Multicultural Poetry: Voices of the Nations

English Language Arts 10-1

12-15 70 minute classes

Overview

    In this unit, students will explore poetry forms and traditions from around the world. Students will examine poetry as a form of cultural expression and a window into the experiences of other people groups. They will be writing poetry as well as studying it. Each class will begin with the reading of a short poem and a response that will take the form of a free write, a journal response, a poem assignment, or a class discussion or debate. Students will explore both ancient and modern poems. They will be introduced to poetic forms, artistic literary devices, topical selections, poetry through song, epic poetry and comparative studies. Students will explore the cultures of the world and respond to their discoveries. They will also be exposed to a number of Canadian poets from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

The main focus of the unit will be to expound on the English Language Arts learning outcome 2.3.1 d, Students will "identify and examine ways in which cultural and societal influences are reflected in a variety of Canadian and international texts." Students will participate in some cultural study through historical poems of cultures in conflict. These poems will allow students to explore and experiment with political expression through the poetic medium.

The final section of the unit will be spent in a writer's workshop. This will allow students to work through the editing, revising and publishing processes, working with both poetic and prose assignments. The final project and the bulk of the evaluation for this unit will come in the form of a portfolio project. Students will use their daily assignments and journal reflections to create a collection of ten entries. The entries may be poems with explanatory rationales, or they may be prose selection reflecting on the poetry shared in class. The students will be allowed to choose the make up of their portfolios so long as there are no more than seven of one type. This allows for students who are more comfortable with one medium or the other to be successful while meeting the assignment requirements.

 

Rationale

    Poetry is a very strong medium for multicultural studies because of the minimalistic and personal nature of this as a literary form. Students will have opportunities explore this diverse medium for the expression of human emotion. They will also have the opportunity to mimic and reuse the forms and function of poetry to explore and express their own emotions. Students will learn about the mechanical aspects of poetry, form, rhythm and meter, while exploring the diversity of this medium and the people who create it. This unit is beneficial because it allows the class to work through a major aspect of the English Language Arts curriculum while critically engaging in discussion and reflection about world issues such as racism, violence, immigration, and the experiences of youth culture around the world.

    This unit is important because the diversity of the poetry allows for a broader spectrum of interests. Students will be able to explore poetry from many sources and from many differing perspectives. This is done in the hope that all students will be able to find a path to identifying with the poetic form. The diversity of poetic sources also encourages debate and critical thinking. The students will be challenged to engage in metacognition, examining their own assumptions and attitudes toward their own cultures and those of others. Students will have the opportunity to discuss the somewhat taboo subjects of race and ethnicity in a safe environment. They will be permitted to ask questions and encouraged to look into their own cultural backgrounds.