Standards:

8.4.1.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
8.4.2.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text, including those by and about
Minnesota American Indians, and analyze its development over the course of the text,
including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective
summary of the text.
8.4.4.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
8.7.9.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection,
and research.
8.9.1.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Objectives

Students will analyze individual lines of poetry and bring them together with other
students analyses to discern meaning.
Students will understand that poetry can be interpreted in multiple ways, depending on
the information you have.
Students will create meaning following a step-by-step process.

Enduring Understandings

Spending time and effort and paying close attention is one way to understand a confusing
poem.
It is okay to be confused by poetry.
Understanding poetry is a process.
There are multiple ways to interpret a poem, depending on the information you have.

Essential Questions

How does one come to understand a poem?

Is there one correct interpretation of a poem?
What information do you need to create meaning?

Assessment

Students write their analyses in their graphic organizers. Students will reflect at home/
after class at the bottom of their graphic organizer.

Materials

Poem (Tree at My Window by Robert Frost) cut into segments of two lines each.
7 copies of the poem in full
7 copies of Graphic organizer
Pencils

Timeline (40 minutes)

1. Students will sit in their assigned seats (1)
2. I will greet the students and take attendance (2) write Miss Jocelyn/ Miss J on the board
3. Introduce lesson: Who likes a good mystery? What are some mysteries youve either seen
or watched? Allow for time to share, give example of either Scooby Doo or Nancy Drew.
And in those stories/TV shows/plays etc. the detective/main character goes around and
finds clues to try to solve the mystery, right? And sometimes they make guesses about
who committed the crime, and they dont often get it right on the first time, because they
dont have all of the information. Thats what were going to do today, with a poem. (5)
4. Pass out graphic organizer and slips with lines of poem on them (facedown) and instruct
students not to read the poem lines yet. (1)
5. Explain graphic organizer briefly- were not looking for exact correctness, but what you
interpret with what youve got and why you think that. (2)
6. Let students flip over their lines and get to writing (5)
7. When I can tell everyone has filled in both boxes, draw popsicle sticks for who gets
paired up. Those partnerships share their information with each other and form a
conclusion together (4)
8. Have the students write what they think now (4)
9. When students are done writing, form new partnerships. Have them discuss what they
think with what they have now. (4)
10. Students write what they think now. (4)
11. Come together and discuss- What do you think this poem could be about? What kinds of
ideas did you guys come up with? (7)
12. Pass out the whole poem, have them read it over twice. (3)
13. Discuss what students thought of the poem- Did it help to have those first two lines so
that they knew what the subject was? How did having the title shape what you thought?
Would having the title from the beginning have changed what you wrote? What words or
phrases shaped your guesses? You made individual central ideas, did you need the whole
poem to really grasp the full meaning? Did it help to take it line by line? (10)
14. Send them home with the full poem and have them reflect on what it means to their lives,
what it reminds them of. (2 sentences)