Lesson Plan:

Jaryn Guerra
September 27, 2016
I have a rendezvous with death/ TWIST Lesson
Content standards addressed:
Standard 2.1.a.i. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the
text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that
is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other
authors.) (CCSS: RL.11-12.4)
Standard 2.1.b.iii. Explain the influence of historical context on the form, style, and point
of view of a written work
Standard 2.3.b.i. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or
text; a words position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or
phrase. (CCSS: L.11-12.4a)
Standard 2.3.c. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships,
and nuances in word meanings. (CCSS: L.11-12.5)
Understandings (Big Ideas):
Tone, word choice, imagery, style, and theme of the poem I Have a Rendezvous with
Death by Alan Seger
Connection:
How does the time period influence the poetry? How would the meaning be different if
the poem was written in a different time period?
Evidence Outcomes:
I can analyze the tone, word choice, imagery, style, and theme of I Have a Rendezvous
with Death
I can participate in a silent discussion
This means I will collaborate with my classmates during LT2 in order to complete LT1
Assessment:
Formative assessment taken from silent discussion posters
Planned Lesson Activities
Name and Purpose of Lesson:
Introduction to Analyzing Poetry
TWIST
To start building a foundation for how to analyze poetry
Approximate Time and Materials:
30 minutes
Poster paper
Markers
TWIST graphic organizer
Copies of I have a rendezvous with death

Procedures:
Teacher Actions

Student Actions

Lesson objectives
Hand out graphic organizer
Review key terms (tone, word choice,
imagery, style, theme)

Background knowledge: talk about what they

already know about key terms/ fill in GO

Fill in gaps in knowledge

Fill in GO

Hand out copies of poem

Read poem out loud
Break students into groups
Describe how a silent discussion
works

Ask clarifying questions

Keep time for groups to rotate

Groups start at each TWIST poster and begin silent

discussion

Walk around and prompt struggling

groups

Rotate to each poster & continue or start a new

silent discussion

Facilitate class discussion about

findings from TWIST posters

Talk about their findings

Add anything that was missed

Finish filling out graphic organizer

Closure:
Class discussion to synthesize learning that occurred during silent discussion
Differentiation:
Work with struggling students to push their thinking
Have advanced students start with the more complicated key terms to lay a foundation
for future groups

Assessment Reflection:
I am looking for students to be able to define the key terms in TWIST and be able to put
them to use
I will know that the lesson objectives have been met by reading through the silent
discussions and gathering more information during the final class discussion

____________________________________________________
I Have a Rendezvous with Death
Alan Seeger, 1888 - 1916

I have a rendezvous with Death

At some disputed barricade,
When Spring comes back with rustling shade
And apple-blossoms fill the air
I have a rendezvous with Death
When Spring brings back blue days and fair.

It may be he shall take my hand

And lead me into his dark land
And close my eyes and quench my breath
It may be I shall pass him still.
I have a rendezvous with Death
On some scarred slope of battered hill,
When Spring comes round again this year
And the first meadow-flowers appear.

God knows twere better to be deep

Pillowed in silk and scented down,
Where love throbs out in blissful sleep,

Pulse nigh to pulse, and breath to breath,

Where hushed awakenings are dear...
But Ive a rendezvous with Death
At midnight in some flaming town,
When Spring trips north again this year,
And I to my pledged word am true,
I shall not fail that rendezvous.
____________________________________________________________________________

TWIST Graphic Organizer

TWIST

Your
Response

Textual
Support

Tone: The attitude of the speaker toward the subject.

Word Choice: The specific words and their
connotations, associations, or emotional impact.
Imagery: Figurative language that appeals to our
physical senses (sound, smell, sight, taste, and touch).
Style: The authors use of language and writing
techniques, including figurative language and poetic
devices such as repetition, rhyme, and rhythm.
Theme: The central idea, topic, or point of the poem

Reflection:
1. To what extent were lesson objectives achieved? (Utilize assessment data to justify your
level of achievement)

When considering this lesson as an introduction into not only the World War I unit, but also an
introduction into analyzing poetry, I would say the objectives were met. When filling out their
graphic organizers, all students were able to pull out at least one poetic element and support it
with textual evidence, and the majority of students were able to pull several poetic elements.
When working in groups during the silent discussion, students were able to analyze and
contextualize almost everything that I was hoping they would be able to pull out of the poem.
Thinking back on the planning process, the objectives should have been considered less based
on the poetic elements and more based on being an introduction to a unit. In that sense, I would
say the objectives were achieved. However, in the sense that I did plan for, students struggled
with the style of the poem, which included elements such as figurative language, repetition,
and rhyme.
a. What changes omissions, or additions to the lesson would you make if you were to teach
again?
The more I think about the lesson, the more aspects of it I would change. Firstly, in this context
with the very small amount of time I had, I would have used this lesson as a pretest for
analyzing poetry to figure out general knowledge my students had about the subject. However,
as a lesson rather than as a pretest, there are several changes I would make, starting with the
timeline. The poetic elements should really be taught over a fairly long period of time, with
practice examples all throughout. Then, once they have all been covered, the TWIST graphic
organizer would be a good way to bring them all together and synthesize learning. Next, I would
change the way I grouped students. Although this would be hard in this context since I dont
know the students super well, I could still see that some of the students that ended up together
should have been more strategically placed. Next, I would have students fill out the graphic
organizer and annotate the poem in groups, and then I would make the silent discussion
actually silent with students individually writing their thoughts on the posters. I think doing it this
way would minimize side chatter and students influencing each others productivity. Finally, I
would have the students synthesize their own learning at the end, although I havent yet thought
of a way to effectively do that yet.
a. What do you envision for the next lesson? (Continued practice, reteach content, etc.)
For the next lesson, I envision students being able to relate the poem to the context of the time
period and to write about why that context is important to the overall meaning of the poem. I
also think a good follow-up activity would be to, with some scaffolding, have students rewrite the
poem within a different context. I think that assignment would be fairly enjoyable for students,
and would also show them the huge impact the context has on the meaning of the poem.