Students’ age range: 14-16

Topic: Poetry Appreciation: Identifying Literary Devices

 

Description: Engage: Six selected students will be asked to share their experience of either farming or the market place. Two of the students will talk about farming, two will talk about the market and two will illustrate through drawing of pictures of (one student) things that can be found in the market place and (one student) those used for farming. These accounts and drawings of experiences are geared towards helping students to understand and appreciate the time, effort and energy farmers put in to care for others by first caring for their crops. A brief revision on the literary devices looked at in class will be done to stimulate students’ prior knowledge which will be needed to make connections to this lesson. Students will be asked to explain five of the literary devices explored and provide one example of each: simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, mood and tone. (15mins)
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Explore: Students will be asked to listen to a recorded reading of the poem “Market Women”. While they are listening, they should make note of all the words/phrases/expressions that they do not readily understand. These words will then be discussed and meanings clarified where ever necessary. (5 mins)
Expected words to be selected are in bold: Stride: walk stirred the steep dark: farmed the bred, and dug and reaped: cared for the plants and harvested them toil: work hand-maids: women
The students will be asked to turn to page 329 in The New Language Arts textbook and read aloud the poem: “Market Women” by Daisy Myrie in order to answer questions which will be posed to them later. After the reading, two students will be asked to explain the similarities and one student to explain the differences between the experiences shared at the beginning and the one shared in the poem. The intention here is to assist students to make the connection between the written work and the real-life experiences. (5 mins) ((The DRTA Strategy will be employed here.))

Explain: Students will now be asked to think critically about the farmers’ attitude towards farming as well as feeding the town people and share how they know the farmers care about/for the food they grow. This will be done individually. Two selected students will be asked to state and support the mood that can be found at the end of the poem. Teacher input and feedback will be provided when and where needed. (15mins)

Extended: Students will now be given a list of questions relating to the poem which they will answer in their notebooks. These questions are to further assist students to understand and appreciate the creative beauty of the poem as well as the experience shared through words. (15mins)
Questions:
What does the poet suggest about farming?
Which word(s) best describe(s) the mood of the market women?
List two of the literary devices used in the poem and explain each effectiveness in enhancing the theme emerging from it. What is the poet’s feelings towards the market women?
How has “Heaven blessed the market women” as stated in the poem?
Why do you think the poet repeat the line- “to feed the hungry town”? Several images are described in the poem. Draw and label at least 4 of them.

Evaluate: Students will be asked to go in groups of 5 and use no more than 15 minutes to complete the given activity. Students are expected to creatively use at least two literary devices in their presentation and every member of the group should make a contribution. Activity: Prepare a 2 to 3 minutes presentation in which they can use any of the following format. Draw and label a market scene with the appropriate dressing of the vendors and the customers Dramatize a scenario of a farmer/farmers caring for his/their crops Share a story of either a farming or a market experience different from the one shared at the beginning of the class. Write and share a song/jingle about the farm or the market.