Brief Description

This Essential Question lesson is designed to reinforce skills learned in a previously-taught poetry unit. It is also designed to integrate a lesson on “inspiration” with an art class. Students will explore the meaning of “inspiration,” view samples of poetry inspired by paintings, and practice writing poems inspired famous works of art. They will then be assessed by writing poems inspired by paintings created by their peers, present the art and the poems, and write a self-reflection on their own inspiration.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 4T-E2 Use technology tools for individual and collaborative writing
• 5T-E1 Locate information from electronic resources

          PO1 Identify electronic research sources

Academic Standards

• W-E1 Use correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and usage

 to complete a writing task
•  LS-E3 Prepare and deliver an oral report and effectively convey the information

 through verbal and nonverbal communications with a specific audience

Academic

• Students will be able to write a poem based on a painting by their peers.
• Students will self-reflect on the idea of “inspiration” and how it affected

    their poems.

• Students will be able to access information from the Internet to further their understanding of inspiration.
• Students will use the Inspiration software program to help clarify their understanding.

• Keyboarding
• Typing in URLs
• Navigating a web page

 

• Computer with Inspiration software
• Web page address http://www.amphi.com/teachers/pnewton/
• Essential Question on my web page
• Pencils
• Paper
• Paintings from an art class
• Self-reflection questions

 

SEI and SpEd students will pair up with regular education students during the first part of the lesson (looking up “inspiration” and using Inspiration software).

Students needing extra time to complete their poems will be able to use Seminar. SpEd and SEI students can also work with their other teachers.

Since the form of poetry is left up to the students, gifted students will be able to create more complex poems and will be able to create a web page that presents their own poetry and the (scanned) artwork that inspired it. Enrichment ideas are also provided in the Essential Question.

Procedures
 

1.   Students will go to the computer lab to access the Essential Question on my web page. They will follow it to look up “inspiration” and use the Inspiration software to web, in pairs, their thoughts on the concept.

2.   Students will be able to look at works of art on the Internet (specific sites provided in the Essential Question) or at the art displayed around the room (borrowed from the art teacher).

3.   Students will be asked to choose one painting and to think about the formal elements, the mood, the point of view of the painting, what is going on in the painting, how do you respond to it, etc. (Specifics are provided in the Essential Question.) Students will use these questions to gain a deeper understanding of the painting and take notes.

4.   Students will brainstorm by looking at the painting and writing a list of all the words that spring to mind. (Specifics are provided in the Essential Question.) Students will use this list to create his/her poem.

5.   Students will be asked to try out different versions of the poem. (Specifics are provided in the Essential Question.) Students will then select the point of view that he/she feels most connected to, and develop it into the final poem.

6.   Students then write out their poems. They are encouraged to get creative in the writing itself. (Specifics are provided in the Essential Question.)

7.   Students will then present their poem and art to the class, explaining how they were inspired and how they created their poem based on the process above.
 

    1. Students will follow the same process outlined above, but will use a painting created by a peer instead of one selected
    from the Internet or displayed around my classroom.

    2. Assessment of the poem will be based on the Six Traits of Writing Word Choice Rubric.

    3. Students will have to write a self-reflection about “inspiration,” their creation of their poem and how it was affected by
    the painting. Specific questions for them to answer are provided in the Essential Question. Their reflections will be
    evaluated for answering all questions completely and thoughtfully.

Teacher Name: Phyllis Newton
Site: La Cima
Date Submitted: April 14, 2004