Week 1 Poetry Blog Activity: "Perseverance" - Explain the Function of Contrasts within a Text

Virtual Poetry Unit 
Emphasized Skills (as suggested in 2019 CED):

• STR 3.C – Explain the function of structure in a text.
• STR 3.D – Explain the function of contrasts within a text.
• FIG 5.B – Explain the function of specific words and phrases in a text.
• FIG 5.C – Identify and explain the function of a metaphor.
• FIG 6.B – Identify and explain the function of an allusion.

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 Each week, I will post 2 poems on Tuesday. Each set of poems will focus on a specific literary analysis skill. Your job is twofold:

 Part 1: Compare/Contrast + Critical Thinking
Read the two poems and respond to the prompt in a Primary Blog Entry (100-150 words) by Tuesday night at 11:59pm. By Thursday night at 11:59pm, please read all Primary Blog Entries and select two that you find interesting, surprising, insightful, or conflicting with your own understanding and compose a brief response to each in a Secondary Blog Response (60-80 words).

Part 2: Individual Analysis + Emphasized Skill
The two poems that you read each week have been selected to highlight a specific skill (see list above). By Friday at 11:59pm, please upload to Turnitin.com a short written reflection (200-250 words) in which you use one of the poems to address the question that is aligned to the skill being addressed. 

*Nom de Plumes for the Blog Entries: Please select a pen name of your own and then share it with me through email. 

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Week One: Virtual Poetry Blog Activity

Skill: STRUCTURE 3.D - Explain the Function of Contrasts within a Text

Topic: Perseverance

Part 1 Primary and Secondary Blog Prompt: 
Compare and contrast the two poems. What are their similarities? How do they differ? Overall, which poem do you feel is more “essential” to study in AP English Lit and why? 
           -Primary Blog Entry (100-150 words) due by Tuesday at 11:59pm;
           -2 Secondary Blog Responses (60-80 words) due by Thursday night at 11:59pm
​BE SURE TO ADD WORD COUNT!

​Part 2 Individual Written Reflection Prompt: 
Produce a written reflection (200-250 words) wherein you explain the function of contrasts in one of the two poems. Demonstrate a strong line of reasoning and support all claims with textual evidence. 
Upload to Turnitin by 11:59pm on Friday.

Poem #1 (Modern/Living Poet)
“Complainers” by Rudy Francisco

Click on the image above to go to an annotated text version of the poem.

Poem #2 (Older/Classic Poet)
“A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Click on the image above to go to a text version of the poem.

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