Page 53 - SpringBoard_CloseReading_Workshop_Grade8_Flipbook

Close Reading of poetry (continued)
ACTIvITy 4
Synthesis Questions
Your teacher may choose or ask you to choose one of the following assessments as a way of showing your understanding of the texts you have read.
Writing Prompt: Like a flag, an anthem is one of the most meaningful symbols of group identity, and it reminds its members of their cherished values and shared history. “Lift Every Voice and Sing” has sometimes been called “The African American National Anthem.” Revisit your analysis of this poem and consider what this poem reinforces about American values and national identity, specifically in the ways it may speak more directly to the African American experience. Next, revisit the work you did with “The Defence of Fort McHenry” and consider why it was made the national anthem of the United States (by congressional resolution in 1931). Write an essay comparing and contrasting the two poems in order to consider how each reflects the values and shared history of the American people.
Debate/Discussion: Conduct a Socratic Seminar. Work with a small group of students to revisit the texts in this unit and create two or three open-ended questions for each written and visual text. Remember that your open-ended questions should not have a “yes” or “no” answer, but should be questions that will encourage a rich discussion. With your questions and your annotated text in front of you, engage with your peers in a Socratic Seminar in which you share your questions and respond to the questions that other students have generated.
Multimedia Presentation: Review the different kinds of patriotic works that you have examined in this workshop. Revisit the work you have done with these three texts, and consider how the two poets and the artist used significant details and imagery to convey patriotic tones and themes. Conduct independent research to find other examples of visual art, song lyrics, or poems that reflect American’s shared history and values. Prepare to present your findings along with background information about the subject and artist. Consider using a presentation tool in order to share your research with the class.
Reflection
Think about what you have learned from your close reading and analysis of the text passages you have read in this workshop.
1 How can writers and other kinds of artists use techniques such as diction, imagery, syntax, and structure to reflect and reinforce the American national identity?
2 Inthisworkshop,youhavelearnedhowtomakemeaningofthreedifferenttexts. How can you use what you have learned to help you as you encounter challenging texts in the future? What strategies best helped you as a learner during this workshop? When and why would you use these strategies in the future?
52 SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 8
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