English Newsletter Spring 09 Issue

VOLUME II

ISSUE II

SPRING

2009

E ng lish Newsletter CONTENTS 1.1POETRY TEACHING,READING, WRITING 3.1 OUR FAVORITE AUTHORS! Robert Frost & W.B. Yeats 4.1 CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARDS 4.2 BULLETIN BOARD IDEAS 4.3 YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY- POETRY RESOURCE BOOKS 5.1 PODCASTS FOR POETRY & LITERATURE 5.3 BOOKS INTO MOVIES 5.4 LITERATURE ON BROADWAY 6.0- 7 BALLAD ASSIGNMENT

ENGLISH NEWSLETTER

Poetry - Teaching, Reading, Writing

1.1 I love poetry. As an English teacher for many years I suppose that is not a real revelation. Most English teachers probably begin as lovers of poetry because we are, as a rule, lovers of language, and poetry is the highest expression of language. It is the oldest of the literary genres with the exception of drama which is an extension of poetry, and can encompass everything from the basic Mother Goose rhymes to ballads, epics, narrative and lyrics. It can be set to music, adapted to the stage (Cats), and celebrated in song (Randall Thompson’s rendering of Robert Frost poetry or Simon and Garfunkel’s “Richard Cory”). It can be as brief as the 17 syllable haiku or fill volumes of books. Nations have celebrated poets above all other writers. Poet Laureates in many nations hold important cultural positions. In Middle Eastern countries poets often are revered as national heros. Russia has long had a love affair with poetry and there have been times when reading poetry has been more popular than reading prose. Poets have been invited to speak at national events such as the Inauguration of the President of the United States. Through poetry, our language sings, soars, and celebrates the human experience in all its variety. Our students should be encouraged

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2009

to listen, to read and to write poetry regularly. First and foremost, poetry is an oral art. I always encouraged my students to read poetry aloud to themselves. I demonstrated reading poetry aloud so that they would learn to pay attention to the punctuation and phrasing. I found that students loved being read to and although all poems benefit from oral reading, some poems are always real hits: Shel Silverstein poems, Dr. Seuss, “The Highwayman,” “Casey at the Bat,”and many others. Whatever poems are your favorites are probably the ones you should read aloud. Listen to poetry set to music. Joan Baez has recorded many of the Child collection of ballads and poetry like “Froggy Goes a Courtin’” and others have been recorded many times. Don’t worry about focusing on the age of your listeners - good poetry, fun poetry appeals to everyone. Find poems that work well as choral reading and engage an entire class in various ways to read the poem. Expose your students to poems that serve many purposes. Poems have been written to express feelings about every human experience: love, war, fear, anger, hope, triumph, tragedy, love of beauty. Show students that poems can be written by everyone BELINDA BAIR

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from cowboys to scholars, children to adults. Show them that poetry may look differently on the page than prose (ee cummings among others). In addition to the more common types of poetry, encourage students to explore more unusual types such as the tanka, a Japanese style related to the more commonly used haiku, the rondeau, a French style poem similar to the more commonly taught sonnet, and the monotetra, an invented poetic style with specific requirements. The challenge of writing a poem to fit a particular style or type actually encourages more creativity by your students. Teach poems in clusters. This does not mean to teach a “unit” of poetry. This tends to isolate poetry from other literary experiences. Find poems that can match up to other literature or class experiences. Some texts will sprinkle a few poems in among other readings. For example, when I taught mythology I would always incorporate poems like Yeats’ “Leda and the Swan” as well as others to supplement the lesson and to show the influence that myths had on other literature. Below are listed many websites you can use to expand your teaching of poetry.

ENGLISH NEWSLETTER

SPRING 2009

Poetry
Contests/Awards Crab
Orchard
Series
in
Poetry:

 http://www.siu.edu/~crborchd/ 3irstpo1.html Cave
Canem
Black
Poetry
Award
:

 http://www.cavecanempoets.org/ pages/programs_prize.php Poets
and
Writers
Contests
and
 Grants:
http://www.pw.org/ content/ grants_amp_awards_your_guide_writ ing_contests 2009
NCTE
poetry
Award
Winner:
 http://www.ncte.org/awards/ poetry/winner International
Poetry
Competition:

 http://www.atlantareview.com/ page6.html Barbara
Mandigo
Kelly
Peace
 Poetry
Contest:
http:// www.wagingpeace.org/menu/ programs/awards‐&‐contests/bmk‐ contest/index.htm Frances
Locke
Memorial
Poetry
 Award:

http:// www.bitteroleander.com/ contest.html The
Ledge:
Poetry
Chapbook
 Contest:

http:// www.theledgemagazine.com/Poetry %20Awards%20Contest.htm Poetry
for
Children:

http:// poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/ 2008/11/more‐on‐lbh‐and‐2009‐ ncte‐poetry‐award.html Robert
Watson
Poetry
Award:

 http:// www.springgardenpress.com/spg/ contests.html Tom
Howard
Poetry
Contest:

 http:// tomhowardpoetry.bravepages.com/ Numerous
other
awards,
some
of
 which
can
be
reviewed
at
Poetry
 Foundation:
http:// www.poetryfoundation.org/ programs/awards.html ========== Poetry
Types:


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Types
of
Poetry:
Links
to
dozens
 of
poetry
types:
http://www.types‐ of‐poetry.org.uk/ Shadow
Poetry:
Many
examples
of
 types
of
poetry:
http:// www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/ wip/types.html 51
Types
of
Poetry:
http:// www.poemofquotes.com/articles/ poetry_forms.php Poetry
Types:
http:// rip.physics.unk.edu/Astronomy/ PoetryType.html Types
of
Poetry:
A
Virtual
 Encyclopedia:
http://www.world‐ class‐poetry.com/types‐of‐ poetry.html Concrete
poetry
index:
http:// www.gardendigest.com/concrete/ Humorous
poetry:
http:// www.netpoets.com/poems/humor/ =========== Poetry
 Webquests In
the
Poet’s
 Shoes:

http:// www.readwritethink.org/ lesson_images/lesson78/ poetshoes4.htm Poetry
for
Kids:

http:// 42explore.com/poetry.htm Poetquest:
http:// www.newhouser.net/poetry/ Poetry
Webquest
–
fouces
on
4
 types
of
poetry:
http:// www.d.umn.edu/%7Elmillerc/ TeachingEnglishHomePage/ TeachingUnits/webquest.htm Webquest:
Publish
with
Po­etree:
 http://tli.jefferson.k12.ky.us/ EDTD675Projects/cathy/PoetryWQ/ poetry.htm Poetry
Break
Webquest:
http:// its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/ poetry/poetry.htm Poetry
Webquest:
http:// www.rccsd.org/RKeim/ teacher_page.htm

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In
Defense
of
Poetry
–
webquest
 for
AP
English:
http:// www.rockwood.k12.mo.us/itech/ webquests/su2002/tauser/ appoetry/index.htm ============= Poetry
Websites: Poetry
Teachers:
 http:// www.poetryteachers.com/ Teaching
Poetry
and
prose:
 http://www.hstreasures.com/ articles/poetry.html Teaching
Poetry:
http:// www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/ prmMID/17155 Poetry
Portfolios:
http:// www.readwritethink.org/lessons/ lesson_view.asp?id=152 How
to
Teach
Poetry:
http:// www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/ a3859‐how‐to‐teach‐poetry.html How
to
Teach
Poetry
to
High
 School
Students:
http:// www.ehow.com/ how_2179046_teach‐poetry‐high‐ school‐students.html Cowboy
Poetry:
http:// www.ehow.com/ how_2179046_teach‐poetry‐high‐ school‐students.html Cowboy
Poetry:
http:// www.geocities.com/rodnichols.geo/ cowboy.html Cowboy
Poetry:
http:// www.bootmaker.com/poetry.htm Rock
and
Roll
Hall
of
Fame
 Education
Resources:
http:// www.rockhall.com/events/ Sports
theme
poetry:
http:// smiley00.tripod.com/ subject_sport.html Sports
poetry:
http:// www.bpr.com/triathlon/poetry.htm Science
[iction
poetry:
http:// www.sfpoetry.com/ NewYorker
poetry:
http:// www.newyorker.com/3iction Myths
and
poetry:
http:// www.spiffy‐entertainment.com/ mythpoetry.html =============================

ENGLISH NEWSLETTER

WINTER 2009

3.1 Our Favorite Authors Robert Frost 

One
of
the
 earliest
poets
 I
remember
 reading
was
Robert
Frost.
He
 was
my
mother’s
favorite
poet
 and
she
had
several
of
his
 books
of
poems.
I
even
found
a
 high
school
essay
she
had
 written
about
Robert
Frost
 when
she
was
in
school.
At
 3irst,
I
was
drawn
in
by
the
 images
of
countryside
and
 nature
that
inhabited
Frost’s
 work.
I
loved
the
language
and
 3low
of
sound
as
I
read
the
 poems
aloud.
It
wasn’t
until
 years
later
that
I
came
to
 appreciate
the
darkness
that
 many
of
his
poems
explored.
 When
my
father
died,
it
was
 Frost’s
poem
“Out,
out..”
that
 kept
creeping
into
my
mind,
 both
comforting
and
 reminding
me
of
the
 transience
of
life.
“The
Road
 Not
Taken”
and
“Stopping
by
 the
Woods”
helped
me
deal
 with
the
uncertainties
of
the
 future.
It
is
the
undertones
 and
mysteries
of
his
poetry
 that
have
always
appealed
to
 me
and
there
is
ample
 opportunity
for
class
 discussion
.
 Robert
Frost
 Websites: Lesson
Plans:
http:// www.webenglishteacher.com/ frost.html RF
Poetry
from
Theory
to
 Practice:
http:// www.readwritethink.org/lessons/ lesson_view.asp?id=859 Narrative
poetry
of
RF:
http:// edsitement.neh.gov/ view_lesson_plan.asp?id=345 VOLUME I I

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Discovering
the
Poetry
of
RF:
 http://www.viterbo.edu/academic/ ug/education/edu250/ hllaurent.htm Analyzing
the
Road
Not
Taken:
 http://lesson‐plans‐ materials.suite101.com/article.cfm/ analyzing_frosts_the_road_not_taken Lesson
Plan:
One
Acquainted
with
 the
Night:
http:// www.brighthub.com/education/ k‐12/articles/18163.aspx Author
Study:
RF
sites:
http:// www.emints.org/ethemes/ resources/S00001939.shtml The
Road
Not
Taken
Lesson:
 http://www.etni.org.il/literature/ road.htm ==================

Books
and
CD’s
by
,about
or
 including
RF: Robert
Frost:
A
Life
by
Jay
Parini
 (4+
stars
from
Amazon)
 The
Notebooks
of
Robert
Frost

 by
Robert
Frost
&
Robert
Faggan
 (4+
stars
from
Amazon) Swinger
of
Birches:
Poems
of
RF
 for
Young
People
by
Robert
Frost
 (suitable
for
grades
4‐8)
(5
stars
 from
Amazon) The
Testament
of
Freedom

by
 Randall
Thompson
–
Includes
his
 Frostiana
tribute
to
Robert
Frost
 –
poems
such
as
The
Road
Not
 Taken,
Stopping
by
A
Woods,
 Come
In,
and
Pasture
among
 others.
(3+
stars
Amazon)
 $14.99.

CD

======================= W.B. Yeats If Frost was the favorite poet of my youth, Yeats became one of my favorite poets of my adulthood. It wasn’t until years later when I took a graduate course in modern poetry that I learned to appreciate his use of mysticism and spiritual symbols and imagery. I recognized and enjoyed his references to myths BELINDA BAIR

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and legends, his deep reverence for the forces of the world,and his connection to the natural world. This is a simplistic view of this complex and gifted poet, but many of his poems are very readable and accessible for high school students. “Wild Swans at Coole” is one of my favorites, but there are many others just as worthy. W.B.
Yeats:
http://www.poets.org/ poet.php/prmPID/117 W.B..
Yeats:
http://kirjasto.sci.3i/ wbyeats.htm Yeats
Society:
http:// www.yeatssociety.org/ Yeats
Poetry
Archive:
http:// www.poetryarchive.org/ poetryarchive/singlePoet.do? poetId=1688 W.B.
Yeats
poems:
http:// www.poemhunter.com/william‐ butler‐yeats/ W.B.
Yeats
lesson
plans:
http:// www.webenglishteacher.com/ yeats.html Yeats
Biography
and
Works:
 http://www.online‐literature.com/ yeats/ Sailing
to
Byzantium
analysis:
 http://www.enotes.com/poetry‐ criticism/sailing‐byzantium‐william‐ butler‐yeats ============================ The
Celtic
Twilight:
Faerie
and
 Folklore
by
W.B.Yeats

(5
stars
at
 Amazon)
 Mythologies
by
W.B.
Yeats
(5
stars
at
 Amazon) Yeats:
the
Man
and
the
Mask

by
 Richard
Ellmann
(4+
stars
at
 Amazon)

=======================

SPRING 2009

4.1 Children’s book Awards: Newbery
Medal:
The
Graveyard
 Book
by
Neil
Gaiman Newbery
Honor
Books:
The
 Underneath

by
Kathi
Appelt;
The
 Surrender
Tree:
Poems
of
Cuba’s
 Struggle
for
Freedom
by
Margarita
 Engle;
After
Tupac
and
D
Foster
by
 Jacqueline
Woodson.

Additional
award
winners
for
2009
 Children’s
Books
can
be
found
at
this
 website:
http:// www.msnbc.msn.com/id/ 28857052/#storyContinued

Caldecott
Award
(illustrations):
 The
House
in
the
Night

by
Susan
 Marie
Swanson

4.2 Bulletin Board Ideas

Caldecott
Honor
Books:
A
Couple
 of
Boys
Have
the
Best
Week
Ever

by
 Maria
Frazee;
How
I
Learned
 Geography
by
Uri
Shulevitz;

A
River
 of
Words:
The
Story
of
William
 Carlos
Williams
by
Melissa
Sweet
&
 Jen
Bryant. Michael
L.
Printz
Award
(YA
Lit)
:
 Jellico
Road

by
Melina
Marchetta Printz
Honor
Books:

The
 Astonishling
Life
of
Octavian
 Nothing,
Traitor
to
the
Nation,
 Volume
II,
the
Kingdom
on
the
 Waves

by
M.T.
Anderson;
The
 Disreputable
History
of
Frankie
 Landau‐Banks
by
E.
Lockhart;
Nation
 by
Terry
Pratchett;
Tender
Morsels

 by
Margo
Lanagan. Coretta
Scott
King
Award
(for
an
 African­American
author
and
 illustrator)
We
Are
the
Ship:
The
 Story
of
Negro
League
Baseball

by
 Kadir
Nelson;
The
Blacker
the
Berry
 by
Floyd
Cooper
&
Joyce
Carol
 Thomas. Schneider
Family
Book
Award
 (
disability
experience
for
child
 and
adolescent
audience)
Piano
 Starts
Here:
The
Young
Art
Tatum
by
 Robert
Andrew
Parker;
Waiting
for
 Normal

by
Leslie
Connor;
Jerk
 California

by
Jonathan
Friesen. Theodor
Seuss
Geisel
Award
 (beginning
readers)
:
Are
You
 Ready
to
Play
Outside?


By

Mo
 Willems Margaret
A.
Edwards
 Award(lifetime
achievement):
 Laurie
Halse
Anderson
–
Catalyst,

 Fever
1793,


Speak



ENGLISH NEWSLETTER

Pura
Belpre
Awards
(Latino
 authors/illustrators)
Just
in
Case

 by
Yuyi
Morales;
The
Surrender
Tree

 by
Margarita
Engle.


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===========================

1. Create a Poetry Graffiti Wall: Spread a large piece of white bulletin board paper across one wall of your room. Invite students to use the wall to write poems in different styles on the paper throughout April. Tape or paste some photos, pictures, or words onto the “wall” and ask students to incorporate them into their poems. 2. Poetry
Wall
alternative:
 Have
students
create
poems
on
 paper
and
then
post
them
all
 over
the
room.
Encourage
 different
types
of
poems
using
 different
materials
‐
poems
 created
with
pictures,
using
 various
art
media.
 3. Poetry
Masters:
Have
 students
choose
a
poet
and
 3ind

examples
of
that
poet’s
 work
that
they
really
like
and
 create
a
poster
to
be
displayed.
 ============================

4.3 Your Professional Library Teacher
and
Writers
Handbook
of
 Poetic
Forms

editor
Ron
 Padgett(Amazon
‐17.95) The
Practice
of
Poetry:
Writing
 Exercises
from
Poets
Who
Teach

by
 Robin
Behn
(Amazon
–
11.53) The
Haiku
Handbook:
How
to
Write,
 Share,
and
Teach
Haiku

by
William
 Higginson
(Amazon
–
11.20) BELINDA BAIR

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Reading
and
Writing
Poetry
with
 Teenagers
(reproducibles
–
The
 Writing
Company
–
24.99) WordPlayGrounds:
Reading,
Writing,
 and
Performing
Poetry
in
the
English
 Classroom

by
John
S.
O’Connor
(The
 Writing
Company
‐
$30.95) ============================

5.1 Podcasts for the Literature Teacher These podcast sites include both audio and video. Topics range from discussion of Sherlock Holmes to Paul Laurence Dunbar, Wide Sargasso Sea and many others. They are all found under iTunesU and I have highlighted the particular podcasts I have researched. All are free for download. Literature: Stanford University (Ex. of recent topics: Women in Love, Wide Sargasso Sea; the Waste Land.) Classical Mythlogy: ( 38 lecture videos on all aspects of classical mythology.) Survey of American Literature (30+ Lecture videos from Mark Twain to Robert Frost to Arthur Miller.) Poetry (audio - readings by poets - Adrienne Rich, Richard Wilbur among others. ) Sherlock Holmes (lectures and readings on this subject) Richard Ellman( 4 lectures on Umberto Eco) Literary Arts ( video lectures on aspect of literary arts )

WINTER 2009

Writers on Writing (includes interviews with Norman Mailer and Calvin Trillin) Poetry Everywhere(video exploration of poetry that is everywhere in the world around us) Medieval English Literature (audio lectures on Beowulf, Canterbury Tales, the Pearl Poet) Read Aloud(audio readings Ohio Univ. ) Digital Poetry (audio and video - poetry of Dr. Chris Funkhouser -) Sophie Kerr series(lectures based in Washington College) Milwaukee Poets Laureate (audio readings/interviews) Poetry Slam Competition (from University of Oxford) ===================

5.2 Books into Movies HBO The #1 Ladies Detective Agency based on the Alexander McCall Smith’s popular series. March 29. Watchmen- a dark apocalyptic view of the world based on the graphic novel of the same name. March 6. The Soloist based on a true story about friendship and redemption by Steve Lopez. April 24.

The Davinci Code. Stars Tom Hanks. May 15. My Sister’s Keeper based on a book by Jodi Picoult. June 26. ===================

5.3 Literature on Broadway Broadway productions based on literature drama and prose currently playing. An Orestia: Part I and Part II based on the plays by Euripides. Blithe Spirit - the classic comedy by Noel Coward starring Angela Lansbury Coraline musical based on the book by Neil Gaiman. Desire Under the Elms revival of Eugene O”Neill’s play with Brian Dennehy Exit the King revival of Ionesco’s tragicomedy with Susan Sarandon and Geoffrey Rush. Hedda Gabler - revival of Henrik Ibsen’s play with Mary Louise Parker. Illiad -Book One based on Homer’s epic tale Incident at Vichy -An Arthur Miller classic. Our Town the classic by Thornton Wilder. West Side Story revival of the classic musical Romeo and Juliet.

Angels and Demons based on the Dan Brown prequel to ENGLISH NEWSLETTER

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ISSUE 1I

SPRING 2009

Ballads: A Lesson Plan This lesson plan can be adapted to any narrative poem type but works well with ballads because of they often have multiple verses/versions. 






 

 


TSW
adapt
a
selected
ballad
into
a
different
format
by

altering
language,
style
and
 



















tone
.

Procedure:
 1. Select
a
ballad
for
the
students
to
work
with.
I
have
included
a
copy
of
“Lord
Randall”
but
any
 ballad
or
similar
narrative
poem
will
work
well
with
this
assignment.
 2. Read
and
teach
the
ballad
with
your
students
as
you
would
any
narrative
poem.
At
the
end
of
 this
lesson
I
have
included
useful
websites
.
 3. After
reading
and
discussion
of
the
ballad,
students
are
to
select
one
of
the
following
writing
 assignments
to
adapt
the
ballad
to
a
different
format.
They
should
alter
the
language,
style
and
 tone
appropriately
to
match
the
particular
format. a. Adapt
the
content
of
the
ballad
to
a
news
story.
Use
the
inverted
pyramid
style
of
 journalism
organization.
Focus
on
the
5
W’s
and
H
at
the
beginning
of
the
story.
Include
 an
“interview”
with
one
or
more
characters
from
the
text.
 b. Adapt
the
content
of
the
ballad
to
a
short
play,
movie,
or
animated
short
subject.
Include
 descriptions
of
setting,
lighting,
sound.
and
character
actions.
 c. Create
a
graphic
novel/comic
strip
version
of
the
ballad
content
by
adapting
the
text
into
 illustrations
and
abridged
dialogue
and/or
captions.
 d. Many
ballads
contain
mystery
or
crime
elements
(such
as
Lord
Randall).
Write
a
report
 detailing
how
the
incident
in
the
ballad
might
be
adapted
to
a
crime
drama
such
as
CSI.
 What
scienti3ic
elements
would
be
introduced?
What
modern
techniques
might
be
 employed
to
investigate
the
death?
 e. Ballads
usually
include
character
and
dialogue.
Adapt
the
dialogue
to
an
interview
with
a
 character
from
the
ballad
and
expand
the
possibilities. Websites:
 100
Greatest
Rock
Ballads:
http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/ best_balladsddd.html Medieval
Ballads:
http://www.moonwise.com/ballads.html Ballads:
http://library.thinkquest.org/3721/poems/forms/ballad.html Folk
Ballads:
http://www.essortment.com/all/literaryballads_rmsz.htm The
Folk
Ballad:
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/ent/A0856822.html American
Roots
Music:
the
folk
ballad:
http://www.pbs.org/americanrootsmusic/ pbs_arm_es_folkballad.html ***Child
Ballads
(
this
is
the
best
site
for
ballads
–
includes
music
and
lyrics):
http:// www.contemplator.com/child/index.html Permission is given to copy this. ENGLISH NEWSLETTER

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Volume II

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Winter 2009

Lord Rendal

Where have you been all the day, Rendal, my son? Where have you been all the day, My pretty one? I've been to my sweetheart, mother I've been to my sweetheart, mother

What was the colour on their skin, Rendal, my son? What was the colour on their skin, My pretty one? O spickit and sparkit, mother, O spickit and sparkit, mother

Chorus: Make my bed soon For I'm sick to my heart And I fain would lie down.

Chorus

What have you been eating, Rendal, my son? What have you been eating, My pretty one? O eels and eel broth mother, O eels and eel broth mother, Chorus Where did she get them from, Rendal, my son? Where did she get them from, My pretty one? From hedges and ditches, mother, From hedges and ditches, mother.

What will you leave your father, Rendal my son? What will you leave your father, My pretty one? My land and houses, mother, My land and houses, mother

What will you leave your brother, Rendal my son? What will you leave your brother, My pretty one? My cows and horses, mother My cows and horses, mother Chorus What will you leave your lover, Rendal my son? What will you leave your lover, My pretty one? A rope to hang her, mother A rope to hang her, mother

Chorus What will you leave your mother, Rendal my son? What will you leave your mother, My pretty one? My gold and silver mother, My gold and silver, mother

Make my bed soon For I'm sick to my heart And I fain would lie down.

Chorus

Chorus

Additional Activities for Teaching a Ballad 1. Read the ballad aloud with boys reading the Lord Rendal part, girls reading the mother part and everyone reading the chorus. 2. Put the “lover” on trial. What evidence is there that she committed a crime? What other explanation might there be? 3. Choose a recent news story with a “crime element” and write it in the style of the Lord Rendal ballad.

ENGLISH NEWSLETTER

VOLUME I I

SPRING

2009

BELINDA BAIR

7