1. The Language of Poetry, and the Poetry behind Music Unit Portfolio Presentation Erich Finkle

2. Unit Summary This unit will involve the study of patterns of rhyme and rhythm found in poetry, as well as analysis of poetry’s various forms and the literary devices used therein. In doing so, students will learn how to use language to do more than simply convey a point, and rather to know its true power when used creatively. Students will read many forms of poetry, screening them for literary devices and meaning through context. As an immersion project, students will be asked to create their own original poems for presentation to the class as a whole. Student interest is key, so questions will be asked throughout to check for interest and comprehension.

3. Goals for Learning Student Goals –To develop an interest in poetry and to enjoy it rather than see it as boring. –To comprehend, use, and recognize rhetorical/literary strategies in writing. –To obtain a better overall mastery and enjoyment of the English language through seeing it used in an artistic manner as opposed to one of strict rules and forms. Personal Goals –To learn how modern-day students feel about poetry –To practice my teaching skills for use in future lessons –To demonstrate that poetry is still very much alive through the omnipresence of music, as song lyrics are essentially poetry set to music.

4. Gauging Student Needs to Streamline the Unit Gauging Student Needs Assessment And Curriculum- Framing Questions Determine what the Students already know (Determine Prior Knowledge) Allow me to focus on Specific areas where Prior knowledge is weak Or confusion occurs Assist me in answering the ever-feared question of “How is this important to me?”

5. Student Objectives and Learning Outcomes –Analyze various short stories and poetry for meaning and theme. –Create a poem that expresses the student’s attitude toward a specific concept. –Write a short, ½ - 1-page essay explaining why the specific concept was chosen. –Present poem to class or share poems with small groups.

6. Assessment Summary First of all, poetry is a very personal thing, for some people, and especially for teens. As such, I do not expect students to create a top-of-the-line, groundbreaking poem. I do, however, expect to see evidence of rhetorical devices, creative use of words, and a presentation (of whatever it is they write) in-class. The first day of class is geared mostly to get them to begin working, and give them an idea of what to do and how to go about doing so. I ask lots of questions to illicit a response from the students, to hear from them how much they do or do not understand. Peer edits are sometimes more comfortable than teacher reviews, so I wish to use them to look over the Rough drafts. By now, students will have demonstrated to me their capability to write an essay, and thus I will only grade the Final drafts. I intend to keep students actively thinking about rhetoric in writing by bringing them up from time to time, and by including their definitions and functions on the Unit Test.

7. California Content Standards Writing –1.4 - Enhance meaning by employing rhetorical devices, including the extended use of parallelism, repetition, and analogy; the incorporation of visual aids (e.g., graphs, tables, pictures); and the issuance of a call for action. –1.5 - Use language in natural, fresh, and vivid ways to establish a specific tone. Written and Oral English Language Conventions –Demonstrate control of grammar, diction, and paragraph and sentence structure and an understanding of English usage. –Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct punctuation and capitalization. –Reflect appropriate manuscript requirements in writing. Literary Response & Analysis –3.1 - Analyze characteristics of subgenres (e.g., satire, parody, allegory, pastoral) that are used in poetry, prose, plays, novels, short stories, essays, and other basic genres. –3.2 - Analyze the way in which the theme or meaning of a selection represents a view or comment on life, using textual evidence to support the claim. –3.3 - Analyze the ways in which irony, tone, mood, the author's style, and the "sound" of language achieve specific rhetorical or aesthetic purposes or both. –3.4 - Analyze ways in which poets use imagery, personification, figures of speech, and sounds to evoke readers' emotions.

8. Thanks for Viewing!