Collab-Write a short poem about yourself using rhyming couplets. It could be as short as 4 -6 lines, but it could be longer if you wish.
If you are not comfortable writing poetry to share, then focus on an incident from your childhood, and tell a story. We all have a good and a bad side, just as Poe did. Tell about a time when your bad side got you into trouble. On the other hand, you could also write about a time when your good side took over, and you did something that made you stand out.
U3L1JWrite a paragraph describing a place where you really feel (or felt) alone. It could be a room, a house, another building of some sort, or it could be an outdoor place. Use descriptive language to give your reader a feeling of desolation and/or feeling isolated.
Collab-Read over the poem a few more times. Then think about countries that are struggling with immigration problems. It might be illegal immigration, such as the United States and the problems with illegal immigrants from Mexico and Central America. It could be the current situation concerning the Syrian migration, the people trying to get away from the war in Syria by going through Greece and up through Hungary trying to get to Germany and other northern European countries. What connections can you make between any of these situations and Kipling’s poem? Share your thoughts, and then respond to the thoughts of at least one other classmate.
U3L2J-Do you think this poem has meaning in today’s times? How could it be applied to our current culture and time period?
Collab-Let’s go back now to the Johnny Cash site. And this time, listen to some performances of other songs. When you have sampled some, listen to this one. It’s a song recorded with another superstar of music, Bob Dylan. Can you find similar themes in this song and “Folsom Prison Blues”? What are the similarities? Do the songs create a similar mood? Why or why not? Share your thoughts about the song “One Too Many Mornings” and “Folsom Prison Blues.” Then read the thoughts of at least two other classmates and comment on their thoughts.
U3L3J-Now it’s your turn to write in Johnny Cash’s style. Imagine you are grounded (or serving detention at school), and write a poem or song (at least 3 stanzas) in the style of Folsom Prison Blues. Think of the sound you might hear that would make it feel even worse that you couldn’t go outside, just like the sound of the train reinforces it for the prisoner. What would you miss? What would you imagine others are doing? Post your poem in your journal for this lesson.
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