Title III Grant

An Introduction to Poetry Using Color

Bonnie DeGroat

Summary

This "experience" was taken from a poetry unit. It is the first of many poems that will eventually, as a culminating project, represent a portfolio of poetic works. During this unit, students are expected to complete a variety of poems that focus on many different literary techniques and styles. As part of this unit, students are also expected, as part of the assessment process, to share their portfolios with adults in the school and at home. Another element, of course, is the peer and self-evaluation of this culminating project.

LEARNING CONTEXT

This experience will support English Language Arts Standards 1, 2, and 3. These standards focus on "Language for Information and Understanding," "Language for Literary Response and Expression," and "Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation." This language arts activity can tie in with the Art curriculum for this experience as well as with the entire poetry unit by using art to illustrate the poems.

Students need to know how to brainstorm ideas for writing purposes. Students, at the end of this activity, will be able to use colors as a tool to enhance the poetic form. In using colors, students will also see and understand the connection between colors and metaphors in poetry. The final outcome will be for the students to write a color poem, using metaphors as a figurative language device.

PROCEDURE

To prepare for this activity, the teacher needs to obtain a copy of the book entitled Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O’Neill. In this resource, the teacher will find a selection of color poems. He/she will need to select one to read to the class. It is important that students come to class with the understanding that they will be starting a new unit on poetry; therefore, paper and pen/pencils are required.

Directions: Students need to listen as the teacher reads the selected color poem. During that time, students should focus their listening skills on the objects selected by the poet to connect to that particular color. Note that this activity enhances preparation for the NYS ELA 8^th grade test by giving students practice on their listening skills. When the teacher has finished reading the selection, students are asked how many objects they can remember. Discuss their connections to that color. They will realize that many of the objects are not literal but rather emotional connections. At this point, the teacher needs to discuss the literary technique of metaphors and how important they are to this type of poetry. Now students should write a definition of a metaphor in their English notebooks. The teacher should use an overhead transparency to present the definition. Next the teacher needs to ask the students to write a metaphor about a different color. The teacher then goes around the room to check for understanding; this is a good time to ask for volunteers to read their creative color metaphors. Students should also discuss how these color poems are different from prose (phrases, punctuation, capitalization, etc.). Once these have been shared, students should select a new color (individually) and begin writing a color poem. Teachers should allow for writing time, eventually allowing for time for peer readings. Teachers should also consider providing guidelines for the requirements, so that there are no questions about the expectations (i.e. length of poem, title, format of poem, etc.) Also during this time of writing, as modeled and described by Nancy Atwell (In the Middle), teachers should be modeling their writing style by writing a color poem to share with the class at a later time. This gives the student more impetus to write and become involved because each student can see that the teacher is a writer as well. Once the rough draft of the poem has been worked on (which may be an overnight homework assignment), this is the ideal time to teach the literary technique of alliteration by modeling it on the color poem written by the teacher. Again, the English notebook can be used for noting the formal definition of alliteration, so students can have that for future writings. About halfway through the process of adding alliteration to the teacher’s copy (using the overhead), the teacher should ask for suggestions on how to finish the product. With the teacher’s poem revised with alliteration as a literary device, now the students should have the opportunity to try this with their color poems. Once again the teacher needs to check for understanding by walking around the room and monitoring each individual’s work. It may be necessary to use an overhead at this point to share some good examples of alliteration. I use "cold crunchy cereal" as a mnemonic device for students, and they tend to remember alliteration throughout the year. The final copy of their color poems should be graded on the student’s success at using metaphors, alliteration, aforementioned requirements such as number of lines, and the editing process of corrective spelling. A general rubric can be devised indicating each item and its measured weight (see end of this experience). Make sure the rubric contains a place for comments, so that the student understands how to improve the writing

INSTRUCTIONAL/ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS

During this two-three day classroom activity, the teacher should make available copies of published color poems for those students who need to see models to work with. This helps the slower learner to gain confidence in working next to a model. It is imperative that the teacher also checks each step of this writing within the classroom, so that the student feels success before finishing the task at home. The classroom should be bright with colors, using poetry posters and nature pictures to help students to realize the importance of language and how it can connect to the real world. It is also important to make sure that the seating arrangement works well for all students; they should feel comfortable in sharing and asking for suggestions. Due to this, it is also advised that a poetry unit or learning experience does not take place at the very beginning of the school year.

MATERIALS & SUPPLIES

The student will need a writer’s notebook and a writing utensil. The teacher will need the copy of the poetry book mentioned before, and an overhead projector and transparency with the definition of a metaphor and alliteration. Art materials can be supplied to enhance the finished product with color and pictures. This can be provided by the art department/art class or through the English class. When the students have completed the editing process of their work, computers can be used for the final copy. Also teachers should check to see if their school districts have web sites for student work; these poems make "colorful" additions to any educational web site.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

Students’ participation during the modeling of color poetry is the first evidence of the students’ understanding. Once this check for understanding has been accomplished and they begin their independent writing of color poems, observation and conferencing with individual students are essential to evaluating again for understanding. The end product, the color poem, is evaluated on the use of alliteration, metaphors, the editing process, and presentation. The evaluation sheet/rubric would include five areas worth 20 points each. The first area is the use of metaphors. The second area is the use of alliteration. The third area is the use of the editing process, including spell check. The fourth area is the presentation of the document; it should be word-processed with a title, name of poet (student’s name), and decorated with the objects mentioned in the poem, in that particular color. The last requirement would include peer and self-evaluation. These evaluations should be typed up beforehand so students know what type of assessments they will be judged by.

Here is an example of a rubric that could be used:

TIME REQUIRED

The planning of this lesson will take approximately one hour, especially if the teacher focuses carefully on the seating arrangement of the classroom. The implementation and assessment in total will take four days; the last day will be where the teacher collects the color poems and evaluates them in regard to metaphors, alliteration, the editing process, and the final product in regard to word processing and reader’s appeal. The last day should also be used for peer review, for this is an important step in the process of assessment.

STUDENT WORK

"The Faces of Red"

Red, it has many faces,

It is found in many places.

And if we take a look around,

It is everywhere to be found.

For instance if we look and see,

That painter’s beret is red, oui, oui!

Red ripe apples are another,

Red is a farmhouse window shutter.

If we go to the circus and look,

There’s a clown’s red nose in a picture I took.

Also a child carrying a red bright balloon,

And wearing a hairy hat like Daniel Boone.

Now, let’s go the city and see,

If you can’t find red, please, allow me!

The stoplights, the tail-lights, and the little sports cars,

Are all parts of the world we like to call ours.

Now the next time you smell red in a rose,

or hear red in the blow of an ice-cold nose,

or taste red in a strawberry patch,

these things and my words, please do attach.

"The Darkest Color"

Black as a cat

in a magician’s hat

A hole

in the soul.

Lifeless. . .

nothing.

The darkest tiniest tint

in the newspaper print

Shows the most distinctive color

and the obituary of an old forgotten mother.

Black, the center of your heart

the darkest part

Where emotions hide

and hem deep inside.

A starless night

gives one a fright

A dark, dark evening,

Can give lovers feeling.

Ebony keys

make magical music to please

When tickled with the ivories.

Black mixes with ease.

Licorice luscious candy

tastes just delightfully dandy

Bitter

sweet

Black!

REFLECTION

The ideal outcome of this experience is for students to feel comfortable writing poetry. This is a necessary step before a poetry unit can commence because they have self-confidence now and are willing to venture forward. For the slow learner or a learner lacking self-confidence, using models of color poems will help them to experiment with the texts. The modeling and practice time for the students are also necessary components so that the final product will meet teacher’s expectations. In the end of the poetry unit, students will share their poems, including the color poems, with adults in the school building as well as with adults and friends at home and in the community. These readers will write back to the poets and express their interest in their poetry and select favorites within the portfolio.