National Endowment for the Humanities
Thirteen Ways of Reading a Modernist Poem
High schoolers analyze modernist poetry and the role of speaker in example poems. Learners study modernist poems from the Romanticism and Victorian periods as well as Wallace Stevens' "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird." Using a...
Curated OER
Understanding the Basics of Poetry: Free Verse
Young scholars analyze free verse poetry. In this free verse poetry lesson plan, students complete a worksheet for free verse poetry and read an example poem by Wallace Stevens. Young scholars interpret the stanzas.
Annenberg Foundation
Modernist Portraits
How did literature reflect people's attitudes in post-World War I America? A lesson explores the topic using a variety of activities. Individuals watch and respond to a video; read author biographies and engage in discussion; write...
Curated OER
Ethan Frome
Students can earn up to 50 points in Section I "C" Level. They can earn up to 10 points in Section "B" where students can complete only one activity. Students can earn a maximum of 20 points in Section "A" activities.
Curated OER
Reading Poems Aloud: Sound And Meaning
Students consider the elements involved in reading poetry aloud. They discuss different poetic forms and how the choices a reader makes in tone, emphasis, breaths, and pauses can affect the listener's interpretation and understanding of...
Curated OER
Interpreting History
Ninth graders analyze a given quote about history and identify the concept that inspired it. In this history lesson, 9th graders research current and historical events, figures, and relationships. Students develop a lesson plan that...
Curated OER
Descriptive Writing Using Landscape Scenes
Students use the descriptive writing process through the use of landscape scenes, the Paragraph Writing Strategy from the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning, and the 4MAT Instructional Model.
Curated OER
Line It Up
Students examine the structure of different poems by various artists. They discuss how the breaks in the poems change the way it is to be read. They also examine the use of tone in the poems.
Curated OER
Poems Insprire Visual Art
Students examine artwork by artist Ernst Herter. They discuss what the art means to them. They create a collage to represent a poem of their chosing. They discover how literature is used as an inspiration for art.
Curated OER
Images of China
Students examine the Chinese poem "The River-Merchant's Wife: A Letter" by Li Po while comparing the different ways of "reading" an artwork in order to understand the differences between Chinese and American painting.