Dulce Seminar and Peace Research

Starter 7

1. Trade found poems.  Write their name and the title of their poem.
2. Message/perspective?
3. List poetic devices you see.  How doe they affect the meaning or reading of the poem?
4. What's the most powerful part of the poem?  Why?

Dulce et Decorum Est Seminar

Peace Research

Research on an organization working for peace.  Choose any organization from this website, then answer the following questions in writing.  All answers MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

1. Summarize the mission of the organization.  What do they do? What are their goals? What techniques or strategies do they use to try and bring about peace?
2. Where does this organization operate?  Are they worldwide, or focused on specific regions?
3. What type of violence is this organization addressing? (Direct, structural, physical, psychological, manifest, latent...)  It could be one or a combination.  Explain your answer.
4. Why is this work important?
5. How effective do you think this organization is in bringing about peace?  Why?
6. Make a personal connection to the work this organization is doing, OR talk about one thing that really struck you about this organization.

Poem Recitation

Sign up for a day to recite your memorized poem.  Recitations will start next Thursday.

Homework: Dulce Seminar Reflection       (DUE: Monday, Start of Class)

This seminar reflection should be in well-organized and proofread paragraphs, and must be TYPED.  QUOTE THE POEM as evidence in answers to questions 2 and 3.

1. React to one of your classmate's comments from the seminar. 
2. What have you learned from this seminar process about reading and interpreting poetry?  Use specific examples to back up your ideas.
3. Is it ever sweet and right to die for your country?  Develop and support your argument in a paragraph.

Dulce Coaching, Found Poems

Poem of the Day: Gift
    You tell me that silence
is nearer to peace than poems
but if for my gift
I brought you silence
   (for I know silence)
you would say
       This is not silence
this is another poem
and you would hand it back to me

-Leonard Cohen

Starter 6: What you find most interesting about the themes of peace, war, or violence (could be physical, psychological, direct, structural, etc...)?  What do you have to say about one of those themes?  Which theme are you most interested in exploring for your poem?  Why?

Dulce et Decorum Est Coaching

1. Fluid Reading: Make sure each group member is clear on pronunciation of words.  Each person reads poem out loud to group.
2. Close Reading: Go line by line until every group member can summarize every line of the poem.  Remember to ask questions, address all issues from D/C journals.
3. Coaching Handout: Follow instructions on coaching handout.

Poem Memorizations: Time to find poem you want to memorize, and consult with Lori.

Found Poetry: Time to work on found poem, according to directions on handout.

Homework (DUE: Friday, Start of class, TYPED)

Finish found poem, type it.  Make sure that it follow the directions on the handout!

Poetry Centers

Starter 5: Bystanding: The Beginning of an American Lifetime
Look at the text of the poem that is linked above.  Divide into 8 sections (every time there is a year listed, that is a new section).  Then write:

1. What is the message/perspective for each section?
2. What is the overall message/perspective of the entire poem?
3. What is the most powerful part, and why?

Watch the video of the artist performing her poem, then answer: How does this video change or develop the message of your poem, or change your perception of what the most powerful part of the poem is?

Poetry Centers

Working through 5-7 poetry centers with groups.  See Lori for these poems and activities.

Poem Memorization Assignment

Review of handout and assignment (see Lori for handout).  Need to have a poem chosen for memorization by the end of class on Friday.

Homework: "Dulce et Decorum Est" Difficulty/Curiosity Journal.  DUE: Thursday, start of class.

Identify a specific phrase or line in “Dulce” that you find difficult, or are curious about, and complete the following steps.  MUST BE TYPED!

1. Begin your journal by quoting the phrase or line from the poem that makes you curious or that you find difficult. 
2.  (1 Paragraph) Describe, as specifically as possible, your difficulty/curiosity with that section.  Why do you find it difficult, or what makes you curious about it?
3.  (1 Paragraph) Look back at your difficulty or curiosity and describe how you might work through your difficulty, or find out more about something you are curious about.  Put your idea into action, and describe the results.  What new understanding do you have now about the poem?

Dulce et decorum est and Difficulty

Poem of the Day: For the Anniversary of my Death

Starter 4: There is a War Going On For Your Mind

1. What is the message/perspective?
2. What's your favorite part, and why?
3. What poetic devices are used here?
4. How does the kinetic text enhance the meaning of this poem?  What does it add to you experience?

Share Poems

1. Share poems from homework.
2. Take notes on the back of you poem, listing devices they used, and what the strongest part of each poem was.
3. What's the strongest part of your poem, and why?
4. If you could make one change to your poem, what would it be, and why?

Too Dumb for Complex Texts?

1. Read aloud together
2. Discuss: What do you usually do when you run into a complex text that is really difficult?  What are some strategies for overcoming those difficulties?

Dulce et Decorum Est

1. Look only at title and translation, and predict what the poem will be about
2. Read two lines of the poem, and refine your prediction

Homework: DUE Thursday, start of class, TYPED.

1. Read Dulce et Decorum Est
2. Do Difficulty/Curiosity Journal: 
3. Begin your journal by quoting the phrase or line from the poem that makes you curious or that you find difficult. 
4.  (1 Paragraph) Describe, as specifically as possible, your difficulty/curiosity with that section.  Why do you find it difficult, or what makes you curious about it?  BE VERY SPECIFIC!
5.  (1 Paragraph) Look back at your difficulty or curiosity and describe how you might work through your difficulty, or find out more about something you are curious about.  Put your idea into action, and describe the results.  What new understanding do you have now about the poem?

Poetry Devices and Analysis

Poem of the Day: I ask them to take a poem

Starter 3 (first poem only- "Direct Orders"): What was your favorite line?  Why?  What experience or perspective does this poem give you that changes how you see or feel?

Poetry Notes: The Walrus and the Carpenter

1. Read out loud
2. Annotate the poem to mark what makes it unique (in blue reader)
3. What experience does this poem give you?
4. In poetry notes: Humor, Irony, Personification, Symbolism, Repetition

Poetry Notes: Shakespeare Sonnet 116

1. Annotate and paraphrase with Lori (in blue reader)
2. Poetry Notes: Sonnet form, Couplet, Turn, Enjambment

Poetry Analysis

1. Choose 2 of the remaining poems in your blue reader
2. Read poem out loud until you have a fluid reading
3. For each poem:
• Label the poetic devices used (from list or notes) on the poem
• What experience does this poem give you that changes your perceptions?  (1 paragraph, be specific!)
• What is the most powerful line, or set of lines?  What makes it/them powerful?
• For each poem choose 1 device (from list or notes), define it in your own words, and talk about how that device affects your experience of the poem.

Homework: DUE Tuesday, 3/22/11

1. Choose 3 poetic devices from your notes or the handout
2. Write a poem on a topic of your choice that uses those three devices