1. October 10 – AP Lit – Poetry
Agenda:
Thesis Work
Make a decision
Gathering (and citing) evidence
Create your outline
Homework:
Type your outline and bring in TWO copies
You will need:
Now:
Your six theses
A pen/pencil
A highlighter
Later:
Notebook
Poems
Poetry Journals

2. BOOYAH - VOCAB QUIZ!!!!!
Take out your poetry vocab section of your notebook
Put everything else off to the side
Complete the quiz to the best of your ability
Remain SILENT until all of the quizzes are complete and picked up

3. What should the thesis do?
Prompt:
Choose a poem from the following list and write an essay in which you complete an in-depth analysis of the poem’s literary elements (poetic and literary devices and figurative language) in order to interpret the meaning of the poem.
Answer the question:
What is the poem saying, and what literary elements does the author use to demonstrate this message?

4. Thesis Work Trade your theses with a partner
Read through the other person’s theses
HIGHLIGHT the message of each poem
CIRCLE the devices (poetic and literary) that were set forth in the thesis
Make a suggestion to that person based on which thesis responds to the prompt in the most effective way

5. Contents of the essay:
Anything necessary to understand the poem contextually:
Background information about the poet
Contextual information about the poem
The meat of the essay:
Analysis of the literary and poetic devices at use and explanation of their effect
This means you need concrete details from the poem
Duh:
A thesis responding to the prompt
Conclusions drawn from analysis:
Interpretation and explanation of the meaning (intended and/or otherwise) of the poem
Deeper Meaning:
Conclusions based on analysis, personal/ cultural/ historical connections, etc.

6. Creating an Outline
Number of paragraphs will depend on the scope of your essay
Contents of the essay (in possible order)
Introduction (1 paragraph)
Background/Contextual information (1 paragraph or part of introduction)
Discussion/explanation of devices (Depends on number of devices/message being explored)
Deeper/other connections (1 or more paragraphs or part of conclusion)
Conclusion (1 paragraph)
Your outline…
Should include thesis, clear paragraph divisions, paragraph topics, concrete details, main points
Does NOT need to be in complete sentences

7. Make a Decision!
Which poem will you be writing about?

8. Gathering/Citing Evidence
Find a partner (or you may work by yourself if you wish) who will be writing about the same poem as you
Gather evidence from the poem that can be used to support your thesis
Use this time to begin your outline
Reminder:
You must include concrete details from the poem
SHOW how devices convey the message
Refer to the “Quoting Poetry” MLA guidelines