Social Justice Poetry

For this third event, my Sophomore English class was wrapping up a poetry unit. The poetry unit was wrapped around the theme of Social Justice. Students were given a packet with slam poems that talked about different causes and issues in the United States. Students were also given a writing packet that had a writing activity to go with each slam poem to help them practice and better understand the style devices and poetic devices that we looked at together. Every day we would read a poem together, watch the poet perform it (via Youtube videos) and then analyze the poem as a class using the "Big 6" model of poetry analysis. From there students would work to create their own poems, modeled in some way after the poetry we had just read together.
At the beginning of the unit, students were asked what they stood for. Some had issues that they cared about, but many did not. After the poetry unit, students were asked this question again. This time, they were given a brainstorm sheet that they had to fill out with issues they stood for, or were interested in, as well as organizations that helped with these causes. From there, students were given a poetry portfolio assignment that connected with a "Challenge to Change" assignment. Students were asked to pick one issue and organization to focus on. In their poetry portfolios (websites using Google sites) they were to include poetry, author's bio, and a reflection on the unit. However, with all of this they were supposed to tie it to one organization that they had thoroughly researched that related to their cause. Students then had to present their websites to the class.
Students were formatively assessed during the unit when they would turn in their workshop poems and get feedback as well as during the brainstorming phase of the final assessment. From both of these I was able to shape the way the unit formed and take longer on the things that students weren't understanding.


Time: 5 days
1 day - Brainstorming
1 day - Introducing the assignment
3 days - Working in the lab, conferencing, helping to complete their websites


Resources:


Poetry packets - poems and worksheets
Big 6 Bookmarks
Social Justice Poetry powerpoint
Portfolio Assignment
"Challenge to Change"
Rubric


Student Examples

Student #1

Student #2

Student #3