LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Singing the Song of Life

This lesson requires students to use their reading, comprehension, and analysis skills to analyze a poem and respond creatively to the selection.

A lesson plan for grade 11 English Language Arts

By Angela Taylor

Learn more

Related pages

  • African Masks (Pre-Visit): This lesson will observe and describe several masks from different parts of Africa housed in the Smithsonian Institute (National Museum of African Art) Washington, D.C. Students will use the internet to view the Smithsonian's virtual exhibits. There are two lessons to follow this pre-visit. In the first, the students will explore African masks at the Ackland Art museum in Chapel Hill. In a culminating activity the students will make their own masks with some personal materials brought from home. (Post-visit activity)

Related topics

Legal

This page copyright ©2008. Terms of use

Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • demonstrate comprehension skills.
  • demonstrate analysis and response skills.
  • make personal connections.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

3 days

Materials/resources

  • Pen and paper
  • Copies of poem “Song of Life” on page 60.
  • Poetry vocabulary
    This site offers some commonly used terms that is a good resource.
  • Poetry Image Map. This site has the poetry image map previously used for this lesson. Others may be available on the Internet.
  • Construction paper
  • Markers
  • Magazines
  • Glue

Technology resources

Internet access to The Passing Clouds selections

Pre-activities

Students will need to know the basic elements of poetry.

Students will need to be able to work cooperatively in groups.

Activities

Day One:

  1. Students will begin by sharing their personal definition of life and ways to celebrate life. “What is life?” How does one celebrate life?”
  2. Based on student responses (each child will be required to respond--in writing or verbally), groups of four will be formed.
  3. Next, students will read the poem aloud in their groups. Each student will take 1-2 minutes to write down an immediate reaction to the poem. They will then discuss their reactions and each student will complete an individual poetry image map. (This map is available here).
  4. We will then come together as a class to analyze basic poetic elements (rhythm, rhyme, symbolism, theme,and figurative language). (Vocabulary available here)

Day Two:

  1. We will begin by reviewing our discussion of the elements of poetry. Students will be given additional examples of rhythm and rhyme to enhance their comprehension of these elements, then they will listen to another reading of the poem “Song of Life.” Students will then get into the same groups (from yesterday) and brainstorm to develop a musical rhythm that matches the mood of the poem or the group’s interpretation of the poem.
  2. Students will create a visual “advertisements” (using construction paper, glue, markers and magazine pictures) for their “song”. They will use the visual in presentations of their “song” the following day.
  3. Note: Students will be asked to begin brainstorming ideas for their own personal songs. Suggestions will include selecting a rhythm that represents their personality.

Day Three:

  1. Students will create their own “song of life” using their personal experiences. For each year of the students’ life, he/she will select a memorable or meaningful event and record the event.
  2. Next, the student will summarize the events (in chronological order) in a rhyming format. Lastly, students will select a rhythm for their personal “songs,” to be performed at the end of the class period.

Assessment

Peer Evaluations (using rubric)
A modified version of the rubric can be found here.

An optional peer evaluation rubric may be found at http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson78/poetrubric.html

Participation in collaborative groups (rubric)
The rubric found at
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/collaborub.html will be used as the assessment tool for collaborative groups.

Supplemental information

online sites, handouts, poetry definitions, examples, rubrics

Related websites

“The Passing Clouds” resource
http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/historyfiction/item.aspx?id=mop

Poetry Vocabulary resource
http://www.mca.k12.nf.ca/subpro2.htm

Poetry Image Map resource
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/langhu/imagemap2.html

Comments

None

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 11 — English III

  • Goal 1: The learner will demonstrate increasing insight and reflection to print and non-print text through personal expression.
    • Objective 1.02: Reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:
      - discover multiple perspectives.
      - investigate connections between life and literature.
      - explore how the student's life experiences influence his or her response to the selection.
      - recognize how the responses of others may be different.
      - articulate insightful connections between life and literature.
      -consider cultural or historical significance.
  • Goal 4: The learner will critically analyze text to gain meaning, develop thematic connections, and synthesize ideas.
    • Objective 4.01: Interpret meaning for an audience by:
      - examining the functions and the effects of narrative strategies such as plot, conflict, suspense, point of view, characterization, and dialogue.
      - interpreting the effect of figures of speech (e.g., personification, oxymoron) and the effect of devices of sound (e.g., alliteration, onomatopoeia).
      - analyzing stylistic features such as word choice and links between sense and sound.
      - identifying ambiguity, contradiction, irony, parody, and satire.
      - demonstrating how literary works reflect the culture that shaped them.
  • Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
    • Objective 6.02: Discern and correct errors in speaking and writing at a level appropriate to eleventh grade by:
      - reviewing and refining purposeful use of varying sentence types with correct punctuation.
      - reviewing and refining correct pronoun usage, antecedents, and case.
      - refining subject/verb agreement and choice of tense.
      - extending effective use of phrases and clauses. - discussing parts of speech as they relate to writing.
      -editing for correct spelling and mechanics.