analysis i love gavin and griffin so much!...mother to son well, son, i'll tell you: life for...
TRANSCRIPT
I love Gavin and Griffin So much!
Guided Close Readings, Theme Analysis,
Sound Devices, Figurative Language,
Mood, Poetic Devices
POETRYANALYSIS
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TEACHER RESOURCES
POEM: “Mother To Son” by Langston Hughes
BackgroundInformation
• Langston Hughes was born in 1902 in Missouri.• He was raised by his grandmother until he was 13.• During the 1920’s Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes became a
recognized literary figure.• “Mother to Son” is one of Hughes’s earliest poems.• It takes the form of dramatic monologue as a weary mother addresses
her son and encourages him to persevere.
Analysis Lesson
Reading 1: • Have students add the metaphor definition to their packet.• Have students read the poem independently and identify the metaphor
in the poem.• Discuss the metaphor with students.• Ask students to identify a line in the poem that relates to the metaphor.• Discuss the poem with students:
• Who is speaking in the poem?• Who is she speaking to?• What is she saying?
Reading 2:• Have students add the extended metaphor definition to their packet.• Have students read the poem again. This time have them identify how
the staircase metaphor is extended in the poem.• Lead students through the extended metaphor examples. Have them
create meaning for each metaphor.• Discuss the poem with students:
• Based on the poem, what kind of life has the mother had?• Why do you think she would be sharing this message with her son?
Reading 3:• Have students read the poem again, this time with its theme in mind.• As a class identify a theme for the poem.• Have students select three lines, phrases, or words from the poem that
provide evidence for the theme they identified.• Discuss the poem with students:
• What qualities/characteristics does the mother show through her words and actions?
Analysis:• Give students an opportunity to construct a response to the analysis
short answer question.• Have students share their responses with the entire class, a small group,
or partners.Copyright © 2015 Brain Waves Instruction All rights reserved by author.
For classroom use only by a single teacher. Please purchase one licensure per teacher using this product.
POEM: “Oranges” by Gary Soto
BackgroundInformation
• Gary Soto was born in Fresno, California in 1952.• Although Gary’s childhood was difficult (father died at 5, family worked
as laborers, education was not a priority), he grew up to be a successful author that writes about issues and experiences that people can all relate to.
• Soto is a spokesperson for the United Farm Workers of America.• The poem “Oranges” is a love poem that takes a unique spin on how to
express and explain love.
Analysis Lesson
Reading 1:• Have students read “Oranges” by Gary Soto.• After reading, have students fill out the poem stats.• Discuss the poem with students:
• What happens in this poem?• Who is the speaker in this poem?
Reading 2:• Have students read the poem again.• Then, have students review the poem and list images, sounds, objects,
and places in the poem.• Have students share out what they identified in the poem. Students
should add ideas contributed by their peers to the chart.• Discuss the poem with students:
• What kind of experience is the speaker having in the poem?• What are the range of emotions he feels?
Reading 3:• Have students read the poem again.• Then, have students take a closer look at excerpts from the poem.• Encourage students to read the poem and make meaning for each
element. Have them go beyond what is literally happening and make inferences.
• Discuss students’ interpretations of the poem and what the poem means.• Discuss the poem with students:
• What conclusions can you make about the boy based on the inferences you made from the poem?
• What could the orange as “fire” symbolize?• Investigate all the references to light in the poem. Why do you
think Soto included them?
Analysis:• Give students an opportunity to construct a response to the analysis
short answer question.• Have students share their responses with the entire class, a small group,
or partners.
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POEM: “If I can stop one heart from breaking” by Emily Dickinson
BackgroundInformation
• Emily Dickinson was an American poet born in 1830.• She lived alone for most of her life and cared for her parents.• Although she wrote thousands of poems, many were not published until
after her death in 1886.• “If I can stop one heart from breaking” is an inspirational poem about
life’s purpose.
Analysis Lesson
Reading 1:• Have students independently read Dickinson’s poem.• After reading the poem, have students react to the poem by noting how
the poem made them feel. They should also add what the poem made them think about.
• Discuss what it means to do something in vain (to do something for nothing).
• Discuss the poem with students:• What word choices bring the poet’s view to life?
Reading 2:• Have students read the poem again.• Then, have students analyze the mood of the poem.• Students should add quotes from the poem that support the mood.• Share and discuss.• Discuss the poem with students:
• How well does the poem communicate its main idea or message?
Reading 3:• Have students read the poem again.• Then, have students determine the message of the poem.• Lead students through interpreting each line of the poem in the graphic
organizer.• Discuss the poem with students:
• Does this poem encourage you to think or feel in new ways?
Analysis:• Give students an opportunity to construct a response to the analysis
short answer question.• Have students share their responses with the entire class, a small group,
or partners.
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POEM: “Nothing Gold Can Stay”
BackgroundInformation
• Robert Frost was born in San Francisco in 1874.• He won 4 Pulitzer Prizes for his writing.• “Nothing Gold Can Stay” was written by Frost in 1923. The poem was
published in the collection “New Hampshire” that earned Frost the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1924.
• The poem is mentioned in “The Outsiders,” while hiding in the church, Ponyboy quotes the poem to Johnny.
Analysis Lesson
Reading 1:• Have students read “Nothing Gold Can Stay.”• Then, have students answer the basic analysis questions about the poem.• Share and review responses.• Have students identify words or phrases that they are unfamiliar with in
the poem. Explain hue (color/shade), subsides (become less intense), and the reference to the Garden of Eden (where even the peace and plenty of paradise didn’t last).
• Review the definition alliteration (repetition of initial consonant sounds).• Discuss the poem with students:
• What is this poem about?
Reading 2:• Have students read “Nothing Gold Can Stay” for a second time.• Guide students through each question.• Share responses.• Discuss the poem with students:
• Describe the speaker’s attitude toward life.
Reading 3:• Have students read the poem again.• After students read the poem conduct a discussion about metaphors.• Guide students through interpreting the metaphors in the poem.• Discuss the poem with students:
• What is your opinion of the poem overall?
Analysis• Give students an opportunity to construct a response to the analysis
short answer question.• Have students share their responses with the entire class, a small group,
or partners.
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POEM: “Abandoned Farmhouse”
BackgroundInformation
• Ted was born in Ames, Iowa in 1939.• He is a prolific author, writing poetry, nonfiction, children’s books and
chapbooks.• Ted Kooser spent two terms as the U.S. Poet Laureate.• Kooser teaches poetry and nonfiction at the University of Nebraska.• In “Abandoned Farmhouse” he describes the aftermath of a household
that has experienced a traumatic event.
Analysis Lesson
Reading 1:• Have students read “Abandoned Farmhouse”.• After the first reading, have students identify words and phrases that
create images for the man, woman, child, and farm/farmhouse.• Discuss the poem with students:
• What is the mood of the poem?• What overall image is Kooser presenting?
Reading 2:• Have students read “Abandoned Farmhouse” again.• Then, have students identify the figurative language in the poem.• Discuss the examples students identify.• Discuss the poem with students:
• What is the message in Kooser’s poem?• How does the figurative language make the poem more
effective?
Reading 3:• Have students read the poem again.• Then, have students interpret the poem in their own words.• Share students’ responses.• Discuss the poem with students:
• What do they think happened in the farmhouse?• How does Kooser portray a traumatic event?
Analysis• Give students an opportunity to construct a response to the analysis
short answer question.• Have students share their responses with the entire class, a small group,
or partners.
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Other great ways to teach poetry…
You might also like…
5-Day Unit where students read and analyze poetry.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Brain-Waves-InstructionCopyright © 2015 Brain Waves Instruction
Winter-themed interactive poetry
analysis unit.
Fun and engaging hands-on poetry
lessons.
Close reading unit for “The Highwayman.”
Detailed, CCSS-aligned “Casey at the
Bat” Unit.
Popular 11-day poetry writing
unit.
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STUDENT PACKET
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POETRYReading and Analysis
Name __________________________________
Mother to Son
Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now—
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
Langston Hughes
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A
DEVELOP UNDERSTANDING
POEM SENTENCE / PHRASE MEANING
“Life for me ain’t been no
crystal stair”
“It’s had tacks in it,”
“And splinters”
“And boards torn up,”
“Don’t you set down on the
steps”
Reading
BReading
______________ _____________________________IS
METAPHOR: __________________________________________________
EXTENDED METAPHOR:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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THEME ANALYSIS
SUPPORT 1 SUPPORT 2 SUPPORT 3
CReading
The theme of this poem is _________________________________________ .
AnalysisWhat is the message of this poem? How does Langston Hughes convey the
message in the poem?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
OrangesThe first time I walkedWith a girl, I was twelve,Cold, and weighted downWith two oranges in my jacket.December. Frost crackingBeneath my steps, my breathBefore me, then gone,As I walked towardHer house, the one whosePorch light burned yellowNight and day, in any weather.A dog barked at me, untilShe came out pullingAt her gloves, face brightWith rouge. I smiled,Touched her shoulder, and ledHer down the street, acrossA used car lot and a lineOf newly planted trees,Until we were breathingBefore a drugstore. WeEntered, the tiny bellBringing a salesladyDown a narrow aisle of goods.I turned to the candiesTiered like bleachers,And asked what she wanted -Light in her eyes, a smileStarting at the cornersOf her mouth. I fingeredA nickel in my pocket,And when she lifted a chocolateThat cost a dime,I didn't say anything.I took the nickel fromMy pocket, then an orange,And set them quietly on
The counter. When I looked up,The lady's eyes met mine,And held them, knowingVery well what it was allAbout.
Outside,A few cars hissing past,Fog hanging like oldCoats between the trees.I took my girl's handIn mine for two blocks,Then released it to letHer unwrap the chocolate.I peeled my orangeThat was so bright againstThe gray of DecemberThat, from some distance,Someone might have thoughtI was making a fire in my hands.
Gary Soto
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A
DEVELOP UNDERSTANDING
Reading
BReading
IMAGES PLACES
OBJECTS FIGURATIVE LANGAUGE
POEM STATS
TITLE: ______________________________________________
STYLE: ______________________________________________
WORDS/PHRASES THAT REPEAT: ___________________________
_____________________________________________________
OPENING / CLOSING LINE: _______________________________
_____________________________________________________
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MAKING MEANING
“Oranges” What this means…
The first time I walkedWith a girl, I was twelve,Cold, and weighted downWith two oranges in my jacket.
Light in her eyes, a smileStarting at the cornersOf her mouth. I fingeredA nickel in my pocket,And when she lifted a chocolateThat cost a dime,I didn't say anything.
And set them quietly onThe counter. When I looked up,The lady's eyes met mine,And held them, knowingVery well what it was allAbout.
I peeled my orangeThat was so bright againstThe gray of December
CReading
The poem “Oranges” is about
_________________________________.
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What does this poem say about young love?
How does Gary Soto present his message in the poem?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Analysis
If I can stop one heart from breaking
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,I shall not live in vain.
Emily Dickinson
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AReading
BReading
REACT TO THE POEM
MOOD ANALYSIS
SUPPORT 1 SUPPORT 2 SUPPORT 3
The mood of this poem is _________________________________________ .
The poem made me
FEEL…
The poem made me
THINK…
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Copyright © 2015 Brain Waves Instruction All rights reserved by author.For classroom use only by a single teacher. Please purchase one licensure per teacher using this product.
MESSAGE ANALYSISCReading
The message of this poem is _________________________________________ .
AnalysisWhat is the message of this poem?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
I shall not live in vain if… MESSAGE
If I can stop one heart from breaking
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again,
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Nothing Gold Can Stay
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
Robert Frost
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A
CLOSE READING
Reading
BReading
WHAT DO YOU THINK
THE TITLE MEANS?
WHAT SITUATION IS
DESCRIBED?
WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST
IMPRESSIONS OF THE
POEM?
1. What is the message in the poem?
2. What word choices help bring Frost’s subject to life?
3. What is the rhyme scheme in the poem?
4. Find example of alliteration in the poem.
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METAPHOR ANALYSISCReading
METAPHOR MEANING
Nature’s first green is gold.
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;/But only so an hour.
AnalysisWhat is the theme of “Nothing Gold Can Stay?”
How does Frost convey his message in the poem?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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Abandoned Farmhouse
He was a big man, says the size of his shoeson a pile of broken dishes by the house;a tall man too, says the length of the bedin an upstairs room; and a good, God-fearing man,says the Bible with a broken backon the floor below the window, dusty with sun;but not a man for farming, say the fields
cluttered with boulders and the leaky barn.
A woman lived with him, says the bedroom wallpapered with lilacs and the kitchen shelvescovered with oilcloth, and they had a child,says the sandbox made from a tractor tire.Money was scarce, say the jars of plum preservesand canned tomatoes sealed in the cellar hole.And the winters cold, say the rags in the window frames.It was lonely here, says the narrow country road.
Something went wrong, says the empty housein the weed-choked yard. Stones in the fieldssay he was not a farmer; the still-sealed jarsin the cellar say she left in a nervous haste.And the child? Its toys are strewn in the yardlike branches after a storm--a rubber cow,a rusty tractor with a broken plow,a doll in overalls. Something went wrong, they say.
Ted Kooser
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AReading
Man Woman
Child Farm/Farmhouse
Write down three details from the poem that tell you something about each of the elements below.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGEBReading
Find figurative language examples of the following:
PERSONIFICATION(a human trait or action given to
something that is not human)
SIMILE(a comparison using like/as)
ALLITERATION(the repetition of a consonant sound)
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CLOSE READING
ReadingCPoet’s Words In Your Own Words
He was a big man, says the size of his shoeson a pile of broken dishes by the house;a tall man too, says the length of the bedin an upstairs room; and a good, God-fearing man,says the Bible with a broken backon the floor below the window, dusty with sun;but not a man for farming, say the fieldscluttered with boulders and the leaky barn.
A woman lived with him, says the bedroom wallpapered with lilacs and the kitchen shelvescovered with oilcloth, and they had a child,says the sandbox made from a tractor tire.Money was scarce, say the jars of plum preservesand canned tomatoes sealed in the cellar hole.And the winters cold, say the rags in the window frames.It was lonely here, says the narrow country road.
Something went wrong, says the empty housein the weed-choked yard. Stones in the fieldssay he was not a farmer; the still-sealed jarsin the cellar say she left in a nervous haste.And the child? Its toys are strewn in the yardlike branches after a storm--a rubber cow,a rusty tractor with a broken plow,a doll in overalls. Something went wrong, they say.
What happened in this farmhouse?_______________________________________________________________________
What kind of event is Kooser trying to portray?_______________________________________________________________________
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Analysis
Explain how Ted Kooser portrays the aftermath of a traumatic event in the poem “Abandoned Farmhouse.”
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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KEYS
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AReading
BReading
Life a staircase.IS
METAPHOR: Comparing two things by saying that one is the other.
DEVELOP UNDERSTANDING
Poem Sentence / Phrase Meaning
“Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair”
Not an opulent, luxurious life
“It’s had tacks in it,”Suffered pain, annoyances
“And splinters”Been hurt
“And boards torn up,”Holes in her life; places she has had to navigate through and around
“Don’t you set down on the steps”Never give up in life
EXTENDED METAPHOR: A metaphor introduced and then developed further throughout a literary work
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THEME ANALYSISCReading
Analysis
SUPPORT 1 SUPPORT 2 SUPPORT 3
“I’se been a-climin’ on,” “Don’t you set down on the steps ‘cause you finds
it’s kinder hard.”
“I’se still climbin’”
The theme of this poem is perseverance.
What is the message of this poem? How does Langston Hughes convey the
message in the poem?
SAMPLE RESPONSE: The message of the poem “Mother to Son” by
Langston Hughes is perseverance. The poem’s speaker, the mother,
compares her life to a staircase. She tells her son that, “life for me ain’t been
no crystal stair.” While her life had been difficult, with “splinters and boards torn
up,” she kept going. Hughes conveys his message of perseverance in his
poem when he writes, “Don’t you set down on the steps.” Therefore, the
mother’s message to her son to keep climbing and never give up, is the same
as Langston Hughes’s message to the reader.
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A
DEVELOP UNDERSTANDING
Reading
BReading
POEM STATS
IMAGES PLACES
Yellow porch light; face bright; a line of newly planted trees; aisle of goods; bright orange
Her street; used car lot; drugstore; two blocks
OBJECTS SOUNDS
Two oranges in jacket; dog; glove; candies; nickel in pocket; chocolate
Dog barking; tiny bell; cars hissing past
TITLE: ”Oranges”
STYLE: Free Verse
WORDS/PHRASES THAT REPEAT: walked; smiled; nickel; orange (s)
OPENING / CLOSING LINE “The first time I walked with a girl, I was twelve…” “Someone might have thought I was making a fire in my hands.”
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MAKING MEANINGCReading
“Oranges” What’s really going on…
The first time I walkedWith a girl, I was twelve,Cold, and weighted downWith two oranges in my jacket.
Young adolescent nervous about hanging out alone with a girl.
The oranges are weighing him down because he doesn’t have any money.
Light in her eyes, a smileStarting at the cornersOf her mouth. I fingeredA nickel in my pocket,And when she lifted a chocolateThat cost a dime,I didn't say anything.
The girl is excited about the idea of someone buying her candy.
Not wanting to seem like he doesn’t have enough money, the boy doesn’t tell her that he can’t afford it.
And set them quietly onThe counter. When I looked up,The lady's eyes met mine,And held them, knowingVery well what it was allAbout.
The woman at the counter understandsthe situation and takes the orange as payment.
I peeled my orangeThat was so bright againstThe gray of December
The boy is happy. His orange is bright against the gray day. He is hopeful.
The poem “Oranges” is about young love.
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Analysis
What does this poem say about young love? How does Gary Soto present his
message in the poem?
POSSIBLE RESPONSE: The poem, “Oranges,” by Gary Soto proves that young love can
be both nerve wracking and full of promise. When the poem begins, the speaker is
nervous about hanging out with a girl. He is “weighted down” by the oranges in his
pocket. When the two head to the local drugstore and she picks a candy out of his
price range, he doesn’t admit to her that he can’t afford her choice. Instead, he
confidently offers an orange and nickel on the counter as payment. The saleswoman
accepts his offer and together the boy and girl walk home. On their walk home, the
boy’s orange burns like a fire. It symbolizes hope and promise, just like young love
feels.
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Copyright © 2015 Brain Waves Instruction All rights reserved by author.For classroom use only by a single teacher. Please purchase one licensure per teacher using this product.
AReading
BReading
REACT TO THE POEM
MOOD ANALYSIS
The poem made me
FEEL…
The poem made me
THINK…
Answers will vary
MOOD ANALYSIS
SUPPORT 1 SUPPORT 2 SUPPORT 3
“I shall not live in vain.” “Help one fainting robinunto his nest again”
“If I can stop one heart from breaking”
The mood of this poem is inspirational.
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MESSAGE ANALYSISCReading
Analysis
The theme of this poem is that our lives have meaning when we help others.
_________________________________________ .I shall not live in vain if… MESSAGE
If I can stop one heart from breaking
If she can prevent one person from suffering, then her life will have meaning
If I can ease one life the aching,If she can help someone feel less pain, then her life will not be wasted
Or cool one pain,Or soothe someone’s suffering
Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again,
If she could help a creature to safety again, then her life will have been worth living.
What is the message of this poem?
POSSIBLE RESPONSE: Emily Dickinson’s poem, “If I can stop one heart from breaking”
is an inspirational poem about life. Dickinson’s message in the poem is that our lives
have meaning when we help others. She opens her poem by writing, “If I can stop
one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain.” Her poem continues with ways that
she can help others either by soothing their pain or easing their aching. With each
act of kindness, her life has meaning. Therefore, Dickinson’s message is that our lives
will not be wasted if we help others.
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Copyright © 2015 Brain Waves Instruction All rights reserved by author.For classroom use only by a single teacher. Please purchase one licensure per teacher using this product.
A
CLOSE READING
Reading
BReading
WHAT DO YOU THINK
THE TITLE MEANS?Nothing lasts forever
WHAT SITUATION IS
DESCRIBED?Nature and life changes quickly
WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST
IMPRESSIONS OF THE
POEM?
Answers will vary
1. What is the message in the poem?Change is inevitable
2. What word choices help bring Frost’s subject to life?Only so an hour; leaf subsides to leaf; grief; nothing gold can stay
3. What is the rhyme scheme in the poem?Couplets: aabb ccdd
4. Find example of alliteration in the poem.Line 1 – green/goldLine 2 - her/hardest/hue/holdLine 7 – dawn/down/day
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METAPHOR ANALYSISCReading
Analysis
METAPHOR MEANING
Nature’s first green is gold.
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;/But only so an hour.
Gold is a symbol of something valuable. When spring arrives and there is new growth it is precious (and golden).
The first green is the stage of growth that goes away most quickly.
Time passes so quickly; things change so fast
What is the theme of “Nothing Gold Can Stay”? How does Frost convey his
message in the poem?
POSSIBLE RESPONSE: The theme of “Nothing Gold Can Stay” is that
change is inevitable. Frost conveys his message that nothing lasts forever by
providing examples of elements of nature that change. Frost writes, “her early
leaf’s a flower; but only so an hour.” The title of the poem “Nothing Gold Can
Stay” is perhaps the best way that Frost conveys his message. The title says it
all, nothing lasts forever.
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AReading
Man Woman
Big, tall, God-fearing man, not a good farmer
The bedroom walls were papered, the kitchen shelves covered with oilcloth,
mother
Child Farm/Farmhouse
Sandbox, toys strewn across the yard, a doll in overalls (child was girl)
Rags in the window frames, narrow country road,
Write down three details from the poem that tell you something about each of the elements below.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGEBReading
Find figurative language examples of the following:
PERSONIFICATION(a human trait or action given to
something that is not human)
“He was a big man, says the size of his shoes / on a pile of broken dishes by the house”
SIMILE(a comparison using like/as)
“And the child? Its toys are strewn in the yard / like branches after a storm”
ALLITERATION(the repetition of a consonant sound)
“says the size of his shoes”
Copyright © 2015 Brain Waves Instruction All rights reserved by author.For classroom use only by a single teacher. Please purchase one licensure per teacher using this product.
CLOSE READING
ReadingCPoet’s Words In Your Own Words
He was a big man, says the size of his shoeson a pile of broken dishes by the house;a tall man too, says the length of the bedin an upstairs room; and a good, God-fearing man,says the Bible with a broken backon the floor below the window, dusty with sun;but not a man for farming, say the fieldscluttered with boulders and the leaky barn.
• The man that lived in the house was big and tall.
• He was religious. The Bible was well used (interesting, wherever the man went, he didn’t take his beloved bible with him).
• He was not a good farmer. • His fields were not plowed, but filled
with boulders. The barn is in disrepair.
A woman lived with him, says the bedroom wallpapered with lilacs and the kitchen shelvescovered with oilcloth, and they had a child,says the sandbox made from a tractor tire.Money was scarce, say the jars of plum preservesand canned tomatoes sealed in the cellar hole.And the winters cold, say the rags in the window frames.It was lonely here, says the narrow country road.
• The woman cared for the house. • She decorated the bedroom walls and
lined the shelves with oilcloth. • There was a child in the house.• They were not a wealthy family. Their
food was scarce. • The winters were cold. • Their farm was isolated.
Something went wrong, says the empty housein the weed-choked yard. Stones in the fieldssay he was not a farmer; the still-sealed jarsin the cellar say she left in a nervous haste.And the child? Its toys are strewn in the yardlike branches after a storm--a rubber cow,a rusty tractor with a broken plow,a doll in overalls. Something went wrong, they say.
• Something went wrong.• They’ve been gone for a while – the
yard is filled with weeds.• They left quickly – leaving behind
food.• They didn’t even take the child’s toys.• Something traumatic happened.
What happened in this farmhouse?Something sudden and traumatic happened in this farmhouse.
What kind of event is Kooser trying to portray?A sad and desperate event.
Copyright © 2015 Brain Waves Instruction All rights reserved by author.For classroom use only by a single teacher. Please purchase one licensure per teacher using this product.
Analysis
Explain how Ted Kooser portrays the aftermath of a traumatic event in the poem “Abandoned Farmhouse”.
POSSIBLE RESPONSE: In Ted Kooser’s poem “Abandoned Farmhouse” he describes the
aftermath of a traumatic event. Kooser portrays the aftermath of a disturbing event
with word choice and figurative language. In the poem he includes the simile, “And the
child? Its toys are strewn in the yard / like branches after a storm.” This simile not only
paints a picture of the randomness of the toy placement, but also gives the impression
that there was some kind of chaos or traumatic event. When Kooser writes,
“Something went wrong, says the empty house / in the weed-choked yard” he implies
that there was a traumatic event. His use of the words, “wrong,” “empty,” and
“choked” all give a feeling of sadness and desperation. Therefore, through word choice
and figurative language, Kooser portrays the aftermath of a traumatic event in his
poem.
Copyright © 2015 Brain Waves Instruction All rights reserved by author.For classroom use only by a single teacher. Please purchase one licensure per teacher using this product.
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Copyright © 2015 Brain Waves Instruction All rights reserved by author.For classroom use only by a single teacher. Please purchase one licensure per teacher using this product.
BONUS
As a special bonus, Art
with Jenny K has
provided a quote
coloring sheet for
students. The quote is
by Robert Frost. It’s the
perfect companion to
the “Nothing Gold Can
Stay” poetry analysis.
Enjoy!
~Robert Frost
© Jenny Knappenberger 2016 www.artwithjennyk.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
“The best way out is always through.”
Reflect on this quote. What do you think the meaning of it is?
~ Robert Frost
© Jenny Knappenberger 2016 www.artwithjennyk.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Robert Frost
See Resource HERE
Collaboration Posters
Two Posters Included(approx. 28” x 42”each)
Grades 3 & Above PreK -2nd Grade
“Nothing Gold Can Stay”
Collaboration Posters
See Resource HERE