Do Illustrations Enhance Poetry? A WebQuest By Tim Matthews & Marc Levinson Teachers Students Home

The objectives of this activity are to: 1.Enhance student comprehension of poetry 2.Improve the ability of the student to: a) make use of artwork illustrations. b) evaluate artwork illustrations for poetry. Step 1 Students will review websites for poetry. Some poems will be illustrated, and some will not be illustrated. Students will then write opinions about how the illustrations either enhance or detract from the poem and share then share their view in an open discussion. Step 2 Students will next select a poem of their choosing and add an illustration using an appropriate medium for their grade level.* Step 3 Students will create an original poem with an illustration using an appropriate medium for their grade level. *Depending on grade level, tools for illustration may vary. Lower grades may use paper and crayons, KidPics, or PowerPoint. For older students, software, such as iMovie or Garageband would be more appropriate. Home Task Process Evaluation Conclusion Students Teachers

Home Teachers Process Evaluation Conclusion Students Step 1 Review websites for poetry. Some poems will be illustrated, and some will not be illustrated. Use Microsoft Excel to write opinions about how the illustrations helped to give you a better understanding of the poem. Then share your opinion with other students in a discussion. Step 2 Next choose a poem and add an illustration that you believe will help others understand the poem better. You may use any software program, or you may use paper with any sort of drawing material you wish. You may even make a collage or other visually creative art form that you choose. Step 3 Create an original poem with an illustration. Again, tools for illustration may vary. Begin by Clicking on ProcessProcess Creating and illustrating an original poem: Original poem: Two stanzas, each stanza, 5 points Three forms of figurative language, 3 points each Rhyme scheme present, 5 points Two poetic devices: Repetition, alliteration, or assonance, 3 points each Illustration: Illustration complements and conveys the mood of the poem, 15 points Chosen graphic medium is appropriate and project is completed without technical mistakes, Up to 10 points Task

Home Task Teachers Evaluation Conclusion Students Visit some of the links below. First, go to a site where the poetry is not illustrated (Non Illustrated) and then choose a site where the poems are illustrated. Then decide if you think that the illustrations make the poem easier to understand. Various Poems Various Poems Maya Angelou Non–illustrated O Captain! My Captain O Captain! My Captain Walt Whitman Non–illustrated The Road Not Taken The Road Not Taken Robert Frost Illustrated The Road Not Taken The Road Not Taken Robert Frost Non–illustrated Messy Room Messy Room Shel Silverstein Non–illustrated The Swing The Swing Robert Louis Stevenson Illustrated The Swing The Swing Robert Louis Stevenson Non–illustrated Go Next to Evaluation to see the grading rubric for this Quest.Evaluation Process

Home Task Process Conclusion Students Teachers Evaluation ScoreDiscussion/ObservationsIllustrationPoem/Illustration 4*Actively engaged in discussion *Listens as well as offers ideas *Connects written observations to discussion with excellent understanding of concept *Illustration demonstrates how picture can enhance poetry. *A great deal of effort and time is shown to have taken place. *Excellent conceptual understanding *Illustration and poetry are equal in scope and breadth of conveying meaning *Lots of effort shown in the creation. *Thorough understanding of the relevance of illustration 3*Actively engaged in discussion *Works within the group dynamic *Understands concepts *Illustration supports poetry well *Good effort is displayed *Ties the poem nicely together with illustration *Good Conceptual connection of how poetry may be enhanced by illustration *Illustration and poetry are well connected *Good effort is displayed *Good Conceptual understanding of how poetry is enhanced by illustration 2*Somewhat participates in conversation *Listens politely *Uncertain of concepts *Illustration is connected to poem *Shows moderate effort *Has some conceptual idea of how it connects to the poem *Illustration is connected to poem *Shows moderate effort *Has some conceptual idea of how the poem may be enhanced by viewing a picture 1*Difficulty participating in discussion *Some problems working within a group *Little or no written observations *Illustration with little relevance / connection to the poem *Little effort shown *Difficulty explaining illustration *Illustration and poem have little to do with each other *Some effort shown *Difficulty explaining relationship between illustration and poem 0*Little or no written observations *No participation *No attempt *No illustration *Completely off topic *No poem or illustration *Completely off topic

Home Task Process Teachers Conclusion Students You will decide if you enjoyed the poetry more or less with the illustrations. What did you learn about poetry during your quest? Do you believe that illustrations add to (enhance) the poem, or do you think they take away from it? Conclusion

Home Task Process Evaluation Conclusion In doing this WebQuest we hope to be able to answer this question: “Do illustrations/pictures make understanding poetry easier, or better?” Illustrations are pictures. Like illustrations, poetry gives us a picture in our mind. The only difference is poetry uses words, and illustrations use pictures to paint our ideas. Next go to the Task to find out what to do.Task Students