Teachers Guide: Suggested Class Schedule
Download the complete Teachers Guide.
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Week 1
- Have students explore the anthologies and choose poems to memorize.
(1 full class session) - Read and discuss some of the poems in class.
(2-3 full class sessions) - Model effective and ineffective recitation practices for the students.
(1 full class session)
Week 2 - Have students practice their poems with different partners each day.
They should also work on their memorization and performance outside of school. Students should have their poems completely memorized and be able to recite without using a printed copy by the end of the week.
(15 minutes per day) - Hold practice contests.
Break up the class into groups. Have one student at a time perform for the rest of the group, who act as judges. Discuss the scoring choices with them. Encourage discussion about how the performer interpreted and presented the poem.
(1 full class session) - Implement the lesson plans and writing exercises.
While reserving a portion of each class period for recitation practice, you may offer a more complete poetry unit by using the lesson plans provided here.
(1-5 full class sessions, optional) - Hold the classroom recitation contests at the end of the week.
Bear in mind that it takes an average of 4 or 5 minutes to recite a poem and judge the recitation. Teachers should structure the contest in a way that best fits their schedules. (1-2 full class sessions)
Week 3 - Hold the school-wide recitation contest at the end of the week.
Winners of the classroom contests will prepare two or three poems for recitation and will compete in the school-wide competition at the end of this week. Ideally, the schoolwide competition will take place at a campus assembly, thus enhancing the entire student body’s exposure to poetry and giving the contestants a larger audience. Students who have competed before large groups will be more comfortable before the large audiences at the state competitions and National Finals.
(1-2 hours; school assembly)