English: Thurs day , March 13 , 2014 Eng 6 – 2

1. English: Thursday, March 13, 2014 Eng 6 – 2 Handouts: * None Homework: * Have a great evening!  Assignments due: * None

2. Lesson Goal: Learn about narrative poetry. Outcomes: Be able to . . . Analyze a narrative poem and explain what happens in each stanza. Identify poetic devices used in a narrative poem. Evaluate why this poem remains one of the most famous and popular poems ever written.

3. Starter #1Let’s review what we knowabout narrative poetry. . . . Narrative poetry tells a story. It has characters and a plot. The events usually play out chronologically. As circumstances create a conflict, the conflict leads to a climax, which is followed by the falling action and resolution/conclusion (denouement). In the poem we will read today, see if you can trace each step of the plotline. . . .

4. Starter #2 In 1906, at the age of 26, a young British poet named Alfred Noyes published “The Highwayman, a poem that went on to become the most famous one he had ever written. It was well received in both Britain and the U.S.; in fact, some people think it’s one of the best “read aloud” poems ever written. Since this poem is so highly regarded for how it sounds as a read aloud, we’re going to follow the words in the poem AND listen to someone read it dramatically—the way a narrative poem is meant to be read. Line leaders will distribute the poetry booklets while I set up the audio. When you get your booklet, turn past the poems we’ve covered already and find, “The Highwayman.”

5. Starter #3 The setting for The Highwayman is 18th century England (that is, the 1700s). Does anyone know what a “highwayman” is? A “highwayman” is a robber—someone who would hold up travelers and take their valuables—money, gold, jewelry, etc. It was the job of the King’s soldiers to protect the highway. So if someone was quite successful as a highwayman, the King’s “Red Coats” would be on the lookout for that robber and would shed no mercy. Travelers back then would stay at an “inn,” which offered a place to eat and drink, to spend the night, and to keep their horses in the stable. The person who owned the inn was sometimes referred to as the “landlord.” Knowing those details should help you put the pieces together in the opening scene. It will help you to look at the words while they are being read. See if you can imagine or picture what is happening in each stanza. We’ll read the entire poem, then it’s your turn to see if you can explain what has happened. Let’s begin. . . .

6. Starter #4 We have two websites that can help us enjoy this narrative poem: The first time we read (and hear) the poem, we will try to picture what is happening. Your goal is to see if you can re-tell the story in kid-friendly language. The second time we read the story, we will identify as many poetic devices as we can. We have a handout that will help us do this in a timely fashion. Read aloud link for The Highwayman http://ia700504.us.archive.org/6/items/shortpoetry_002_librivox/the_highwayman_an_pdc.mp3 Analyzing The Highwaymanhttp://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/highwayman/st1.cfm