The interpretation of a poem often lies in the mind of its reader, especially when reading the tone. Focus on author's word choice, middle schoolers read four different poems and briefly state a perceived tone for each, along with the poem's meaning and supporting evidence.

Concepts

tone, literary analysis, poetry

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Use in a poetry unit or when discussing how word choice establishes tone
• Encourage learners to choose one poem, and have them write their own poem using the same tone
• Add to reading assessment or homework packet

Classroom Considerations

• Individuals will need more space to write a thorough answer with textual evidence

Pros

• Includes the works of Robert Louis Stevenson, Kendall Banning, W.K. Clifford, and Ebenezer Cobham Brewer
• Encourages class members to use evidence when making an argument
• Comes with an answer key for suggested responses

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.6.4 RL.7.4 RL.8.4 RL.9-10.4