Take heart! Here's a lesson that will encourage learners to notice details. After listening to Sarah Vaughan singing "My Funny Valentine" and noting how the word heart relates to Valentine's Day, scholars observe a human heart image. After recording what they notice in the image, young academics read silently, then listen to Rita Dove reading her poem "Heart to Heart," again noting words and phrases that stand out to them. The lesson ends with pupils comparing the song, the image, and the poem.

Concepts

poetry, poetry analysis, poets, primary source images, primary source analysis, the heart, valentine's day

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Instructional Ideas

• Use during April's Poetry Month, as part of a Valentine's Day celebration, or during a study of the human heart in science classes
• Have learners generate a list of the allusions to expressions they recognize

Classroom Considerations

• Part of the "Teach This Poem" series from the Academy of American Poets

Pros

• The focus of the lesson is on close reading and noticing details that contribute to meaning

Cons

• Younger pupils may need additional scaffolding to make  connections  among the song, the image, and the poem