Poetry Unit Plan
Day Four: Let’s Not Slam Dramatic and Narrative Poetry
I.
BENCHMARK/STANDARD
CCSS ELA.RL.8.5
Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing
structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.
CCSS ELA.RL.8.6
Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader
(e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.
II. BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVE
a. The students will be able to compare and contrast two different presentations of narrative
poetry.
b. The students will be able to analyze how the different structures affect the style and
meaning of the poems.
c. The students will be able to analyze how the different structures affect the recognition of
suspense or humor for an audience.
III. ANTICIPATORY SET
The instructor will play videos of Daniel Beaty’s “Knock Knock”, Katie Makkai’s “Pretty”
and Mayda del Valle’s “Descendancy” for the class.
IV. OBJECTIVE/PURPOSE
Today we will be comparing two different presentations of narrative poetry and analyzing
how these different structures affect the style, meaning, and our recognition of suspense or
humor in these poems. Being able to recognize how different styles of presenting a text can
help you determine an author’s meaning and purpose in presentation styles that may be
unfamiliar to you.
V. INPUT
a. Task Analysis
i. Play the 3 different slam poems for the class
ii. Discuss in a large group: how does hearing poetry differ from reading it on a
page? How do these poets talk about their lives and their culture through these
poems? Was it easy to recognize the tones of their poems?
iii. Distribute worksheet for practice on identifying poetic devices and have students
work in pairs to match them, then review answers with whole class.
iv. Distribute the text of Billy Collins’ “On Turning Ten” and have students read it
to themselves twice.
v. Discuss in a large group: do you feel like you connect with this poem or
understand what Collins was feeling when he wrote it? How do you think he’s
able to accomplish this through the poem?
vi. Have the students start a narrative poem based off one of the examples discussed
in class about their own lives and assign a full draft of the poem to be brought in
the next day.
b. Thinking Levels
i. Knowledge: Matching the different poetic devices with their definitions
ii. Application: Employing the new knowledge of narrative poetry structures to
large group discussion
iii. Analysis: Analyzing the two different narrative poetry structures and comparing
and contrasting the way they affect a reader’s/listener’s view of the poem
iv. Synthesis: Creating their own narrative poem based off of the class discussions
on structure
c. Learning Styles
i. Visual: Learners will see the words of the poems in front of them as well as
watch the slam poets presenting their poetry, and the poetry terms on the
worksheet
ii. Auditory: Learners will hear the slam poets speaking the words of their
poems aloud.
iii. Intrapersonal: Learners will spend time alone working on their own poems
iv. Interpersonal: Learners will work in pairs and have large group discussion
on narrative poetry and poetic devices
v. Aural: Learners will read the texts of a poem
d. Method and Materials
i. Ways of presenting: lecture, discussion, pair and large group work, silent
reading, audio/video clips
ii. Materials needed: youtube.com, Billy Collins’ “On Turning Ten”, poetic devices
matching worksheet
VI. MODELING
a.
VII.
CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING
a.
VIII.
GUIDED PRACTICE
a.
IX. INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
a.
X. CLOSURE
a. Knowledge:
b. Comprehension:
c. Assessment: