HONORS 10 QUARTER 3 IRP ASSIGNMENT
STEP ONE: SELECT A POEM BY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING AUTHORS. SELECT A DIFFERENT AUTHOR FOR
EACH OF THE THREE ASSIGNMENTS.
William Blake
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Lord Byron
John Keats
William Wordsworth
Edgar Allan Poe
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Mary Robinson
*Please do NOT choose “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
STEP TWO: READ AND ANNOTATE THE POEM. YOUR ANNOTATIONS SHOULD EXAMINE THE
FOLLOWING IDEAS AND SHOULD BE INDICATED BY USING THE FOLLOWING FORMAT:
Ideas- what to look for
Elements of Romanticism/Gothicism (refer to
notes)
Literary devices
Imagery
Diction
Syntax
Format- how to annotate
underline
Circle
Star interesting/powerful words
Bracket unique and purposeful usage
STEP THREE: USING THE FOLLOWING TEMPLATE, CREATE AN APPROPRIATE WRITING PROMPT FOR AN
ANALYSIS OF THE POEM.
In a well-organized essay, explain how the author uses ___________ (insert 2-3
prominent literary devices) in order to ________________(insert overall purpose of
devices and larger idea/significance).


Ideas for the first blank: diction, imagery, syntax, tone, figurative language (feel free to be more
specific- e.g. metaphor, personification, etc.), allusion, euphemism, symbolism, juxtaposition,
etc. Think: what literary devices did you find in the poem?
Ideas for the second blank: create suspense, develop the theme..., convey the speaker’s attitude
toward…, etc. Think: what did the devices achieve?
Example: In a well-organized essay, explain how the author uses parallelism, irony, and symbolism in
order to develop the theme.
These ideas are provided as examples only; please think beyond the examples and create a writing
prompt that will work best for your chosen poem.
HONORS 10 QUARTER 3 IRP ASSIGNMENT
STEP FOUR: WRITE YOUR MAIN CLAIM, OR THESIS STATEMENT, IN RESPONSE TO THE PROMPT.
Example: The author’s use of parallelism, irony, and symbolism develops the theme of humanity’s
coldness and negligence in times of trouble, rather than sympathy and consolation, and reveals the dark
emotional qualities of romantic literature.
The thesis identifies the literary devices that are also listed in the prompt and then clearly states a
complex theme. The last part of the thesis, which is underlined, goes above and beyond what is required
by including the significance of the theme and how it contributes to the romantic literary tradition.
So here’s what you will hand in for each of the three assignments: an annotated poem, a writing
prompt, and a thesis statement.
Due dates: (all Tuesdays) 1/19, 1/26, 2/2
Format
Thesis
Prompt
Annotations
RUBRIC:
5
Student completes
annotations for all
ideas
4
Student completes
annotations for all
ideas, but some may
be weak or minimal
3
Student completes
annotations for some
required ideas
2
Annotations are weak
or missing;
Prompt indicates
deep understanding
of poem
Prompt indicates
adequate
understanding of
poem
Prompt indicates
surface level
understanding of
poem
Prompt indicates little
understanding of
poem
Thesis illustrates
clear and succinct
analysis of poem’s
devices and purpose
they serve
Typed
MLA Format
Submitted to TII
1-2 Grammar errors
Thesis illustrates
basic analysis of
poem’s devices and
purpose they serve
Thesis illustrates a
partial analysis of
poem’s devices and
purpose they serve
Thesis illustrates little
to no analysis of
poem’s devices and
purpose they serve
Typed
Typed
No MLA Format
Submitted to TII
Handwritten
Not submitted to TII
Few Errors
MLA Format w/ errors
Submitted to TII
3-4 Grammar errors
Total: 20 points per poem/assignment
4 or ↑ grammar errors