Poetry Out Loud

A passion for some, a terror for others, poetry is one of the oldest surviving art forms. Now, I know what you are thinking: "This isn't English class! Why do we have to study poetry?" Well, I've got some news for you: Poetry wasn't always just confined to a textbook or an emo kid's journal; it originated as a performance art long before written language. Therefore, we are going to take poetry back to its roots and perform it live. Oh, and did I mention it's a contest? That's right. The national Poetry Out Loud contest has sparked something of a renaissance of oral poetry, and, following their lead, we will have our own classroom competition. The winner from each class will receive some sort of prize (though I'm not sure what as of yet). So, are your ready for some football poetry?

Your first assignment is to select a poem from this website:

http://www.poetryoutloud.org/poems-and-performance/find-poems

The poem will have to be memorized and performed dynamically. Keep in mind that the length of the poem will count as part of your score, so don't pick one that's too short (plus, short poems generally do not afford much opportunity to give a dynamic performance). The minimum length for your poem should be 14 lines.

You may find the performance rubric here:

http://www.poetryoutloud.org/uploads/fl/af34c39739/scoring%20rubric.pdf


Happy hunting!

Mr. Pace

Abstract Art Perspective Assignment

Welcome, art critics:

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but can a picture truly be described with words?  And, if so, how many would it take?  I guess we will find out.

We have discussed the difference between concrete and abstract language in class, and we have seen how abstract words and concepts can lead to miscommunication. Likewise, abstract art can lead to many different perceptions, as well.

Here is the painting you will use for your assignment. It should provide inspiration for a plethora of interpretations.

You are to plan and present a two-minute discussion of the piece. Since the purpose of the project is to illuminate that no two people perceive or communicate information in the same way, you will all be presenting the same piece. Your interpretation is to be 1.5-2 pages, typed (in MLA format), and you will turn it in following your presentation. 

Remember, the goal is to try to explain this painting in words, not critique it.  In other words, tell us what you see, not how much you hate abstract art.