Theme for English B Poem
Writing
Overview: Words
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to
- Read and interpret poetry.
- Discuss the importance of word choices in poetic writing.
- Analyze a poet’s use of words and word choices.
- Make and support claims using evidence from literature.
- Read these poems:
- “Theme for English B”
- “Indian Boarding School: The Runaways”
- Complete the journal entry assignment below: Words and How Poets Use Them
Choose either “Indian Boarding School: The Runaways” or “Theme for English B” to discuss in your assignment.
Answer each of the questions below about the poem you’ve chosen. Answer the following questions. Your assignment should be approximately 200 words long and use complete sentences. Include examples from the poem where necessary. No citations are required; do not consult outside sources.
1. Who is the speaker? What do you know about him or her?
2. In this poem, what is the speaker responding to? What event, occasion or memory is discussed?
3. Find an example of a concrete detail (a specific physical place or object) and explain why the author used it in this poem.
4. How does the author mix concrete and abstract details? (Examples and definitions of “concrete” and “abstract”
are in the glossary in your textbook)
5. Discuss briefly why you chose this poem. Do you think it speaks to you or speaks for you? Why or why not?
