Date: 4/7/17

Unit: Free Verse Poetry

- Free read while attendance is being taken
o Reminder about Lyric poems and journals are due on Monday!
- Anticipatory Set: Think about the world that we live in (larger than the US!). Write down on a sticky
note one main issue/problem that the world has that upsets you, makes you feel sad, makes you feel
mad, or even angry.
o Then share with their tables
- Lesson: First focusing on how to analyze a lyric poem and then looking on how poems can be used to
create awareness about a certain world or global issue.
o Go over the definition of free verse: A poem that does not follow any form of rhyme scheme,
verse, or rhythms. But, poets can still use all forms of poetic devices in these poems.
Make sure student are writing the definition in their pink analysis packets!
o Have students get out laptops and books. Open books up to page 201
o Read the 2nd paragraph in the background about Nikki Giovani
Touches basis that she is an African American poet around the 1960s. I time period with a
lot of social issues
o Then have students research social issues in the 1960s.
They can share out loud after.
o Then read Nikki Giovanis poems The World is Not a Pleasant Place to Be.
o Fill out analysis sheet as a class.
- Transition into poetry being used as awareness about social or global issues.
o Show the video of slam poetry Shots Fired By the Los Angles Team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3YRJl2DjtM
This poem focusses on gun and gang violence. The poets are reciting their poems and
they are switching the voices/speaker of the poem to fit the roles of people who have
been victims of gun violence.
Discussion questions:
Have the students discuss at their tables (1 at a time) the following:
o Who is the speaker/s (voice) of the poem?
o What world/social issue were they focusing on? And what was their
message?
o How did this poem make you feel? Did you like it? Why or why not?
o Pass out the group table poems. These poems all focus on a social issue:
At their tables, they read their poems as a group.
Links to all the poems
Sorrow Pain https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/sorrow_pain_886456
Hate https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/hate_890150
First World Problems http://www.powerpoetry.org/poems/first-world-problems-4
World Hunger http://www.teenink.com/poetry/free_verse/article/433212/World-Hunger/
Refugee boy https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/refugee_boy_890363
Somewhere in America https://genius.com/Get-lit-somewhere-in-america-annotated
They then look at the discussion questions and go through them as a group.

They then need to come up with a way to present their poem. However, they cant just

simply recite it or summarize it. It must be presented by acting the poem out, drawing, or
crating a protesting poster.
o They will then share