Recipe: Poetry Is and Poetry Isn't

I. Prepare

First, a quick introduction to Love Poetry...

The examples of poetry by Strongbad is, obviously, pretty simplistic. You could compare and contrast it to more advanced poetry. Check out this amazing palindrome poem, for example:

What Is and What Is Not Poetry, Part 1

Read the following: Brothers Are the Same/Ozymandias Compare & Contrast.

Discuss the following in regards to each passage presented:

1. Is it poetry?
2. What makes it a poem?

Use a venn diagram to analyze the surface differences of Brothers Are the Same and Ozymandias.

What Is and What Is Not Poetry, Part 2

Let's take a more comprehensive look at what is and what is not poetry. This is a good time to practice note-taking skills!

A special thanks to the great Joye Oakley!

II. Mix & Bake

Some very complex concepts are articulated through poetry. It is this reason that we need a systematic process of analyzing the multiple facets of poetry. That's why someone very smart  (no, not me) created TPCASTT!

Painless Poetry Analysis: TPCASTT

Get ready to take some notes! As you learn each of the seven steps to TPCASTT, it would benefit you to have a copy of a poem to practice. Might I suggest one of the suggested poems provided by the Common Core Appendix B? 

Use the PREZI as a guide and walk through analyzing a poem together, as a class. 

III. Eat!

Now it's time to venture independently into the world of poetry! Students can work alone or in pairs (teacher's discretion) and use TPCASTT on a poem of their choice (or recommended by the teacher). 

Other Poetry Resources

1. My Poetry Nonfiction LiveBinder
2. My Basic Poems Prezi - step-by-step guide to writing simple poems
3. Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame - check out the free lessons in the education section
4. Poetry 180 - a wide selection of poems from the Library of Congress