American Poetry (2020)

Lesson 4
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ELA

Unit 11

7th Grade

Lesson 4 of 18

Objective


Identify and analyze how an author uses imagery to convey a theme.

Assess students on basic fluidity of poetry terms: rhyme scheme, verse, free verse, stanzas, lines, alliteration, mood, imagery, sensory details. 

Readings and Materials


  • Poem: “maggie and milly and molly and may” by E.E. Cummings 

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

In “maggie and milly and molly and may,” why does the poet use imagery? Explain your answer using specific details from the text.

What to look for in student response:

The poet uses imagery to help the reader experience and imagine the text.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following lines best illustrates the theme of this poem?

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Sample Response

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Which piece of evidence best supports the answer above?

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Sample Response

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Key Questions


  • Have students ask “Why did the poet” (WDTP) questions.

    • Why does the poet put all their names in lowercase letters?
    • Why does the poet rhyme some stanzas and not others?

Vocabulary


imagery

sensory details

alliteration

mood (review)

theme (review)

Notes


  • This is a good day to have a quick quiz to ensure students are understanding basic terms in poetry. 
  • Here is a sample quiz of questions based on the poem “maggie and milly and molly and may” by E. E. Cummings:
  1. Mark the rhyme scheme above. (AABCDEFGHHII)
  2. Is this poem mostly verse or free verse? Explain why. (free verse)
  3. How many stanzas are in this poem?
    1. 6
    2. 7
    3. 12
    4. 14
  4. How many lines are in this poem?
    1. 6
    2. 7
    3. 12
    4. 14
  5. The title of this poem is an example of:
    1. personification
    2. imagery
    3. alliteration
    4. onomatopoeia
  6. What is the mood of this poem?
    1. thankful
    2. fearful
    3. positive
    4. melancholy
  7. Copy down one piece of evidence that supports the answer above.
  8. Which of the following is an example of imagery?
    1. "maggie and milly and molly and may"
    2. "(to play one day)"
    3. "chased by a horrible thing which raced sideways while blowing bubbles"
    4. "for whatever we lose (like a you or a me)"
  9. Which sensory detail is captured in your answer above?
    1. taste
    2. touch
    3. see
    4. smell

Common Core Standards


  • RL.7.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

Next

Explain how the imagery affects the mood.

Lesson 5
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