1. What’s a couplet? Two lines of poetry that have the same rhythm or meter (couplets also usually rhyme…but not all do…but ours will!) What’s meter? The recurring pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables (aka: the rhythm); the most common meter in poetry is Iambic Pentameter. What’s Iambic pentameter? A line of poetry that consists of five iambic “feet”; an iamb is one unstressed syllable followed by one that’s stressed; the pair of syllables is called a foot. Iambic pentameter has 10 syllables per line. So in iambic pentameter, the emphasis is on every other syllable, creating this pattern:

2. de/DUM de/DUM de/DUM de/DUM de/DUM Notice there are five pairs, or feet, of stressed and unstressed syllables. This means you have iambic pentameter!

3. Shakespeare played around with this structure to create different effects (for example, he changed the stress pattern and added syllables) An example of iambic pentameter from Shakespeare : Look for 10 syllables per line + rhythm of emphasizing every other word! U =unstressed, ‘ = stressed

4. Youtube: Iambic Pentameter Rap = total awesomeness! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p226OX39OLs&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1 &safe=active

5. How can I tell stressed from unstressed syllables? What are Stressed Syllables? –The best way is to read it aloud and hear the stresses, but if you have trouble doing that, there are some general rules you can use: The unstressed syllable or syllables in a word are the ones that get pronounced less forcefully. For example, the adverb forcefully has the first syllable stressed, and the other two syllables unstressed: force´fully. You can see the (´) mark to the right of the stressed syllable to denote stress (this stressed syllable mark will be shown in all English dictionaries!). So, FORCEfully is the correct way to say this word. FORCE = the stressed syllable, fully = the two unstressed syllables If you said forceFULLY, the word would sound wrong. Basically, the "key words" get stressed, the words that connect them don't. The stressed syllable or syllables in a word are the ones that get pronounced more forcefully. The words that are stressed can also depend on how the reader stresses them: de dum de dum…

6. Many songs also use Iambic Pentameter. Here are some lyrics from The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a song written, composed and performed by Canadian Gordon Lightfoot to commemorate the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. Notice the meter; find the Iambic Pentameter!

7. For our purposes, You will create at least two couplets about Civil War Generals. Each of your poems will have: Two lines (so you’ll write at least 4 lines since you’ll do two couplets) They will rhyme (again, not all couplets rhyme, but ours will!) Each line will have exactly 10 syllables You will utilize Iambic Pentameter (combo of stressed and unstressed syllables) You know you’re successful when your couplet sounds sing-songy!

8. Example: Robert E Lee lived in Arlington House (10!) Loved Traveler his horse and had a nice spouse (10!) Your couplet has to have ten syllables and rhyme (10!) You can make it into iambic pentameter if you read it by alternating your stressed words!

9. How to get started: 1.Quietly, as a whole N or whole S, read your reading. 2.Pick a buddy (generals will help). 3. Agree on a general from your reading that interests you. 4. List words that go with him 5. Turn these into couplets 6. Repeat steps 3-5

10. When we’re ready: Couplet-Off Each side will go head-to-head in sharing their best couplet: one N then one S Mr. Lincoln/Davis will be the judge of the two poems. I will judge on 1. quality of facts 2. quality of humor/creativity 3. and whatever else I want The pair that “wins” will be awarded 30 points for their side We’ll go several rounds

11. What do the generals do? Help to pair up soldiers on their side Be sure there are a diversity of generals represented in the couplets Write ONE couplet of your own about yourself. Generals will go head-to-head; best CW general couplet wins 50 pts for their side!

12. Read Quietly for 8 minutes. When the timer is on 00:00, you can begin!

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