Unit 1: Exploring Asia through Poetry

Part 1. Asian Stereotypes

These lessons began with an activity that enabled students to become aware of Asian stereotypes in mass media. this was followed by a quiz and map activity that helped students appreciate the varied and rich cultures of Asia.

Part 2. Asian Forms

These lessons focused on poetic forms emerging from Asia specifically the Landay and Ghazal. Students were introduced to the history of the form. They observed and analyzed features of these forms including the aesthetic techniques and themes.

Part 3. Resistance Poets in Asia

These lessons focused on various resistance poets from Asia such as Mahmoud Darwish, and poets writing on historical moments of resistance in Asia such as Rosmon Tuazon. Students discussed the history and issues of their poems and engaged in critical and comparative translation exercises.

Part 4. Dialogic Poems in Asia

These lessons introduced students to the dialogic form including twin cinema. Students were introduced to the history underlying this form and had opportunities to analyze various poets who experimented with dialogic poetry. The unit culminated with students collaborating across schools to write their own dialogic poem on an issue of significance that they chose.