Oxford: Great Oak School, Grade 8
Unit: Expressions of Loss Performance Task
Students analyze a poem (see choices below) to uncover the poem’s meaning and style. They
analyze figurative language, the impact of specific word choices, tone, and/or structure to
determine how they contribute to the overall expression of loss in the poem. [RL.8.4]
Possible Titles:
“The Day the Towers Fell” – Author Unknown
“Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes
“The Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou
“Abandoned Farmhouse” by Ted Kooser
“O Captain! My Captain!” by Walt Whitman
Students will:
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Read the poem multiple times silently.
Annotate the poem for meaning and style.
Engage in a student-led discussion on meaning and style (diction, tone, figurative
language, structure, etc.)
Compose a literary analysis in which they examine a poem and analyze how the writer
uses specific word choice, tone, figurative language, and/or structure to convey the
expression of loss in the poem.