3 Engaging Activities for the Poem Song of Myself- Poetry is by far and away one of the most stressful genres for English teachers. We may like poetry, but most of us probably prefer a good classic novel or a play or a short story. I am not saying that poetry is not beautiful, significant, or necessary to teach; I am simply saying teaching it is tough.
First, we have to decide what we want to teach like rhyme, structure, figurative language, purpose, etc. Then, we need to pick out what poem we want to use to teach the standard or skill. Here are some questions we might ask ourselves when choosing a poem:
- Is it too hard or too easy for our students?
- Is it engaging or will students stare off into space as we read this supposedly timeless poem?
- Or should we even bother with poetry?
The answer to the last question is clear: Yes, we need to teach poetry analysis! And we can achieve this goal in an easier way than you might have ever thought possible. Take one poem at a time, and be sure your introduction to poetry is spot-on and captivating. Why not try out the poem Song of Myself by Walt Whitman? Read on for 3 FUN and, most importantly, ENGAGING activities you can use with this intriguing, yet relatable poem!
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3 Fun Activities for the Poem Song of Myself
First, let’s start out by selecting an excerpt from this massive poem. No one ever said you had to teach an entire poem, especially when it is long or super long, like an epic poem. Click below if you want to use this excerpt from my store! I prefer this part of the poem, because it encourages students to celebrate their own lives. Lately, it seems hard to celebrate anything. We live in a world consumed by fear because of disease, politics, and instability. You can choose poetry later on to touch on these concepts, but for the start of a poetry unit, just have some fun!
1. Poem Song of Myself Analysis
Before you begin having your students analyze this poem, I would encourage you to read it aloud with them. So often, we want to dive in the deep end first. We pass out the poem, tell them to read it, and then answer the questions. Unless you have higher level readers, you should take your time. Read with your students. Then, reread the poem. Perhaps, you can annotate or write 1-Sentence Summaries for each stanza. Whatever poem you choose, help your students to access the poem in some way.
POEM SONG OF MYSELF ANALYSIS ACTIVITY
Directions: Read the poem “Song of Myself” Part 1 by Walt Whitman. Write down 4 phrases that relate to you in some way. Then, explain how they connect to your own life.
This activity allows students to explore specific phrases that personally connect to them. When we connect, we understand better and remember what we just read! If you want everything done for you, >>CLICK HERE<<!
Do you need some ENGAGING ideas for the end of the school year? Check out>>>11 Fun End of Year Activities for Middle School and High School Students
2. Use SONGS to teach the poem Song of Myself
Check out this Song of Myself Digital Poetry Pack, which helps students analyze their own selection of music and make connections to themselves!
Directions: Identify a song that you like (or create your own song) and explain how that song relates to your own life. Be sure that the lyrics are appropriate. Then, write down 4 phrases from that song that relate to you in some way and explain how they connect to your own life.
Need more ideas for teaching poetry? Click below!
3. Create a Visual as a Response to Poetry and Songs
When students visualize, they remember what they read. Too often, we assume that kids will employ visualization naturally. Some do. Some most definitely do not. Let’s help our students to see what they read, or in the case of a song, what they listen to!
Directions: Read the poem Song of Myself! Create an image that represents your life for each phrase from your song. Be detailed and creative! Then, use the rubric to analyze your visual. Check out the pack to make teaching this poem SIMPLE and EASY!
A CASE FOR TEACHING MORE POETRY LIKE THE POEM SONG OF MYSELF
Let me preface this argument. I am not a teacher who looks forward to teaching poetry every year. Sure, I like a little Edgar Allan Poe, William Wordsworth, Langston Hughes, or my own poetry (check out my personal pack of poetry*). Teaching poetry can be incredibly difficult, however, to teach because of the diction, figurative language, and syntax.
But this is WHY we MUST teach poetry. Our students need exposure to texts that challenge their personal vocabulary, get them to think about various sentence structures, and encounter all types of language with confidence! By starting with this poem Song of Myself Pack, the transition to reading higher-level poetry can be made that much easier!
For more poetry activities, quizzes, and lesson ideas like those above for the poem Song of Myself, check out my store Integrated ELA Test Prep!
