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Lesson Plan #1

Catherine Shea

Raritan Valley Community College

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I. English, Grade 11 (Juniors), Analyzing Poetry

II. Curriculum Standard

RL.11-12.2. Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their

development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one

another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.

RI.11-12.7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different

media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a

question or solve a problem.

III. ​ ​Learning Objectives & Assessment

Learning Objectives Assessment

Students will be able to analyze and
interpret the poem ​dying is fine ​by e.e.
cummings​ ​stanza by stanza and relay it
into their own words.
The teacher will be able to assess
knowledge by hearing the students work
in their groups (if they are accurately
understanding the meaning) and seeing if
students are able to accurately decipher
the poem, and later on collecting their
class work for further review.

Students will be able to identify similar
theme and tone in both ​dying is fine ​and
Dying is Fine​ by the Ra Ra Riots.
Students also will identify similar literary
techniques, summarize the meanings of
both works, and draw conclusions and
interpretations.
The teacher will be able to assess
knowledge by listening to their
discussions, seeing their answers on a
worksheet done in class, and also through
their contributions to group discussions
with the entire class after they’ve
completed the assignment individually.

A music video of the song will be showed
during the classroom. Students will be
able to see the connections the Ra Ra
Riots made between their songs and the
popular poem within the language used,
the literary techniques displayed, and the
homage to the theme within the two works
of art.
The teacher will be able to assess
knowledge by asking students how they
interpreted the live performance and the
impact those lyrics had culturally, and
how that relates back to ​dying is fine.
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IV. Materials

-Copies of the poem ​dying is fine ​by e.e. cummings

-Copies of the lyrics to ​Dying is Fine​ by Ra Ra Riots

-Worksheets prepared by teacher for students to work on during class

-Project and or laptop/television to show video clip through youtube (teacher only).

V. Pre lesson assignments and/or prior knowledge

The students will have had chances to decipher and analyze and comparing works of

literature, but not poetry. Poetry is shorter, more obscure, and often inaccessible to many

students due it’s difficulty to understand, so choosing a song that is accessible helps make

the message of the poem seem more obvious. This will help segway into a more in depth

poetry unit while instilling confidence in the student’s ability to analyze it.

VI. Lesson Beginning/Hook

Ask the students what their favorite song is, and why. Is it the music, the vibe, the lyrics?

What makes the lyrics stand out? Are lyrics the most important part of the song? Would the song

be different without the lyrics? Then, I would begin to explain to them that most lyrics, when

stripped aside from the music, is really just poetry. Many lyrics can be easily related to poetry,

and when viewed as a song lyric can therefore be that much more accessible.

VII. Instructional Plan

a. The students will be given a copy of the poem e.e.cummings. After reading individually

the students will move into smaller groups and discuss what they believed the meaning of

the poem to be, then together as a class share their interpretations of the poem.
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b. Only when it is obvious that the students understand the meanings, themes, tones, literary

techniques used and applied, the the lyrics to ​Dying is Fine​ will be passed out to the

students.

c. Students will read and analyze ​Dying is Fine​ themselves stanza by stanza, adding their

own notes and commentary.

d. The students will then on paper draw conclusions between the poem, the lyrics, and make

connections using citations to prove their understanding of the similarities.

VIII. Lesson Wrap Up

Collectively ask the class their interpretations of the poem/lyrics. Discuss with them the

similarities the found, ask if they have a newfound appreciation for the material. If time

allows, ask the students if they could find connections between OTHER songs they know

and other poems they might have read. Ask if any songs they know could have lyrics that

would stand alone as a poem.

IX. Culminating or Follow Up Activity

Collecting worksheets to deeper view the understanding and connections made. This is just

the beginning of their unit on poetry and analyzing so these sheets will act as a reference to

show their progress throughout the semester.

X. References

New Jersey Student Learning Standards for English Language Arts. (2017). New Jersey

student learning standards. English language arts. Retrieval from

http://www.nj.gov/education/cccs/2016/ela
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