literal meaning seem to be? What is happening in the poem? Imagery Pick out three uses of imagery and write them below (this will most likely be a phrase or line from the poem), then explain what the poet is trying to convey with this image. 1]. IMAGE:____________________________________________ MEANING:_________________________________________ 2]. IMAGE:____________________________________________ MEANING:_________________________________________ 3]. IMAGE:____________________________________________ MEANING:_________________________________________ Lyric Qualities Describe the sound of this poem. You will use terms like: internal rhyme, rhyme scheme, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and repetition. Find two specific lines or elements of the poem to discuss. List them and then tell what you think they mean. 1]. Lyric Device:________________________________________ Meaning:___________________________________________ 2]. Lyric Device:________________________________________ Meaning:___________________________________________ Figurative Meaning Find at least two figurative devices and explain what they mean. You are looking for terms like: simile, metaphor, allusion, symbolism and personification. 1]. Figurative Device:____________________________________ Meaning:___________________________________________ 2]. Figurative Device:____________________________________ Meaning:___________________________________________ Theme What do you think is the message of this poem? Why do you think this is the message? Give at least two reasons from the poem—these should be answers you’ve already written on this sheet Personal Response Did you like this poem? _________ Why/Why not? DAY 1, WEEK 2: Short Stories Introduction Materials: Elements of a story diagnostic quiz photocopies Slide show projector Copies of student note package (elements of a short story with fill in the blanks) Chalk/whiteboard markers Chalkboard/ whiteboard Procedures: Teacher’s Actions Teacher will distribute the Introductory Quiz (Diagnostic) on short stories before students enter the classroom. By creating this diagnostic quiz, the teacher examines student’s previous knowledge and experience with the elements of style in a short story and general story components, getting students thinking about various components and how they are used within short stories; the quiz will be 10 minutes in length. While students are writing the quiz, all handouts (fill in the blank note, sight passages, sight passage handout) needed for today’s class will be distributed in booklet fashion by the teacher; ordered, stapled, and hole-punched so that all necessary components are contained and in a format that allows students to easily place this package in their binders; this way, the package will be less likely to be misplaced; Also, at the top of each of their note packages will be a number that will place them in their sight passage groups. 10 minutes will be allotted for the quiz. Students’ Actions Students enter the room and take their seats. Upon instruction by the teacher, they begin to write their short story diagnostic quiz. After the quiz, the teacher will ask students to brainstorm the elements of a short story, creating a idea web on the chalkboard/ whiteboard, visually representing components to be discussed. This should take 5 minutes. Students will participate in brainstorming the elements of a story, reflecting on the quiz just completed and pooling prior knowledge to create the idea web as a class. Teacher will conduct a lecture-style lesson (Exploring the elements of style using a slideshow presentation; teachers will give students the hand out. This handout is specifically designed to engage students by not only having them complete the fill-inthe-blank components, but students will be asked to read aloud certain parts to maintain their attention, as well as offer a change of voice so that the teacher isn’t the only one speaking. Additionally, the fill-inthe-blanks style allows for the instructor to ask students questions along the way and keep them engage in the material). This lesson will take 35 minutes to complete. Throughout lesson, students are encouraged to attempt to fill in the blanks and ask questions where needed. Elements of Style in Short Stories Quiz Looking at WHAT a Short Story is… In one sentence, describe what a short story is: Name a few short stories that you may be familiar with or enjoy to read: Looking at HOW a Short Story is composed: What is the plot of a story? Name at least three components of the plot of a story. Explain what they are. What is the difference between the theme of a story, and its conflict? (Define both theme and conflict to strengthen your explanation) What is a literary device? How is it used in short stories (how does it affect the plot, characters, or overall meaning)? Give at least one example and define it. Elements of A Short Story Methods of Characterization 1.____________ Characterization the author develops the __________________of a character by ____________statements (e.g. He was an extrovert who loved to play music) 2. ____________Characterization Revealing a character’s _________________through: the character’s thoughts, words, actions the comments of other characters the character’s physical appearance 1. Setting and Atmosphere –_________and __________the story is set and what type of story is this. (Mystery? Romance? Adventure?) 2. Point of View – a short story is told from______________________. This person or voice is called the____________. The narrator may be an active character in the story or just an observer. The point of view is the _________________from which the story is told; perspectives of the same story can differ drastically. When thinking about point of view, consider the following questions: Q1: Who is telling the story? (is it a player on the home team, or someone watching the game?) Q2:How do we know what is happening? (for instance, does a character tell us?) There are five main different points of view: a. Omniscient Point of View-The ________is telling the story directly b. Limited Omniscient Point of View - __________person, told from the viewpoint of a character in the story c. First Person Participant – the person who tells the story is also a __________________; uses pronoun “I” d. Third Person Observer – the story is told from the point of view of someone watching the action, e. Third Person Omniscient – the story is told by a godlike figure who knows exactly what everyone is thinking and doing at all time Symbolism – this is a literary device that short story writers often use to bring a message home. Because short stories are short it is often useful for the writer to write in “short hand” and short hand often includes symbol – for example a cross as a symbol of the church, the colour white as a symbol for purity, the maple leaf as a symbol of Canada. Basically, a symbol… THEME – This is the term used for the __________________or idea in a piece of fiction. It usually contains some insight into the human condition— telling us something about humans and life. It is often the implied idea or truth about life which the writer wishes to convey to the reader. The theme can be stated directly or implied by the events and actions in the story. Basic Literary Devices: ***To be discussed tomorrow! Read them over tonight and try to find some examples in Jack London’s, “To Build A Fire”. If you come up with three examples, you will be awarded an extra 2% on your short story assignment! YAY!!!*** Alliteration - the repetition of the initial consonant. There should be at least two repetitions in a row. i.e. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Allusion – A reference to a famous person or event in life or literature. i.e. She is as pretty as the Mona Lisa. Analogy - the comparison of two pairs which have the same relationship. i.e. shoe is to foot as tire is to wheel Foreshadowing - hints of what is to come in the action of a play or a story Hyperbole - a figure of speech involving exaggeration. Metaphor - A comparison in which one thing is said to be another. i.e. The cat's eyes were jewels, gleaming in the darkness. Onomatopoeia - the use of words to imitate the sounds they describe. i.e. The burning wood crackled and hissed. Oxymoron - putting two contradictory words together. i.e. bittersweet, jumbo shrimp, and act naturally Personification - is giving human qualities to animals or objects. i.e. The daffodils nodded their yellow heads. Pun - A word is used which has two meanings at the same time, which results in humor. Simile - figure of speech involving a comparison between unlike things using like, as, or as though. i.e. She floated in like a cloud. Elements of A Short Story Answer Key Methods of Characterization 1. Direct Characterization the author develops the personality of a character by direct statements (e.g. He was an extrovert who loved to play music) 2. Indirect Characterization Revealing a character’s personality through: the character’s thoughts, words, actions the comments of other characters the character’s physical appearance 3. Setting and Atmosphere – where and when the story is set and what type of story is this. (Mystery? Romance? Adventure?) 4. Point of View – a short story is told from someone’s vantage point. This person or voice is called the narrator. The narrator may be an active character in the story or just an observer. The point of view is the perspective from which the story is told; perspectives of the same story can differ drastically. When thinking about point of view, consider the following questions: Q1: Who is telling the story? (is it a player on the home team, or someone watching the game?) Q2:How do we know what is happening? (for instance, does a character tell us?) There are five main different points of view: a. Omniscient Point of View-The author is telling the story directly b. Limited Omniscient Point of View - Third person, told from the viewpoint of a character in the story c. First Person Participant – the person who tells the story is also a character; uses pronoun “I” d. Third Person Observer – the story is told from the point of view of someone watching the action, e. Third Person Omniscient – the story is told by a godlike figure who knows exactly what everyone is thinking and doing at all time Symbolism – this is a literary device that short story writers often use to bring a message home. Because short stories are short it is often useful for the writer to write in “short hand” and short hand often includes symbol – for example a cross as a symbol of the church, the colour white as a symbol for purity, the maple leaf as a symbol of Canada. Basically, a symbol… represents an idea, quality, or concept larger than itself. THEME – This is the term used for the central message or idea in a piece of fiction. It usually contains some insight into the human condition—telling us something about humans and life. It is often the implied idea or truth about life which the writer wishes to convey to the reader. The theme can be stated directly or implied by the events and actions in the story. Short Story Notes: Elements of Style What Is a Short Story? The short story is a _______or type of literature. These are not just any stories that are short. Short stories can vary in length and usually follow a specific pattern of plot or the action of the story. Also, these stories usually only have a small number of characters. Plot components of a Short Story: Throughout the development of the story, ___________and ___________are introduced The___________, or central problem of story, reaches a high point, or the ___________of the story, and is then resolved or solved somehow in the ____________. Elements of Short Stories/Fiction: 5. Conflict –______________________________. It is the dramatic struggle between two forces in a story; without conflict, there is no plot. Types of conflict include two main types: A. ___________________Conflict Human vs. Human Human vs. Nature Human vs. Society B. ________________Conflict Human vs. Self 6. Plot – this is ________happens in the story. It is the literary element that describes the structure of a story. It shows arrangement of events and actions within a story Exposition: the _____________of the story, the situation before the action starts Rising action: the series of _____________and ______________in the story that lead to the _______________. Climax: the “_____________________”, the most intense moment— either mentally or in action Falling action/ Denouement: all of the action following __________the climax Resolution: the_________________, the tying together of all the “threads” 7. Character – this is _________is in the story. There are different types of characters in short stories, but usually only one central character, and few other characters. This is one main classification of characters in short stories: a. _________________– the central character or hero of the story who undergoes a conflict and a change in his or her life b. _________________– the character who helps or hinders the protagonist in his or her struggle. This is often the character who creates the conflict in the story. Another way to distinguish between characters is saying how much we know about them: a. Round character – a character who is well developed by the writer. We get a clear idea of what he or she looks and acts and is like. b. Flat character – a flat character is someone we are not told much about, but he or she serves a purpose in the story. Still another way to differentiate characters in short stories is based on what happens to them in the story. a. Dynamic character – a character who ___________through the course of the story. b. Static character – a character who _________________________in the story. Based on these classifications, you could have various combinations of characters, but some are more likely than others. Most often a protagonist will be round and dynamic, but antagonists can be flat or round and dynamic or static. Tomorrow’s Lesson? Methods of Characterization Symbolism Peer Editing Theme Literary Devices Short Story Notes: Elements of Style Answer Key What Is a Short Story? The short story is a genre or type of literature. These are not just any stories that are short. Short stories can vary in length and usually follow a specific pattern of plot or the action of the story. Also, these stories usually only have a small number of characters. Plot components of a Short Story: Throughout the development of the story, characters and setting are introduced The conflict, or central problem of story, reaches a high point, or the climax of the story, and is then resolved or solved somehow in the resolution. Elements of Short Stories/Fiction: 8. Conflict –the main problem in the story. It is the dramatic struggle between two forces in a story; without conflict, there is no plot. Types of conflict include two main types: A. Interpersonal Conflict Human vs. Human Human vs. Nature Human vs. Society B. Internal Conflict Human vs. Self 9. Plot – this is what happens in the story. It is the literary element that describes the structure of a story. It shows arrangement of events and actions within a story Exposition: the start of the story, the situation before the action starts Rising action: the series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax. Climax: the “turning point”, the most intense moment—either mentally or in action Falling action/ Denouement: all of the action following after the climax Resolution: the conclusion, the tying together of all the “threads” 10. Character – this is who is in the story. There are different types of characters in short stories, but usually only one central character, and few other characters. This is one main classification of characters in short stories: a. Protagonist – the central character or hero of the story who undergoes a conflict and a change in his or her life b. Antagonist– the character who helps or hinders the protagonist in his or her struggle. This is often the character who creates the conflict in the story. Another way to distinguish between characters is saying how much we know about them: c. Round character – a character who is well developed by the writer. We get a clear idea of what he or she looks and acts and is like. d. Flat character – a flat character is someone we are not told much about, but he or she serves a purpose in the story. Still another way to differentiate characters in short stories is based on what happens to them in the story. c. Dynamic character – a character who changes through the course of the story. d. Static character – a character who does not change in the story. Based on these classifications, you could have various combinations of characters, but some are more likely than others. Most often a protagonist will be round and dynamic, but antagonists can be flat or round and dynamic or static. Tomorrow’s Lesson? Methods of Characterization Symbolism Peer Editing Theme Literary Devices DAY 2: Short Stories Materials: Photocopies of an excerpt from Salvage by Orson Scott Card (1 for each student) Photocopies of “Short Story Questions” (1 for each student) Procedures: Teacher’s Actions Students’ Actions Before class begins, the teacher places a copy of the story on each student’s desk, face down. As the students enter the room, the teacher tells them not to turn over or look at their papers. The students sit down at their desks and wait for further instructions. The teacher tells the class that they are to silently read the piece of paper on their desk. The students silently read the story. After all the students are finished reading the story, the teacher then tells them that they will read it aloud together as a class. The teacher begins reading. As the teacher reads, he/she vocalized his/her inner thought processes to model good reading strategies for the students. The teacher then calls on different students volunteers to continue reading the excerpt until it is finished. The students sit and follow along as the story is read aloud. They volunteer to read, or read when they are called on by the teacher. The teacher then distributes the question sheet that the students are to complete individually. The students answer the questions on the worksheet provided. The teacher then instructs the students to work with a partner and compare their answers. They are to take 10-15 minutes and discuss what they story is about and some possible endings. The students find a partner and discuss the answers they have written down. They also discuss and brainstorm what the story is about and some possible endings. The teacher takes up the worksheet with the class. He/She asks the students to share their answers and promotes some The students share their answers and discuss the elements within the story and possible meanings of the story. meaningful discussion. The teacher then poses the next activity as a challenge. He/She tells the students that they must write the next part of the story. They can choose to finish it, or just write the next chapter/section. When they are completed, the best stories will be read aloud to the class and the students will vote for the one that they like the best. The winner will then receive a prize; in this case, he/she will get their story published in the school anthology and will receive an extra 1% on their final grade. The students then begin their stories. Short Story Excerpt The road began to climb steeply right from the ferry, so the truck couldn’t build up any speed. Deaver just kept shifting down, wincing as he listened to the grinding of the gears. Sounded like the transmission was chewing itself to gravel. He’d been nursing it all the way across Nevada, and if the Wendover ferry hadn’t carried him these last miles over the Mormon Sea, he would have had a nice long hike. Lucky. It was a good sign. Things were going to go Deaver’s way for a while. The mechanic frowned at him when he rattled in to the loading dock. “You been ridin the clutch, boy?” Deaver got down from the cab. “Clutch? What’s a clutch?” The mechanic didn’t smile. “Couldn’t you hear the transmission was shot?” “I had mechanics all the way across Nevada askin to fix it for me, but I told em I was savin it for you.” The mechanic looked at him like he was crazy. “There ain’t no mechanics in Nevada.” If you wasn’t dumb as your thumb, thought Deaver, you’d know I was joking. These old Mormons were so straight they couldn’t sit down, some of them. But Deaver didn’t say anything. Just smiled. “This truck’s gonna stay here a few days,” said the mechanic. Fine with me, thought Deaver. I got plans. “How many days you figure?” “Take three for now, I’ll sign you off.” “My name’s Deaver Teague.” “Tell the foreman, he’ll write it up.” The mechanic lifted the hood to begin the routine checks while the dockboys loaded off the old washing machines and refrigerators and other stuff Deaver had picked up on this trip. Deaver took his mileage reading to the window and the foreman paid him off. Seven dollars for five days of driving and loading, sleeping in the cab and eating whatever the farmers could spare. It was better than a lot of people lived on, but there wasn’t any future in it. Salvage wouldn’t go on forever. Someday he’d pick up the last broken-down dishwasher left from the old days, and then he’d be out of a job. Well, Deaver Teague wasn’t going to wait around for that. He knew where the gold was, he’d been planning how to get it for weeks, and if Lehi had got the diving equipment like he promised then tomorrow morning they’d do a little freelance salvage work. If they were lucky they’d come home rich. Deaver’s legs were stiff but he loosened them up pretty quick and broke into an easy, loping run down the corridors of the Salvage Center. He took a flight of stairs two or three steps at a time, bounded down a hall, and when he reached a sign that said SMALL COMPUTER SALVAGE, he pushed off the doorframe and rebounded into the room. “Hey Lehi!” he said. “Hey it’s quittin time!” Lehi McKay paid no attention. He was sitting in front of a TV screen, jerking at a black box he held on his lap. “You do that and you’ll go blind,” said Deaver. “Shut up, carpface.” Lehi never took his eyes off the screen. He jabbed at a button on the black box and twisted on the stick that jutted up from it. A colored blob on the screen blew up and split into four smaller blobs. “I got three days off while they do the transmission on the truck,” said Deaver. “So tomorrow’s the temple expedition.” Lehi got the last blob off the screen. More blobs appeared. “That’s real fun,” said Deaver, “like sweepin the street and then they bring along another troop of horses.” “It’s an Atari. From the sixties or seventies or something. Eighties. Old. Can’t do much with the pieces, it’s only eight-bit stuff. All these years in somebody’s attic in Logan, and the sucker still runs.” “Old guys probably didn’t even know they had it.” “Probably.” Deaver watched the game. Same thing over and over again. “How much a thing like this use to cost?” “A lot. Maybe fifteen, twenty bucks.” “Makes you want to barf. And here sits Lehi McKay, toodling his noodle like the old guys use to. All it ever got them was a sore noodle, Lehi. And slag for brains.” “Drown it. I’m trying to concentrate.” The game finally ended. Lehi set the black box up on the workbench, turned off the machine, and stood up. “You got everything ready to go underwater tomorrow?” asked Deaver. “That was a good game. Having fun must’ve took up a lot of their time in the old days. Mom says the kids used to not even be able to get jobs till they was sixteen. It was the law.” “Don’t you wish,” said Deaver. “It’s true.” “You don’t know your tongue from dung, Lehi. You don’t know your heart from a fart.” “You want to get us both kicked out of here, talkin like that?” “I don’t have to follow school rules now, I graduated sixth grade, I’m nineteen years old, I been on my own for five years.” He pulled his seven dollars out of his pocket, waved them once, stuffed them back in carelessly. “I do OK, and I talk like I want to talk. Think I’m afraid of the Bishop?” “Bishop don’t scare me. I don’t even go to church except to make Mom happy. It’s a bunch of bunny turds.” Lehi laughed, but Deaver could see that he was a little scared to talk like that. Sixteen years old, thought Deaver, he’s big and he’s smart but he’s such a little kid. He don’t understand how it’s like to be a man. “Rain’s comin.” “Rain’s always comin. What the hell do you think filled up the lake?” Lehi smirked as he unplugged everything on the workbench. “I meant Lorraine Wilson.” “I know what you meant. She’s got her boat?” “And she’s got a mean set of fenders.” Deaver cupped his hands. “Just need a little polishing.” “Why do you always talk dirty? Ever since you started driving salvage, Deaver, you got a gutter mouth. Besides, she’s built like a sack.” “She’s near fifty, what do you expect?” It occurred to Deaver that Lehi seemed to be stalling. Which probably meant he botched up again as usual. “Can you get the diving stuff?” “I already got it. You thought I’d screw up.” Lehi smirked again. “You? Screw up? You can be trusted with anything.” Deaver started for the door. He could hear Lehi behind him, still shutting a few things off. They got to use a lot of electricity in here. Of course they had to, because they needed computers all the time, and salvage was the only way to get them. But when Deaver saw all that electricity getting used up at once, to him it looked like his own future. All the machines he could ever want, new ones, and all the power they needed. Clothes that nobody else ever wore, his own horse and wagon or even a car. Maybe he’d be the guy who started making cars again. He didn’t need stupid blob-smashing games from the past. “That stuff’s dead and gone, duck lips, dead and gone.” “What’re you talking about?” asked Lehi. “Dead and gone. All your computer things.” It was enough to set Lehi off, as it always did. Deaver grinned and felt wicked and strong as Lehi babbled along behind him. About how we use the computers more than they ever did in the old days, the computers kept everything going, on and on and on, it was cute, Deaver liked him, the boy was so intense. Like everything was the end of the world. Deaver knew better. The world was dead, it had already ended, so none of it mattered, you could sink all this stuff in the lake. They came out of the Center and walked along the retaining wall. Far below them was the harbor, a little circle of water in the bottom of a bowl, with Bingham City perched on the lip. They used to have an open-pit copper mine here, but when the water rose they cut a channel to it and now they had a nice harbor on Oquirrh Island in the middle of the Mormon Sea, where the factories could stink up the whole sky and no neighbors ever complained about it. Short Story Questions 1. Who are the main characters in the story? 2. Where does the story takes place? 3. List some of the important words and symbols in the story. 4. In your opinion, what is the main theme of the story? 5. If you had to create a title for the story, what would it be and why? DAY 3: Sight Passage and Jigsaw of Short Stories Materials: Numbers to place on desktops of each student (1, 2, 3, or 4) Four different sight passages (one copy for each member of the expert group) Procedures: Teacher’s Actions Teacher will place one number (1, 2, 3, or 4) on the desk of each student, as well as a copy of a sight passage story before the beginning of class. Students’ Actions At the start of class, the teacher will conduct debrief of their interpretations of the previous lesson’s stories. Also, the teacher encourages students to share what they had written for the next part of the story, calling upon at least three students to share their work. This debrief and activity should take 20 minutes. At the end of this sharing period, the teacher collects the class work for feedback and later editing so they can place their work in their portfolios. Students will share their interpretations of the story, as well as some of the “next part” pieces they have created the day before. Students will then submit their work to add to their portfolio. Teacher allows students to arrange themselves into their “Expert groups” based on the number placed on their desk; this number is strategically placed so that group members are a variety of learning styles and abilities so that they cooperatively learn with one another. Students to arrange themselves into their “Expert groups” based on the number placed on their desk; this number is strategically placed so that group members are a variety of learning styles and abilities so that they cooperatively learn with one another. Teacher has the students read the assigned passage, fill out the handout, and reflect within their groups; the teacher will move from group to group and activate prior knowledge in order to help complete the assignment. Also, teacher will model how to read the short story through “think aloud” talk, as well as use verbal cues to prompt students answers for the worksheet. Students read their assigned passage within their expert groups and fill out the handout, reflecting on their answers within their groups and asking questions when needed. This activity will take 40 minutes to complete. The teacher will then have a group member (selected by the groups themselves) move to another group and explain their story by going over the group completed handout. The teacher then has the students return to their groups and discuss what they have learned about the other groups’ stories (depending on what group interactions occurred). This should take 20 minutes to complete. Students select a group member from their “expert” group to go and discuss their story with another group. The “expert” member will enter a neighbouring group, share their findings about their group’s story, listen to the new group’s findings about their own story, and then the “expert” member will return to their original “expert” group to share their findings of the neighbouring group’s story. Reading Passage #1 A Horse for Matthew by William J. Buchanan 1. My name is Tommy Silva. I am 14. I live in a large adobe house on the Jemez Indian Reservation in New Mexico, the ancient home of my people. For as long as I can remember, one room in that old house has been a world apart, an enchanted place of exciting smells and sights and things—my grandfather’s room. There, shelves on two walls are heavy with silver trophies, jeweled belts and medallions, awards recognizing Señor Martino Silva as the greatest rodeo champion ever to emerge from the Indian nations. 2. In this room my father was born, my grandmother died, and as a young boy I had often lain at night with my head cradled in Grandpa’s arm, listening to tales of an era that I could never know. 3. It was to this room one morning that I came to the past in hopes of shaping the future. 4. Grandpa was bent forward in his rocker, poking a pinion log burning in the fireplace. This was the first year he had kept a fire going during the summer. I settled into a nearby chair and stared silently into the amber flames. 5. Grandpa pulled his woolen coat tighter. “So, are you going to tell me what is troubling you?” 6. “It’s my friend, Grandpa. Matthew.” 7. “The Anglo boy the horse fell on?” 8. “They removed his cast last week. He was in it three months, Grandpa. He won’t even go near a horse now.” 9. Grandpa nodded. “I’ve seen this kind of fear in grown men, much less a 14-year-old boy.” 10. “It’s not right, Grandpa. I mean, down here in the valley, a kid not riding. He’ll be left out of everything.” 11. Grandpa rocked, saying nothing. I let the silence hang for a while, then said, “Grandpa, you know more about horses than anybody. Would you find a horse for Matthew?” 12. It took him by surprise. He leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “My eyes are tired. . . . ” He noticed the hurt on my face and stopped. Then, with a deep sigh, he said, “Tell me about the boy.” 13. It poured from me in a torrent of words: Matthew’s skill with horses before the accident, how we rode the mesa together, how he tended sick calves as if they were from his father’s ranch instead of the Jemez Pueblo. At last Grandpa put a leathery hand on mine. “I will try, because it is you who ask.” 14. THAT EVENING AFTER CHORES I rode across the Rio Jemez to the Cannon ranch. I tied Cheyenne to the hitching post and walked around to the back patio. Matthew was seated, resting his wounded leg atop a low wall. In the corral Mr. Cannon was working with two young colts. I pulled up a chair. “Your dad breaking yearlings?” 15. “Halter breaking,” Matthew replied. 16. “Hey, man, let’s go help.” 17. “Oh, sure,” he said. There was both fear and remorse in his voice. 18. We sat like that for a while. Leaden silence. Then, figuring it was now or never, I broke the news. “I’ve asked my grandpa to find you a horse.” 19. “You what?” 20. I told him everything that was said that morning in Grandpa’s room. 21. “I thought you were my friend,” he snapped. 22. “I am your amigo. Look, the Pueblo trail ride is in six weeks. Unless you’re riding, it won’t—” 23. “Look, amigo”—he spit out the word with sarcasm—“I’m not going on any trail ride in six weeks, or six years, or anytime again. You get that?” He shoved his chair back and stood. “Do me a favor: Tend to your business and let me tend to mine.” He stalked into the house and slammed the door. 24. It was as if I’d been slapped. 25. “What was that all about?” a familiar voice asked. I looked around and saw Matthew’s dad. I told him what had taken place. 26. He thought for a moment. “Thanks, Tommy. If your granddad finds anything, call me.” 27. EACH DAY FOR TWO WEEKS, Mama would drive Grandpa to a different ranch, and they would return with nothing to report. Then, one evening, Grandpa said, “Have the boy and his father meet me tomorrow at Broadbents.” 28. “Broadbents?” I said, puzzled. “Grandpa, that’s a slaughterhouse.” 29. “Just be there.” He sipped his coffee without another word. 30. Broadbents Stockyard was west of Albuquerque on old Route 66. Grandpa and I were talking to the owner when Mr. Cannon arrived. Matthew had refused to come. 31. Grandpa pointed to a pinto standing alone. She was small. Her glossy summer coat shone like a burnished checkerboard. “There is the horse for Matthew,” Grandpa said. 32. MR. CANNON STEPPED around for a closer look. The owner eyed him carefully, then said, “Mister, you don’t want that mare.” 33. Mr. Cannon turned. “Oh? Why?” 34. “Those are slaughter horses. Something wrong with all of them. Someone’s mistreated that little paint. You can’t get close to her.” 35. “I don’t understand,” Mr. Cannon said. “Señor Silva, are you sure this is the horse for me?” 36. Grandpa shook his head. “Not for you,” he said firmly. “For the boy.” 37. Their eyes met for a moment, then Mr. Cannon turned to the owner. “How much for the mare?” 38. The owner shrugged. “She was going for four cents a pound for dog meat. Forty dollars and she’s yours.” 39. It took some doing, but we got her back to Cannon’s ranch and led her into the small corral. We set out to gain her confidence, but nothing tempted her. Open the gate and she’d bolt madly to the far end of the lot. The mere sight of a rope caused her to panic. 40. At first, Matthew watched from the safety of the patio. Then one day he started coming to the corral. Favoring his wounded leg, he’d pull himself atop the fence. One day he yelled, “She jumps around like a Pueblo sun dancer.” 41. The name stuck: “Sundance.” 42. IN THE BEGINNING, Matthew would leave the corral when we did. Then he started lingering behind, closely studying Sundance. And she studied him. Sensing that he was as apprehensive of her as she was of him, she began to accept his presence. One day he picked a handful of clover and held it over the fence. She cocked her head, hesitated a moment, then quickly nibbled it from his hand. In a few days she was coming to the fence to meet him. But the fence was always there, always between them. 43. Then came the day Mr. Cannon asked me to help trim Sundance’s hooves. Before we could corner her, she spotted the lariats. Emitting a sharp cry, she lowered her head and dashed toward the barbed-wire fence. Flexing her powerful muscles she tried to clear the barrier. Her rear fetlocks caught. She crashed to the ground, savagely entangled in the sharp wire. In a few minutes she would cut herself to ribbons. 44. “Hold her still! I’ll get the wire cutters!” Mr. Cannon yelled. 45. Suddenly, he was there, limping toward the terrified mare. “Matthew! Stop!” I cried. 46. Dodging flailing hooves, he put a hand on her face, softly, gently speaking to her. For an agonizing moment, she froze. Then, slowly, she exhaled a shuddering moan and lay back, quiet. 47. “The rope,” Matthew said. 48. I put the lariat in his hand. He eased the noose over Sundance’s head and held her while his dad snipped the wire from her legs. Matthew coaxed her and she stood. 49. WHILE MR. CANNON AND I watched from the porch, Matthew washed and treated Sundance’s wounds. All that day, and in the days that followed, he tended her while she healed. 50. But he still wouldn’t ride, still wouldn’t approach other horses. I decided my efforts were in vain. 51. One morning before dawn, three weeks later, the annual Pueblo trail ride set out from Pueblo Plaza. We were crossing the Rio Jemez heading for Red Rock Canyon when I heard the cry: “Hey, amigo, wait up!” 52. They came at full gallop, Matthew astride Sundance, wounded boy and wounded horse. I reined up and tried to speak. All that would come was a reverent whisper: “Madre de Dios . . . Madre de Dios (Mother of God).” Tears stung my cheeks. I wondered if Matthew could see them. 53. WE RODE SIDE-BY-SIDE, lagging behind the others. I said, “You’ve been working with her in secret, haven’t you?” 54. “Yeah,” he admitted. He patted Sundance. “She wouldn’t have much to do with you or Dad, would she?” 55. “No,” I chuckled, “she sure wouldn’t.” 56. “She took to me right off, though. Guess I’m the only one who really understood her.” 57. “No, amigo, not the only one,” I replied. And I thought of a soft-spoken old man in his rocking chair staring into a pinion fire. Grandpa had understood the little horse—and more besides. Reading Passage #2 Hello, Old Paint by Jeanne Marie Laskas 1. The check bounced. “Insufficient funds,” says the little note attached. Well, I’m sure it’s just a mistake. Probably the people didn’t make a transfer in time or something. “No big deal,” I keep saying to myself, standing at the mailbox. 2. But the check bounced! Isn’t that strange? I mean, is there a message here? The check was payment to us for the sale of Cricket, our ex-horse, and Sassy, our ex-mule. A sale, truth be told, I’ve been regretting. And now the check has bounced. Is it a sign? 3. No, of course not. Probably just a clerical error. 4. Even so, as I take the long walk back home, I get a picture in my head. I imagine that somehow Cricket and Sassy understand that the check bounced, that they understand the legal ramifications of this, that technically the deal is null and void, and in one burst of horse energy they leap over the buyer’s fence and come bounding in slow motion, as if in a shampoo commercial, up our driveway, toward me, kicking and snorting with glee, and I run toward them and we hug and live happily ever after. Together. As it was meant to be. 5. When I get home I snap out of it. No, we did the right thing, selling Cricket and Sassy. They’re in a better place now. Cricket will be a brood mare. A mom! 6. And Sassy, her friend, will be at her side. It’s better for them. Better for us. Cricket, a registered American saddlebred, is too much horse for novices like us. And Sassy is too short for an adult to ride. And we have another horse and mule that we do ride. So this really is the best thing for all concerned. And what did I tell myself ? Yes, some friendships are meant to end. That’s it. Never mind that Cricket was our love-horse, the horse that walked up our driveway on our wedding day. And Sassy was our love-mule, the mule that walked up our driveway beside her. They had flowers in their hair. Never mind! Because some friendships are just meant to end. And I am a mature person with a logical head who understands this. 7. So I call Cricket and Sassy’s new owners. “The check bounced,” I say. 8. “Oh, that’s our stupid bank,” the woman says. Then she gives me her bank’s stupid phone number, should I want to call for proof that her account is in good standing, which I don’t really, but I write the number down anyway. “Just resubmit the check, okay?” she says. I ask her how Cricket and Sassy are doing, and she says, “Great!” Nothing more. I wish she had said more. 9. Meantime, all this horse thinking gets my mind on Billy. Because not all fading friendships are meant to end. Billy is the neighbor who sold Cricket and Sassy to us. He’s the one who rode Sassy up the driveway on our wedding day, his feet dragging on the ground. Tom, his son, rode Cricket. They’re the ones who put the flowers in their hair. Billy and I used to see each other more. I don’t know why we’ve drifted. There never seems to be a real reason for friendships to fade. Friendships take work. Maybe that’s all there is to it. 10. I call Billy just to say hi. He seems happy to hear from me. “We got a donkey!” he says. “She’s so goofy. You’d love her.” I tell him the news about Cricket and Sassy, and when I mention the buyers he seems concerned: “Did you happen to insist on a certified check?” 11. Oh. 12. Sure enough, a few days later, I’m at the mailbox. “Insufficient funds.” I can’t believe it. What do they think, I’m an idiot or something? I stomp into the house. What about that bank phone number? I’ll call that bank, I’ll get to the bottom of this. What did I do with that number? I must have thrown it out. I start picking through the trash. 13. Here it is! But the paper is wet and the number is blurred. 14. Isn’t that strange? I mean, is there a message here? It’s hard not to think of disappearing ink as a message from above. I start getting shampoo commercials in my head again. Oh, dear. 15. Why am I putting myself through all of this? Why can’t I just admit that I made a mistake? Not just the part about selling my beloved pets to, well, some questionable buyers. But selling them at all. And, anyway, why can’t we breed Cricket? A lot of work, perhaps. But wouldn’t that be an amazing experience? 16. I imagine Cricket back in our barn. I imagine brushing her, telling her everything I’ve learned. “Well, Cricket, friendships take work,” I’ll say. “That’s all there is to it.” 17. So I call the woman, sound very businesslike. “The check bounced again,” I say calmly. “The deal is off.” Strangely, she doesn’t sound surprised. I get the distinct sense she and her husband have been through this before. 18. I call Billy. “Would you be able to go pick up Cricket and Sassy in your horse trailer and bring them back home?” I ask. He says of course. No questions asked. And I think that’s what friends are for. And I say yeah, I’d love to stop over and meet his new donkey. The Friendship by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings 1. The little boy had a policeman for a friend. He acquired him out of a clear sky. He ran out of the schoolyard to go home for his noon lunch, tripped over a rough spot on the sidewalk, and fell so hard and so flat that for gasping moments he could not draw a breath. The policeman happened to be passing by. Robert felt himself being lifted and pounded on the back. The first breath that came was agony and wonder, for drawing it had seemed impossible. It was only with the third that he realized his knees were hurting, and he looked down to see them torn and bleeding. He became aware of the policeman and then it was unthinkable to cry. 2. He was not afraid, like the defiant older boys who gave themselves away by bragging of what they had done and intended to do to policemen. His father had often told him that the law was a protector, and if he ever found himself lost, for he was something of a roamer, he was to ask for a policeman and give his name and address. This seemed appropriate now. 3. He said, “My name is Robert Wilkinson and I live on Newton Street. I’ve forgotten the number.” 4. The policeman nodded his head gravely. “I know your father,” he said. “Isn’t your house the large green-and-white one?” 5. “Oh, yes. With a big snow-apple tree in the yard.” 6. The policeman again inclined his head. “My duties take me that way, Robert. I’ll walk along with you.” 7. The little boy was enchanted. The policeman’s gravity was pleasing and complimentary. 8. “That was a bad tumble, young man. Are your knees painful?” 9. “Yes, sir, they hurt terribly.” 10. “Will there be someone at home to fix you up?” 11. “Oh, yes; my mother. She’s always there when I come home for lunch.” 12. “You’re lucky, Robert. I didn’t have a mother when I was your age. Eight, I’d guess?” 13. “Just six. I almost wasn’t old enough to begin the first grade.” He glowed with pride that the policeman thought he was eight years old. “I thought everybody had a mother.” 14. “Everybody has a mother to begin with.” 15. “Even kittens and puppies and little birds.” 16. “And colts and calves and baby elephants,” said the policeman, and smiled. “But sometimes a mother can be lost.” 17. Robert was puzzled. “I thought only little boys got lost. I never have been, quite, but my father says he’s always expecting it.” 18. “Just ask for me if you’re lost. I am Sergeant Masters.” 19. “That’s what my father told me, to ask for a policeman and tell my name and where I live. But I can’t ever remember the number.” 20. “The name and the street are what matter. Your father is well known in the area where you would presumably stray.” 21. Robert did not quite understand all the words, but he was charmed with the truly adult conversation, with his father’s being well known, and above all with the policeman. He sighed happily, and when the policeman took his hand in crossing a street, his cup of joy ran over, and he left his small hand inside the vast one. They walked in silence down another block. 22. He asked, “Do you have a little boy?” 23. “No, Robert. I should have liked a dozen, but I shall never have a single one.” 24. “How can you tell?” 25. “Sometimes,” the policeman said, “it is possible to know.” 26. The sergeant at once took third place in omniscience behind God and his father, and it occurred to Robert that perhaps he should put him first. The only flaw in everything was that his protector had been unimpressed by his not crying when his knees did hurt so intensely. They reached the gate of his house. His mother stood anxiously on the front porch, since the accident had delayed him. He waved to her and she waved back. 27. The policeman said, “You might say to your mother that I suggest hot water first, and then an antiseptic and bandages.” He cleared his throat. “You are a very brave young man. Many boys would have cried. I usually pass your school during the noon recess, and when we meet again, I hope we may walk together.” 28. “Oh, I hope so too.” He recalled his manners. “Thank you, sir,” he said. 29. “And you are polite too. I’m sure we shall be friends.” 30. He tipped his cap to the lady coming down the path and strolled impressively away. 31. Robert cried out, “Mother, I fell down and I couldn’t breathe, and see my knees, all bleeding, and a policeman picked me up and came home with me.” 32. “How nice of him. Oh, darling, this is dreadful. You can’t go back to school this afternoon.” 33. “Of course I can go back. I’m a very brave young man.” 34. His mother laughed and hugged him to her, and treated his injuries as the policeman had suggested, although he forgot to tell her. 35. He was a little late for the afternoon session, but he went boldly into the classroom with his bandaged knees. They were their own apology, and the teacher nodded to him and went on with the lesson. He was disappointed that she did not ask him any questions, so that he could tell of his peril and of his friend. 36. In the evening he could hardly wait for his father to come home. He hung on the gate, watching for him. When he saw him coming down the street, he ran to him and clasped him around the legs. 37. “Father, I fell down and hurt myself, and a policeman brought me home.” 38. His father lifted quizzical eyebrows. “A policeman brought you home? Well, well. In chains, no doubt. What bad thing had you done?” 39. “Oh, father.” He was accustomed to his father’s jokes, and nothing could spoil his pleasure. “The policeman is my friend.” 40. “Well, that may come in handy someday when you’ve done something really bad.” 41. “Father.” The jesting was adult, too, and he ate his vegetables at dinner without his mother’s urging. 42. He was unable to avoid boasting at school, just a little, for Sergeant Masters was waiting for him almost every noon. 43. The tough boys sneered, “Who wants a cop for a friend? Yah. Bet your mamma pays him to take baby home. Yah. ’Fraid we’ll beat you up. We don’t beat up babies. Bet she pays him a dollar a week.” 44. The idea had its unspeakable possibilities. His mother was often unduly solicitous. He did not dare approach her on the subject, but he did sound out the sergeant. 45. “Do you know my mother?” he asked one day. 46. “I don’t have that pleasure. But as I said before, I am acquainted with your father.” 47. Perhaps his father had hired the policeman. Perhaps his father had enemies and was threatened with the kidnapping of his son. This thought was exciting and acceptable, but it invalidated the friendship. He pondered over his next question. He felt very sly and clever as he asked it. 48, “A good policeman wouldn’t take money for walking home with anybody, would he?” 49. The sergeant stopped and stared down at him. “Somebody has been putting ideas in your head. No, Robert, a good policeman doesn’t take money for anything.” He laid a huge gentle hand on the little boy’s shoulder. “I am your friend. Always remember that friendship is a noble thing.” 50. He was comforted. And then the snow apples on the tree in the yard began to ripen and fall. They lay each morning like rosy flowers in the soft grass. By family custom these were his own, the windfalls. He invited the policeman into the yard every day and insisted on his putting an apple in all his pockets. 51. Sergeant Masters said invariably, “Thank you, Robert. I wish I had a little boy to take them home to. But I’ll think of you and enjoy them.” 52. One day the windfalls were scarce and the policeman would not take any, but said that he would prefer to think of Robert’s eating them. The next noon there was only one snow apple on the ground. This was unreasonable, as the tree was still loaded. Robert watched from behind the hedge that evening, and saw Jimmy Thomas and his sister dash into the yard and swoop to the grass and dash away again. He was in a rage. It was his apple tree, his apples. He not only liked to use them as tribute to his friend but he was passionately fond of snow apples himself. 53. He ran toward the house to tell his father, then halted, and in triumph decided on a superior plan. Of what avail to have a policeman for a friend, if not to use him for his vengeance? 54. The next noon he prayed there would be no apples on the ground. There was a disappointingly large number, but still, he was sure, not nearly so many as usual. He turned haughtily to Sergeant Masters. 55. “Well,” he said, “those Thomases have been over here again, stealing. I want you to arrest them and put them in jail. Right now.” 56. “Arrest the Thomases for stealing? Who are the Thomases?” 57. “A horrid boy across the street and his nasty little sister. They’ve been stealing my snow apples.” 58. “I see. Robert, do they have an apple tree?” 59. “No. But they don’t have any right to mine.” 60. “Have you ever given them any of your apples?” 61. “I don’t have to. I don’t like them. And you’re my friend, you said so, and I want you to arrest them.” 62. Sergeant Masters slowly took out from his pockets the apples that Robert had pressed on him and dropped them to the autumn earth. 63. “It’s a very large tree, Robert,” he said, “but perhaps you’d better just keep all the apples for yourself.” 64. Robert stared at the gift apples discarded on the ground, then up at the beloved face far above him. It was sad and stern. He drew a gasping breath more painful than the one when he had fallen flat and the policeman had pounded him on the back and had become his friend. In a moment now Sergeant Masters would walk out of the gate and be lost to him forever. He threw his arms around the strong legs and gripped them tight and hid his face against them. 65. A sparrow flew into the tree and chirped cheerfully in the dreadful silence. An apple dropped with a thump. A cloud drifted across the sun and the autumn air was chill. He shivered. The big hand of the policeman dropped slowly to his head and ruffled his hair. A great arm encircled him. 66. “It’s all right, Robert.” 67. The little boy burst into loud sobs of relief and shame. Friendship was a noble thing and he had proved unworthy. “Magic” Pablo by Mark Brazaitis 1. Pablo and I liked to play “Let’s imagine.” We’d be walking down the street, a basketball cradled under one of our arms. Clouds would be gathering in the east, as they tended to do in early evening. A light rain—chipi-chipi is what everyone in town called it—might even be falling. 2. “Let’s imagine,” Pablo would say, “that Michael Jordan is walking with us.” He would smile. “What would these people say?” he would ask, pointing to the woman in the dark blue cortes and white huipiles, the native dress in this town in the Northern mountains of Guatemala. “What would they do?” 3. “They’d be amazed,” I’d say. “They wouldn’t know what to do.” Pablo agrees. 4. “They’d probably run. But we’d just keep walking down the street, the three of us, to the basketball court.” 5. Then Pablo would ask, “And how would we divide the teams?” 6. “Michael Jordan versus the two of us.” 7. Pablo would consider this. “No,” he’d say, “it’d be you and Michael Jordan versus me.” 8. Pablo was sixteen when I met him, another indistinguishable face in my English class of fortyfive students. 9. I was twenty-five when I arrived as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Santa Cruz Verapez, a town of 4,000 people. I was prepared to be alone during my entire two-year service. I figured this was the way my life was supposed to be: silent sacrifice. I wasn’t, at any rate, expecting to make a friend my first night in town. 10. But the night after my first English class, Pablo knocked on my door. I invited him in, and he entered, looking around shyly. On a table in my dining room, he saw a copy of Sports Illustrated that my stepfather had sent from home. He pointed to the cover photo. 11. “Robert Parish,” he said. “The Chief.” 12. Pablo, it turned out, knew as much about basketball and the NBA as I did, and I was a former sportswriter. 13. I don’t know where he got his information. El Grafico, the only daily newspaper from the capital sold in our town, rarely had stories about American basketball. A Mexican TV station that reached Santa Cruz showed NBA games on Saturday mornings, but the town’s electricity was so unpredictable—occasionally it would be off for three or four days in a row—that I wondered how many of these games he could have seen. Pablo just seemed to know, and he was familiar not just with Robert Parish and other All-Stars; he could talk about obscure players like Chris Dudley and Jerome Kersey as if he were an NBA beat reporter. 14. Pablo would come to my house at night and we would draft imaginary line-ups. Pablo liked non-American players. Hakeem Olajuwon was his favorite. He liked Mark Aguirre because he’d heard that Aguirre’s father was born in Mexico. Dikembe Mutombo. Manute Bol. Drazen Petrovic. Selecting our imaginary teams, he’d always draft these players first. 15. I didn’t get it. Why would he pick Vlade Divac instead of Charles Barkley? But the longer I lived in Guatemala, the better I understood. 16. The American presence in Guatemala is about as subtle as a Shaquille O’Neal slam dunk. The Pepsi logo covers entire storefronts. In Santa Cruz, the town basketball court is painted with a Coca-Cola motif, right down to the backboards. In some remote villages, children wear “Ninja Turtles” tee-shirts. 17. We had long arguments about who was the best player in the NBA. Hakeem Olajuwon versus Michael Jordan. Hakeem versus Patrick Ewing. Hakeem versus Magic Johnson. 18. Pablo stuck by his man. 19. Pablo and I played basketball on the court next to the cow pasture. Pablo was taller than Muggsy Bogues but shorter than Spud Webb, both of whom played in the NBA. When we first began playing, I could move him around with my body, backing him close to the basket. If I missed, I was tall enough to get a rebound. In games to twenty-one, I would beat him by nine, eleven, thirteen points. 20. Pablo was the first to tell me about Magic Johnson. He came over to my house one night, late. 21. “What is it?” I asked. 22. His head was bowed. 23. “What is it?” 24. He looked up. He wasn’t crying, but he looked like he might need to. He said, “Magic has the AIDS virus.” 25. We mourned together. Feeling sentimental, Pablo admitted, “Magic might be better than Hakeem.” 26. Pablo’s dream was to dunk a basketball. We calculated how many feet he would need to jump—about four. 27. Pablo drew up a training plan. He would jump rope two hours a day to build his leg strength. Every other day, Pablo would ask his younger brother to crouch, and he would leap, back and forth, for half an hour. 28. Two weeks later, Pablo came to my house and asked me to set up a hurdle in my courtyard. I stacked two chairs on top of each other, then another two chairs a few feet away. I placed a broom across the top of the chairs and measured: the broom was four feet off the ground. 29. “I’m going to jump it,” Pablo said. 30. “You sure?” I asked. 31. “Yes, I’m sure.” 32. We stood there, gazing at the broom. 33. “You sure?” I asked again. 34. “I’m sure.” 35. More gazing. 36. Then he backed up, took a few quick steps, and jumped. His knees shot to his chest. He leapt over the broom like a frog. 37. “You did it!” I yelled. 38. “I can dunk now,” he said, grinning. 39. The next morning, we went to the basketball court. Pablo dribbled from half court and leapt. The ball clanked off the rim. He tried it again. Same result. 40. “I don’t understand,” he said. 41. I didn’t have the heart to admit I’d misled him: to dunk, he’d have to jump four feet without bending his knees. 42. As a player, though, Pablo was getting better. He couldn’t dunk, but he’d learned to use his quickness to drive by me and score. He had grown stronger. I could not back into him as easily. 43. Also, he had developed a jump shot. 44. “Let’s imagine,” Pablo would say, “that David Robinson came to visit us.” 45. “All right,” I’d say. 46. “Where would he stay?” 47. “I don’t know. At a hotel, probably.” 48. “No,” Pablo would say, “he’d stay at your house. You’d let him sleep in your bed.” 49. “Yeah, that would be better.” 50. “And you’d make him dinner.” 51. “Sure.” 52. “And at night,” Pablo would say, “we’d sit around and talk about basketball.” 53. Pablo was not my best student. He was more interested in basketball than books. But he knew how to make his teacher laugh. 54. When he missed a quiz, I allowed him to make it up by writing five sentences — any five sentences of his choice — in English. 55. He wrote: 1. Charles Barkley sang a song in my house. 2. I beat Patrick Ewing in slam dunk. 3. I beat David Robinson in block. 4. Hakeem Olajuwon is my brother. 5. Magic and Pablo are the best friends of Mark. 56. Despite his interest in basketball, Pablo’s best sport was soccer. He played for San Pedro Carcha, a nearby town. Pablo was a good play-maker. Quick dribbler. Good passer. Soccer’s equivalent of a point-guard, not a power forward. 57. I’d seen several of Pablo’s games and had watched him make gorgeous passes, beautiful sky-touching passes that his teammates batted into the net for goals. 58. My last week in Guatemala as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I attended a game Pablo’s team played against San Cristobal, a town nine kilometers west of Santa Cruz. The game was tied 1–1 going into the final minutes. Pablo’s team had a corner kick. The crowd, about a thousand strong, was silent. 59. The ball soared into the air. A mass of players, including Pablo, gathered to receive it. Pablo jumped, his body shooting up like a rocket off a launcher. His timing was perfect. His head met the ball and the ball flew past the goalie. 60. Pablo’s teammates paraded him around the field on their shoulders. People from the crowd, per custom, handed him money. 61. When I talked to him later, I didn’t need to point out why he’d been able to jump that high. He said it himself. “It’s basketball. I learned it from basketball. From trying to dunk.” 62. We played our last game the day before I left Guatemala. We played in the evening, as a light rain—a chipichipi— fell. 63. He had learned to play defense. I tried to back him toward the basket, but he held his ground. I was forced to use my unreliable jump shot. I could no longer get every rebound because he’d learned to block out. And, of course, he could jump now. 64. I got lucky and hit two straight jumpers to pull ahead by four. But he countered with a reverse lay-up. He scored again on a long jump shot, a shot he never would have made when we first played. 65. The rain fell harder now. Puddles were beginning to form on the court. Pablo and I were both panting. It was getting dark; we could barely see the basket. 66. “Let’s quit,” I said. “Let’s leave it like this.” 67. “If you want,” he said. 68. “Yeah, let’s leave it like this. A tie.” 69. “All right,” he said. “A tie. Good. Let’s leave it.” 70. We hugged each other. 71. “Let’s imagine,” Pablo said, as we walked to my house for the last time, “that you and I played against Michael Jordan. Who would win?” 72. “Jordan,” I said. 73. “No,” Pablo said. “We would. Believe me, we would.” DAY 4: Writing Original Short Stories Materials: Copies of the “Short Story Writing Guide” (1 for each student) Computers/laptops Encyclopedias and/or literary criticism text books Short story anthologies Examples of past students’ short stories Procedures: Teacher’s Actions Students’ Actions The teacher begins class by explaining that today’s period will be a work period for the students to use in order to start researching and writing their short stories. The teacher then takes the class to the library for a research/work period. When they enter the library, a table is already set up; it has literary criticism encyclopedias and text books, short story anthologies, and short stories written by past classes. The teacher instructs the students to sit down at a table. The students sit at a table. The teacher then distributes the short story writing guide handout to the students and explains how it is to be used. He/She says that before the students start writing they need to organize and write down all their ideas on the writing guide provided. The teacher encourages the students to do research and get inspiration from other stories and novels but to NOT plagiarize. The students sit and listen to the teacher’s instructions. They ask any questions that they might have. They then use the rest of the period to get ideas and organize them using their writing guide. They use all the resources available to them in the library to do research and find some inspiration. Before the end of the period, the teacher goes around and checks each individual student’s progress. He/She records each student’s progress. Each student shows the teacher how much work they have accomplished and share their ideas for their stories. Short Story Writing Guide Characters (include detailed descriptions) Setting (date, time, place, etc) Symbol(s) Tone/Atmosphere Narrative Voice Theme(s) Plot Summary (be as detailed as possible) Plot Graph Reading Passage “Expert of My Story” Worksheet- Elements of Style Reading Passage Number: Title of Passage: Author: Group Members: In groups of 3-4 students, read and discuss the assigned passage while exploring the elements of style introduced this class. You are responsible for becoming the “experts” of your story, looking at plot, setting, themes, literary devices, point of view and characters. After each group member completes this “Expert of My Story” worksheet, you must present your findings, as a group, to another group with a different story. After explaining and discussing the story amongst your peers, the other group will then present their passage, covering the same components as listed below since they are the “experts” of their story. Read carefully, and become experts! The following are the questions that need answering: PLOT and CHARACTERS In 3-4 sentences, summarize the overall plot of the story: What was the climax of your sight passage? List the main characters, as well as a few traits to describe them to your peers: (what do they look like? Likes/dislikes? Interests? Personality? Temperament?). Also, mention who the antagonists and protagonists are and why you know this. What is the conflict of the story? Is it interpersonal or internal? SETTING AND ATMOSPHERE Where is the story taking place? Provide a brief description. What type of story is this? (Mystery? Romance? Adventure?) POINT OF VIEW and THEME Who is telling the story? (for instance, is it a player on the home team, or someone watching the game?) Decide what point of view is used and explain your choice in a few sentences. How do we know what is happening? (for instance, does a character tell us?) What is the overall message/ idea/ theme of the story? How can we apply this to our own lives? LITERARY DEVICES (if applicable); construct a brief list of any literary devices and give the exact example from the story; what kind of device is it and how did you know? Explain your choices. DAY 5 Portfolio Submission and Coffee House Cumulative Presentation Introduction Materials: Photocopies of student note package; writing portfolio reflection worksheet, portfolio evaluation rubric, coffee house presentation outline. Procedures: Teacher’s Actions Today’s lesson is self-reflection driven. Before class, the teacher will place a note package on the desk of each student containing the following; writing portfolio reflection worksheet, portfolio evaluation rubric, and coffee house presentation outline. Students’ Actions The teacher explains that today’s class is meant to reflect on the work completed up to this point. The teacher briefly reviews the components of the writing portfolio reflection worksheet, and gives verbal examples demonstrating how each section may be completed. This should take 5 minutes. The students enter the class, then sit and listen to the teacher’s instructions. They ask any questions that they might have. Next, the teacher reviews the various parts of the portfolio evaluation rubric, explaining each section and each expectation in a clear and concise manner. This should take 5 minutes. The students enter the class, then sit and listen to the teacher’s instructions. They ask any questions that they might have. Lastly, the teacher introduces the coffee house presentation outline, explaining its various components and discusses and appropriate due date. This should take 5 minutes. The students enter the class, then sit and listen to the teacher’s instructions. They ask any questions that they might have. The teacher roams around the classroom to check on individual progress and observe how students reflect on their work, as well as discuss their future plans for the coffee house presentation. Students then use the rest of the period to get organize their work and reflect on in terms of the guidelines and expectations provided. Students ask questions and conference with the teacher when needed Before the end of the period, the teacher goes around and checks each individual student’s progress. He/She records each student’s progress. Each student shows the teacher how much work they have accomplished and share their reflections on their portfolio work. COFFEE HOUSE POETRY READINGS Your Presentation Date: _____________________ A coffee house is different from a place where you can just buy coffee. A coffee house is a place where creative people gather to share their talents, in the arts, over coffee. One common aspect of a coffee house is sharing poetry; the person’s personal poetry or their interpretation, orally and through other creative forms, of a poem. We are going to have our own coffee house poetry readings – so bring coffee! Activity Description – The first and foremost thing to know about poetry is that it is meant to be read aloud. You will each choose one poem or piece of work from your portfolio and present it to the class. Presentation Requirements: The poem/piece must be meaningful to you. It must be at least 15 lines long. Deal with appropriate content. The portfolio piece should be memorized, but you will be permitted to have a copy with you (in case you need it) during the presentation. Above all you are to focus on how YOU feel your piece is meant to be read. What words should be emphasized? How should the words be said? What rhythm do the words have? You may choose to be creative in your reading by incorporating one or several of the following into your interpretation: Music, Dance, Mime, Art, Drama, Props or costumes, Other approved by [teacher]. The final component of the presentation will be your commentary on the poem (not memorized). This discussion should address the following: 1. Why you chose the poem and what, specifically, you like about it (poet’s choice of words, topic, imagery, use of figurative language, etc.) 2. What you think the poem is about, and why you think that. Presentaion Evaluation These presentations will be evaluated on the following rubric-based criteria: Poor satisfactory good v.good excellent a. Memorization 1 2 3 4 5 (5) b. Vocal Interpretation 2 4 6 8 10 (10) c. Eye Contact 1 2 3 4 5 (5) d. Vocal Clarity 1 2 3 4 5 (5) e. Appropriate Gestures 1 2 3 4 5 (5) f. Commentary 2 4 6 8 10 (10) g. Overall Impression 2 4 6 8 10 (10) total 50 Writing Portfolio: Student Reflection For each of the items to be included in your final portfolio, please provide a one page response containing answers to the questions below. My Name: ________________________________ Date: ________________ Title of Piece: _____________________________________________________________ This piece was chosen for my portfolio because… The things I like most about this piece of writing are... If I worked more on this piece of writing or started over, I would change... While working on this piece of writing, I did the following things to help me do my best work... Overall, I would rate this piece of writing as: 1. 2. 3. 4. Terrific; this is one of my best papers and a must read for others. Good; I’m happy with it and I think it would please an audience. Fair; it could use a little more work before being read by others. Poor; it would need lots of work before being published. UNIT SUMMARY The unit we have designed involves a large number of activities and student interaction. We attempted to limit the amount of traditional teacher-led instruction while increasing more student-led and collaborative learning. The lesson plans in this package cover the first two weeks of a four week creative writing unit. Week one is focused on poetry and week two is focused on short stories. Depending on your needs and your students’ interests, weeks three and four would be used to teach other types of writing such as persuasive and expository writing including (but not limited to): newspaper articles, songs, advertisements, greeting cards, editorials, research papers etc. The three literacies that we have selected to integrate within our unit are critical literacy, multicultural literacy, and environmental literacy. We believe that all of these literacies fit well with our lessons, activities, and content. The first literacy, critical literacy, is one that is often used within English and literature studies because it encourages students to challenge previously held assumptions, analyze power structures, inherent biases, and multiple perspectives in what they read. This is important in analyzing poetry and interpreting the themes within short stories. The second literacy we included is multicultural literacy. Multicultural literacy is paramount in a unit which relies so heavily on the work of international authors; men and women of different ethnic and racial backgrounds. Further, this unit attempts to give students the multiple perspectives of diverse cultures from around the world, encouraging them to identify connections between themselves and others. It is of the upmost importance that students learn and understand the connections between themselves as individuals, and people from other cultures around the world if they are to become compassionate global citizens. The third literacy imbedded within the unit it environmental literacy. As we designed the unit, we realized that a great deal of poetry was based on the environment and natural systems. We thought it was important to focus on this theme because the environment has become a major issue within our changing world. Students need to be able to appreciate the natural beauty of the environment and understand the impact of their actions (and decisions) upon said environment. In terms of individual learning, students are given the opportunity to engage in activities by themselves. They are required to create, think, and analyze on their own. It is important that they learn autonomy and accountability. For example, on day This allows individual students to experiment and develop their own skills with the website before getting together with other learners. At several points students are asked questions, and brainstorm answers on their own, and they are asked to share their thoughts. There is also a strong emphasis on cooperative learning throughout the unit. Students are encouraged to participate in a variety of activities in pairs, groups, and as an entire class. Our goal was to support scaffolding through collaborative learning and to encourage students to create meaningful relationships with each other in order to make a strong classroom culture. In fact, the success of culminating task—the coffee house—is entirely dependant on the supportive environment of the classroom because students need to feel safe and secure in order to share their written work aloud with others. Overall, this unit is designed with the student in mind. Academic students in grade 10 need to acquire both independent and collaborative learning strategies and we feel that our lessons/unit plan target these specific needs. Also, we tried to incorporate different instructional strategies to appeal to different types of learners; we incorporated movement to appeal to kinaesthetic learners, visual aids and images to appeal to visual learners, lectures to appeal to auditory learners and collaborative activities to appeal to interpersonal learners. Hopefully, the activities, experiences, and instruction that this unit offers students will be memorable for years to come.