In this lesson students will examine two pieces of published work, one written by Sting, the lead singer of the music group The Police, and the other written by Vic Wilcox. Both pieces are of the poetic genre in English Language Arts. The express purpose of this lesson is to expose students to a form of communication that can be expressive, critical, and informative.
To begin the lesson, the song “Every Breath You Take” will be played for the class. The teacher will then ask, “Is this poetry?” Expected responses (“Yes it is. No it is not. I don’t know.”) will be fielded from the students as they give consideration to the fact that music is a form of poetry and that they more than likely have integrated this genre of literature into their daily lives without even knowing they have done it. This should take ten minutes to accomplish.
Rhyming patterns and rhythms, along with comparing and contrasting the conventions of spelling and punctuation use in prose learned in previous lessons will be discussed using both the Sting and Wilcox works. Looking at the Sting work, the teacher will ask the students, “Can you tell me what the rhyming pattern is in this writing?” Students may respond with the valid question of “What’s a rhyming pattern?” The teacher will use this as an invitation to start an explanation about the structure and different styles of poetry. The students will then be directed to look at the Wilcox work to see if there is a recognizable rhyming pattern or identifiable style in it and what, if any, difference there is in its use of punctuation. This should take twenty-five minutes to complete.
After discussions have ended, students will then be given the opportunity to compose a piece of poetry themselves. They will have the freedom to write in any style they chose about any subject they want. Fifteen minutes will be allowed for this assignment.
To end the lesson, students will be asked to share their work with the class. Some students will decline the invitation while others will gladly participate. Both responses will be acceptable today. Ten minutes will be allotted for presentations. A total of sixty minutes will be dedicated to this lesson plan on poetry.
Materials Needed:
Handouts of the pieces of work the class will be examining
CD player and the song “Every Breath You Take.”
National Standards
6….Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions, (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
12…Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Competency Goals
1.02 Explore expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
· Creating an artistic interpretation that connects self to the work
· Discussing books / media formally and informally
5.02 Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
· Reading a variety of literature and other text (e.g., novels, autobiographies, myths, essays, magazines, plays, pattern poems, blank verse).
Vic
Wilcox
Was
the teacher’s request.
Our
understanding of opened and closed
Is
the thing he is putting to test.
I
could write this in a stanza,
The
poetic analogue of the prose.
Or
the basic two line couplet
That
almost everybody knows.
But
I would hate to overlook blank verse,
With
iambic pentameter unrhymed.
Because
it was good enough for Shakespeare,
And
it seemed like he used it all the time.
And
I better believe and not forget,
That
I need to show a sample tercet,
Or
on getting good grades, I would not bet.
In
my very own words,
I
don’t know if I can do it.
There
are so many styles
That
I’ll never get through it.
Sonnets
and songs that are sung so sweetly
Are
often used because of consonance.
But
it’s the howl of a vowel that makes me growl
And
that, my friend, is known as assonance.
But
you can’t appreciate closed form poetry
Fully,
until you have had a taste of the open style.
There
is not quite the variation found here but
The
good news is, the writing is your biz, and the lines can be long
Or
short.
Visual poetry is a trick,
Writing pictures for
a grade to pass.
I think
it
difficult
for someone to
write, so you can see
the shape of an hourglass.
But
alas, as you can see, I am no poet.
It
matters not opened or closed,
For
if I had talent, I would surely show it.
I
would write in all styles, in line after line.
I
would command verbiage as if it were mine.
And
I absolutely positively wouldn’t worry about rhyme, or meter.
Because,
the pleasing of myself would be just fine,
And
finishing this paper truly divine,
But
getting a good grade would be even sweeter.
Every
breath you take
And every move you make
Every bond you break, every step you take
I'll be watching you
Every single day
And every word you say
Every game you play, every night you stay
I'll be watching you
Oh, can't you see
You belong to me?
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take
Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake, every claim you stake
I'll be watching you
Since you've gone I've been lost without a trace
I dream at night, I can only see your face
I look around, but it's you I can't replace
I feel so cold, and I long for your embrace
I keep crying baby, baby please,
Oh, can't you see
You belong to me?
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take
Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake, every claim you stake
I'll be watching you
Every move you make, every step you take
I'll be watching you
I'll be watching you