Crecia C. Swaim
The following section provides specific examples of using poetry in the classroom. Simple translations of each poem will be included, just for reference in this unit; links to the original, French language version of the poems online are also included. Each section will contain a linguistic analysis of the poem, a brief background of the poet and the poetic movement most-associated with that poet, and a lesson plan to be used with that poem, showcasing a strategy particularly well-suited to that grade and content level.
Grades 5-6: Mon chapeau, Unknown
This poem will be used in my fifth grade class, during the second marking period. We will have addressed colors at the beginning of the second marking period, so students will be able to practice them and develop confidence in their abilities here. We will learn clothing in the third marking period, and they will be able to recall the word for "hat" (chapeau), which will start them off in a position of confidence. It could easily be used in sixth grade as well, with less time spent on it or more extension work. The French text can be found at this website: http://larecup.e-monsite.com/rubrique,chansons-pour-enfants,1008723.html. I have included my own translation of it below.
4
My Hat
1.
|
When I wear my grey hat
|
2.
|
It is to go out in the rain.
|
3.
|
When I wear my green hat
|
4.
|
It is that I am angry.
|
5.
|
When I wear my blue hat
|
6.
|
It is that things are getting better already.
|
7.
|
When I wear my white hat
|
8.
|
It is that I am very happy.
|
-
Linguistic Analysis
As indicated above, the timing of this poem is intentional, creating a high likelihood of success and language connection. When students feel like they are revisiting something they have learned, especially in the form of a poem or song, they become excited to learn more. The repetition of phrases is important here, as it gives students a crutch to lean on as they become familiar with French poetry and memorizing it. When they get stuck, they already know that the beginning of the line will either be "When I wear my" or "It is." Even if they forget that, all it will take is one syllable from the teacher to bring the whole phrase back.
The language is simple, the vocabulary concepts basic. Emphasizing the predictable rhyme-iness of the poem will help to get the poem stuck in students' heads. If you have any aspiring percussionists in your classroom (believe me, you will know soon enough, as they will not be able to control their desk drumming for long!) they will probably surface during choral repetition of this poem. Try letting them do their thing! Get the whole class in on it. My rule is that the poem comes first, if you can't sing or speak the poem while drumming, chair dancing, etc., then it's time to drop the rest and just sing. I of course give students a few chances to get that right, as they are not usually accustomed to being allowed to do such things! The kinesthetic learners appreciate it, and it's just a lot of fun! Which means of course that it is more likely to be remembered.
Easy-Spot Cognates: Bleu (blue), content. Vocabulary-Builder Cognates: Gris (grey). Spanish-French Cognates: Quand (cuando), gris, vert (verde), mieux (mejor), blanc (blanco). Bridges: En colère - color, like when you get angry you get all red or colored in the face -- angry; déjà - as in déjà vu (already seen) -- already; blanc - blank, like the color white -- white. New Vocabulary: Mettre (to put/put on/wear), mon (my-masculine singular), chapeau (hat), c'est que/ c'est pour (it is that/it is for), sous (under), la pluie (rain), mieux (better). Previously-Learned Vocabulary: Je, gris, c'est, vert, je suis, ça va, bleu, blanc, très.
The Importance of Nursery Rhymes, Poems, and Children's Songs
This poem has been circulating so long the author is unknown. This is true of many songs, poems, and rhymes that children learn as they grow up. The process of rhyming and remembering is crucial to child development. As students learn traditional rhymes from other countries, they begin to develop a sense of identification with a larger world.
Lesson Plan - Making Connections to New Poems
Preparation: On the same webpage where Mon Chapeau was located are two other poems incorporating colors; instead of a hat, their focus is a butterfly. One is called Vole joli papillon (Fly Pretty Butterfly) and the other, Les papillons (The Butterflies.) They are short with lots of repetition, which make them good avenues for making connections. Create a sheet with one poem on each side. Be sure to include visual images to help students activate understanding. In addition to butterflies of different colors, the first poem should have an image of flowers, flying, and an indication of pollen or gathering pollen. Teach students to use the "text features" included on the page. The second should also have an image indicating trembling, moving, flying, settling, and sleeping, as well as an image of posing with an X though it, to show that se pose does NOT mean to pose. On these pages also include space and prompts for the responses required during the lesson. Other resources referred to below must be created as well. Note: In these lessons, students use both French and English. In the previous section I have provided many strategies for French language practice. However, some of our work is to teach students how to connect language-learning strategies to other content areas, and sometimes that is best done explicitly. I give the following as examples of ways I have found to bridge the gap between languages most effectively for ultimate student success.
Lesson: Teacher gives students poem sheets and reads the first poem aloud. Students write what they think it is about. Students should be encouraged to take risks and make educated guesses. Teacher pairs students according to similar abilities and students share thoughts on poem meaning for 30 seconds each, taking notes if applicable. This writing and discussion will be in English, to practice and assess comprehension, and to allow students the opportunity to cite from the text reasons for their statements. Teacher puts the poem on an overhead, with blank spots for the unknown vocabulary and gives each pair an envelope with smaller versions of each image, cut out and laminated. (Be sure that they will fit in the poem as it appears on the page they have.) Teacher holds up 8"x10" pictures of the images used on the paper, one at a time, asking if each one makes sense in the blank. When the correct one is identified, teacher places it in the appropriate blank spot. Students use their own images as well. When an image is correctly identified, the teacher asks for the correct word, which students can infer from the images, and the class repeats the new poem. Then the teacher asks questions using the poem and previously-learned vocabulary. For example: Il y a combien de couleurs dans le poème? (How many colors are in the poem?) Est-ce qu'il y a un chapeau dans ce poème? (Is there a hat in this poem?) Est-ce qu'il y a un chapeau ou un papillion dans ce poème? (Is there a hat or a butterfly in this poem?) Est-ce que c'est le papillon ou la fleur qui vole? (Is it the flower or the butterfly that flies?) Tu préfères un papillon de quelle couleur? (What color butterfly do you prefer?)
The same process is used with the second poem, but this time students should meet in stronger-weaker pairs to discuss, again for 30 seconds each.
Next, have students substitute chapeau for "papillon" in the two poems. Ask which words need to be changed for it to make sense. Brainstorm possibilities. Prepare a list for the next class or homework with those possibilities in French and have students rewrite, and illustrate if desired. Note: Be sure to address adding an "x" to pluralize chapeau in the first poem.
Grade Seven: Conversation, by Jean Tardieu
This poem will be used in my seventh grade class, during the first marking period. The quarterly theme is Global Awareness/The Francophone World/Introductions. The French text can be found at this website: http://ecprim.lefuilet.free.fr/t.htm#tardieuconversation.
Linguistic Analysis
This poem is a great choice for the beginning of the year as it allows for revisiting greeting phrases (lines 1-2: Comment ça va? / Ça va bien.) The language is simple, with regular grammar patterns. Much of the vocabulary used here has been previously learned, so students are provided with an opportunity to recall and recombine it. Much of the new vocabulary has some sort of cognate function to help students remember it, and the distinct word sounds help in this way as well (lines 6 and 8, the "ote" sound in: Ça flotte, Ça mijote.) The repetition of the pattern "And...;?" followed by a simple subject-verb response (lines 5-14) reinforces the pattern and gives students a structure around which to memorize the poem. The content is a little silly, which will help students remember it (lines 15-16: Le printemps était trop vert / Elle a mange trop de salade.) Since the poem is written in a dialogue, students could memorize and perform it in pairs; even if the whole class doesn't do this, new and/or timid students could.
Easy-Spot Cognates: Petit (petite), le volcan (volcano). Vocabulary-Builder Cognates: La terre (terrestrial), prospère (prosperous), malade (malady), vert (verdant). Spanish-French Cognates: Bien, la terre (la tierra), prospère (próspero), Dieu (Dios), le nuage (la nube), flotter (flotar), s'écouler (escurrirse), le temps (el tiempo), l'âme (la alma), le printemps (el primavera), vert (verde). Bridges: Flotter - to float -- to drift; la salade - salad -- lettuce.
Jean Tardieu and the Theater of the Absurd
Jean Tardieu (1903-1995) was something of a consummate artist.
5
Although he is most known for his roles as both poet and playwright, he was also a musician (harpist), an artist (painting), literary translator, music and art critic. He earned a degree in literature and worked for well-known publishing house Hachette, as well as Radio-France.
His poetry is greatly influenced by the diversity of his artistic interests. He uses imagery and is known for his word-play and inventive use of language. In his biographical essay on Tardieu, director Claude Beauclair wrote the following: "In contrast to Tardieu's expressed mistrust of language is the love he holds for music: It dictates the words to him. Words, as sound rather than meaning, have little or no intrinsic value, but gain value from their position and harmony."
Tardieu was associated with the Theater of the Absurd, although he did not label himself or his work in such a way. These works were mostly written in France, in the 1940s and 50s, and usually employed "illogical situations, unconventional dialogue, and minimal plots to express the apparent absurdity of human existence."
6
The thinking went that there was no rational explanation for humanity, so whatever each of us did didn't really matter one way or another. Life and the world would still be cold and careless, so conventional logic and wisdom would hold no place in these works. There can be a tinge of the nonsensical here, though it may be more accurately referred to as a counter-sense. Rather than random, unlinked thoughts, Absurdist works start at the logical and reverse it, or branch off from it, or run perpendicular to it.
Lesson Plan: Using Technology
The simplicity of this poem lends itself well to incorporating technology so that students can interact with the poem. Most students should already have learned Powerpoint by seventh grade, but conduct an eyes-closed poll to see if anyone does not know the basics. If so, then pair that student with someone know to work proficiently enough to be able to tutor a student before starting his or her own project or, if it will require at-home work on the part of the tutoring student, award that student extra credit.
7
Preparation: Two nights before visiting the tech lab, students brainstorm lists of images that could illustrate each line or set of two lines of the poem well. Create a sectioned brainstorming sheet on which each line is written in a box with space for options, so that students clearly understand that they are to think of many images, not just one for the whole thing. It is assigned two days ahead so that students who don't complete it may be addressed on day one and given the opportunity to complete the assignment properly before getting to the tech lab. This makes for more efficiently-spent time. The day before the visit, proper tech lab etiquette and expected behavior should be discussed, including what consequences will be given for certain behaviors.
Day One: Students bring poem and brainstorm list to tech lab. Direct students to the Wordl website: http://www.wordle.net/. This site allows the user to input words which it then uses to create these really cool "word clouds." At the home site, click "Create." Students either type the poem in or copy and paste it from the link given above, according to teacher preference. When poem text is in that box, the student clicks "Go." The application will randomly generate a graphic word poster of all the vocabulary inserted. Words that are repeated in the text will appear larger in the word cloud. Click on "Open in Window" and expand to see image full-size and edit it. At the top of the image will appear categories which may be clicked for editing options (Edit, Language, Font, Layout, Color.)
Under "Language." I prefer to have students click "Do Not Remove Common Words" and uncheck "Remove Numbers" (although there aren't any here, I want them to get in this habit.) You may choose to allow them to check either "Leave Words as Spelled," "make all words lower-case," or "MAKE ALL WORDS UPPER-CASE." "Show Word Counts" gives a list of how many times each word appears in the selection.
Students can select from many options under the "Font" button. Encourage students to consider the tone of the poem when selecting fonts. This will take some time as you can't get a feel for each font from the menu, so students will click each one to see the total effect. I think this is time well-spent, as each time they are looking at the French vocabulary from the poem pulled out of context. Also, it's just plain fun!
Under the "Layout" button, students may "Re-layout with current settings," change the "Maximum words allowed" (though I wouldn't), check a box to "Prefer Alphabetical Order," change the edges from "Rounder" to "Straighter," and change the image orientation to one of the following choices: "Any Which Way," "Horizontal," "Mostly Horizontal," "Half and Half," "Mostly Vertical," or "Vertical."
Under the "Color" button, students may choose to either randomly "Recolor," to change the colors to a specific pre-established color palette, or to create a custom color palette. At the bottom, students may choose to use the "Exact Palette Colors," or else to choose from the following variance options: "A little," "Some," "Lots," or "Wild."
At any time students may click "Randomize" at the bottom to get a totally new combination. The teacher should print each student a copy of their creation, which may be done by clicking "Print." I will not have my students save to the "Public Gallery" as the site is not monitored or censored and I do not want them stumbling across something inappropriate. Ideally students will be able to begin or end the PowerPoint presentation they will make with this Wordl. There seem to be a couple options for that. If you have access to a scanner you can scan the printed image in and insert it like a normal image. The Wordl FAQ section discusses taking a "screenshot" and saving that, as well as using a third-party software like Adobe Acrobat to create a printable PDF file of the image.
This Wordl image can be used as a memory tool for students, since vocabulary is not in the right order, students would have to show comprehension in choosing the correct word. It can be a mid-step presentation aid (be sure to deduct points for using it, but finding it oneself could be useful from a learning standpoint.) If students finish before class is over, they can search for images from their brainstorming sheet, to use in the Power Point they will create tomorrow.
Day Two: Students create a Powerpoint with images to convey the feeling and tone in the poem. Remember to have student tutors for any students identified as not being familiar with Powerpoint. I like to play French music in the background while students work.
While students work, check in with them individually, asking questions about the work, in French, to keep them engaged and focused. If you have the resources to allow students to record audio, you could offer them the opportunity to do so after the presentation is complete. Depending on time, you may let students know that on Day One, so they can work on it at home if they want to be ready for audio.
Days Two and Three: Students continue to create and fine-tune their presentations today. When they feel they are done they should ask for the teacher to view it. At this stage, make suggestions in terms of spelling and punctuation, pronunciation, and clarity of content based on images. If students do not include audio, they will be required to accompany the presentation by reading the poem aloud. If they do use audio, they will not be required to do so. When pairs of students finish, they may peer review their presentations for more feedback. Students may work on projects at home if they have a computer, and if not they may supplement their Powerpoint with collages.
Days Three and Four: Students present their products when finished, depending on timing that may be during the end of day three, but most likely will be during a day four, which may not be the very next day, to allow for teacher feedback and opportunity for editing before presenting. Audience members (and the teacher) will rate each presentation in terms of accuracy (perfect -5, very accurate - 4, pretty accurate - 3, and not very accurate -2); relevance of images (all images very relevant - 5, most images relevant - 4, some images pretty relevant -3, most images not very relevant - 2), and impact of presentation (WOW! - 5, That presentation was very good. - 4, That was a pretty good presentation. - 3, Hmm, that presentation got the job done. - 2) Multiply each score by 5, and that gives you a possibility of 75 points. The other 25 points, should be awarded by the teacher based on daily behavior and time-on-task. This exercise is great to provide kinesthetic students with the opportunity to create something, and visual learners with the opportunity to conceive of the poem in a new way.
Grade 8: Chanson d'automne, by Paul Verlaine
During the fourth marking period of seventh grade, my students learn weather expressions, time, and seasons. When they come back as eighth graders, our first marking period poem will be "Chanson d'automne" by Paul Verlaine. The French can be found at the following website: http://www.rosings.com/paul_verlaine.html.
Chanson d'automne
1.
|
The long sobs
|
2.
|
Of the violins
|
3.
|
Of autumn
|
4.
|
Wound my heart
|
5.
|
With a monotonous
|
6.
|
Languor.
|
7.
|
All suffocating
|
8.
|
And pale, when
|
9.
|
The hour strikes.
|
10.
|
I remember
|
11.
|
The old days
|
12.
|
And I cry...;
|
13.
|
And I'm off
|
14.
|
In the rough wind
|
15.
|
That carries me
|
16.
|
Here and there
|
17.
|
Like a
|
18.
|
Dead leaf...;
|
Linguistic Analysis
This poem is a great choice for the transition between seventh and eighth grade as it allows us to revisit season and weather vocabulary such as automne, le vent, mauvais, and l'heure (lines 3, 9, 14), which will activate their prior knowledge and give them a way into the more complex meaning of this new poem. Although the poem is short it has that dual nature of simplicity with some complex meaning that will suit eighth grade well. Also, it has some really nice sound elements that can help draw reluctant students in (les songlots longs des violons de l'automne.) There are definite rhymes in the poem, but they do not follow a familiar pattern. AAABBA / CCB(C+)(C+)B / DDEFFE. I refer to (C+) here because the rhyme is not solid, but it is similar enough to note. These elements may be difficult for students, but they are just the kind of challenge that eighth graders need. Those students more at ease with the language and irregular rhyming pattern can address the concept of enjambment, when the thought of a line continues and completes itself partway through the next line, irrespective of conventional line breaks. What effect this has on the reader is a more complex concept that will serve as a nice challenge to some students. They could rewrite the poem conventionally and see the effect.
There is a podcast in which the poem is read and analyzed, at: http://french.about.com/od/listening/a/poetrypodcast_4.htm . It includes a vocabulary list and a discussion of the work as well as of the poet. Since it discusses details of Verlaine's personal life that I will not bring into my middle school classroom, I will not use the podcast in its entirety in the classroom. I might play only the part where the poem is read, or her discussion of the poem's meaning, or I might just use it for my own information. As always, these decisions are yours to make as well.
The combination of simple and more complex vocabulary will also provide challenge for students who need it. There are fewer cognates, more bridge words, and a "False Friend," or word that looks similar to English but is not; these elements add to the complexity of this seemingly simple poem.
Easy-Spot Cognates: Long (long), le violon (violin), monotone (monotonous), suffocant (suffocating). Vocabulary-Builder Cognates: Langueur (languor). Spanish-French Cognates: Bénir (benedecir), le coeur (el corazón), tout (todo). Bridges: Le coeur - coronary -- heart; sonner - to sound -- to strike; Je me souviens - souvenir, which you get to remember a trip -- I remember; ancient - ancient -- old; pleure - similar to il pleut (it is raining) -- when it rains from your eyes, you are crying; emporter - portable, able to be carried -- to carry; de ça de là - ici and là-bas -- here and there; pareil - parallel -- similar; mort - mortuary, place where you bring dead people - mortal, able to die -- dead. New Vocabulary: Le sanglot, blíme. Previously-learned Vocabulary: L'automne, quand, l'heure, le jour, je m'en vais, le vent, mauvais, la feuille. False Friend: Blesser = to wound, NOT to bless (bénir).
In 1944, the first and second lines of the poem were used by the Allies as a coded message for the French Resistance, in preparation for D-Day. The lines were repeated several times, broadcast over Radio Londres/BBC; it signaled that the invasion at Normandy would come in 24 hours. Its code name was "Operation Overlord"
8
Paul Verlaine and the Symbolist Movement
Paul Verlaine (1844-1896) was a leader of the Symbolist movement in France.
9
He was an alcoholic and often in trouble because of his drinking. He worked unsuccessfully in insurance, as a hotel clerk, and at farming. He was a member of the National Guard. He also taught English in France, and French in England. Verlaine served a two-year prison term for shooting and wounding friend, travel partner, and fellow poet Arthur Rimbaud during a quarrel in 1873.
10
The Symbolist movement, during the late 19
th
century, centered around expressing thoughts, ideas, and feelings through symbols and suggestions rather than direct statements.
11
Here imagination was king, and reality was what the imagination determined it to be. Poetic rules were loosened and the mood created by the language and the musicality of the language was elevated. Symbolist poets sought to "convey individual emotional experience through the subtle, suggestive use of highly metaphorical language."
12
The tone of this poem is very sad and melancholic. It embodies a lyricism borne from Romanticism, but the focus on word sounds and atmosphere evoked makes it a clear work of Symbolism.
Lesson Plan: Listening
The musicality of this poem lends itself to practicing and playing with tone and mood through actual musical interpretations. As entering eighth graders, my students can discriminate between appropriateness of tone and can interpret the poem in their own manner. As arts magnet students, using music in a lesson like this is a great fit, though all students will enjoy the concept and appreciate the use of technology in the classroom.
Preparation: Secure a reliable method of playing audio and or video for your class, whether you have internet access and speakers or if you need to burn or record it and play it on a machine. Create response sheets as described below.
Lesson: With the advent of online video/audio sharing, there are many options from which to choose, both for types of media as well as for versions of the poem. I will play three versions put to music. First, popular French singer Charles Trenet sings a version called "Verlaine." It is very old-timey and kind of cheerful in a slightly sad way. I find it to be an odd fit for the poem. The tune has a "Heart and Soul" children's piano song sound to it. A simple online search for "Charles Trenet Verlaine" will uncover many options for his version. Fun Fact: This recording was used in the 1995 film French Kiss. Next I will play a recording in which Canadian artist Jean-François LaPointe sings an operatic version. This one is closer to what I would expect from the tone of the poem. A link to it is: http://www.analekta.com/en/album/Verlaine-Symbolist-Poets-And-The-French-Melodie.445.html. Finally, a slightly more modern approach by American songstress of Danish and Tibetan descent Kesang Marstrand. Her version can be linked to from her website, http://kesangmarstrand.com/home.html; I found it on YouTube.
Make sure students have a version of the poem to look at. Play one song, then have students write a quick response, in English, to the following questions: How did this song make you feel? Does this song remind you of anything - another song, a movie, or something else? Name one thing you liked about this song. Name one thing you did not like about this song. Next have students write down any and all words or lines from the poem that seem well suited to the music. This can all be done by putting the prompts on an overhead projector; however, I recommend creating a worksheet with the information from each version, an image, and space to reply to each prompt. The poem can be printed on each section, and students can underline or highlight the words that fit. They can also be asked to note any words/phrases that they think did NOT work well with the music. The first two questions are perfect to use as practice for open-ended responses found on state high-stakes tests. In class, students can give notes and ideas and answer the questions quickly, and for homework they can use their papers to craft a fuller response, as practice. Alternately, students can complete full responses right away. In that case, I would play the music softly while students are working, so that those who finish before the rest of the class can be prompted to do another activity, like brainstorming images or musical styles that could be used to convey the mood of the poem.
After students answer the questions, have them pair and share their initial reactions so that they get a chance to process what they are taking in. Repeat that process with the other two songs, and finish with a homework prompt like the following: Which song do you think was most successful in terms of conveying the mood of the poem? Why? Which song was least successful and why? What would you do differently? Give details.