Free Verse

Bellringer: What is free verse poetry?

Recap: In order to fully understand free verse, because it's more than just a poem that doesn't rhyme, we visited Poetry through the Ages to better understand it. There are several examples and definitions, and this will help. Remember, all other literary elements can occur within free verse except rhyme scheme and meter. I think free verse also allows you to express yourself a bit more, because you aren't constrained to a rhyme scheme. We can definitely have fun with this!

Poems examined today:

"Fog" by Carl Sandburg 
"Birches" by Robert Frost

Great job on your ballad poems from Friday. I'm sorry I wasn't here. I really missed you! 

Homework: Have a poem selected that you would like to memorize for next week. I need to see them Wednesday for approval. 

Have a nice evening!

Z

The Highwayman

Bellringer: 

'

Write a poem about the above picture. When you are finished, click here to see another poem composed about it, and the full article. 

Recap: After our bellringer check, we read "The Highwayman." This is a longer narrative poem, but also steps up the difficulty. I want you to get comfortable defining terms on your own.

Have a nice evening!

Z

Poetry Terms Quiz

Bellringer: Write a poem about something you saw today.

Recap: We completed your poetry terms quiz. I wanted to make sure you knew the terms in order to continue with our unit. We will pick up with longer poems tomorrow. You will begin taking the reigns on their analysis, and we will step up the level of poems we are reading. 

Have a nice night!

Z

Ballad Poems Day 2

Bellringer:  

Write an 8 line, rhyming poem with 4 line couplets about the above picture, or something that inspires you about the above picture.

Recap: We analyzed two poems today, "The Ballad of the Landlord" by Langston Hughes, and "O Captain! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman. I wanted you to note the difference in meter compared to the previous poems we read.

We will also be taking a quiz on the literary terms that have been shared with you tomorrow. Please be prepared.

Hang on to your ballad poems/songs that I asked you for today. We will review them tomorrow.

Have a nice night!

Z

"The Walrus and the Carpenter"

Bellringer: What is a ballad?

Recap: We read a long poem today called a ballad. A ballad is a poem or song that tells a story. We read, "The Walrus and the Carpenter" by Lewis Carroll. I wanted to redeem him for you after "Jabberwocky."

Following the reading, you were asked to completed an analysis that included: rhyme scheme, meter, personification, metaphor, simile, hyperbole, and state the story being told. I want you to get comfortable analyzing the easy poems on your own, as we will now be moving into more difficult analysis.

Nice work today!

Have a good night!

Z

A Walk for Inspiration

Bellringer: What is your favorite part of spring? Write it in a brief poem.

Recap: We made a bit of a switch by heading outside for some poetry inspiration. You were asked to complete an 8 line poem based on what you saw around you. In order to complete this assignment, we took a walk to the side of the school, and sat by the pond. Poets draw inspiration from a variety of sources, and on such a beautiful day, I wanted you to feel inspired by the beauty of nature and your school.

Great work this week! We will pick up next week with ballads and free-verse.

Enjoy the weekend!

Z

Poem Peer Edit

Bellringer: Write a poem about the following picture:

Emily Dickinson

This bellringer is from the New York Times. They provide a picture, ask for a poem, and then provide the story behind it. Today's poem was of Emily Dickinson.

Recap: After writing poems about Emily, we completed our peer edit for the poems that are due tomorrow. Please be sure to have your peer edit sheet attached to your printed poem for tomorrow. Some of the poems I've seen thus far have been very good! Finger snaps all around!

Great work!

Z

Stopping by the Jabberwocky

Bellringer:

 

Inspiration for poems can come from anywhere. Examine the picture above. Write a poem based on something that inspires you from this photo. (Where is this place? What will occur there? Write about the country, or statue, people, or future events, etc.)

Recap: I think you learned that poetry can be fun! We began by reviewing poetry "feet." These are what you call the number of syllables present in each line. This can vary based by poem or poet. Some poets adhere to them strictly (Frost, Shakespeare), while others do not (Yeats). It's just the way you keep track of the poem.

We then read, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost. This is one of my favorite poems for the simple, yet beautiful imagery he creates. In just 16 lines he tells the story of a man who pauses to admire the beauty of snow falling in the woods. What reason has he stopped? No one knows. That may be a story unto itself! ;-)

We also read "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll. This is the same man who wrote Alice in Wonderland, and the poem appears in Alice, Through the Looking Glass. It is meant to be a nonsensical poem about a man who fights and slays the Jabberwocky. What's a Jabberwocky, you ask? No one knows! But through these lines, there is some clarity, and the story can be understood.

Remember, you need to read a poem at least 3 times in order to fully understand it.
1. Become familiar with the language; what's being said.
2. Pick up on details, story being told.
3. Analyze

You did a nice job with these poems! I think you're understanding what needs to be done, and now we'll start bumping it up a bit.

Homework: Rough draft of poem for tomorrow!

Have a nice evening!

Z

The Stolen Child

Bellringer: What is your favorite song or artist?

Recap: We read "The Stolen Child," by W.B. Yeats, looking for literary elements, rhyme scheme, and meter. This is a fun poem to look for these things with, because unlike most poets, Yeats does not conform to standard writing conventions. Each stanza is a different length, and with the exception of the first four lines, and the last four lines of each, the rhyme scheme varies. 

Homework: You have your first poetry writing assignment due Friday. Drafts should be completed by Thursday, so we can work on them in class doing a peer edit. The poem should be a minimum of 12 lines, and tell a story. The first line of the poem, however, will be a line from a song. This will give you a place to start. 

Story Poem Assignment

Nice work today with the Yeats poem! He can be tricky, but I thought you conducted a great analysis! The more you read, the better you will become at poetry! 

Z 

Meter in Poetry

Bellringer: Figure out how many syllables are in your full name (First, middle, last).
State how many there are.

Recap: We focused on poetry meter and rhythm today. I was going to hold off on this, but I wanted you to understand the rhythm of the poem. Most poets write the rhythm into the poem purposfully, which helps you to keep the beat. If you don't follow this created rhythm, it can throw off the entire poem, and even change its meaning.

Intro to Stress and Meter

Types of Metrical Feet

These are the two worksheets covered in class today. Save them and review. You'll find that most poems are written in iambic, but that doesn't mean they all are. We will be looking for the meter in poems so that you can understand them better. This will also help you when you have to memorize one later on. 

Great work today!

Z

Casey at the Bat

Bellringer: It's open-forum Friday!

Why is the missing Malaysia airplane so important right now?

***I wanted to discuss this with you, as it is at the forefront of the news, but it also helps to influence the mood of the culture, which, in turn, influences writing. 


Recap: We read the poem, "Casey at the Bat" today, looking for metaphor, simile, hyperbole, rhyme scheme, meter, onomatopoeia, etc. This is a great poem for that as it has consistent rhyme scheme and meter, and has many good literary devices.

You did a nice job with both our Open-Forum Friday discussion, and the poem! 

Enjoy the weekend!

Z

The Poetry of Music

Bellringer: Write a 4 line, rhyming poem about yourself.

Recap: Last night I asked you to print lyrics from a song that you could come in and analyze. I wanted you to be able to dissect the song, because it will make it easier to dissect poems. Today we worked on picking apart your songs, looking for metaphor, simile, hyperbole, rhyme scheme, assonance, consonance, etc. You did a really nice job with this!

Good work today! I like how you are progressing!

See you tomorrow!

Z 

Poetry

Bellringer: What is poetry?

Recap: We moved from film to poetry today, and began with a new set of literary terms. We need to know what to look for, and what those words mean, in order to understand the unit. Your literary terms are on your Google Drive, or you may find a copy here. We made a copy of this, and came up with examples for each.

Nice job with this! 

Homework: Find CLEAN lyrics to a song that you think is poetry. Print them out, and bring them to class tomorrow. We will dissect them, looking for the elements we discussed in our poetry terms. 


Have a great night!

Z 

Film Quiz

Bellringer: What was your favorite part of the Oscar unit?

Recap: We began today with a Kahoot! review for your vocab quiz. You did a great job with this! We then took your vocab quiz. The scores look good!

We also watched a brief clip from Jaws that I had meant to show you for cinematography. To do this, Steven Spielberg used two cameras: one going out, the other in, at the same time. Great trick! Very innovative!

Tomorrow, we begin poetry!

Have a nice night!

Z

That's a Wrap!

Bellringer: What is one new thing you've learned through this unit?


Recap: We've brought our film unit to a close today with Forrest Gump, Chicago, and The Artist.

Forrest Gump is a favorite of most people, but shows Tom Hanks at his finest, in addition to bringing in the major elements of film we discussed: background music, mise-en-scene, and cinematography.

Chicago brings Hollywood back to its roots, and is the first musical film to win the Oscar since the 1960s. We showed the improvement of editing, as they quickly cut back and forth between the press conference, and the puppeteer. Music is used for the highest point of action to replace dialogue, and this clip exhibits how the lawyer has turned the client into a puppet by telling her what to say.

The Artist has gone back to Hollywood's true roots by making the entire film black and white and silent. The acting is more theatrical, as it was in the beginning, and all movement exaggerated.

Homework: Quiz tomorrow on film terms.

Nice work with this unit! I'm really proud of what you've accomplished with all of this, and how much you've taken away from it.

Have a nice night!

Z  

Open Forum Friday--NJ Teen Lawsuit Edition

Bellringer: A New Jersey teen was in court this week after suing her parents for her private school tuition, basic living expenses, and part of her college fund. They say she moved out. She says they kicked her out.

Who has the right to the funds? See the full story here.

You did a GREAT job with this discussion! I loved how passionate you were about supporting the teen, and also defending the parents, but then how your opinions changed after we watched the video. Great discussion with this!

Recap: Following our discussion, we watched a clip from the Dead Poet's Society, which won the Oscar for Best Screenwriting. It's a well-written film, and I wanted you to see the best of what it had to offer.

I also want you to note how film has changed since we began our Oscar timeline. You noted the cinematography and camera angles, as well as how film began to rope you in, making you more a part of the action.

Excellent work this week! Enjoy your weekend!

Z

Ping Pong Writing Challenge

Bellringer: Please visit http://goo.gl/hUqaqB .

Then, write a brief response on how this article relates to the assignment we’ve just covered in class. How does it compare? What are your thoughts on Kayla and her challenges?

** I wanted you to see this girl's challenge, so you could see how she overcame it, just like your previous writing assignment.

Recap: Today we took a break from the Oscars and held a Ping Pong Writing Challenge. You were asked to write about the picture provided, creating a back story about what was going on. You were paired with a partner on the opposite side of the room, and each person was required to write one sentence, and alternate that way. 

I hope you enjoyed the challenge! You all did a great job! Your stories were so creative! I can't wait to read what else you have in store as we approach fiction.

Have a great evening! Thank you for your cooperation today!

Z

The Godfather and Rocky

Bellringer: Who was the best dressed at the Academy Awards? Explain your choice.

Recap: We watched a clip from Marlon Brando's first film On the Waterfront so that you could see his transformation into Don Carleone in The Godfather. We discussed the choice of colors that are used for the costumes and the backdrop, and the darkness of the lighting, all of which is meant to bring your attention to the actors. They don't want your focus to be on the scenery, just on the actors. There is also a lack of background music, just like in the scene we watched from Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? This was also an attempt to draw your attention in to the dialogue.

We then made a drastic change and watched the classic "Art Museum Steps" scene from Rocky. We see Rocky running through the streets of Philadelphia, with the people cheering him on, and children following behind. We noted the colors being used, and the lack of dialogue, being replaced with only music.

You've been doing a great job with our analysis! I can see the nuances you are picking up on that you could not pick up a week ago. This is AWESOME!

I really hope you're enjoying the unit as much as I am.

Homework: For Friday, write about a film you either love or hate. You'll need to use at least 3 of the vocabulary terms we covered. This should be in paragraph form, printed, and a minimum of 100 words. This assignment must also be spell-checked, and printed.

Have a nice evening!

Z

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

Bellringer: Provide at least 10 descriptions for this photo:

Recap: We began examining film from the 1960s, beginning with Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. This film won the Oscar for Best Screenwriting, but also helped to shatter some existing racial issues at the time. For the brilliant writing and acting, along with the social mores it addresses, I wanted you to see this clip. We also discussed it briefly regarding "blocking" when Spencer Tracy couldn't find his mark. It works for the scene, as he appears pensive. 

Hopefully, you see the definite progression of film, based on what we viewed in class. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner now incorporates setting, there was a change in acting, and we noted the lack of background music as a way of calling your attention to the dialogue. 

We also watched a clip from My Fair Lady. This also addresses social classes, as many films of the 1960s did. Among the award winners in that decade were West Side Story, Oliver!, and The Sound of Music. The film industry was calling people's attention to pressing issues of the time. 

Homework: Tomorrow you will be asked to write a 100 word editorial on your favorite movie, using at least 3 terms from the vocabulary. Please give some consideration to the film you'd like to write about.

I'm noticing some great improvements in your writing. Terrific job! 

Have a nice evening!

Z

Oscar History 1950s/60s

Bellringer: What was your favorite film nominated for last night's Oscar?

Recap: We reviewed the film vocabulary I provided in class today. We will have a quiz on these later in the week. These are the terms I felt would be the most important for our film unit. 

Below are the links for the film clips we viewed. Hopefully, you are able to see the quick progression of the film industry, and the ever-changing world of motion pictures.

Bridge Over the River Kwai--watched for special effects. 

An American in Paris --musicals becoming more popular in film, and contenders for best picture. 

Have a nice night!

Z

Oscars, Day 2

Bellringer: What was your favorite film we viewed yesterday? Why?

What else are you looking forward to covering with this unit?

Recap: I checked Bellringers today. If you were out, please be sure to show them to me Monday. They are bellringers 11-20. I also checked the homework assigned Thursday on reviewing one of the films watched in class. If you were absent Friday, please submit that to me on Monday.

Following the Bellringer check, we watched a clip from Gone With the Wind. This is considered one of the greatest cinematic masterpieces ever made. I wanted you to be able to see it, as it is remarkably different from the other film clips watched, and a film you should, without a doubt, have the opportunity to see. I'm sorry I can't show it to you in its entirety. That could take weeks.

I hope you are enjoying our film writing unit. You're doing a great job with the comparisons and contrasts!

Keep up the good work! Watch the Academy Awards!

Z