POETRY OUT LOUD

CLOSE READING

Poetry Out Loud Close Reading Assignment

**SEE EXEMPLAR BELOW**

1. Copy and paste your poem into a Pages document.

2. Using the “Comment” Feature (up on the toolbar), do a close reading of your poem, exploring difficult words, meaning of lines, interesting images, figurative language, and tone.

3. Be sure that you make at least 10 comments.

4. After you have done your close reading, write a paragraph below it that explains the poem overall. Be sure to start with a “thesis statement” that includes the poem’s title and poet’s name and that states your central idea. (For example: In her poem “The Fish,” Elizabeth Bishop uses strong sensory imagery to reveal the speaker’s emotional connection to another living being).

What is Poetry Out Loud?

Poetry Out Loud is a national student poetry recitation contest that started in 2005. Over a million American students participate. Poetry Out Loud begins in individual English classes, goes to a school competition, state level, and then final competition in May in Washington D.C.

Why are we participating?

Poetry is challenging, empowering, creative, varied, and lasting. Poems help us understand and express things in life that are difficult to understand and express. Reading poems makes us deeper thinkers, and reciting them for each other helps us improve our public speaking skills. In fact, poetry recitation as a competitive event is as old as the Olympic Games! It is our hope that more people reading more poems in the classrooms, in the halls, and on the stage of our school will liven our own voices and widen our thinking about poetry, literature, and language.

Your role is...

1. Choose a poem you like from the online or printed anthology.

2. Complete assignment(s) that help engage your thinking and deepen your understanding of

your poem and develop your interpretation.

3. Commit your poem to memory.

4. Practice reciting your poem with your classmates and friends.

5. Participate in your class’s recitation contest, judged by your English teacher.

6. Three winners from each grade level will be chosen by teachers to advance to the all

school competition on January 10 with two prepared poems.

7. The YHS Winner will advance to the state finals in Portland on February 8 (two poems).

Other Notes:

All students will be required to memorize and recite one poem for their class and will receive a grade for their recitation and other associated work, which is up to the individual teacher.

The twelve students who advance to the school competition will be required to memorize and recite two poems. Two poems are also required at the state competition.

Students competing in the national competition are required to recite 3 poems.

Poems may only be selected from the printed or online anthology.