1. The patterns of meter and stress in poetry.
prosody
The patterns of meter and stress in poetry.

2. Meter Meter in poetry is the basic rhythmic structure of the poem.
A Metrical Foot is a single unit of measurement that is repeated within a line of poetry. Metrical Feet are made up of STRESSED And UNstressed syllables. (Source: "103 Metrical Feet." RhymeWeaver.com. N.p., 21 Apr Web. 24 June 2017.)

3. To stress or not to stress?
All words have stressed and/or unstressed syllables, which creates a natural rhythm in language.
When noting this pattern, the marks are placed above the words they refer to.
Notice that even in the example, the meter doesn’t adhere perfectly to iambic pentameter. The overall meter is determined by the most pervasive overall pattern. There are often slight variations, so don’t let that confuse you.

4. scansion
Analyzing a line of poetry to determine its rhythm of stressed and unstressed syllables is called scansion.

5. Emphasis is everything
It may help to read poems aloud when scanning lines to listen for and feel the subtle emphases placed on the syllables of words. Correct pronunciation is extremely important to scan poems accurately.
Consider the word “produce.”
When referring to making something, the stress is on the first syllable: PROduce.
When referring to fruits and vegetables, the second syllable is stressed: proDUCE.
Where is the stress (there’s just one) in the word SYLLABLE?
SYLL a ble

6. List of Metrical feet Having two syllables:
Iamb = one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (exACT, reLEASE, unKNOWN)
Trochee = one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable (CARing, ZESTful, HELPless)
Spondee = two stressed syllables (AIRCRAFT, DEADLOCK)
Pyrrhic = two unstressed syllables (to a, in a, and the)

7. List of Metrical feet Having three syllables:
Dactyl = one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (CRIMinal, VISitor)
Anapest = two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable (incomPLETE, misinFORMED)

8. All together now
Iamb = one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (exACT, reLEASE, unKNOWN)
Trochee = one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable (CARing, ZESTful, HELPless)
Spondee = two stressed syllables (AIRCRAFT, DEADLOCK)
Pyrrhic = two unstressed syllables (to a, in a, and the)
Dactyl = one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (CRIMinal, VISitor)
Anapest = two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable (incomPLETE, misinFORMED)

9. A brief digression…

10. Your turn
Iamb = one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (exACT, reLEASE, unKNOWN)
Trochee = one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable (CARing, ZESTful, HELPless)
Spondee = two stressed syllables (AIRCRAFT, DEADLOCK)
Pyrrhic = two unstressed syllables (to a, in a, and the)
Dactyl = one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (CRIMinal, VISitor)
Anapest = two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable (incomPLETE, misinFORMED)
Working with up to groups of four, students will be asked to come up with a gesture (whole brain) to reinforce the stresses in the word to help us all remember the words better. Gesture should be accompanied by the actual word, be short and easy to perform, and include at least one example word as well.

11. Determining meter
Once you have scanned a line, noting the metrical feet of its syllables, you can determine meter.
The first step to determining meter is noting the stressed and unstressed syllables in each line.
When determining the meter of a line, one bases the meter on the overall pattern, which may include some small exceptions.

12. It’s greek to me

13. Identify that meter
Each of these three patterns is represented in the following examples. Can you tell which is which?
Iamb = one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (exACT, reLEASE, unKNOWN)
Trochee = one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable (CARing, ZESTful, HELPless)
Spondee = two stressed syllables (AIRCRAFT, DEADLOCK)
Break, break, break, On thy cold grey stones, O Sea
“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?”
Sorrow like a ceaseless rain Beats upon my heart.

14. Identify that meter
Iamb = one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (exACT, reLEASE, unKNOWN)
Trochee = one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable (CARing, ZESTful, HELPless)
Spondee = two stressed syllables (AIRCRAFT, DEADLOCK)
ANSWERS:
BREAK, BREAK, BREAK, On thy COLD GREY STONES, O SEA (spondee)
“But SOFT, what LIGHT through YONder WINdow BREAKS?” (Iamb)
SORrow LIKE a CEASEless RAIN BEATS upON my HEART. (trochee)

15. One more time!
Each of these three patterns is represented in the following examples. Can you tell which is which?
Pyrrhic = two unstressed syllables (to a, in a, and the)
Dactyl = one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (CRIMinal, VISitor)
Anapest = two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable (incomPLETE, misinFORMED)
The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold, And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;
To a green thought in a green shade.
Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward

16. One more time!
Pyrrhic = two unstressed syllables (to a, in a, and the)
Dactyl = one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (CRIMinal, VISitor)
Anapest = two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable (incomPLETE, misinFORMED)
The AsSYRian came DOWN like the WOLF on the FOLD, And his COhorts were GLEAMing in PURple and GOLD; (anapest)
To a GREEN THOUGHT in a GREEN SHADE. (pyrrhic)
HALF a league, HALF a league, HALF a league ONward (dactyl)

17. Referring to meter
When describing the meter of a line of verse or perhaps an entire poem, you start with the word for the meter (rhythmic structure of stresses/unstresses) and add an –ic suffix.
Next, you name the number of feet in Greek and add –meter.
Put them together and you have:
_______ic _______meter
For example:
iambic pentameter
trochaic tetrameter
spondaic monometer
dactylic trimeter

18. Quick quiz
Identify the meter for lines of verse with the following feet:
One foot = ___meter
Two feet = ___meter
Three feet = ____meter
Four feet = _____meter
Five feet = _____meter
Six feet = ______meter
Seven feet = _____meter
Eight feet = ______meter

19. QUICK QUIZ
________ = one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (exACT, reLEASE, unKNOWN)
________ = one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable (CARing, ZESTful, HELPless)
_________ = two stressed syllables (AIRCRAFT, DEADLOCK)
________ = two unstressed syllables (to a, in a, and the)
________ = one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (CRIMinal, VISitor)
_______ = two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable (incomPLETE, misinFORMED)