Title: How to Read Poetry

Grade Level: 11^th Grade

Long Range Objective: State standard 2.1A – discern an implied main idea from a passage.

Set: The teacher will quickly and awkwardly read “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. The faster the poem is read, the better. The teacher will then explain this is how poetry is usually read: quickly and in hurry to get it over with. Poetry cannot be read in such a manner to extract what the author was initially trying to illustrate.

Learning Objectives: (1) Describe the proper procedures for reading poetry (i.e. – not stopping unless punctuation is visible, slowing down, tone, mood, etc.). (2) Define Theme. (3) Identify one theme in “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. (4) Define metaphor. (5) Identify one metaphor in “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke.

Instructional Procedures: Lecture and Group based work. After the set the teacher will describe the important steps to reading poetry.

(1) Read the poem to get a sense of it stopping only for punctuation (i.e. commas, periods, etc.), not at the end of each line.

(2) Read the poem aloud to identify the tone or mood.

(3) Identify the speaker/narrator and any changes to speaker.

(4) Identify the main characters of the poem.

(5) Describe the plot.

(6) Reread the poem.

After the description of the steps to reading poetry the teacher and the students will dissect Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” together. The teacher will describe the definition: theme and metaphor. Students will then be placed into groups and allowed to read and dissect the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke. Afterwards, a discussion on the poem will ensue in the class.

Guided Practice: Students will break into groups and write notes to be turned in on “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke.

Check for Understanding: A Question and Answer session will be held at the end of the class to reemphasize the importance of reading poetry. Also, the definition of theme and metaphor will again be gone over. Sample Questions:

(1) How do students normally go about reading poetry?

(2) How should students read poetry?

(3) What is a metaphor?

(4) What is a theme?

Materials: Copies of “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost and “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke. Dry Erase Board and Marker to write questions, answers, definitions, and observations on the board for all students to see. Handout on the proper way to read poetry.

Closing: The class will end with the Question and Answer session drawn out enough to ensure the students have grasped the concepts designed in the lesson. Also, a reread of “The Road Not Taken.” This time the poem will be read slower to help with comprehension.