POETRY: SELF & IDENTITY

Unit Overview
FRIENDLY HIGH SCHOOL/ MRS. TOTTEN & MS. SANDERS - ENGLISH 10/ 2011-2012

FINAL PROJECT

QUARTER 3

During the course of this unit, students will read, think about, question, discuss, write about, write and perform their own and others powerful poems that relate to themes of self and identity. They will think critically and thoughtfully about the two essential questions: 1. How do poets express self, identity and other themes in their work? 2. How can I express myself through poetry...do I dare? The questions at the core of this unit challenge students to look deeply into the poems they read and hear and to try and gure out what the medium inspires in those who chose to express themselves through it. How can I express myself through poetry...do I dare? is the metacognitive question to ground the unit to the students own experience and help them see poetry as a legitimate and accessible form of self-expression.
NYC Dept. of Education

Student Outcomes
By the end of the unit, students will be able to understand, appreciate, discuss, interpret, and analyze a variety of poems. They will identify and understand connotation, tone, theme, different poetic structures and devices, and create original poems using the forms and structures that most t with their unique voices and sense of identity. While we recognize that literary analysis is important, it can often get in the way of students appreciation of poetry the key is to nd a balance between nurturing students love of poetry with the teaching of important analytical and critical thinking skills.

LANGSTON HUGHES He was one of the earliest innovators of the literary art form jazz poetry Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance.

SYLVIA PLATH Plath is credited with advancing the genre of confessional poetry and is best known for her two published collections: The Colossus and Other Poems and Ariel.

NIKKI GIOVANNI Always insisting on presenting the truth as she sees it, she has maintained a prominent place as a strong voice of the Black community.

Aligned with indicators 1.2.3, 1.1.3, 1.2.2, 1.2.4, 1.3.1, 1.3.2, 1.3.3, 1.3.5, 4.2.2, 4.2.1, and 4.1.1

FINAL PROJECT GUIDELINES

PROJECT SPECIFICS
1. Your project must be in one of the following forms: a. Glog (www.glogster.com) b. PowerPoint c. iMovie/Windows MovieMaker d. Blog (www.blogger.com) 2. Must include a brief, yet informative biography of each poet. Specically, information about their life that you see reected in their poetry. 3. You must analyze each poem, identifying and explaining the following: a. Allusion b. Tone c. Figurative Language d. Theme e. Your nal interpretation of the poem 4. A visual timeline (i.e. maze, map,etc.) displaying the poets most signicant literary accomplishments and life experiences. (If choosing #2, combine all poets into one truncated timeline.) 5. Each slide/page must include an in-text citation. 6. At the end of the presentation, you must have a Works Cited page in Modern Language Association (MLA) format.

List of Approved Poets

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Sylvia Plath Sonia Sanchez Amiri Baraka Langston Hughes Walt Whitman Simon Ortiz Claude McKay Countee Cullen Sandra Cisneros Nikki Giovanni

Due FEBRUARY 10th

The unit culminates in a nal project. Students can choose from one of the following suggestions for their nal project: 1. Create an anthology of works of one poet, selected with care and thoughtfulness, and show how the poems are connected and the themes expressed. You must also create an original poem centered upon a common theme that mimics the style of your chosen poet. (4+1=5) 2. Create an anthology of poems from a variety of poets, that explains how the themes of the various poets are connected and why their poems are important. You must also create an original poem centered upon a common theme that mimics the styles of the poets youve chosen. (4+1=5)

This unit will stretch your imagination and chall enge you to dig deeper than ever before. Be sure to start your project as soon as possible. Choose your poet(s) carefully and always keep your poetry study guide ha ndy. When developing your prese ntation, remember to cite AL L information. Failure to cite your res ources is PLAGIARISM!! Happ y hunting!! Good Luck!

FROM YOUR TEACHERS

GRADING CATEGORIES
- USE OF MULTIMEDIA TOOLS - CONTENT (BIOGRAPHICAL INFO) - ANALYSIS OF THEME, IDEAS & POETIC DEVICES - GRAMMAR/CONVENTIONS - ORATORY/PRESENTATION SKILLS - AESTHETICS

QUESTIONS FOR MRS. TOTTEN: @eltotten erika.totten@pgcps.org (202)643-TOTT(8688), no calls after 5pm QUESTIONS FOR MS. SANDERS: carmen.sanders@pgcps.org
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