Name:
Project Description: You are to explicate a poem and write an essay that will demonstrate your understanding of, and ability to utilize, the concepts and elements introduced and reviewed. In the essay be sure to include:
An introduction with a hook, a clear and specific thesis statement, and appropriate background information, such as author, title, date written, and any specific details surrounding the composition of that poem.
Well-developed paragraphs with clear topics, detailed explanations, and supporting details.
A variety of sentences with correct linking of independent clauses.
A conclusion that reminds the reader of the thesis statement, summarizes the main ideas, and gives a thoughtful sense of closure.
Project Steps:
1. Select a poem: Select a poem to use for the project. It must contain enough figurative language and depth in meaning from which a quality essay can be derived. See attached Recommended Poets, or feel free to choose a poet not found on that list. Please choose a poem created for a primarily adult audience.
2. On a separate sheet of loose-leaf paper, identify concepts and elements: Refer to Understanding and Evaluating
Poetry on the following page.
3. Set first draft goals: Using the last essay project, set three goals from the rubric to focus on improving.
4. Create a thesis statement: Create a one- or two-sentence summary that clearly and specifically states the main ideas of your essay. You will place your thesis statement in a separate paragraph preceding EVERY draft.
Thesis Statement:
5. Write first draft: Write your first draft on loose-leaf.
6. Peer review: Have your assigned reviewers read your essay; review your assigned peers, and complete the peer review forms.
8. Revise first draft/create second draft: Using the peer reviews and your own decisions, revise the first draft and create a clean second draft.
9. Self-assessment: Explain how your second draft fulfilled your first draft goals.
10. Turn in second draft for teacher review: Be sure to include a heading on your second draft with your name and period number.
11. Set final draft goals: Using teacher and peer reviews, set three goals from the rubric to improve on the final draft.
13. Revise second draft to create final draft: Using teacher feedback and your own decisions, revise your second draft and create a clean final draft.
14. Second self-assessment: Explain how your final draft fulfilled your final draft goals.
15. Submit final draft for teacher assessment: Be sure your final draft has a header which includes your name and period number. Submit the project with final draft on top, followed by your second draft, your peer review forms, then your first draft, and finally this packet with appropriate notes on the bottom.

Sylvia Plath
Ted Kooser
Mary Oliver
Billy Collins
Langston Hughes
Philip Larkin
Allen Ginsberg
Jack Kerouac
William Shakespeare
Robert Frost
Emily Dickinson
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Gary Snyder
Maya Angelou
Edgar Allen Poe
William Blake
Sonia Sanchez
Mina Loy
William Carlos Williams
Ted Hughes
Gary Soto
Dorothy Parker
Ezra Pound
Alfred Lord Tennyson
W. H. Auden
William Butler
Yeats
Pablo Neruda
Seamus Heaney
Adrienne Rich
1.
Who is the speaker? What kind of person is the speaker?
2.
Is there an identifiable audience for the speaker? What can we know about it (her, him, or them)?
3.
What is the occasion?

4.
What is the setting in time (hour, season, century, and so on)?
5.
What is the setting in place (indoors or out, city or country, land or sea, region, nation, hemisphere)?
6.
What is the central purpose of the poem?
7.
State the central idea or theme of the poem in a sentence.
8.
Summarize the events of the poem.
9.
Paraphrase the poem.
10.
Discuss the diction of the poem. Point out words that are particularly well chosen, and explain why.
11.
Discuss the imagery of the poem. What kinds of imagery are used? Is there a structure of imagery?
12.
Point out examples of metaphor, simile, personification, and metonymy, and explain their appropriateness.
13.
Point out and explain any symbols. If the poem is allegorical, explain the allegory.
14.
Point out and explain examples of paradox, overstatement, understatement, and irony. What is their function?
15.
Explain any allusions. What is their function?
16.
What is the tone of the poem? How is it achieved?
17.
Point out significant examples of sound recognition, and explain their function.
18.
Discuss the adaptation of sound to sense.
19.
Describe the form or pattern of the poem.
20.
Criticize and evaluate the poem.

Goal 1 (Step 3):
How did you fulfill this goal (Step 9)?
Goal 2 (Step 3):
How did you fulfill this goal (Step 9)?
Goal 3 (Step 3):
How did you fulfill this goal (Step 9)?

Goal 1 (Step 11):
How did you fulfill this goal (Step 14)?
Goal 2 (Step 11):
How did you fulfill this goal (Step 14)?
Goal 3 (Step 11):
How did you fulfill this goal (Step 14)?

Introduction
Sentence
Development
Paragraph Focus
Use of
Quotations
Use of MLA
Format
Introduction begins with a hook that leads to a welldeveloped, clear, and specific thesis statement, and appropriate background information is used.
4 3.5
A variety of simple, compound, complex and compoundcomplex sentences are used.
Descriptive language is used to enhance meaning.
4 3.5
Each body paragraph is focused tightly on a single topic. Topic and closing sentences, which match the topic of the paragraph, are used to focus readers’ attention on the paragraph topic.
4 3.5
Quotations are used when warranted and are well integrated. They add to, rather than detract from, the flow of the writing and are explained in-depth.
4 3.5
MLA format is used accurately, consistently, and without error.
4 3.5
Introduction begins with a hook that is related to a clear and specific thesis statement; adequate background information is used.
3 2.5
A variety of sentences are often used. Some descriptive language is used to enhance meaning.
3 2.5
Each body paragraph is focused on a single topic. Topic and closing sentences, which match the topic of the paragraph, are often used to focus readers’ attention on the paragraph topic.
3 2.5
Quotations are usually used when warranted and are generally well incorporated into the student’s writing. Most are explained in some level of detail.
3 2.5
MLA format is used correctly and consistently with some minor errors.
3 2.5
Introduction begins with a hook that is too general or too specific, the thesis statement is unclear or incomplete, and there is too much or too little background information.
2 1.5
Some sentence variety is used, though there is also some repetitive sentence structure.
Many sentences use simple structure. Little descriptive language is used to enhance meaning.
2 1.5
There is an attempt to focus each body paragraph on a single topic, but paragraphs occasionally go off-topic or include too many topics. There is some attempt to use topic and closing sentences, but they do not closely match the paragraph topic.
2 1.5
Quotations are usually used when warranted, but often detract from the flow of the writing. Quotes are slightly overused, and there is little to no explanation or incorporation of them into the writing.
2 1.5
There are frequent MLA format errors within the paper. In-text citations are inconsistent.
2 1.5
Introduction does not begin with an attempt at a hook, the thesis statement is missing or unclear, and there is little or no background information.
1 .5
Most sentences use simple structure. Little to no descriptive language is used.
1 .5
Paragraphs often go off-topic or include too many topics.
Topic and closing sentences are rarely or never used.
1 .5
No quotations are used, or quotes are grossly overused to fill space. None are explained, and the flow of the writing is greatly diminished by their presence.
1 .5
MLA format errors are glaringly unacceptable. Intext citations are either not used or are used very improperly.
1 .5

Fulfillment of
Requirements
Writing for an
Audience
Image Types
Meaning &
Theme
Use of
Information
Student adequately completed every step of the assignment.
4 3.5
Writing is extremely wellgeared to the intended audience. The tone is formal and academic, and topics and concepts are explained in such a way that readers unfamiliar with them should be able to follow and understand the main points of the paper.
4 3.5
Student can always tell literal imagery from figurative imagery and can correctly identify types of figurative imagery.
4 3.5
Student can often suggest multiple meanings or layers of meaning for applicable poetic elements and make a sound argument as to how these meanings fit into the text.
4 3.5
Student demonstrates a thorough understanding of the poem while presenting only relevant and coherent information.
4 3.5
Student adequately completed most steps of the assignment.
3 2.5
Writing is generally well-geared to the intended audience. The tone is mostly formal and academic, and topics and concepts are explained in such a way that most readers unfamiliar with them have a general understanding of the paper’s main ideas.
3 2.5
Student can always tell literal imagery from figurative imagery and can often correctly identify types of figurative imagery.
3 2.5
Student can sometimes suggest multiple meanings or layers of meaning for applicable poetic elements and make a valid argument as to how that meaning fits into the text.
3 2.5
Student demonstrates a good understanding of the poem while presenting mostly relevant and coherent information.
3 2.5
Student inadequately completed many steps of the assignment.
2 1.5
Writing is only somewhat geared toward the intended audience.
The tone is generally informal and not academic. Topics and concepts that may be unfamiliar to most readers are glossed over or explained in a confusing way.
2 1.5
Student can sometimes tell literal imagery from figurative imagery and can correctly identify several types of figurative imagery.
2 1.5
Student struggles to suggest meaning for applicable poetic elements but attempts to explain how that meaning fits into the text.
2 1.5
Student demonstrates an unsatisfactory understanding of the poem and uses mostly irrelevant and disorganized information.
2 1.5
Student failed to complete several steps of the assignment.
1 .5
There is no thought to writing for an audience apparent.
Concepts, topics, and ideas presented are confusingly explained, if explained at all.
Student seems to lack a satisfactory understanding of the subject.
1 .5
Student can sometimes tell literal imagery from figurative imagery and can recognize few types of figurative imagery.
1 .5
Student does not attempt to suggest a meaning for applicable poetic elements or explain how that meaning fits into the text.
1 .5
Student demonstrates a poor understanding of the poem and uses extremely irrelevant and disorganized information.
1 .5

Conclusion
Conclusion ends the essay with a reminder of the thesis statement, a summary of the main ideas of the essay, and a thoughtful sense of closure.
No new ideas or supporting details are used in the conclusion.
4 3.5
Conclusion ends the essay with a reminder of the thesis statement, and a summary of the main ideas of the essay. No supporting details are used in the conclusion.
3 2.5
Conclusion includes a thesis statement, but it is unclear, not specific, or only covers part of the essay topic. Few main ideas from the essay are summarized. New ideas or supporting details are used.
2 1.5
No conclusion. Essay ends with a body paragraph about a new topic.
1 .5
Score: /44