Objective: Poetry Lesson and Modeling Technology Norms

Words I would actually say appear in italics, direct references to tech norms appear in bold.

4. [ 3 mins.] Learning Target and Agenda

Now that we’ve established our norms, let’s work through a lesson using all three of the lights. Today we
have a fun, interactive lesson that involves poetry and technology so get excited! Throughout this
lesson, we are going to model and practice our tech classroom norms that we just created.

Right now is a red light time. Who will remind the class of what it means when our stoplight is on
red? [Pause to allow students to raise hands and explain that the red light means that phones and
computers are put completely away. Follow up by asking them to explain the rationale for that,
leading them towards a reminder that our minds can only truly focus on one thing at a time]. Very
good! As you can see on the upper righthand corner of the slides for today (Appendix A), I have
placed a red stoplight so it is very clear to everyone throughout the lesson what level of tech use we
should be adhering to. Can I please have everyone tuck their phones and computers away now so
everyone is engaged?

So our learning target for today is: By the end of this lesson, I will be able to use imagery in my own
poetry to make a setting come to life for the reader. Remember that if we all adhere to our tech norms
and really engage with the material during class, we will have some free time in which you can have
use your tech socially.

And our agenda is:

1. Read poem and discussion significance of poetic imagery - Red light
2. Write a poem - use a photo of a setting as inspiration! - Yellow light
3. 3 minutes of free time - Green light

5. [8 mins.] Read and discuss “Song for the Sun that Disappeared” - Red light

First, we are going to read a poem by a Kenyan poet, Hellen Masido Mwambi (wombi). You should have
a handout on your desk with this poem, titled “An African Sunset.” When I read the poem aloud to you, I
want you to focus in on how the poet uses words to create strong mental pictures and sensations. To
review, what are the five physical senses? [Call on student - see, hear, touch, taste, smell]. I want you to
mark specific lines in the poem that evokes any of these senses and also please try to visualize the setting
in the poem as I read it. Afterwards we will ask you to sketch what you see. [Teacher reads poem aloud
and students follow along].

An African Sunset [Appendix B]

Hellen Masido Mwambi, Kenyan Poet

I want you to now take two minutes to sketch what came to mind when you heard the poem. What did you
see? Feel free to reread the poem silently to yourself if that helps.

[Teacher circulates to peek at student sketching and help probe students’ visualization if necessary. ]

I really enjoyed seeing what you visualized and sketched. Now, take one quick minute to discuss with
your table partner what you saw as you heard/read the poem and share your sketched
interpretation. [Teacher circulates, monitoring behavior and listening for sensory words in
discussions].

[Return to front and display picture of African Sunset]

Here is a picture of an African sunset, one that could have inspired this poet. Is this similar or different
from what you had envisioned? And how? [Call on students. If students don’t volunteer, allow them to
partner talk for a minute before whole-class share].

Did the poet evoke any of your other senses - hear, smell, taste, touch?

[Call on students. And ask them to follow up by reading specific lines that called to mind those
senses. For example, hear - “The earth now sighs contentedly” and smell “Like the soils of the highlands
Which nurture the best of all coffee”]

6. [5 mins.] Imagery definition and purpose in poetry - Red light

Next, push students to verbalize the purpose of poetic imagery with the following prompting question:
 Teacher: What is the poet’s purpose for using all of this vivid sensory language?
 Student: Well, it makes me feel like I am actually there watching the sunset.
 Teacher: Wonderful observation. This sensory language really does allow the reader to step
inside the poet’s mind, to see what they see, to taste what they taste, to feel what they feel….

Ok guys, you did a great job of identifying sensory details that came to mind while reading the poem. And
I’m happy that you noticed that each poet uses vivid language in a way that almost places you in the
setting and invites you to share in the poet’s experiences.

The literary term for this is imagery. Imagery is when an author/poet uses visually descriptive or sensory
language--or in other words, uses words to create strong mental pictures and sensations (see, hear,
touch, taste, smell). Imagery not only brings places, events, experiences to life but also can elicit an
emotional response from the reader. Being able to write using this type of figurative language really
allows you to create depth and feeling for the reader.

Before we move on, let’s talk briefly about how well we were able to focus during that activity. How did
having our phones and computers put away impact our engagement? [Call on students, likely
responses include: we weren’t distracted by texts or emails and didn’t feel the urge to look at them
since they weren’t in our pockets]

7. [6 mins.] Photo setting activity directions - Yellow Light

Now, I want you guys to become the poets! You are going to create your own poem based on one of your
favorite settings or places. To start, you are going to choose a picture of a setting--this can come from
your instagram, photo library on your cell phone, or from google images if you don’t have a personal
photo available. Once you have chosen your photo, you are going to write a short poem describing it -
you don’t have to make it rhyme; it can be free verse! As with the poem we read as inspiration, I really
would like you to use strong imagery and sensory details to make the setting come to life for the reader.

We are moving to a Yellow Light on our tech stoplight now, who will remind all of us what that means?
[Call on a student to remind the class that yellow light means that they are meant to be engaging
with technology in purposeful and productive ways. They should only be using their phones and
computers for the purposes of developing their poems. This is another opportunity for them to be
reminded that engaging in other tech behavior will distract from the purpose of the lesson and their
learning will be negatively impacted]

So can I please have everyone take out their chromebooks and pull up google classroom to access the
powerpoint for today? Once you have pulled up the powerpoint, I will assign you a slide where you can
add your picture and write your poem. If you don’t have enough room to write your poem on the actual
slide, please use the “notes” section at the bottom of the slide to craft your poem. I chose a picture of
one of my favorite spots at the beach in Duck, North Carolina that I go to each summer; it is a sunset
setting photo (I have an embarrassing amount of sunset photos on my phone!). You can read the first
draft of my poem, Sherbet Skies on the slides. You can also look at the slides after “more poems for
inspiration” to see other examples of poetry that use vivid imagery to place the reader within the scene or
experience.

I will be floating around the room to help you during this if you run into any problems, technical or
creative. You will have 20 minutes to create your own poem based on a photo of your choice. We will
have a timer on the board so that you can pace yourselves. Are there any questions before we begin?

Possible student/teacher talk:

 S1: What if we don’t have instagram or can’t find a photo on our phones we want to use?
 Teacher: Good question! If you are struggling to find your own personal image, try to find one
online. For me it was helpful to start by thinking of some of my favorite places and going from
there.
 S2: Can we put our image anywhere when we upload?
 Teacher: I will assign you a number and you will post on the slide that corresponds to that
number. Make sure you put your name at the top. We are doing this in a Google Slides so that
we can easily collaborative and share at the end of class if you choose to do so.

After everyone has created their slide with their picture and poem, you will have the opportunity to share
with the class. This is a low stress sort of class share, so don’t feel pressured to share if you don’t want
to.

Ok, if there are no further questions, go ahead and begin. Please raise your hand or get our attention if
you struggle at all during the activity. If you finish early, please scroll through and check out your
classmates images and poems. Have fun and be creative!

8. [25 mins.] Students create their own - Yellow Light

[Start timer. Teacher floats around to help and check in with students and monitor tech usage. IF students
are getting off task, tap them lightly on the shoulder to remind them of the norms. If off-task behavior
continues, remind them that the green light only comes on if we’re adhering to the red and yellow
norms. If it continues, ask them to put their device away and complete the activity on paper. After 5
minutes have lapsed, make sure students have decided on their photo and are moving on to crafting their
poems for the next 20 minutes.]

9. [5 mins.] Students volunteer to share - Yellow Light

Ok guys, time is up! As I was walking around, I was really excited to hear your ideas and see some of the
pictures you chose. Does anyone want to share what they created? If you don’t feel comfortable reading
yourself, we can read it for you. Do we have any volunteers? [Allow time for students to raise hands.]

10. [4 mins] Closure and Reflection via Exit Ticket

Ok everyone, class is almost over. We really appreciate all of your hard work today, and we enjoyed
getting to know more about you through your photos and poems. We hoped you found this lesson to be
fun and helpful in your understanding of imagery and sensory writing. We look forward to continuing
our poetry unit in the days ahead! Before we move into free time, there is a self-reflection posted on
Google Classroom (Appendix C) that you all need to fill out as an exit ticket. Please take 2 minutes to
fill it out now. Make sure you’re being honest with yourselves as you reflect on how you engaged with
technology today. There won’t be a consequence or a grade attached to this reflection so you don’t
need to worry about that; I just want you to be more cognizant of your tech use and class engagement!

11. [4 mins] Free time - Green light

Thank you all for your effort today and your engagement with using technology purposefully and
productively. As promised, because you were all working so well, we get to take the last few minutes of
class for free time. Who can remind us what the green light means in terms of tech use?

[Call on a student to remind the class that green light means that students are allowed to use their
phones/computers/devices for fun or social purposes (check texts, email, facebook, etc) as long as
appropriate for school]

Yes, thank you! Now is the time when you may check email, facebook, text messages, if you wish. You
have about three minutes until the bell rings. I’m also available if you want to talk about the lesson
today, have specific questions about the tech norms, or just want to chat!

Materials Needed (list):

Appendix A: Slideshow
Appendix B: Handout with poems
Appendix C: Reflection

Materials Appendix: (e.g., supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers, handouts, etc.)

Appendix B: Handout with poems

An African Sunset
Hellen Masido Mwambi, Kenyan Poet

I look to the west

The horizon afar is circular and round
Like a perfect sphere
The sky above me now a vast blue dome
Then alas! I shield my eyes
The dome’s on fire…
The big ball burns the sky
Into vibrant orange and fiery yellow
And it sinks
The sky changes dramatically
Like colors in a lit crystal ball
Telling tales in colors and hue
The ball becomes hotter
It turns to blood red
Like beet juice…
Or maybe cherry
But all the same, a real deep red
That I have never seen on a sunset
It sets lazily now
Like an Arabian Princess
Swooning gracefully
Down to the pillows the horizon holds
The red dome now turn to the color of earth
Like the soils of the highlands
Which nurture the best of all coffee
It becomes darker still
Like sand rain kissed
Sleepily
The earth now sighs contentedly
An orchestra after a performance
The curtains fall
Leaving darkness in its wake
And at last its eyes fully
Waiting for the next time
The African Sun shall call again…
Name: _________________________ Date: __________________

Technology Reflection

1. How was your engagement with technology different than usual in today’s class?

2. Was your engagement with class material better than normal? Was it worse? Why?

3. How did establishing norms affect how you thought about your use of tech?

4. Has your opinion about using technology in class changed at all?