DebbieAnne Baione
CEE 588
Dr. Mandel
April 9, 2002
Grade Level: 10th
Time: 30 minutes
OBJECTIVE:
- By the
end of the lesson, students will have an understanding of the literary
terms: speaker, audience, voice, and tone. Students will be able to identify these elements through
close reading of the text and analyzing subtext.
RESOURCES:
- O’Brein,
Peggy. Shakespeare Set Free. New York: Washington Square Press.
1993. P. 65.
- William,
William Carlos. This is Just to
Say. The Norton Anthology
of American Literature. Vol.
2. New York: W. W. Norton and Co. 1998.
P. 1224-1225.
- Drury,
John. The Poetry Dictionary. Cincinnati: Story Press. 1995.
MATERIALS:
- Pens,
paper
- Blackboard,
chalk
- Handouts:
- Copies
of the poem This is Just to Say, by William Carlos Williams (from the Norton Anthology).
- Copies
of the definitions of the terms:
speaker, audience, voice, and tone (from The Poetry Dictionary).
- Charts
for the identifications of these elements in the poem.
- Index
cards with the subtext situations:
“How lovely,” “So what,”
“Look out,” “I don’t believe it,” and “I understand.” (from Shakespeare
Set Free)
MOTIVATION:
- In
order to bring students into the subtext frame of reference, five students
will be given index cards with the phrases: “How lovely,” “So
what,” “Look out,” “I don’t believe it,” and “I understand.” Then, each of these students will be
asked to say the word “Oh” by adding the subtext tone indicated on the
card to their voice. The rest of
the class will be asked to guess to subtext for each speaker (Shakespeare
Set Free). (5 min)
PROCEDURE:
- After
students complete the motivational exercise, each student will receive a
copy of the definitions of the terms:
speaker, audience, voice, and tone. Volunteers will be called upon to read each of the
definitions out loud to the class.
(5 min)
- Once
all of the definitions have been read, students will have the opportunity
to ask questions about them. Then
the students will be broken up into groups of three. Every student will be given a copy of
William’s poem, This is Just to Say, and a chart to identify whom
they believe to be the speaker of the poem, the audience, the tone, and
the circumstances that would cause such a tone in the poem. (10 min)
- Once
they have identified these aspects, students will be asked to perform the
poem using tone/subtext. (10 min)
HOMEWORK:
- Students
will be asked to choose one of the situations performed in class or one of
their own in order to write a response to the speaker of This is Just
to Say from the point of view of the audience.