Miss Shay
Poetry Terms Assignment
Wednesday/Thursday
Here are our poetry terms this year:
1. Ballad – a narrative that has sprung from unknown sources, has been transmitted by word of mouth (often altered in
the process), and was intended to be sung.
2. Connotation – the implied or suggested meaning of a word or expression through emotional, literary, or sound
associations.
3. Couplet – two consecutive lines of verse, usually of equal length rhyming together
4. Denotation – the literal dictionary meaning of a word or expression.
5. euphemism – a mild, inoffensive word or expression used in place of one that is harsh or unpleasant; for example,
“to pass away” is a euphemism for “to die.”
6 - 11. Foot – metrical unit, sometimes a word or one syllable, but more often a combination of one accented syllable
and one or more unaccented syllables. A foot may incorporate syllables from different words, and the foot divisions
may cut across words,
Anapestic foot: two unaccented syllables followed by one accented syllable (interrupt)
Dactylic foot: one accented syllable followed by two unaccented syllables. (Different)
Iambic foot: one unaccented syllable followed by one accented syllable (above)
Spondaic foot: two accented syllables in succession (shoeshine)
Trochaic foot: one accented syllable followed by one unaccented syllable (promise)
12. Free verse – verse which does not conform to any fixed pattern. Such poetic devices as rhyme or rhythm occur
only incidentally.
13. Hyperbole – a figure of speech employing obvious exaggeration; for example “His mind is a million miles away.”
14. Light verse – witty verse designed to entertain; it occasionally contains a sharp and biting criticism of human beings.
15. Metaphor – a figure of speech in which two things are compared without the use of like or as.
16. Metonymy – a figure of speech in which a thing is represented by something else with which it is closely associated;
for example “The White House announced”
17. Onomatopoeia – the use of a word in which the sound suggests what the word designates (splash, buzz,
murmur). This device enables the writer to express sense through sound.
18. Parody – a humorous imitation or burlesque of a serious piece of literature or writing.
19. Personification – a figure of speech in which places, things, animals, or ideas are endowed with human qualities.
20. Rhyme scheme – a fixed pattern of rhymes and also fixed pattern of lines (stanza form)
21. Simile – a figure of speech in which a comparison between two objects essentially unlike but resembling each other
in one or more respects. The comparison is indicated by like or as.
22. Sonnet – a poem consisting of fourteen lines, usually written in iambic pentameter and treating with a single idea or
emotion
23. Stanza – a group of lines of verse, generally four or more, arranged according to a fixed pattern.
24. Symbol – an object that stands for, or represents, an idea, belief, superstition, social or political institution, etc. A
pair of scales for example is often a symbol for justice
25. Synecdoche -- a figure of speech in which the part stands for the whole; for example, bread to represent food.
In order to learn the terms accurately and quickly, each student is going to draw a visual representation to help
him/her and his/her peers to learn the terms. They will be like “flashcards.” So, as each student draws a term (terms)
from the bowl, they will return to their seats. They must do the following:
1.
Memorize their term(s) (spelling and definition).
2.
Use the computer paper provided and a writing utensil to draw a picture or form of representation to
help remember their term (do not write the name of the term on the picture side).
3.
On the back of their picture, they must write the name of the term and give an example of it. Keep it as
concise as possible.
4.
Then, after 15 minutes, the students will begin to share their terms with the class. Offer advice on how
the class can remember the term, its definition, and an example.
5.
After each student has gone through, the class will quickly review by going through the pictures,
definitions, and examples again.
6.
Then, the students will take notes over similes and metaphors.
7.
For the activity, the students will each get 12 index cards. (Make sure all of these are school
appropriate!)
a.
On one card, they will write: is like a
b.
On another card, they will write: is as
c.
On an additional card, they will write a form of to be: is, was, and were
d.
On two other cards, they will choose a different adjective to put on each
e.
On all of the remaining cards, they will write unrelated nouns.
8.
Once they are done with their cards, they will trade them with a peer who will use the cards to create as
many similes and metaphors as they can. They may make expanded sentences by adding their own clauses to
the beginning or end of their sentences. Then, they will trade the index cards with another peer.
9.
At the end, we will have students share their best (appropriate) sentences.
10. After a discussion, the students will write a poem that includes at least 2 similes and 2 metaphors. The
topic must be school appropriate. Once the poem is written, highlight all similes in one color highlighter and
all the metaphors in another color highlighter.
11. Turn your poems in and hang them around the class.
12. To review the poetry terms, the students will play jeopardy in teams!