Students
will study the characteristics of poetry through analyzing genre specific
characteristics (SCS 5.02)
Students
will understand rhythm through Shakespeare's use of iambic pentameter
Materials
Needed:
Copies of iambic pentameter (Romeo and Juliet .scene, sonnet)
Focus and Review:
Teacher
will explain rhythm: the beat, or pattern, of poetry. Teacher will introduce the
idea of walking to the rhythm using "de dum, de dum, de dum, de dum, de dum."
Instructional
Strategy:
Students
will be actively engaged throughout this lesson. They first begin with a gallop
of five paces. Then they practice marching to the rhythm. They will march the
rhythm in a variety of ways: with various emotions (sad done slowly, anger done
with stomping, happiness in a skipping pattern), with words they think of
to fit the pattern, and finally with Shakespeare's text. Each student is
assigned a line from the Romeo and Juliet
scene to practice. The scene is built when a student walks through the line, and
tags the next person who then walks his line. After a practice run, students are
excitedly producing the iambic pentameter rhythm of a Shakespearean scene.
Concluding
Activity:
Students receive a sonnet
with instructions to march the rhythm. Teacher monitors the action and gives
encouragement. Finally, a student
volunteers to walk the entire sonnet in iambic pentameter and the
"audience" applauds his effort!