African American Poetry: Songs of Protest and Pride
Jean Sutherland
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Give FeedbackMeeting New Haven's Literacy Standards
Throughout, students will be reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The New Haven school district's emphasis on literacy is targeted in all aspects of this unit. Material has been integrated with our social studies, art, music, and language arts lessons. The development of confident dramatic speakers is also a key goal. In everything presented, vocabulary development will be stressed through the discussion of words unfamiliar to most students. Examination of rhyming words and internal rhyme will strengthen phonic skills. The discussion of syllabication in achieving rhythm will do the same. The understanding and identification of metaphors and the importance of descriptive writing will help to illustrate their importance in the elaboration of basic ideas in both poetry and prose. The five-paragraph expository essay, an important introduction into fourth grade language arts, will be used toward the end of the unit. Teams of students will further develop literacy and related research skills when they select a poet whose work and life will be the subject of a short report and or oral presentation. The library media specialist, part of our team, will assist students in this endeavor. Reports will be shared and may become a part of our culminating assembly.