Unsung Poet's Society

A WebQuest for 9th-12th Grades (Language Arts)

Designed by

Robert L. Slater

        

Human beings don't stack books like that.

Introduction | Task | Process | Resources
Evaluation | Conclusion | Teacher | Credits


Introduction
If I ask you to raise your hands if you've heard of specific American poets, how many of you would raise your hands at: Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Carl Sandburg, Shel Silverstein, e. e. cummings, Walt Whitman,  T. S. Eliot, Bob Dylan, Langston Hughes or Maya Angelou.

But what about Elizabeth Bishop, William Carlos Williams, Marianne Moore, Wallace Stevens, Zora Neale Hurston, Ezra Pound, Sylvia Plath, Hart Crane, Robert Lowell, Ani Difranco or W. H. Auden?  How about Gertrude Stein, H.D., Edna St. Vincent Millay, Louise Bogan, and Muriel Rukeyser?

Who is the greatest of these lesser know poets?  Who is the greatest unsing poet of the 20th Century?  Are they even on this list?

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The Task

You will be researching, reading, and deciding who is the greatest unsung American poet of the 20th Century.  Once you have decided who the greatest unsung American poet is you will be creating a PowerPoint presentation to showcase their talent that includes excerpts from their poetry accentuated by your choices of graphics, font and background music.

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The Process
flowchart
  1. Your first step is to find a poem you enjoy/appreciate by one of the poets listed above or someone else of your own choosing.  The resources listed below are just a start.  Googling for a specific author will also get you many poems.
  2. Pick a Poet.
  3. Follow that poet.  Read several more poems.  If you like the poet make note of the poems you like best. 
  4. Write a short essay that describes why you chose this poet.  Include emotional as well as intellectual response.  Quote from the poems you have chosen.
  5. Find autobiographical information.  This may be a good time to take a break from the computer and look up your poet in an encyclopedia.  (Remember to evaluate the websites for trustworthy information.) 
  6. Once you have chosen several poems to highlight begin creating your PowerPoint presentation.
  7. Check in with instructor.
  8. Locate graphics that will reinforce the strength of the poetry. 
  9. Include a small biography in your own words.  Include a picture of the poet.

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Resources
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Evaluation
  1. Your short essay will be edited for grammar and content
  2. You will be given credit for notes taken as you search
Multimedia Presentation Rubric

Points 

Poss.

Content - Writing

10 Material is in publishable form; that is, it is thoroughly proofread and without careless errors.

10
 Information is well-researched, well-written, well-organized and in your own voice.

5
 Flaws pointed out by the instructor and/or peer advisors in drafts have been corrected.

10
 Material shows strong understanding of major ideas and displays critical thinking in placement of text, sequencing of pages, and page composition.

5
 Presentation has an engaging, exciting title page.

5 Presentation ends powerfully.

5 Presentation has a credits page.

50 Sub-total
     
Points
Poss.
Content - Technical

5
 Student Name appears prominently in Opening and Closing slides.

9
 Presentation includes a minimum of 9 slides.

9
 Presentation includes a variety of text fields, graphics, sounds, music and transitions.

9 Presentation has a professional look that appeals to the audience, compliments the information, and each slide is visually neat incorporating a variety of layouts.

9
 Each slide uses text, graphics, sounds and transitions that communicate and compliment information being shared.

9
 The presentation visually depicts material and appeals to the audience.

50
 Sub-total




100 Total Points



Conclusion

As we finish this project and begin to present consider your learning.  You now are aware of at least one new poet.  You will be able to express to the class how and why that poet deserves consideration as thegreatest unsung American poet of the 20th Century.  Please listen with an open mind as other students present their case.   When we're finished with the presentations we'll begin to create our own poems.

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Teacher Info

Intended Audience: 9th-12th grade English students

Purpose/Goals: To familiarize Creative Writing students with a variety of poets, styles and forms before they begin writing their own poetry.  Also to develop an appreciation for language/art that has been created outside their lifetimes.

District/State standards addressed: Washington State's Essential Academic Learning Requirements—Writing 1.1, 1.2, 1.3; Reading 1, 2, 3, 4; Communication 2, 4

This Webquest will cover about 3-5 days of class.

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Credits & References
Book Graphic is from Microsoft ClipArt.
All other materials created by Robert L. Slater
Visit Rob's Lesley University Master's Portfolio or Rob's Personal webpage.

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Created by Robert L. Slater - 7 Nov 04.
Last modified - 11 Nov 04.
Questions/comments? Email Rob.
Based on a template from The WebQuest Page