Unfortunately, poetry often takes a backseat to short stories, nonfiction articles, and novels on most days. There is so much to teach in a year, and because poems don’t end up on state tests too often, they are often bypassed for other literary genres. I am, however, a major proponent of teaching poetry, and one of my favorites is the poem Ozymandias!
Because it is short, meaningful, and relatively easy to comprehend, the poem Ozymandias is quite easy to embed into any poetry or thematic unit!
So if you need some ideas for teaching poetry, keep reading for 6 Purposeful Poem Ozymandias Activities with a Punch!
Need help with Test Prep? Check out this FREE Pack of 3 Test Prep Activities to help students achieve success on standardized tests!
Poem Ozymandias
by Percy Bysshe Shelley
6 Purposeful Poem Ozymandias Activities
1. Quickwrite Prompts
Before reading this poem, you may want to take the time to give a little preview in terms of topics related to the poem. Here is an example prompt to help!
In creating quickwrite prompts, you could link the poem to views of oneself, power, riches, time, etc. The sky is the limit!
2. Character Traits Activity
Because characterization is so powerful in the poem Ozymandias, introducing characterization as the focus of the lesson is a fantastic way to engage students! They can use this organizer or create columns on a piece of paper and follow these directions.
By starting off the lesson this way, students immediately become their own Ozymandias. As humans, we are obsessed with our own lives; it is a part of the human condition, as we can only truly know ourselves. It makes sense that students would feel the same way as Ozymandias!
Here is a free resource to make this activity easy to incorporate!
Need a not-so-typical I Am Poem? Check out this post!
3. Poem Ozymandias Character Analysis
As you read the poem, you will notice that the description of who Ozymandias is before and after his death is quite interesting and varied. For a fun activity, go line by line through the poem and catalogue the evidence related to Ozymandias’ traits through an easy-to-use graphic organizer! You can focus on the external and internal traits he displays in the poem.
Then, take the time to talk with students about the implications of these traits. Why does the speaker characterize Ozymandias in this way? How might Ozymandias have characterized himself?
Through the poem Ozymandias, we can teach characterization easily and effectively!
4. Write About Ozy’s Character
Personally, I prefer using paragraph responses over a couple of sentences or even a fully developed essay. As a teacher, I want to see that students can comprehend and analyze what they have read, but I don’t want to take all day to read 150 essays about a single poem.
Instead, I prefer to scaffold every activity to build into a writing response. I use the character traits chart and let students write a response with the evidence and analysis they have already created, and expand on their ideas.
See this example of evidence, analysis, and paragraph sentences:
Ex. TEXTUAL EVIDENCE- “frown / And wrinkled lip”
Ex. MEANING- While he lived, Ozymandias had a negative attitude, which showed on his face.
Ex.FIRST HALF OF A PARAGRAPH RESPONSE- Before his death, the sculpture portrays Ozymandias as a serious and prideful man with a commanding presence. His sculpted face has a “frown / And wrinkled lip” highlighting his scornful attitude towards others. He also calls himself the “King of Kings,” which shows his pride as a ruler who believes he is better than all other rulers. When the traveler comes upon the broken and decaying “colossal Wreck,” he recognizes Ozymandias as a king who believed his reign would last forever.
Teach with this template and teacher example to make instruction simple and less time-consuming!
5. Character Pic
As images become increasingly part of the mainstream of literacy, we need students to be able to create, examine, and evaluate images effectively. Why not allow students to draw and visualize in English?
You could ask students to use textual evidence and produce an image of Ozymandias himself or of the entire poem Ozymandias in a creative, impactful way. Then, students might evaluate the efficacy of their classmates’ visuals. Are they clear, related to the poem, or purposeful in relaying major themes of the poem?
The visual requirements are up to you and your students. See this rubric to help!
6. Reading Comprehension Questions
I don’t think anyone likes standardized tests; however, they are here to stay. Instead of using random articles to help students prepare for state tests, why not incorporate some test prep questions as a part of your lessons?
Here is an example from the poem Ozymandias quiz and activity pack:
What is the effect of the capitalization of “King of Kings,” “Works,” and “Mighty?”
A. It suggests the respect that many still display towards Ozymandias.
B. It conveys Ozymandias’ immense pride concerning himself.
C. It reflects how the poet truly feels towards Ozymandias.
D. It highlights Ozymandias’ everlasting kingdom.
You might also simply ask questions that require 2-3 sentences and textual evidence involving tone, theme, characterization, poetry devices, structure, etc. Whether we like it or not, students need higher-level questioning practice before the test in the spring. Make test prep an integrated part of what you love to teach!
Poem Ozymandias Resource
Need a plan for teaching poetry analysis? This Poetry Comprehension Lesson Pack for the poem “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley contains 7 test prep QUESTIONS and ANSWERS as well as writing and visualization activities to help students prepare for reading comprehension standardized tests!
Make teaching this compelling poem about pride STRESS-FREE!!
Other Poetry Resources
Need help with teaching poetry analysis and preparing students for standardized tests? This POETRY COMPREHENSION BUNDLE Vol. 2 contains 5 EASY-TO-TEACH Lessons and 59 Reading Test Prep QUESTIONS and ANSWERS (for 5 poems including “A Poison Tree,” “Death Be Not Proud,” “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” “The Passerby,” and “Ozymandias”) as well as graphic organizers and writing response activities with a focus on the standards!
Give yourself a breath of fresh air with this NO PREP curriculum that integrates test prep within the teaching of literature!
JUST PRINT & TEACH the poem Ozymandias and 4 other poems with ease!!
Need the poem Ozymandias and other poetry activities? Check out my store Kristin Menke-Integrated ELA Test Prep!
