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Cheongna Dalton School
English Language Arts Department Curriculum
Grade 10 – Term 1
Table of Contents
Introduction
Class Rules
Term 1 Assignment: Poetry
Assessments & Projects
Handouts
Class #
1
2
3 (Quiz #1)
4
5
6
7 (Quiz #2)
8
9 (Quiz #3
10
11
12 (Quiz #4)
13
14 (Quiz #5)
15 (Book Rep)
16 (1st Draft)
17 (2nd Draft)
18 (Final
Draft)
Final Day
Date (10A)
8/30
9/2
9/3
9/6
9/9
9/10
9/13
9/16
9/17
9/23
9/24
9/27
9/30
10/1
10/4
10/7
10/8
10/11
10/18
…………………………….2
………………………….…3
…………………………….6
…………………………….14
…………………………….20
Date (10B)
8/30
9/3
9/4
9/6
9/10
9/11
9/13
9/17
9/24
9/25
9/27
10/1
10/2
10/4
10/8
10/9
10/11
10/18
Date (10C)
8/29
8/30
9/3
9/5
9/6
9/10
9/12
9/13
9/17
9/24
9/26
9/27
10/1
10/3
10/4
10/5
10/8
10/10
10/11
10/17
10/18
Date (10D)
8/29
9/2
9/4
9/5
9/9
9/11
9/12
9/16
9/23
9/25
9/26
9/30
10/2
10/3
10/7
10/9
10/10
10/17
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Mr Rutherford’s Grade 10 English Class
Introduction
Welcome everyone! I am very excited and honored to be teaching you all this year. It is a privilege to
be your guide on a journey into a few sparkling countries of the wonderfully wide world of English
literature. The year ahead will see us traverse an array of different genres, including poems, plays,
essays, and, of course, novels. The reason I chose the word guide to describe my role is because I
strongly believe that what I am primarily doing is introducing you to certain works of literature,
much as a tour guide might a new location, but that it is ultimately up to you to make the most of the
actual exploring. Ours will therefore ideally be a collaborative journey during which we will launch
into unchartered horizons and unearth untold gems. In my experience, even the most well traveled
literary locales are still rife with exploratory potential, which is why I will always encourage you to
venture new and interesting insights no matter how seemingly far off the conventional beaten track.
To be able to make the most of this journey, it is important that you remain ever inquisitive and
attentive. What I primarily mean by the former is that you read as widely and as often as possible,
and not simply rely on what we do in class. To read much is to increase the richness of each reading
experience, because it is only then that one begins to see the connections between different written
works. This is where being inquisitive shades into being attentive, because I would like to encourage
you to always try and be attune to how various texts, whether the ones we cover in class or your
independent reading, relate to each other. I hope that this approach transcends the studying of
literature and my classroom, as it is my strong belief that only when we pay the most attentive
attention to life’s many facets that our own lives become intellectually richer and ultimately more
comprehensible.
While my expectations for the quality of your work this year will be high, I don’t believe that this
ambition is unreasonable. If any of you have aspirations to pursue university studies abroad, it is of
utmost importance that your English writing is up to the highest possible standard. I will be returning
to this theme repeatedly throughout the year and will provide many opportunities for you to hone the
craft of writing. It is important to bear in mind that writing well takes plenty of practice, even years
of constant effort, so please don’t be discouraged should your initial attempts not reach their intended
heights. As I have made it clear, I am here to guide you in a journey of literary exploration that
encompasses intently reading, analyzing, and ultimately writing about, different texts.
I would very much like to foster an open line of communication with all my students. As such, I
encourage all of you to approach me not only with any school-related issues, but also any personal
ones you might feel comfortable sharing.
Thank you for reading and I hope we have a great year together!
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I wish to stress at the outset that among the two most important concepts in this class are respect and
responsibility.
Respect
I believe that we all work best in an environment of mutual respect. I will respect your efforts in class by
listening to your questions and comments and by providing feedback on your work. You, as a student, should
show respect for our school facilities, all school personnel, your classmates and yourself.
Responsibility
Simply making a reasonable effort will often have positive results. I am responsible for preparing and
presenting challenging classroom content and guiding you in your studies. You are responsible for being on
time, coming to class prepared and completing all work to the best of your ability.
Class rules
As it is my sincere hope to cultivate a classroom environment of mutual respect and consideration, I wish to
now highlight some rules that will be strictly and consistently enforced this year. Please pay careful attention
to these and refer back to them throughout the year.

Please bring all required materials (book, handouts, notebook, pen/pencil, reading log) with
you to class every day. I would strongly advise you to bring a dictionary, but this is not
mandatory.
Please pay attention. I should not have to repeat instructions.
Citizenship: The daily citizenship grade requires students to actively participate in class discussion
and activities, to be respectful to fellow students and the teacher at all times, and to come to class
fully prepared and on time. The same system as last year will apply in assessing citizenship as
students can earn up to 5 points for citizenship. 5 points indicates an excellent citizenship grade, 4 is
good, and 3 below average. Students will only earn the lower scores of 1 or 2 for lateness and not
bringing their required materials. Students will earn a 0 for citizenship due to disruptive behavior
and/or sleeping in class. Please note the following as these all factor into your ability to earn a
citizenship grade:






Students must be seated and ready to participate when the bell rings.
Tardiness will only be excused with a note from the nurse or the teacher of the previous class.
Students must bring all required materials to class including a copy of the text, assignment binder,
writing materials and, where specified, a computer.
Disruptive behavior, use of electronic devices in class (other than to work on papers), or sleeping
during class are not permitted and will prevent students from earning citizenship credit.
Citizenship counts for 10% of your grade.

You are free to use the bathroom except (1) when I am engaging in direct instruction (usually
during the first 15 minutes of class) and (2) during the last 15 minutes of class.
o If you need to use the bathroom, please raise your hand and point toward the door. I will
permit one student to go at a time.

You are not allowed to eat in class under any circumstances. Should I catch you engaging in this
activity, the food items will be immediately confiscated and won’t be returned. You are allowed to
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drink water, though this should be considered a privilege and not a right that may be withdrawn at
my discretion. You cannot go for a water break during class so the only water you are allowed to
drink has to have been brought in before class.
Homework


Turn in all work on time: Ordinary homework assignments are due on the required day. I give
zero credit for late work. One minute late is still late. If you do not turn in homework, you
must make up any missed work (for no credit) during lab the next day (and, if you do not
finish it, the next evening). If you do not do so, I will lower your next quiz grade by 10% for
each assignment you have not turned in.
o If you cannot complete the homework due to illness, family emergency, or technological
problems you must turn in a signed note from a responsible adult indicating this situation at
the next class you attend. If you do not do so I will consider you to have not completed the
assignment.
All final elements of final assignments (papers, drafts, and outlines) must be turned it by the
deadline printed, with page numbers and a word count.
Please keep the following in mind

Email: I’m happy to answer your questions by email. I check email up until 19:00 pm on MondayThursday. Please don’t hesitate to ask me questions about English or life in general. While I am
concerned about your academic performance, I also care about your general wellbeing that includes
any personal issues you feel comfortable sharing.

Office hours: These are from 8 until 16:30. When I’m not teaching or otherwise engaged in
administrative duties (or eating lunch!), you can generally find me in my class or office. My regular
office hours are during the first lab time. You can make an appointment in advance or just show up
(although in the latter case you may have to wait).
Grading: I will always be as fair as possible. If a student presents a compelling case, I will consider
revaluating a grade. Please realize that in my class students earn their grade. As such, it will be only
on the rarest occasion that a grade will be altered following an appeal. Once I have said that a
particular grade is final, then it is final and I want to hear no more about it. I will enforce this policy
very strictly.
As noted, should you have a legitimate query about your grade I will re-examine the grade in question
and would therefore appreciate it if students always first raise such matters with me before discussing
them with CDS administration.
Please do not ask me when I will have something graded or for your score, even if Powerschool
is not working for you. I return assignments once all students have completed them.

Extra Credit: It is Department Policy not to award extra credit in high school.
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Independent Reading
It is school policy that all high school students engage in at least 20 minutes a day reading a grade appropriate
English language book and complete at least one book per term.
All reading must be recorded in the CDS Reading Log on a nightly basis with the following:




Title of book
Author of book
Time spent reading
Pages read
This must be signed by a responsible adult (parent, guardian, dorm parent) and will be awarded half of the
overall independent reading grade.
Book Report
Students must also write a book report each term. Instructions for the report are per CDS English Language
Arts Department policy. The Book Report will follow the same format as last year. This must be printed and
include your name, the date of the assignment, class and teacher’s name.
Grading
Your grade for each of the five terms will be based on the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Final Project: 30%
Homework: 20% (5% - reading log)
Quizzes: 20%
Book report (instead of a final exam): 20%
Citizenship: 10%
Your grade for the year will be based upon the average of your grade for the five terms.
A brief note about study aids and plagiarism. I recognize that much of what we read in class may be
challenging for you. Accordingly, I realize you may wish to use study aids and I by no means want to
discourage you from doing anything that might help you understand what we are studying better. However,
please do not confuse study aids with the assigned readings themselves. Also, please do not try to claim the
ideas presented by the authors of these study aids as your own. Doing so is a breach of our school’s
plagiarism policy that defines plagiarism as “Unauthorized copying from a book, newspaper, journal, or any
other print or non-print source without crediting the source or author and with the intention of deriving an
academic benefit or reward.”
As a helpful guide on plagiarism, bear in mind that it is generally where you use more than three words in a
row of someone else’s work. CDS policy is that if a student is found guilty of plagiarism they will receive a 0
for their assignment.
The severity of this offence cannot be overstated and I will not, under any circumstances, write a
recommendation letter for any student guilty of plagiarism.
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English 10: Literature and Composition II
Term 1: Introduction to Poetry
Teacher’s email address: rrutherford@daltonschool.kr
Interest Packet
Outcome: Through reading, discussing, and writing about poems by a wide range of poets written over
different time periods, you will gain the ability and vocabulary to critically read and analyze poems in writing.
Term Introduction: Poetry is at the same time the most straightforward and challenging genre of writing in
English. Neither poets nor dictionaries can agree on a definition, ranging from everything between “a
production in verse” to “language that tells us… something that cannot be said.” As well as exposing you to
some of the most beautiful writing ever produced in English, reading poetry also enables you to develop your
skills in reading and interpreting text closely.
This term, we will spend our class periods reading poems closely using a variety of techniques, in order to
learn how to interpret them. You will also do some analytical writing during class periods. Each evening
after class, you will be required to write a paragraph-long response to one or more of the poems we read that
day on an assigned topic. At the end of the term, you will choose one of these responses to extend into a
longer analytical piece, which you will develop and edit with the help of your classmates’ feedback.
Topic Overview
Interpreting Poetry
Identifying Themes in Poetry
Use of Language in Poetry
Use of Metrical Techniques in Poetry
Developing Writing
Editing and Revising Writing
Essential Questions





How do we interpret a poem?
How does a poet generate meaning in a poem?
What is the poet’s relationship to her/his subject matter?
How can our interpretations of a poem change?
What is the relationship between poetry and music?
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Skills List
These are the skills we will focus on developing this term. All skills are identified according to their number
within the CDS English Language Arts Standards. To see the skills in full, please consult these standards. In
addition:
 Please note that certain skills, such as those related to language and vocabulary, are not listed among
the goals of specific lessons because they are not the primary aims of these lessons.
 While not mentioned specifically, respect for others, following directions, arriving to class promptly
and fully prepared, and behaving with integrity are also essential skills.
Reading Literature
 RL.9-10.1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
 RL.9-10.2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the
course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an
objective summary of the text.
 RL.9-10.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or
informal tone).
 RL.9-10.6. Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in works of literature
from a variety of cultures, including the United States, Asia, and Europe.
 RL.9-10.11. Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live
production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source
text.
Writing
 W. 9-10.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence…
 W.9-10.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
 W.9-10.5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and
audience.
 W.9-10.6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared
writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display
information flexibly and dynamically.
 W. 9-10.10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision)
and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening


SL. 9-10.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own
clearly and persuasively…
SL.9-10.6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English
when indicated or appropriate.
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Language
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
L.9-10.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard American English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking…
L.9-10.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard American English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing…
L.9-10.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word
meanings…
Reference Materials
You must bring these reference materials to every class. Failure to bring these items will result in your not
receiving citizenship credit for that class.

Handouts distributed during class containing poems and poetic terms
Day by Day
Please note that for all classes you must bring the following items:
 All class handouts handed out to date (I suggest using a binder)
o If you miss class, you must print a copy from the class website
 Notebook for taking notes and doing in-class writing
 Pen or pencil
 Your reading log
Failure to bring these items will result in your citizenship grade being lowered.
 With the exception where specified, you may not use your computer in class
1. What Is Poetry?
Goal: Understanding the characteristics of poetry
Standards: RL 9-10.2, L 9-10.5, SL 9-10.1
Writing: What is poetry?
Discussion of definitions of poetry (Handout 1-1)
Students to discuss poetry quotations in pairs, choosing two they agree with and two they don’t,
and stating reasons for their choice
Students to share their thoughts about the quotations with the rest of the class
Homework: Write a new answer to “What is poetry?”
2. How do we interpret a poem?
Introduction to poetic devices, figurative language, annotation and the sonnet
Due: Answer to “What is poetry?”
Goal: Developing the ability to effectively analyze a poem; understanding a sonnet; identifying
themes
Standards: RL 9-10.1, RL 9-10.2, RL 9-10.4, SL 9-10.1, L 9-10.5
Read “Sonnet 18” by William Shakespeare (Handout 1-3.1)
Class discussion about general impression of the poem; also elicit from students poetic devices
they might be familiar with
Introduce students to definitions of an array of typical poetic and figurative language devices
commonly deployed in poetry (Handout 1-2.1 & 1-2.2)
Brief lecture/review of the concept of sonnets
Introduction of how to annotate a poem
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Students to individually annotate a poem, identifying as many poetic devices and uses of poetic
language as possible
Students to discuss in pairs various aspects of poem
Class discussion to elicit all the various devices employed by the poet, as well as the general
theme
Students to read and begin annotating “Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare (Handout 1-3.2)
Homework: Annotate “Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare (Handout 1-3.2)
Study for quiz
3. The Romantic Movement
Due: Annotation of “Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare
Goal: Understanding the general preoccupations of the Romantic poets; how historical context
informs poetic creation; deepening analytical engagement with poetry in identifying and explaining
themes in greater depth
Standards: RL 9-10.1, RL 9-10.2, RL 9-10.4, RL 9-10.6, SL 9-10.1
Vocabulary Quiz #1
Review previous lesson’s central topics in discussion of “Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare
(Handout 1-3.2)
Students to discuss poem in their groups, followed by a general class discussion
Whole class discussion of how (1) sonnet form (2) rhyme and (3) meter affect meaning
Introduce Romantic Movement and the major poets associated with it
Read “Composed upon Westminster Bridge” by William Wordsworth aloud (Handout 1-4.1)
Students to annotate individually and subsequently to discuss this poem in pairs, paying particular
attention to how the poet encapsulates themes associated with Romanticism
General class discussion about this poem and how it adopts a classic sonnet form to express the
poet’s personal and social reflections
Read “When I have fears that I may cease to be” by John Keats (Handout 1-4.1)
Homework: Thoroughly annotate the Keats poem and identify themes, poetic devices, etc.
4. Contrasting poetic representations
Due: “When I have fears that I may cease to be” annotation
Goal: Understanding how two major poets deal with a similar theme
Standards: RL 9-10.1, RL 9-10.2, RL 9-10.4, RL 9-10.11, SL 9-10.1, L 9-10.5
Brief class discussion on the Keats poem
Read “The Echoing Green” by William Blake and excerpt from “The Prelude” by William
Wordsworth aloud (Handout 1-4.2)
General class discussion about overarching theme in both poems
Group discussion in which students parse the poems for their similarities and differences, paying
particular attention to evocative language use, rhyme scheme and tone
Groups to share their impressions of both poems, along with congruencies and contrasts
Homework: Write about which of the two poems the student believes was more effective in
presenting its theme and why
5. Further thematic explorations
Due: Writing on contrasting poetic approaches
Goal: Cultivating a deeper appreciation for how poets render themes
Standards: RL 9-10.1, RL 9-10.2, RL 9-10.4, RL 9-10.11, L 9-10.1, L 9-10.5
Class reads “Ozymandias” (Handout 1-5) and discusses its primary themes
Students to work in groups to identify other possible themes, justifying their reasons
Students listen to Kenneth Branagh reading “Dulceet decorum est” by Wilfred Owen (Handout 15) with students following along
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghUFB2WZD6A)
Students individually annotate the poem
In groups students discuss the poem’s various poetic devices, rhyme scheme and imagery
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Students should also discuss how these combine to render the poem’s theme and make an
impression upon the reader
Class discussion of “The Discovery” by J. C Squire (Handout 1-5)
Writing Answers to various questions about the poem
Homework: Write a paragraph identifying the central theme of one of the chosen poems
and how the poet develops said theme using certain word choices, images, etc.
6.
Understanding Multiple Meanings of A Single Poem
Due: Paragraph on identifying a poem’s theme
Goal:Understanding how to analyse multiple themes in a poem; Understanding how a poet’s tone and
meaning can be conveyed by word choice
Standards: RL 9-10.1, RL 9-10.2, RL 9-10.4, RL 9-10.6, SL 9-10.1
Read “Acquainted with the night” by Robert Frost (Handout 1-6)
Discuss the various possible themes conveyed in this poem and the poet’s use of richly
connotative language
Group discussion of Frost’s poem to further explore various motifs
Discussion of tone and word choice
Read “My Papa’s Waltz” and discuss interpretations (Handout 1-6)
Fill out interpretation chart
Read “We Wear the Mask” and fill out interpretation chart
Share interpretations
Discuss tone in of “We Wear the Mask” in terms of diction (Handout 1-6)
Discuss alternate interpretations for “My Papa’s Waltz”
Group work filling out charts of alternate interpretation
Group sharing of interpretations
Homework: Writing arguing in favor of one of the interpretations of “My Papa’s Waltz”
Study for quiz
7.
Free verse
Due: Writing on interpretation of “My Papa’s Waltz”
Goal: Learning about free verse and further developing analytical skills
Standards:RL 9-10.1, RL 9-10.2, RL 9-10.4, RL 9-10.6, SL 9-10.1
Vocabulary Quiz #2
Writing: Define the term “free verse”
Class discussion of the concept of free verse
Reading Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing” (Handout 1-7.1)
Students in groups to discuss general impression of Whitman’s poem
General discussion comparing this poem and other poems, such as sonnets
Students to read “Snakecharmer” by Sylvia Plath (Handout 1-7.2)
Group discussion on poem’s possible themes.
(find another example of free verse poetry)
Homework: Write a paragraph-long analysis of “Snakecharmer”
8.
Figurative Language
Due: Writing on “Snakecharmer”
Goal: Understanding how poets use figurative language to convey meaning.
Standards: RL 9-10.1, RL 9-10.2, RL 9-10.4, RL 9-10.6, L 10.5,
Short recap on figurative language (Handout 1-8.1)
Brief general class discussion about possible meanings of “Snakecharmer” paying particular
attention to the poem’s use of figurative language
Class work with handout
Students read “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “My Papa’s Waltz” (Handout 1-8.2) and
complete Handout 1-8.1 with examples in pairs
Sharing of pair work and class discussion
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Writing What difference does figurative language make?
Discussion of writing
Homework: Study for quiz
9.
Themes of Self and Identity in Poetry
Due: Writing on figurative language
Goal: Understanding how different poems present themes of self and identity
Standards: RL 9-10.1, RL 9-10.2, RL 9-10.4, RL 9-10.6
Vocabulary Quiz #3
Review concept of themes
Discussion of themes in “Mentor” by Timothy Murphy (Handout 1-9.1)
Discussion of themes in William Blake’s “Auguries of Innocence,” (Handout 1-9.1)
Individual/group work on other poems (Handout 1-9.2)
Groups presentations on assigned poems
Discussion of how poems present themes of self and identity
Homework: Write a reflection about how the poems differ in their presentations of self and
identity
10.
A Single Poet’s Identity (Langston Hughes)
Due: Reflection about poems on Handout on the class website
Goal: Understanding how one poet develops the themes of identity in his poetry
Standards: RL 10.1, RL 10.2, RL 10.4, RL 10.6, L 10.5
Students answer questions about personal identity individually, then share them with a partner and
a group
Group discussion and annotation of Hughes’s poems (Handout 1-10)
Class discussion of poems
Writing A one-paragraph response to the poems as a whole
Share and discuss responses
Homework: Write a poem from a personal perspective
11.
Experimental poetry
Due: Personal poem
Goal: Understanding how challenging poetic conventions achieves certain effects
Standards: RL 10.1, RL 10.2, RL 10.4, L 10.5
Students share poems from a personal perspective
Read “i carry your heart with me (i carry it in” by ee cummings (Handout 1-11.1)
Class discussion about poem
Read “Buffalo Bill’s” by ee cummings (Handout 1-11.1)
Group discussion on the two Cummings poems, paying attention to how he breaks conventions
and whether this enhances the themes or ideas the author is attempting to convey
Introduce the haiku form
Show students some haiku poems (Handout 11.2)
Writing Students to write their own haiku
Homework: Write an analysis of one Cummings poem, focusing on its central theme
Study for quiz
12.
Poetry Into Songs
Due: Haiku/Analysis of Cummings poem
Goal: Understanding how performance and interpretation influence meaning
Standards: RL 9-10.1, RL 9-10.2, RL 9-10.4, RL 9-10.11
Vocabulary Quiz #4
Students share their haikus
Brief discussion of Yeats poems on Handout 1-12
Teacher plays reading of “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” and asks students to annotate it
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Teacher plays performance of “The Lake Isle of Innisfree”
Discussion of the two versions of “The Lake Isle of Innisfree”
Teacher plays performance of “Song of the Wandering Aengus” by multiple performers
Discussion of performances and the exercise as a whole
Writing in which students reflect on the performances
13.
Poetry in Songs
Goal: Students to identify poetic devices in songs and to compare different artists’ renditions of the
same song
Standards: RL 9-10.1, RL 9-10.2, RL 9-10.4, RL 9-10.6, RL 9-10.11, L 9-10.5
Show students Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna fall”
(http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xq1q9k_bob-dylan-a-hard-rain-s-a-gonna-fall-1964_music#.UeQf9JATFk)
Students to read the lyrics as they listen to the song (Handout 1-13)
General class discussion on the song’s possible themes and some of its striking poetic aspects
In groups students to identify evocative figurative language and further discuss possible meanings
Show students Phil Ochs’ “The War is Over” (Handout 1-13)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGHHdZoT4F8) [song starts at 1:08]
General class discussion about song’s theme, placing it in historical context
In pairs students to discuss how this song represents an original meditation on war while also focusing
on the various poetic devices employed throughout
Show students Leonard Cohen’s “Dance me to the end of Love” (Handout 1-13)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pA5UhNaYw0
In pairs students to discuss the songs allusive and connotative language and effective use of repetition
General class discussion about how this song compares to the love poetry dealt with earlier in the term
Homework: Write a paragraph on which of the three songs students think features the most
powerful imagery or message and why
Study for quiz
14.
Rhythm in Poetry
Due: Writing on songs
Goal: Understanding how rhythm, diction, and line breaks enhance the experience of a poem for the
listener; Explain final assignment
Standard: RL 9-10.4
Vocabulary Quiz #5
Read and interpret “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks (Handout 1-14)
Perform “We Real Cool” and discuss performances
Revise performance, perform again, and discuss
Listen to Brooks’s reading of her poem: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15433
Writing About how the performances differed
Discuss this writing
Writing Define poetry after this lesson
Discuss this writing
Introduce and explain final assignment (Handout 1-15)
Discussion of final assignment
Students are to select three responses to extend into final essay
Homework: Select three (3) responses to potentially extend and bring one printed of each
Book report (one printed copy)
13
15.
Extended Responses
Due: One printed copy each of the three (3) responses students will choose from to extend into
an essay/Book report (one printed copy)
Goal: Understanding how to outline ideas; edit and revise one’s own work
Standard: W 9-10.5
Students to hand in Book Report
Students share responses in groups and advise one another on which to extend
Review of essay and burger paragraph structure
General lesson on turning ideas into outlines (Handout 1-16)
Students work on outlines in class
Homework: Bring one (1) printed draft of your extended response and bring computer to
work on second draft
Study for unit vocabulary quiz
16.
Correcting Common Grammatical Errors (The “Dirty Dozen”)
Due: First Draft (one printed copy)
Goal: Understanding common grammatical errors and edit and revise one’s own work
Standard: W 9-10.5
Unit Vocabulary Quiz
Teacher discusses the importance of revision
Teacher distributes revision handout (Handout 1-17)
Class goes around and discusses matter for revision
Distribute and explain Dirty Dozen Handout (Handout 1-18)
Lesson on common grammatical errors and correcting them
Students edit their own work using this new information and continue to do so as homework
Students spend class working on their self-revisions
Homework: Bring one (1) copy of your second draft and bring computer to make edits
17.
Editing with the Teacher
Due: Second Draft (one printed copy)
Goal: Understanding how to incorporate a teacher’s feedback
Standard: W 9-10.5
Students receive substantive feedback from the teacher on their work
While not meeting with the teacher, they may work on revisions
Homework: Incorporate teacher’s changes into final draft. Print two (2) copies of the final
draft. Turn in one (1) copy of final draft and retain one (1) to read from.
18.
Reading Responses
Due: One printed copy of the final draft, with all previous drafts stapled to one of the copies
(turned in to teacher) and one copy retained to read from
Goal: Students present responses to the class
Standard: SL 9-10.4
Students read their final drafts aloud to the class
14
Assessments and Projects
As is always the case for high school English at Cheongna Dalton School, your grade each term is based
upon the following:
Projects: 30% (one extended response)
In-Class Assessments: 20% (in this case 5 quizzes of 3% each, and one of 5%)
Book Report: 20%
Homework: 20% (Due in class - 15%, Independent Reading - 5%)
Citizenship: 10% (based on daily participation and good behavior)
Important Due Dates and Assessment Dates









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Class #3: Vocabulary Quiz 1
Class #6: Vocabulary Quiz 2
Class #9: Vocabulary Quiz 3
Class #12: Vocabulary Quiz 4
Class #14: Vocabulary Quiz 5
Class #15: Book Report & Reading Log Due
Class #16: Unit vocabulary Quiz
Class #16: First Draft of Extended Response (1 printed copy)
Class #17: Second Draft of Extended Response (1 printed copy)
Class #18: Final Draft of Extended Response (2 printed copies)
Homework Due in Classes #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #14,
Meeting Deadlines for Writing (Classes #15 – 18)
The purpose of homework assignments and in-class writing assignments is to make sure that students
have a clear understanding of the text and are able to develop independent ideas and develop the
ideas into writing.
Students will have to hand in written homework 15 times (including annotated poems and drafts)
throughout the term. Out of the homework assignments, eight will be graded based on completion
and seven will be collected on the day of and graded based on content. Assignments graded on
completion will be done in students’ English notebooks, with the exception of the final project drafts,
and assignments graded on content should be typed up, printed, and handed in to the teacher on the
due day. (The assignments you must hand in as a printed copy are marked in bold.)
Each response should be at least one full paragraph long (at least 5-7 sentences) and demonstrate that
students have made the effort to write a well-structured paragraph. This means that each paragraph
should have a clear topic sentence, strong supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence.
Consistent with English Department Policy, you will receive no credit for late work. One minute late is
late. You will need to make up all missed assignments in Dalton Extra. You don’t need to make up
homework from when you’re sick.
15
Rubric for Homework Assessment in English Notebook
Responses are complete in full-paragraph form and reflect an understanding of text.
5
Responses are complete in full-paragraph form but reflect little or no understanding 3
of text.
Responses are not in full-paragraph form, but reflect an understanding of text.
Responses are incomplete and do not reflect an understanding of text.
1
Rubric for Collected Homework Assessment
Responses:
 are in full-paragraph form
 demonstrate a deeper understanding and application of text
 contain few or no grammar and spelling mistakes
Responses:
 are in full paragraph form
 demonstrate an appropriate understanding of text
 contain a few grammar and spelling mistakes
Responses:
 are in full paragraph form
 do not demonstrate a complete understanding of text
 contain several grammar and spelling mistakes
Responses:
 are not in paragraph form
 demonstrate limited understanding of text
 contain many grammar and spelling mistakes
Responses:
 have no structure
 demonstrate no understanding of text
 contain many grammar and spelling mistakes
5
4
3
2
1
In-Class Assessments (Quizzes) in Classes #3, #7, #9, #12, #14, #16 (20%)
Students will be quizzed on the vocabulary that they learn from the text and the supplementary
vocabulary workbook Advanced Word Power.
No talking whatsoever is allowed during assessments. All instructions will be read at the beginning
of the quiz. After that, no questions or other forms of communication are permitted. If students are
caught cheating, all students involved will receive an automatic zero on the quiz and receive
disciplinary consequences. Students may not use the restroom unless in an absolute emergency.
16
Book Report (Due on Lesson #15) 20% / Reading Log - Independent Reading (Nightly) 5%
It is our school’s policy that all middle and high school students must spend at least 20 minutes a day reading
in a grade appropriate English-language book and furthermore that they must read at least one such book per
term.
All reading must be recorded in the blue CDS Reading Log on a nightly basis with the following information:
(1) Title of Book (2) Author of Book (3) Time Spent Reading and (4) Pages read. It must also be signed by a
responsible adult (parent, guardian, or dorm parent). Half of your independent reading grade (5% of our term
grade) is awarded proportionately based upon doing this reading. Please bring your reading log to every
class as I will check it irregularly to ensure you are reading.
All students must also write a book report each term. Instructions for this book report (250-500 words) are as
follows, per CDS English Language Arts Department Policy. Credit is awarded based upon following these
instructions:
“Your book report should be printed and include your name, a title, the date on which you are handing in the
book report, your class, and your teacher’s name.
The report should thoroughly answer the following questions
a. The first paragraph should provide general information about the book
i. The title and author of the book as well as how long it is
ii. What type of book it is (biography, fiction etc.)
iii. Say whether you enjoyed the book and why
b. The body paragraphs (at least two) should explain the subject matter of the book
i. They should answer the general question: what is this book about?
ii. If it is a work of fiction, you should summarize the plot
1. You should introduce major characters, the setting, major events in the book,
and explain how the book concludes
iii. If it is a work of nonfiction, you should summarize the arguments
1. You should include the main idea and supporting arguments
iv. If it is a biography you should explain important events in the life of the person the
book describes
v. If it is a work of history you should summarize the major events that take place in the
book that it describes
c. Your final paragraph should analyze the book
i. You should seek to explain why you liked or disliked the book
1. Was it interesting?
2. Was it too easy/difficult/just right?
3. Could you relate to the subject matter?
4. Who would (or wouldn’t) you recommend the book to?”
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Book Report – Detailed Rubric
You will be graded on a scale of 1-5 for each of the following elements:
Element
Introduction
Body
Paragraphs
Conclusion
Language,
Spelling, and
Grammar
5
Provides all
required
information
about the
book and at
least a
sentence
clearly
introducing
each body
paragraph
Fully
introduce all
major
characters and
fully
summarize
action of the
book
Answers all
five questions
clearly and
provides
additional
insight
There are
virtually no
errors in
spelling and
grammar
(fewer than 5)
4
Provides all
required
information
about the book
and introduces
the body
paragraphs, or
has multiple
introductory
sentences but has
factual errors
Largely
introduce
characters/fully
summarize action
OR fully
introduce
characters/largely
summarize action
Answers all
questions clearly
and does not
provide
additional insight
or provides
insight but does
not answer one
question clearly
There are some
errors in spelling
and grammar but
these don’t get in
the way of
understanding
the report
3
Provides all
required
information
about the
book and
introduces the
body
paragraphs,
but has
factual errors
2
Introduces the
book by
giving title,
author, and
genre
1
Does not
effectively
introduce the
book
Largely
introduce
characters and
summarize
action
Somewhat
summarize
book and
mention some
characters
Does not
effectively
summarize
plot or
present
characters
Answers three Answers one
questions
or two
clearly
questions
clearly
Answers no
questions
clearly
There are
some errors in
spelling and
grammar and
these get in
the way of
understanding
the report
Story is not
written in
coherent
English
There are so
many errors
in spelling
and grammar
that the report
is difficult to
follow
Your grade will be lowered by 2 points if you turn it in late on the day it is due and 4 points if it
is turned in a day late. Any work that is turned in more than a day late will receive no credit.
All students who turn in papers late will be assigned a week of Dalton Extra.
18
Final Project (Extended Response) Due in Class #18 (30%)
Your final project for this term will be to select one of your homework paragraphs (please see
“Homework Responses” above) and extend them into a fuller exploration of the topic. This response
is designed to assess your understanding of this term’s material, your writing ability, and your ability
to develop a piece.
This assesses CDS Writing Standards 9-10.1, 9-10.4, 9-10.5, 9-10.10.
Substantive Requirements: The response should extend one of your nine (9) analytical homework
assignments (you may not extend your poem). You should do so by taking the elements of the
homework paragraph and turning each of them into a single analytical paragraph. Thus, a typical
five sentence paragraph will become five individual paragraphs (introduction, three analytical
paragraphs, conclusion).
At a minimum, the response should have the following structure:
 An introduction that clearly sets out your thesis and the points you intend to cover
 Multiple (at least three) body paragraphs exploring this thesis
o These should be multiple examples of the use of a particular element in the poem or
poems being analyzed
 A conclusion that ties the analysis in the body paragraphs together
Technical Requirements: The response should be a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 1,000
words with your name, word count, and its pages numbered. Per English Department policy, your
responses must be written in 1.5 or double spacing in an easy to read font such as Times New
Roman, Helvetica, or Arial. The responses must also have all previous drafts (including the response
they were based upon) stapled to them. Failure to include any of these elements will result in a loss
of credit.
Grading Rubric: Your extended response will be graded holistically on a scale of 1-30. It will be
graded based upon a combination of the following elements. :






A clear introduction that establishes the structure for the response and provides a thesis
sentence [5]
At least three paragraphs that analytically develop the thesis [5]
Effective use of arguments well-supported by textual evidence (quotations) [5]
A coherent flow in the essay between the paragraphs [5]
A clear conclusion that reviews the points made in the rest of the essay [5]
Observing the standards of English grammar and punctuation [5]
You will earn credit (up to 5 points) for turning in the first draft and second draft on
time. You will be graded based on the level of completeness of your work.
19
Expansion Pack
Tangential Topics
American Poetry
Irish Poetry
British Poetry
African-American Poetry
Poetry Slams
Romanticism
Music and Literature
Recommended Reading
Poetry 180 edited by Billy Collins
The Collected Poems of William Butler Yeats
The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
Please speak with your instructor for further recommendations.
20
Term 1: Handout 1 – Definitions of Poetry
There are probably as many definitions of poetry as there are poets, or even as many definitions as
there are people on the planet. Here are a few examples of how some famous poets, a number of whom
you will become better acquainted with during this term, define poetry:
1.)
Poetry is the journal of a sea animal living on land, wanting to fly in the air.
(Carl Sandburg)
2.)
Poetry is simply the most beautiful, impressive, and widely effective mode of saying things, and
hence its importance. (Matthew Arnold)
3.)
Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion
recollected in tranquillity. (William Wordsworth)
4.)
Poetry is the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds. (Percy
Bysshe Shelley)
5.)
The poem is a little myth of man’s capacity of making life meaningful. (Robert Penn Warren)
6.)
We make out of the quarrel with others, rhetoric, but of the quarrel with ourselves, poetry.
(William Butler Yeats)
7.)
I could no more define poetry than a terrier can define a rat. (A. E. Housman)
8.)
If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.
(Emily Dickinson)
9.)
Poetry is emotion put into measure. (Thomas Hardy)
10.)
Poetry is the language of the imagination and the passions. (William Hazlitt)
11.)
Poetry is the language in which man explores his own amazement. (Christopher Fry)
12.)
Poetry is man’s rebellion against being what he is. (James Branch Cabell)
13.)
Poetry is a kind of ingenious nonsense. (Isaac Newton)
14.)
Poetry comes nearer to vital truth than history. (Plato)
15.)
Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood. (T. S. Eliot)
16.)
Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn. (Thomas Gray)
17.)
Poetry is the art of uniting pleasure with truth. (Samuel Johnson)
18.)
Poetry should… strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts, and appear almost a
remembrance. (John Keats)
19.)
Poetry is an orphan of silence. The words never quite equal the experience behind them.
(Charles Simic)
20.)
Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful. (Rita Dove)
21
Term 1: Handout 2
Introduction to poetic devices and figurative language
Some Common Poetic Devices
(adapted from http://uwc.utexas.edu/node/69)
Alliteration: a device in which words in the same line or stanza share the same consonant sound at the
beginning of the word.
 Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
Assonance:a device in which words in the same line or stanza share the same vowel sound (can be anywhere
in the word)
 Example: “Old age should burn and rave at close of day” (Dylan Thomas)
Consonance: the repetition of consonant sounds in a short sequence of words
 Example: He pushed the brick with a thick hickory stick.
End-stopped: a feature in poetry where the syntactic unit (phrase, clause, or sentence) corresponds in length
to the line
Enjambment:the breaking of a syntactic unit (a phrase, clause, or sentence) by the end of a line or between
two verses. Its opposite is end-stopping, where each linguistic unit corresponds with a single line
Meter: a measure of rhythmic quantity in poetry. It is measured in feet (like iambs)
Rhyme: Generally used to emphasize a particular emotion or idea in a poem
End Rhyme: a rhyme in the final syllable(s) of a verse
Internal Rhyme: Also called middle rhyme, this is a rhyme occurring within the line. The rhyme may be with
words within the line but not at the line end, or with a word within the line and a word at the end of the line.
Perfect Rhyme: where two or more words’ final stressed vowel and all the following sounds are similar
(slight, flight, height) (beat, feet, treat, meet) (trace, ace, erase)
Slant Rhyme: also known as a half or off rhyme, a rhyme in which the sounds are similar, but not exact, often
using consonance or assonance. (dizzy, easy)
Rhyme Scheme: the pattern established by the arrangement of rhymes in a stanza or poem, generally
described by using letters of the alphabet to denote the recurrence of rhyming lines
Rhythm: the regular or progressive pattern of accents in the flow of a poem the rise and fall of stresses on
words in the metrical feet
Stress: To place emphasis on a syllable or word in pronouncing or in accordance with a metrical pattern.
Syllable: A unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds and they can influence the rhythm of a
language, its prosody, its poetic meter, its stress patterns.
Syntax: The way in which linguistic elements (words and phrases) are arranged to form grammatical
structure.
22
Types of Figurative Language
Figurative language is the creative words and phrases a writer uses to help a reader see things
in new and unexpected ways.
Allusion: A figure of speech that makes a reference or representation of or to a well-known person,
place, event, literary work or work of art.
Example: “She was beautiful, but I knew she was forbidden fruit.”
(Forbidden fruit is a reference to the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden)
Imagery: Language that gives a reader a sense of how something smells, tastes, sounds, feels, or
looks.
Example: “The music coursed through us, shaking our bodies as if it came from within us.”
(This tells us both how it felt to listen to the music)
Metaphor: A comparison between two things that does not use like or as.
Example: “John is a rock.”
(This tells us John has the characteristics of a rock – e.g. strength, durability.)
Onomatopoeia: A word that imitates the sound it is describing.
Example: “The girl clicked the mouse. “ “The cat meowed.”
(Pressing a mouse sounds like a “click” and cat noises sound like “meow.”)
Simile: A comparison between dissimilar things that uses like or as.
Example: “The boy ran as fast as the wind.”
(This is comparing the boy’s speed with the wind, not saying they are the same.)
Personification: Giving an inanimate object or abstract idea human traits.
Example: “Fear knocked on the door.”
(Fear cannot literally knock on a door, it is just an idea, but people can.)
23
Term 1: Handout 3.1
Introduction to Sonnets and annotation
Sonnets
Sonnets are a type of poem that originated in Europe in the 13th century. Their name comes from the Italian
word “sonetto” which means both “little song” and “little sound.”
 Sonnets are always 14 lines long
 Sonnets follow a strict rhyme scheme
o For the English (Shakespearean) sonnets we will be reading the rhyme scheme is a-b-a-b c-dc-d e-f-e-f g-g(other authors vary this)
 This means there are two sets of four lines (quatrains) where every other line rhymes
and a pair of lines at the end that rhyme (couplet)
o For Italian (Petrarchan) sonnets the rhyme scheme is a-b-b-a a-b-b-a, followed by eitherc-d-ec-d-e orc-d-c-c-d-c
 The lines of a sonnet are divided into two parts:
o The octave (the first eight lines) presents a “problem”
o A volta (Italian for “turn”) where the subject matter switches follows
o The sestet (the last six lines) present a “solution” to the problem
 English sonnets are traditionally (but not always) written in iambic pentameter, which consists of lines
where five short syllables alternate with five long syllables
Ex: “To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells.” (John Keats, “Ode to Autumn)
Please read and annotate this poem:
“Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?” (Sonnet 18) by William Shakespeare
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Thou art: You are
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
hath: has
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimmed;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,
ow’st: owe
Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade, wand’rest: wander
When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st.
grow’st: grow
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.









Some Things To Consider When Analyzing a Poem
Who is speaking in the poem?
How are they speaking to the reader?
What do you think the poem is about?
What is the speaker trying to tell the reader?
Is there a conflict in the poem?
What do you think you know about the poet after reading this poem?
What does the poem reveal about their character/emotions/fears?
Have you ever felt the way the poet does?
What is the structure of this poem?
24
Things to Consider When Annotating a Poem






Use symbols (* - word/line is cool, ! – this is important, ? – this confuses me)
Underline or circle important words/phrases and comment on them
Write your thoughts/conclusions/interpretations in the margin
Write a short summary at the end, be sure to list the key points of the poem
Write down what you are confused or wondering about
Draw a picture of what you are thinking or imagining
25
What I Read
What I Think
What I Wonder
26
Term 1: Handout 3.2 - More Sonnets
“Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.
dun: neutral brown color
damasked: richly decorated
reeks: smell bad
treads: steps
“On His Blindness” by John Milton
When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide,
"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts: who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed
And post o'er land and ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait."
Ere: previous to
Lodg’d: lodged (lived with)
Therewith: with that
chide: scold
doth: does
yoke: burden
o’er: over
27
Term 1: Handout 4.1
Introduction to The Romantic Movement
“Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802” by William Wordsworth
Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!
“When I have Fears That I May Cease to Be” by John Keats
When I have fears that I may cease to be
Before my pen has gleaned my teeming brain,
Before high-pilèd books, in charactery,
Hold like rich garners the full ripened grain;
When I behold, upon the night’s starred face,
Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,
And think that I may never live to trace
Their shadows with the magic hand of chance;
And when I feel, fair creature of an hour,
That I shall never look upon thee more,
Never have relish in the faery power
Of unreflecting love—then on the shore
Of the wide world I stand alone, and think
Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.
28
Term 1: Handout 4.2 – Contrasting poetic representations
“The Echoing Green” by William Blake
The sun does arise,
And make happy the skies.
The merry bells ring
To welcome the spring.
The skylark and thrush,
The birds of the bush,
Sing louder around,
To the bells’ cheerful sound,
While our sports shall be seen
On the echoing green.
Old John with white hair
Does laugh away care,
Sitting under the oak,
Among the old folk.
They laugh at our play,
And soon they all say:
‘Such, such were the joys
When we all, girls and boys,
In our youth-time were seen
On the echoing green.’
Till the little ones weary
No more can be merry;
The sun does descend,
And our sports have an end.
Round the laps of their mother
Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest;
And sport no more seen
On the darkening green.
29
From ‘The Prelude’ by William Wordsworth
And in the frosty season, when the sun
Was set, and visible for many a mile
The cottage windows through the twilight blaz'd,
I heeded not the summons:—happy time
It was, indeed, for all of us; to me
It was a time of rapture: clear and loud
The village clock toll'd six; I wheel'd about,
Proud and exulting, like an untired horse,
That cares not for its home.—All shod with steel,
We hiss'd along the polish'd ice, in games
Confederate, imitative of the chace
And woodland pleasures, the resounding horn,
The Pack loud bellowing, and the hunted hare.
So through the darkness and the cold we flew,
And not a voice was idle; with the din,
Meanwhile, the precipices rang aloud,
The leafless trees, and every icy crag
Tinkled like iron, while the distant hills
Into the tumult sent an alien sound
Of melancholy, not unnoticed, while the stars,
Eastward, were sparkling clear, and in the west
The orange sky of evening died away.
30
Term 1: Handout 5 – Analyzing a poem’s themes
Please pay attention to the overarching themes of these poems
“Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert . . . Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
trunkless: bodiless
visage: face
sneer: contemptuous look
pedestal: stand for statute
lone: lonely
“Dulce et decorum est” by Wilfred Owen
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Five-Nines: artillery shells
Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.
31
Alternative version of the poem:
1 Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
2 Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
3 Till on the haunting flares we turned out backs,
4 And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
5 Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
6 But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame, all blind;
7 Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
8 Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.
9 Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!--An ecstasy of fumbling
10 Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
11 But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
12 And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime.-13 Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
14 As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
15 In all my dreams before my helpless sight
16 He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
17 If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
18 Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
19 And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
20 His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin,
21 If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
22 Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs
23 Bitter as the cud
24 Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,-25 My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
26 To children ardent for some desperate glory,
27 The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
28 Pro patria mori.
“The Discovery” by J.C. Squire
There was an Indian, who had known no change,
Who strayed content along a sunlit beach
Gathering shells. He heard a sudden strange
Commingled noise: looked up; and gasped for speech.
For in the bay, where nothing was before,
Moved on the sea, by magic, huge canoes,
With bellying cloths on poles, and not one oar,
And fluttering coloured signs and clambering crews.
And he, in fear, this naked man alone,
His fallen hands forgetting all their shells,
His lips gone pale, knelt low behind a stone,
And stared, and saw, and did not understand,
Columbus’s doom-burdened caravels
Slant to the shore, and all their seamen land.
32
Term 1: Handout 6
Poems with multiple meanings
Tone: A writer’s attitude to the writer’s material and/or his or her readers.
“Acquainted with the Night” by Robert Frost
I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.
I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.
I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,
But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
A luminary clock against the sky
Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.
“My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke
The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.
We romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf;
My mother's countenance
Could not unfrown itself.
The hand that held my wrist
Was battered on one knuckle;
At every step you missed
My right ear scraped a buckle.
You beat time on my head
With a palm caked hard by dirt,
Then waltzed me off to bed
Still clinging to your shirt.
33
“We Wear the Mask” by Paul Lawrence Dunbar
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!
34
Word or Phrase From
Roethke (1)
What tone do the words
suggest?
Connotation:
Positive/Negative Neutral
Word or Phrase From
Roethke (2)
What tone do the words
suggest?
Connotation:
Positive/Negative Neutral
Word or Phrase From
Dunbar (1)
What tone do the words
suggest?
Connotation:
Positive/Negative Neutral
Word or Phrase From
Dunbar (2)
What tone do the words
suggest?
Connotation:
Positive/Negative Neutral
35
Term 1: Handout 7.1
Introduction to free verse
“I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman
I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the
steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon
intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing
or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.
A few things to think about after reading this poem:
1. What are the most noticeable differences between this poem and the others we have looked at so far
this term?
2. Do you prefer free verse to a more fixed poetic style? If so, why?
3. If a poem doesn’t rhyme and isn’t in any kind of recognizable form, such as a sonnet, what makes it
poem?
4. Try to identify some poetic devices employed by the poet and the effect and possible purpose of
repetition.
5. Note some unusual choices of words and particularly memorable imagery
36
Term 1: Handout 7.2
“Snakecharmer” by Sylvia Path
As the gods began one world, and man another,
So the snakccharmer begins a snaky sphere
With moon-eye, mouth-pipe. He pipes. Pipes green. Pipes water.
Pipes water green until green waters waver
With reedy lengths and necks and undulatings.
And as his notes twine green, the green river
Shapes its images around his songs.
He pipes a place to stand on, but no rocks,
No floor: a wave of flickering-grass tongues
Supports his foot. He pipes a world of snakes,
Of sways and coilings, from the snake-rooted bottom
Of his mind. And now nothing but snakes
Is visible. The snake-scales have become
Leaf, become eyelid; snake-bodies, bough, breast
Of tree and human. And he within this snakedom
Rules the writhings which make manifest
His snakehood and his might with pliant tunes
From his thin pipe. Out of this green nest
As out of Eden's navel twist the lines
Of snaky generations: let there be snakes!
And snakes there were, are, will be-till yawns
Consume this piper and he tires of music
And pipes the world back to the simple fabric
Of snake-warp, snake-weft. Pipes the cloth of snakes
To a melting of green water, tiII no snake
Shows its head, and those green waters back to
Water, to green, to nothing like a snake.
Puts up his pipe, and lids his moony eye.
37
Term 1: Handout 8.1
Figurative Language
“She slithered into the room quietly and listened. After several days of observing, she finally
uncoiled her long limbs, stretched her neck, leaned against the desk and began speaking, swaying as
she spoke. With those first words she began to slowly poison their minds?
1. What two things are being described? a ___________ and a ________
2. How is the woman described? What do she resemble?
3. Why would the writer liken a woman to a snake? What effect was the writer seeking to
produce?
Types of Figurative Language
Figurative language is the creative words and phrases a writer uses to help a reader see things
in new and unexpected ways.
Allusion: A figure of speech that makes a reference or representation of or to a well-known person,
place, event, literary work or work of art.
Example: “She was beautiful, but I knew she was forbidden fruit.”
(Forbidden fruit is a reference to the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden)
Imagery: Language that gives a reader a sense of how something smells, tastes, sounds, feels, or
looks.
Example: “The music coursed through us, shaking our bodies as if it came from within us.”
(This tells us both how it felt to listen to the music)
Metaphor: A comparison between two things that does not use like or as.
Example: “John is a rock.”
(This tells us John has the characteristics of a rock – e.g. strength, durability.)
Onomatopoeia: A word that imitates the sound it is describing.
Example: “The girl clicked the mouse. “ “The cat meowed.”
(Pressing a mouse sounds like a “click” and cat noises sound like “meow.”)
Simile: A comparison between dissimilar things that uses like or as.
Example: “The boy ran as fast as the wind.”
(This is comparing the boy’s speed with the wind, not saying they are the same.)
Personification: Giving an inanimate object or abstract idea human traits.
Example: “Fear knocked on the door.”
(Fear cannot literally knock on a door, it is just an idea, but people can.)
38
Title
Poem
of Type
Figurative
Language
of Your Definition
Example
Example
from
Poem/
Your
39
Term 1: Handout 8.2
Poems With Figurative Language
“The Negro Speaks of Rivers” by Langston Hughes
I've known rivers:
I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human veins.
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln
went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy
bosom turn all golden in the sunset.
I've known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
“My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke
The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.
We romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf;
My mother's countenance
Could not unfrown itself.
The hand that held my wrist
Was battered on one knuckle;
At every step you missed
My right ear scraped a buckle.
You beat time on my head
With a palm caked hard by dirt,
Then waltzed me off to bed
Still clinging to your shirt.
40
Term 1: Handout 9.1
Please (1) annotate these two poems (2) make a list of possible themes for each
“Mentor” by Timothy Murphy
For Robert Francis
Had I known, only known
when I lived so near,
I'd have gone, gladly gone
foregoing my fear
of the wholly grown
and the nearly great.
But I learned alone,
so I learned too late.
“Auguries of Innocence” by William Blake
To see a World in a grain of sand,
And a Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,
And Eternity in an hour.…
The bat that flits at close of eve
Has left the brain that won’t believe.
The owl that calls upon the night
Speaks the unbeliever’s fright.…
Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine;
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.…
Every tear from every eye
Becomes a babe in Eternity.…
The bleat, the bark, bellow, and roar
Are waves that beat on Heaven’s shore.…
He who doubts from what he sees
Will ne’er believe, do what you please.
If the Sun and Moon should doubt,
They’d immediately go out.…
God appears, and God is Light,
To those poor souls who dwell in Night;
But does a Human Form display
To those who dwell in realms of Day.
41
Please analyze and annotate your assigned poem considering the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What do you think the title means?
What do you think the theme of the poem is?
What do you think the message of the poem is?
Who do you think the intended audience of this poem is?
What connection can you draw between this poem and your life?
Term 1: Handout 9.2
“Heredity” by Thomas Hardy
I am the family face;
Flesh perishes, I live on,
Projecting trait and trace
Through time to times anon,
And leaping from place to place
Over oblivion.
The years-heired feature that can
In curve and voice and eye
Despise the human span
Of durance -- that is I;
The eternal thing in man,
That heeds no call to die
“I’m Nobody” by Emily Dickinson
I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us -don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
“Conceit” by D.H. Lawrence
It is conceit that kills us
and makes us cowards instead of gods.
Under the great Command: Know thy self, and that thou art mortal!
we have become fatally self-conscious, fatally self-important, fatally entangled in the cocoon coils of our
conceit.
Now we have to admit we can’t know ourselves, we can only know about ourselves.
And I am not interested to know about myself any more,
I only entangle myself in the knowing.
Now let me be myself,
now let me be myself, and flicker forth,
now let me be myself, in the being, one of the gods.
42
Term 1: Handout 10
The Poetry of Langston Hughes
Please note what makes Hughes’s voice intense, unique, and memorable.
“The Negro Speaks of Rivers”
I've known rivers:
I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human veins.
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln
went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy
bosom turn all golden in the sunset.
I've known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
“I, Too”
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed-I, too, am America.
43
“Theme for English B”
The instructor said,
Go home and write
a page tonight.
And let that page come out of you--Then, it will be true.
I wonder if it's that simple?
I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem.
I went to school there, then Durham, then here
to this college on the hill above Harlem.
I am the only colored student in my class.
The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem
through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas,
Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y,
the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator
up to my room, sit down, and write this page:
It's not easy to know what is true for you or me
at twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what
I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:
hear you, hear me---we two---you, me, talk on this page.
(I hear New York too.) Me---who?
Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.
I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.
I like a pipe for a Christmas present,
or records---Bessie, bop, or Bach.
I guess being colored doesn't make me NOT like
the same things other folks like who are other races.
So will my page be colored that I write?
Being me, it will not be white.
But it will be
a part of you, instructor.
You are white--yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.
That's American.
Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me.
Nor do I often want to be a part of you.
But we are, that's true!
As I learn from you,
I guess you learn from me--although you're older---and white--and somewhat more free.
This is my page for English B.
44
Term 1: Handout 11.1
Experimental poetry
“i carry your heart with me(i carry it in” by e.e. cummings
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
“Buffalo Bill 's” by e.e. cummings
Buffalo Bill 's
defunct
who used to
ride a watersmooth-silver
stallion
and break onetwothreefourfive pigeonsjustlikethat
Jesus
he was a handsome man
and what i want to know is
how do you like your blueeyed boy
Mister Death
45
Term 1: Handout 11.2
Haikus
An old silent pond...
A frog jumps into the pond,
splash! Silence again.
by Basho (1644-1694)
Over the wintry
forest, winds howl in rage
with no leaves to blow.
by Soseki (1275-1351)
Cherry blossoms fall
quickly to the ground below
no more attachments.
Leaves of golden hues
cling to the trees in Autumn
refuse to let go.
by Heather Burns
In the forest don’t
Shout haiku haiku haiku
Will confuse the owls
by Ken e Hall
The flap of a bat,
drip drip of monsoon waters.
Ancient image stares.
by Phil Wahl
Behold the ego
Set in glowing emptiness
On the edge of time
by Noel Kaufmann
the morning paper
harbinger of good and ill
- - I step over it
by Dave McCroskey
46
Term 1: Handout 12
Please make notes on each reading/performance in a different colored pen.
“The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by W.B. Yeats
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honeybee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a-glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.
“The Song of the Wandering Aengus” by W.B. Yeats
I went out to the hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
And cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,
I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout.
When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire a-flame,
But something rustled on the floor,
And someone called me by my name:
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air.
Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.
47
Term 1: Handout 13
Poetic devices used in songs
“A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall” by Bob Dylan
"Oh, where have you been, my blue-eyed son?
And where have you been my darling young one?"
"I've stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I've walked and I've crawled on six crooked highways
I've stepped in the middle of seven sad forests
I've been out in front of a dozen dead oceans"
"I've been ten thousand miles in the mouth of a graveyard
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
It's a hard rain a-gonna fall"
"Oh, what did you see, my blue eyed son?
And what did you see, my darling young one?"
"I saw a newborn baby with wild wolves all around it
I saw a highway of diamonds with nobody on it
I saw a black branch with blood that kept drippin'
I saw a room full of men with their hammers a-bleedin'"
"I saw a white ladder all covered with water
I saw ten thousand talkers whose tongues were all broken
I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, and it's a hard
It's a hard rain a-gonna fall"
"And what did you hear, my blue-eyed son?
And what did you hear, my darling young one?"
"I heard the sound of a thunder, it roared out a warnin'
I heard the roar of a wave that could drown the whole world
I heard one hundred drummers whose hands were a-blazin'
I heard ten thousand whisperin' and nobody listenin'"
"I heard one person starve, I heard many people laughin'
Heard the song of a poet who died in the gutter
I heard the sound of a clown who cried in the alley
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall"
"Oh, what did you meet my blue-eyed son?
And who did you meet, my darling young one?"
"I met a young child beside a dead pony
I met a white man who walked a black dog
I met a young woman whose body was burning
I met a young girl, she gave me a rainbow"
"I met one man who was wounded in love
I met another man who was wounded in hatred
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall"
48
"And what'll you do now, my blue-eyed son?
And what'll you do now, my darling young one?"
"I'm a-goin' back out 'fore the rain starts a-fallin'
I'll walk to the deepths of the deepest dark forest
Where the people are many and their hands are all empty
Where the pellets of poison are flooding their waters"
"Where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prison
And the executioner's face is always well hidden
Where hunger is ugly, where the souls are forgotten
Where black is the color, where none is the number"
"And I'll tell it and think it and speak it and breathe it
And reflect from the mountain so all souls can see it
And I'll stand on the ocean until I start sinkin'
But I'll know my song well before I start singin'
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, and it's a hard
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall"
“The War Is Over” by Phil Ochs
Silent Soldiers on a silver screen
Framed in fantasies and drugged in dream
Unpaid actors of the mystery
The mad director knows that freedom will not make you free
And what's this got to do with me
I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over
Drums are drizzling on a grain of sand
Fading rhythms of a fading land
Prove your courage in the proud parade
Trust your leaders where mistakes are almost never made
And they're afraid that I'm afraid
I'm afraid the war is over
It's over, it's over
Angry artists painting angry signs
Use their vision just to blind the blind
Poisoned players of a grizzly game
One is guilty and the other gets to point the blame
Pardon me if I refrain
I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over
So do your duty, boys, and join with pride
Serve your country in her suicide
49
Find the flags so you can wave goodbye
But just before the end even treason might be worth a try
This country is too young to die
I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over
One-legged veterans will greet the dawn
And they're whistling marches as they mow the lawn
And the gargoyles only sit and grieve
The gypsy fortune teller told me that we'd been deceived
You only are what you believe
I believe the war is over
It's over, it's over
“Dance Me To The End Of Love” by Leonard Cohen
Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic 'til I'm gathered safely in
Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Oh let me see your beauty when the witnesses are gone
Let me feel you moving like they do in Babylon
Show me slowly what I only know the limits of
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the wedding now, dance me on and on
Dance me very tenderly and dance me very long
We're both of us beneath our love, we're both of us above
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the children who are asking to be born
Dance me through the curtains that our kisses have outworn
Raise a tent of shelter now, though every thread is torn
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic till I'm gathered safely in
Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
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Term 1: Handout 14
“We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks
THE POOL PLAYERS.
SEVEN AT THE GOLDEN SHOVEL.
We real cool. We
Left school. We
Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon.
1. In your pair determine how the poem should be read aloud and then perform it.
Consider:
a.
b.
c.
d.
When to pause
What words to stress (and why)
The poem’s effect on the audience
The poem’s use of “white space” (blanks)
2. In your new pair, rewrite the poem on the back, using different line breaks.
3. Perform the new version.
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Final Assignment (Term 1: Handout 15)
Your final project for this term will be to select one of your homework paragraphs (please see
“Homework Responses” above) and extend them into a fuller exploration of the topic. This response
is designed to assess your understanding of this term’s material, your writing ability, and your ability
to develop a piece of writing through an intensive editing process.
Substantive Requirements: The response should extend one of your analytical homework
assignments (you may not extend your poems). You should do so by taking the elements of the
homework paragraph and turning each of them into a single analytical paragraph. Thus, a typical
five sentence paragraph will become five individual paragraphs (introduction, three analytical
paragraphs, conclusion).
At a minimum, the response should have the following structure:
 An introduction that clearly sets out your thesis and the points you intend to cover
 Multiple (at least three) body paragraphs exploring this thesis
o These should be multiple examples of the use of a particular element in the poem or
poems being analyzed
 A conclusion that ties the analysis in the body paragraphs together
Technical Requirements: The response should be a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 1,000
words with your name, word count, and its pages numbered. Per English Department policy, your
responses must be written in 1.5 or double spacing in an easy to read font such as Times New
Roman, Helvetica, or Arial. The responses must also have all previous drafts (including the response
they were based upon) stapled to them. Failure to include any of these elements will result in a loss
of credit.
Grading Rubric: Your extended response will be graded holistically on a scale of 1-30. It will be
graded based upon a combination of the following elements. :
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A clear introduction that establishes the structure for the response and provides a thesis
sentence [5]
At least three paragraphs that analytically develop the thesis [5]
Effective use of arguments well-supported by textual evidence (quotations) [5]
A coherent flow in the essay between the paragraphs [5]
A clear conclusion that reviews the points made in the rest of the essay [5]
Observing the standards of English grammar and punctuation [5]
Due Dates:
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Class #15: Please bring printed copies of three of your responses (1 printed copy)
Class #16: First Draft of Extended Response (1 printed copy)
Class #17: Second Draft of Extended Response (1 printed copy)
Class #18: Final Draft of Extended Response (2 printed copies)
You will earn credit (up to 5 points) for turning in the outline, first draft, and second draft on
time. You will be graded based on the level of completeness of your work.
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Term 1: Handout 16
Turning Ideas Into Outlines
Over the past few weeks, you have been writing miniature essay paragraphs, maybe without realizing
it. Each of paragraphs for homework and on our quizzes was just like the paragraphs you’ll be
writing in your extended responses (or essays if you prefer): with a (1) topic sentence, (2) analytical
body sentences (evidence), and finally a (3) conclusion tying your argument together.
An essay requires putting several of these paragraphs together coherently, but don’t worry, the
overall format of an essay is just like that of a paragraph. The difference is that each of these
elements now represents a paragraph (actually there will be at least three paragraphs of supporting
arguments). That means we’ll need to go over some specific types of sentences that go in each of
those paragraphs.
Topic Sentence: Your topic sentence is the first sentence in each paragraph. It explains what your
subject matter (“topic”) for that paragraph will be. It establishes the controlling idea for your
paragraph.
Body Sentence: Body sentences present the information (“evidence”) that supports your controlling
idea. Most of your writing will consist of body sentences.
Conclusion: Your conclusion summarizes the information discussed in your body sentences and
explains how it relates to your controlling idea.
Thesis Sentence: Your introduction will end with a special kind of conclusion called a thesis. Your
thesis expresses an opinion based upon evidence. To construct your thesis, it’s helpful to split it into
three parts:
 Question: What is the question you want to answer?
 Information: What information do you have that answers the question?
 Conclusion: Based on that information, what conclusion can you make?
The structure of your essay will be very similar to a bigger version of each paragraph. The
only difference is that instead of sentences, you will have paragraphs.
 Instead of an introductory sentence you will have an introductory paragraph (an
“introduction”) concluding with your thesis.
 Instead of body sentences, you will have body paragraphs.
 Instead of a concluding sentence, you will have a conclusion that is a full paragraph long.
Today, we’ll talk about how to make a list of these sentences (an “outline”) and then how to turn
that outline into a first draft.
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Term 1: Handout 17
Checking Writing for Grammar, Spelling, and Other Mechanical Mistakes
Please use this checklist to look for errors in your writing. Remember, it’s much more important
to get your thoughts down than to worry about expressing them perfectly the first time. You can
use this checklist for any writing that you do.
Use your PEN to make corrections. Remember, your extended responses are works in progress.
After you check for errors, please correct them.
Check off each step AFTER it has been completed.
_____ 1. Read your response backwards, one sentence at a time. Check for spelling errors. Use your
dictionary to find the correct spelling of words you are unsure about.
_____ 2. Check to make sure you capitalized proper nouns and the first word of each sentence.
_____ 3. Check to make sure you indented each paragraph.
_____ 4. Check to make sure each sentence has end punctuation.
_____ 5. Check your use of commas. Did you only use them for compound sentences, a list of items,
an introductory word or phrase, direct address, setting off interruptions, separating
adjectives, or in dates? Do you need to add commas? Make sure you do not have commas
separating complete sentences.
_____ 6. Check to make sure you used apostrophes only for contractions and to show ownership.
_____ 7. Check to make sure you used complex punctuation (dashes, hyphens, semi-colons,
parentheses, etc.) correctly.
_____ 8. Check to make sure you used commonly mixed pairs of words correctly? Check these:
they’re/their/there, your/you’re, it’s/its, a/an, to/too/two, are/our/hour.
_____ 9. Read your response backwards one sentence at a time, again. Check for sentence
fragments and run-ons and correct them.
_____ 10. Check to make sure you stayed in present tense (such as is, am, do, take, know, etc.) or
past tense (such as was, were, did, took, knew, etc.) consistently.
_____ 11. Check to make sure you stayed third person (he, him, she, her, they, them, their)
throughout the entire response.
_____ 12. Check to make sure that every sentence has a subject and a verb. Then make sure that
all subjects and verbs agree (that is that all verbs are conjugated correctly).
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Handout 18
The “Dirty Dozen” Grammatical Errors
For further practice, please visit: http://www.methodist.edu/english/dd_index.htm
This website contains additional examples and explanations, as well as practice worksheets.
Sentences
All sentences require a subject (which can be a noun or a pronoun) and a verb.
Error 1: The Fragment: A phrase punctuated like a sentence but that lacks a subject or a verb is called a
fragment. They often occur in spoken English but are not used in written English.
 Example: “Might take some time.”
o This is a fragment because it has a verb (“be”) but no subject.
o We can correct this by adding a subject: “The order might take some time.”
 Example: “Nobody coming.”
o This is a fragment because the verb (“coming”) is incomplete.
o We can correct this by completing the verb: “Nobody is coming.”
 Example: “Especially him.”
o This is a fragment because it lacks a subject (“him” is an object) and a verb.
o We can correct this by adding both a subject and a verb (an independent clause): “I like them,
especially him.”
Error 2: The Fused Sentence: Two independent clauses connected without punctuation
 Example: “Class is fun I am excited.”
o This is a fused sentence because “Class is fun” and “I am excited” are independent clauses
o There are several ways to correct fused sentences.
 If the clauses express unrelated ideas you can split them into two sentences: “Class is
fun. I am excited.”
 We can also use a semicolon: “Class is fun; I am excited.”
 If the clauses express related ideas we can connect them using a comma and a
coordinating conjunction: “Class is fun, so I am excited.
Error 3: The Comma Splice: Two independent clauses connected with a comma.
 Example: “Class is fun, I am excited.”
o This is a fragment because independent clauses are connected with a comma
o We can correct comma splices in the same way as fused sentences
Error 4: Subject-Verb Agreement: Subjects and verbs that do not agree in number. This is tricky because
many plural subjects end in “s” and so do most third person singular verbs.
 Example: “The girls plays soccer.”
o This is a subject-verb agreement error because “the girls” is a plural subject and “plays” is a
singular verb.
o We can correct this by correcting the conjugation of “play”: “The girls play soccer.”
Note: In American English, collective nouns such as “family” and “Korea” considered to be singular
when they are used as subjects. In British English, collective nouns are considered to be plural when
they are used as subjects.
o Please use one form consistently. As we are an American accredited school, I prefer that you
use the American English form but accept any consistent usage.
Pronouns and Antecedents
Pronouns take the place of nouns and like nouns can operate as subjects or objects. They must agreement
with the noun they refer to in (1)person (2) number (singular/plural), and (3)gender.
Error 5: Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement Error: Pronouns that do not agree with the noun they refer
to in person, number or gender.
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Example: “A person can padlock their locker”
o This is an agreement error because “person” is singular and “their” is plural.
o We can correct this by changing their to “his or her” or by changing person to people: “A
person can padlock his or her locker.”/ “People can padlock their lockers.”
Error 6: Vague or Ambiguous Pronoun Reference: Pronouns that do not clearly refer back to an individual
antecedent. (This often happens when there are multiple nouns in a sentence.”
 Example: “The teacher gave the student her notes.”
o This is ambiguous because it is unclear whether the notes belong to the teacher or the student.
o We can correct this error by bringing the pronoun closer to the antecedent: “The teacher gave
her notes to the student.”
 Example: “Jenny is strong, but she keeps it hidden.”
o This is ambiguous because “it” is referring implicitly to “strength” which isn’t part of the
sentence
o We can correct this error by replacing the pronoun with its antecedent: “Jenny is shy, but she
keeps her strength hidden.”
Modifiers
Modifiers should be placed as close as possible to what they are describing to avoid confusion.
Error 7: Misplaced Modifier: A situation where the placement of a modifier leaves it unclear what the
modifier is modifying.
 Example: “I saw a dog on the way to school.”
o “on the way to school” is misplaced because it is closer to “I” than the “dog”
o We can correct this by moving the modifier closer to the noun it is modifying: “On the way to
school, I saw a dog.”
Error 8: Dangling Modifier: A situation where a modifier does not clearly relate to any noun or pronoun in
the sentence. If a modifier begins a sentence, it must be immediately followed by what it modifies.
 Example: “While talking on the phone, my dog sat next to me.”
o This modifier is dangling because the dog was not talking on the phone.
o We can correct this by moving the noun modified directly after the modifier:
 “While talking on the phone, I sat next to my dog.”
o We can also correct this by placing the noun within the modifier:
 “While I was talking on the phone, my dog sat next to me.”
Parallel Structure
All items that form a pair or series must have the same grammatical form.
Error 9: Lack of Parallel Structure: When parts of the sentence that form a pair or series are not expressed
in the same way.
 Example: “I like to read, sleep, and to eat.”
o This structure is not parallel because “sleep” lacks “to” in front of it
o We can correct this by adding “to”: “I like to read, to sleep, and to eat.”
Consistent Person and Tense
Tense and person should remain consistent within a single piece of writing, unless there is a clear reason for
doing so.
Error 10: Inappropriate Shifts in Person or Tense: When the person (1st, 2nd, 3rd) or tense of a piece of
writing shifts without a clear explanation.
 Example: “If someone studies hard, you can get good grades.”
o This is an inappropriate shift in person because the sentence begins in third person “someone”
but ends in second person “you”
o We can correct this by making person consistent through the sentence:
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 “If you study hard, you can get good grades.” OR
 “If someone studies hard, he or she can get good grades.”
Example: “I open the door, then sat down.”
o This is an inappropriate shift in tense because it uses verbs in two different tenses (“open” is
present tense and “sat” is past tense) for action at the same time.
o We can correct it by making the tense consistent for both actions:
 “I opened the door, then sat down.” OR
 “I open the door, then sit down.”
o Note: There can be valid reasons to shift tense, for example to show the sequence of actions.
(Example: “I wanted to sleep, but now I’m happy that I’m awake.”
Apostrophes
Apostrophes should be used (1)in contractions and (2)to show the possessive form of nouns and indefinite
pronouns. Note: the possessive of “it” is “its.” “It’s” is the contraction of “it is.”
Error 11: Misuse of Apostrophe: Using an apostrophe incorrectly. There are two primary ways this can
happen, with plural nouns that end in “s” and with possessive pronouns (which require no apostrophe).
 Example: “The boy’s dorm is noisy.”
o This is incorrect because the possessive of plural nouns that end in “s” is formed by placing
the apostrophe after the “s.” (Placing the apostrophe before the “s” would mean that the noun
is singular.)
o We can correct this by moving the apostrophe: “The boys’ dorm is noisy.”
 Example: “The cat was nice to it’s kittens.”
o This is incorrect because the possessive pronouns require no apostrophes.
o We can correct this by removing the apostrophe: “The cat was nice to its kittens.”
Note: If a singular noun ends in “s” it’s better to place the apostrophe before the “s” (“Moses’s”)
Predication
Error 12: Faulty Predication: When the subject and the verb do not make sense together. Literally, it means
a subject cannot be or do a verb.
 Example: “Addiction is where people are unable to stop something.”
o This is incorrect because addiction is not a place.
o We can correct this by changing the sentence as follows: “Addiction occurs when people are
unable to stop doing something.”
 Example: “The reason this handout helps is because it contains many examples.”
o This is incorrect because the phrase “is because” is redundant.
o We can correct this by removing “the reason” and “is”: “This handout helps because it
contains many examples.”