1. Poetry Unit
Human Experience

2. Goals For Today…
Realize that texts are one way humans define and record their experience. There are various types of text that can have an impact on us.
What does Human Experience mean?
Music, Poetry, Storytelling
What do they have in common?
Reading Poetry/Comprehension Questions

3. “Finding Yourself”

4. What is the human experience? What do we share?

5. What can poetry do for us?
What can music do for us?
What can poetry do for us?
What can storytelling do for us?

6. What does poetic annotation look like?

7. Goals For Today
GOAL: To recognize the power of annotation and its ability to unmask the mysteries of a given text layer by layer.
To focus on the diction of a particular poem. It’s nearly better to think of it as a different language in the sense that it’s exotic and this great challenge. It may be more enjoyable than your current language.

8. READING IT OUT LOUD There are poetry readings for a reason….
Poets themselves, 3 year olds and strange older guys….

9. Layers of Annotation Layer 1: (a) Unknown Words/Concepts
(b) Title/First Judgments
Layer 2: Literal and Figurative Phrases
Layer 3: What are these figurative devices?
Layer 4: Context/Research/Background

10. First Layer of Annotation
Those pesky unknown words.
Read through the poem right now and circle the words/concepts that are unfamiliar. If I were to call on you right now would you be able to explain the word to me?
Motherlove

11. The First Layer (1a)
We use the first layer as a spring board of jumping into the bigger ideas of the poem.
Why are there words here? What idea does it support?
MOTHERLOVE: Do you have a connection to this term/ memory? When you think of one you write down a jot note that will remind you of this Personal Connection.
This is our access point in……

12. Layer 1(b) Reach Out and Touch….
We understand the meaning of each of these words, but what is it saying?
We need to write down our first impressions of what we understand this phrase to mean.
This 1(b) concept is our transition into the next layer.
The title just needs its own focus.
We come back to the title after we have done the other layers. Full circle moment.

13. Layer 2: Literal vs. Figurative
What are the lines that we know are literal? We can take them for face value? Underline them with a straight line.
What are the lines that we know are loaded with something more?
Would you be able to look it up in a dictionary? The ‘poetry’ of it….
Put a squiggle line underneath these Figurative lines.

14. Our ______and
Lets try our hand at translating these squiggles. What are the big ideas/emotions behind them?

15. Comprehension Questions and Layers of Annotation
Complete the questions in full sentences. These questions are meant to be level 1 questions about this poem.
Complete your Layer 1 and 2 annotations in the manner in which we discussed. You can go deeper into annotations if you feel comfortable.

16. Layer 3: Poetic Devices
Which poetic devices can you identify in the poem at this point?
Find a partner and see what you come up with.
If you find any write them out next to the line.

17. Layer 3: Poetry Devices Bingo Woooo Time!
Hyperbole
Denotation
Allusion
Metaphor
Motif
Symbolism
Connotation
Irony
Personification
Theme
Tone
Parallelism
Alliteration
Allegory

18. Reach Out and Touch the Poetic Devices
Which devices can we apply to this poem? Explain
Connotation!!!!

19. Theme!!!
Our final touch, except for context.
Theme: is a delicate balance between the message of the poem and the overall Topic. Themes are meant to be large concepts which the poet is in the process of working with and exploring their perspective.
What is the theme of Reach Out and Touch?

20. The Transformative Power of Reaching Out to Another Person
The Transformative Power of Reaching Out to Another Person. The Downside of the effort to be politically correct/Politeness. Appreciation of Sincerity/Naivity- Can we narrow this one down? (Don’t Underestimate the perspective of a ‘babe’)

21. Research Challenge
Tonight/smartphone time: Research some background on the author.
What is the context of the poem? (time period, social issues)
Why do you think it was written?
Be prepared to share with the class. You are now my Wikipedia page.