1. Bellwork
Place your paragraphs on “The Road Not Taken” and “Courage” on your desk.
Exchange your “Courage” paragraph with an elbow partner and read your partner’s.
See if all of the following are included:
Topic sentence
Author’s name
Title poem
Answer to the prompt
Theme statement
Two pieces of textual evidence
Embedded Rolls Royce style
Parenthetically cited correctly
Commentary
Reveals how and why evidence supports the topic sentence
Conclusion/summary sentence
Wraps up the paragraph nicely

2. “Courage” Theme Statements
Choose someone in your group to share with the class the theme statement your group wrote on Friday over “Courage.”
Ideas on which to focus:
Literary elements
Literal and figurative meanings

3. “Courage” themes
Courage is often found in the difficult actions that better our lives.
The fulfillment of courage is a life-long quest of facing and then overcoming our fears and hardships.

4. Let’s review two paragraphs:
Write a carefully constructed paragraph in which you include specific evidence to show how metaphor develops a theme in “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening.”

5. Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound's the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.

6. Sample paragraph
In his poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” the author Robert Frost incorporates metaphor to develop his theme that overcoming difficult situations can be accomplished by focusing on commitments and obligations to others. He employs a metaphor of snow during “the darkest evening of the year” to signify a difficult time in life (line 8). Snow blankets land in frozen immobility, and a dark evening can prevent clear vision. This immobility and the inability to see what is ahead also correlates to how people feel when facing a difficult time in life. Frost also includes a metaphor when the horse “gives his harness bells a shake” comparing these bells to the reminder of life’s obligations (line 9). Difficulties in life can distract people from their responsibilities. These “bells” or reminders can help a person to overcome a distraction and then persevere despite the difficulties. The inclusion of these metaphors supports the theme that overcoming difficult situations can be accomplished by focusing on commitments and obligations to others.

7. Topic Sentence
In his poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” the author Robert Frost incorporates metaphor to develop his theme that overcoming difficult situations can be accomplished by focusing on commitments and obligations to others.

8. Concrete detail #1
He employs a metaphor of snow during “the darkest evening of the year” to signify a difficult time in life (line 8).

9. Commentary
He employs a metaphor of snow during “the darkest evening of the year” to signify a difficult time in life (line 8).
Snow blankets land in frozen immobility, and a dark evening can prevent clear vision. This immobility and the inability to see what is ahead also correlates to how people feel when facing a difficult time in life.

10. Concrete detail #2
Frost also includes a metaphor when the horse “gives his harness bells a shake” comparing these bells to the reminder of life’s obligations (line 9).

11. Commentary
Frost also includes a metaphor when the horse “gives his harness bells a shake” comparing these bells to the reminder of life’s obligations (line 9).
Difficulties in life can distract people from their responsibilities. These “bells” or reminders can help a person to overcome a distraction and then persevere despite the difficulties.

12. Concluding statement
The inclusion of these metaphors supports the theme that overcoming difficult situations can be accomplished by focusing on commitments and obligations to others.

13. Second sample paragraph
Write a carefully constructed paragraph in which you use specific evidence to show how imagery helps to develop a theme.
The rich imagery of the natural surroundings in Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” helps emphasize the theme woven throughout. Frost’s description of the “lovely, dark and deep” woods the speaker retreats into from “his house… in the village” truly help the reader imagine the speaker’s remorse as he moves on with the day’s activities, leaving the distracting scenery behind (Frost). Furthermore, the personification of the horse’s questions as he asks his master “if there is some mistake” also contributes to the development of the theme (Frost). The speaker’s thoughts are revealed through his conversation we are privy to because of Frost’s inclusion of personification. Clearly, the inclusion of multiple literary elements helps Frost to strengthen his central theme in his poem.

14. What’s wrong with this topic sentence?
The rich imagery of the natural surroundings in Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” helps emphasize the theme woven throughout.

15. What’s wrong with this concrete detail?
Frost’s description of the “lovely, dark and deep” woods the speaker retreats into from “his house… in the village” truly help the reader imagine the speaker’s remorse as he moves on with the day’s activities, leaving the distracting scenery behind (Frost).

16. What’s wrong with this commentary?
Furthermore, the personification of the horse’s questions as he asks his master “if there is some mistake” also contributes to the development of the theme (Frost).

17. What’s wrong with this concrete detail?
Furthermore, the personification of the horse’s questions as he asks his master “if there is some mistake” also contributes to the development of the theme (Frost).

18. What’s wrong with this commentary?
The speaker’s thoughts are revealed through his conversation we are privy to because of Frost’s inclusion of personification.

19. What’s wrong with this concluding statement?
Clearly, the inclusion of multiple literary elements helps Frost to strengthen his central theme in his poem.

20. Revisions
Revise the paragraphs you have written on “The Road Not Taken” and “Courage” (when written). Each final draft should be typed (double spaced, 12 pt. times or time new roman font) and color-coded according to the parts of a paragraph.
Be sure to cite your textual evidence with line numbers.
Review the fix its list and how to embed quotations from the website’s important handouts.
Both paragraphs are due Wednesday (September 2).
Also, remember that your road maps are due tomorrow!

21. Rubric for paragraphs on poetry
Topic sentence
_____Clearly addresses the question
_____Specific and detailed
_____Correct answer
Textual evidence
_____2 pieces of evidence provided
_____Correct MLA style used
_____Direct quotes are introduced in student’s own words
Commentary
_____Explains how evidence links to topic sentence
_____Specific and detailed (explains how or why)
Concluding sentence
_____Wraps up ideas in concise way
_____Connects back to topic sentence and evidence
Color-coding
_____All sentences are correctly color-coded
MLA format
_____Correct Heading
_____12 point Times font
_____Double spaced
Draft of paragraph
____Included
____Revised