Middle School Poetry Slam: Weekly Writer’s Workshop
What's included
24 live meetings
22 in-class hoursAssignments
1 hour per week. Learners will be asked to write poems in the style we are studying for that lesson/week.Certificate of Completion
1 after class completionClass Experience
You’re a poet, but do you know it? Everyone is a poet if they take the time to find the beauty of words in everyday life. As a poet, I know the profound impact poetry has had on my life. Not just during times of grief and heartache, but every day. Poetry can help us live our daily lives in deep, knowing and authentic ways. It can be the doorway into literacy for so many children, and a pathway to knowing how we feel, learning about who we are, and connecting with others and the larger world. According to Prof. S. Subrahamanyam, "Poetry leads an all round development of the whole personality of the pupils particularly the emotional, imaginative, intellectual aesthetic and intuitive sides." Slam Poetry or Spoken Word is free verse poetry intended to be shared orally. In this twelve week writer’s workshop, we will meet twice a week to write, read, and share poetry or song lyrics. Each week will feature a poetry type and example poem. This is a safe space for poets, poetry lovers, and lyricists.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)24 Lessons
over 12 WeeksLesson 1:
Sestina
Sestina
This French verse form is made up of six six-line stanzas, called sestets, and a three-line envoi. There's no rhyme or consistent metric pattern, but the use of multiple sestets is a defining feature.
55 mins online live lesson
1 assignment
Lesson 2:
Sestina By Algernon Charles Swinburne
Sestina By Algernon Charles Swinburne (Stanza 1)
I saw my soul at rest upon a day
As a bird sleeping in the nest of night,
Among soft leaves that give the starlight way
To touch its wings but not its eyes with light;
So that it knew as one in visions may,
And knew not as men waking, of delight.
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Epic Poems
Epic Poems
Ancient Greek and Roman epic poems didn't rhyme, but epic poems written during the Middle Ages and later often did.
55 mins online live lesson
1 assignment
Lesson 4:
Excerpt from "The Odyssey": The Sirens
Excerpt from "The Odyssey": The Sirens
Odysseus, bravest of heroes, Draw near to us, on our green island, Odysseus, we’ll teach you wisdom, We’ll give you love, sweeter than honey. The songs we sing, soothe away sorrow, And in our arms, you will be happy. Odysseus, bravest of heroes, The songs we sing, will bring you peace.
55 mins online live lesson
Other Details
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
All poems are found in the public domain.
Reviews
Live Group Course
$30
weekly or $360 for 24 classes2x per week, 12 weeks
55 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-14
1-6 learners per class