My teacher has given us an assignment to teach this poem to the class. We have to do a warmup activity, a dramatic reading, an explanation, and an activity/discussion.

Does anyone have any information regarding this poem and how to teach it. Also, any suggestions for Warmup Activities would be greatly appreciated!

This is for a Grade 12 English course.

It has been previously discussed:

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What do you mean with a warmup activity? Run up and down the classroom? Heating broken?

Thanks for the link. I searched but it just confused me!

Warmup activity as in introducing the poem to the class. For example, our teacher gave us compasses and asked us what we felt they represented to warm us up for "A Valediction forbidding Mourning".

In England it's a Starter, and you finish with a Plenary.

The's a good discussion of the poem here:

[www.cs.rice.edu]


Warm up activity? Read something from the Book of Revelations.



Les

This poem really speaks to me as I watch the rollback of federal assistance programs, the stifling of independent, investigative journalism, the maneuvering for power of the evangelistic, born again Christians and the increasing attacks on science. "The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere the ceremony of innocence is drowned. " The ceremony of innocence is democracy, in my mind. "The best lack all conviction while the worst are filled with passionate intensity." Just look at Phyllis Schlafly, Rush Limbaugh, Anne Coltier, and you will see what I mean about passionate intensity. They make me tired, just thinking about them and their ceaseless activity. As far as , "What rough beast, its hour come around at last, slouches towards Bethlahem to be born?" It is obvious, isn't it? Things are falling apart, and the center can not hold.



Post Edited (05-01-05 02:21)

Avoiding work as usual

[www.endtime.com]

Are you grade 12 in South Africa? The poem has religious connotations aplenty and it might be worth doing a short focussed discussion why the year 2000 was regarded as a turning point in the history of man....

With added thoughts on why it should have been pre-1996 (King Herod died in 4BCE) or 2030 (2milennia from the resurrection) to match the worries in 1030.

Actually, I'm a Grade 12 student in Canada. A little ways away! ;)

Thanks so much for all the great information. It is a huge help. I wasn't worried about the marks I would get as much as the rest of the class understanding the poem, since the bigotry of our provincial examinations don't allow for individual analysis of poems. In BC, there is apparently a right answer and a wrong answer when it comes to interpreting poetry. Hmmm.

There is some truth to that.

In some cases yes. But a prime example is William Blake's "The Tiger". Our class was split in to 2 different groups, one to do the Lamb and one to do the Tiger. Our group interpreted the tiger as representing Satan, which makes complete sense. We even had verses to back us up, and the paradox on the Lamb and Jesus etc. as well. We were decided as incorrect though, because all the "scholars" see the tiger as just a tiger, or in some cases a representation of evil. We have to know and remember the "correct" answer for that poem now, because of what is on the provincial exam. Meh, nevermind me. Just 12 years of school angst built up, and the prospect of University next year is getting me anxious! Lol.

Thanks again for all the great feedback!

All of what scholars? Pardon me while the smoke comes out of my ears.

Good luck in getting better teachers in the future.

pam

It's not my teacher though. She wants to be able to teach us and have us use our own ideas and interpretations, but she is limited as well, because she wants us to do well on the provincial and to do that, we have to learn the "right" answer unfortunately.