This class is designed to enhance the language, literature and poetry discussion skills of the middle school student using classic English poems from around the world. Each session will begin with a brief look at the poet's life before delving into the poems. Each week different poetic devices will be discussed based on the poems. 

A familiarity with poetic devices is helpful, though not necessary. We will review poetic terms in class and then use them to discuss the poems we read. 

Discussions will be led in a Socratic seminar style with PowerPoint presentations to enhance learning and retention of information.

Students will read, discuss and look at various literary terms during each session to analyze and annotate poems each week.  Out of class work may be to write and submit a reflection paragraph on the week's reading. No quizzes or tests will be administered, but all students need to be fluent readers in order to succeed. This class will be run using the Socratic Seminar method which will require students to direct thoughts and conversations on the poems.

Week 1: Emily Dickinson
Week 2: William Blake
Week 3: Robert Frost
Week 4: Percy Shelley
Week 5: Rudyard Kipling
Week 6: William Wordsworth