week of 2/26/13

Thursday:

Goal: Begin to synthesize DPS and major poetry class goals. Change Poems. Introduce paper.

HW: Draft of Paper (post on the blog for Tuesday).

Link to Assignment 

First Step: Go Over DPS sheets.

New Beginning/Change Poem

Finish the following lines to create a whole poem. 
Be as specific as you can. It’s okay if you need 
to skip a line or two, but make an attempt to address every line. 
(DYT note: If you’d like to write a “change poem” 
in your own format, you may, but please address the idea of change.)

I was (description of who you were)…
I remember (a memory)…
I heard (something you wish you hadn’t heard)…
I saw (something you weren’t supposed to see)…
I worried (something that troubled you)…
I thought (a description of where your life was headed)…
But I want change.
I am (an accurate description of you)…
I think (how you perceive the world)…
I need (a goal you’d like to fulfill)…
I try (something that will help you improve yourself)…
I feel (describe an emotion)…
I forgive (someone or something that has caused you pain)…
Now I can change.
I will (a prediction of the kind of person you will be)…
I choose (something you want to do differently)…
I dream (something you dare to dream about)…
I hope (something positive that you strive for)…
I predict (how you see yourself in the future)…
I know (a full description of your future self)…
I will change.

DPS reaction on the white board (silent chalk talk)

Introduce paper and time to work. (This is a link to the assignment.)

_____________________________________
Tuesday, 2/26:



Goal: Finish "Dead Poets Society" and Discuss.

HW (for Thursday): Change Poem

First Step: Back to the "Dead Poets" Sheet for a minute.

Finish Movie

Change Poem:

week of 2/19/13

Tuesday 2/19:

Goal: Begin to address/synthesize some of the fundamentals the poetic mindset. 

First Step: Sweet Like a Crow Poems. Where are they? Why has this assignment been difficult? (I got some emails over the weekend, and it seems that many of you have not bothered to do it.)

Share a couple from people who get it. 





For the rest of today and Thursday (and maybe longer actually, we’ll watch the movie Dead Poets Society  (!!!)

Link to the Study Guide

This is an old movie, but it is also a timeless classic!


As a six-week culminating assignment, you are going to write an essay based on the movie of about 300-400 words (which means about a page or two, typed, double-spaced, normal-sized font and margins). Here’s your prompt:


How does Dead Poets Society reflect ideas presented in poetry class so far this semester?


In answering this question, you must address specific topics that we've covered in class, as well as specific examples from the movie. The more specific you are with examples, and the more interestingly and sophisticatedly you compare our class work to ideas and events in DPS, the better you’ll do. 

week of 2/12/13

Day 2 (Thursday, 2/14/13)

Goal: Build an image poem that hangs together, either because of a theme or because of categories of images.

First Step: A Valentine's Poem:

Remember the 2 C's of Poetry!

Taylor Mali "How Falling in Love is like Owning a Dog"


Sweet Like a Crow Poem.

First: 

Use Whitman Quote to model the exercise. 

3 Themes
2 categories of imagery that fit the theme

1. Choose the quote from your "three" that most inspires you. 

• Make a Lucid chart that breaks down your quote into themes. 

Step one: Use Google Chrome to get on the internet. Google Lucidchart or go to http://www.lucidchart.com

Step two: Make a flow chart on lucid chart that contains your quote, a major theme, five minor themes, and 20 GOOD images.

Step three: Turn your lucid chart into a poem that resembles "Sweet Like a Crow," with a title, an epigraph, and at least 20 separate images.


Day 1 (Tuesday, 2/12/13): 

Goal: Continue to discuss what it means to have conviction.

HW: For Thursday, Bring in at least three quotes you like.

First Step: O Me, O Life!

Then: Taylor Mali again...

Conviction: Who has it? 


Share some poems if you want.

Now, back to...

"Sweet Like a Crow" 

here's a link: http://mareeblogblogblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/sweet-like-crow-michael-ondaatje-for.html

With a partner, answer these five questions about the poem: (Did this happen on Thursday?)

1. Make one or two absolutely literal statements about the text (ones that no one could disagree with).
2. Briefly describe the central tension of the text
3. Make one interpretive statement about an image in the text (one in which you ascribe meaning or investigate a meaning beyond the literal. Be prepared to defend your interpretation with evidence from the text.)
4. Make a central assertion that captures the most valid meaning/message of the text.
5. Ask one key question about the poem.

What was your favorite image and why?

Making categories of images.

Read through "Sweet like a Crow." Put the images into five categories. Be ready to share them.

HW: For Thursday, Bring in at least three quotes you like.

week of 2/5/13

Tuesday, 2/5:

"There is hurt here that cannot be fixed by band-aids or poetry." --Sarah Kay

"When Love Arrives" --Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye

"How Falling in Love is like Owning a Dog" --Taylor Mali

Mockingbird Remix - Rives

Goal: There are so many poems up on the blogs. We need to honor some of this work.

First Step: Grab a computer. Let me know your number. 

--Freewrite on your blog. The goal is to keep typing for 5-10 minutes.


Option 1: Something that irritates you.

Option 2: Something you love.

Option 3: Something you're anticipating with excitement.

Option 4: Something you're dreading.

Post your free write on your blog.

Then, go to http://sparespoetry2013.blogspot.com/

Choose three people. Read their work and comment on their blog.

Let's find a few that we need to hear.