Literature in English SS 1 Curriculum Guides – Poetry “A Slumber did my Spirit Seal” – Williams Wordsworth

THEME – POETRY “A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL” – WILLIAMS WORDSWORTH

TOPIC 1 – BACKGROUND AND SETTING

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

1. A map of England to show position of places mention in Wordsworth’s biography.

2. An audio/visual material similar to this (An old English firm, examining some scenes).

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to recall aspects of Wordsworth’s biography relevant to the poem, paying particular attention to his nature, poetry and his use of simple language.

CONTENTS OF THE LESSON

FOCUS LESSONS 

Author (1770 – 1850) 19th Century Romantic English Poet. Regards poetry as expression of man’s inner most feelings.

LESSON PRESENTATION

TEACHER’S ACTIVITIES

The teacher,

1. explains the social cultural history of England in Wordsworth’s time.

2. compares Wordsworth with any other poet who also write about nature.

 

 

STUDENT’S ACTIVITIES

The students compares what was obtainable in England in the 19th Century to what is obtainable now.

LESSON EVALUATION

Students to,

1. identify values of the 19th Century England.

2. do internet search of Wordsworth England.

THEME – POETRY “A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL” – WILLIAMS WORDSWORTH

TOPIC 2 – FORM 

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The poem

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. describe the way the arrangement of the stanzas reflect the development of the subject matter and theme.

2. point out rhyming words and describe the effect of pauses at the end of every line.

CONTENTS OF THE LESSON

FOCUS LESSONS 

1. A poem of 2 stanzas with 4 lines in each stanza.

2. There is stanza rhyme, abab, and movement of lines is controlled by unit of thought in the poem.

LESSON PRESENTATION

TEACHER’S ACTIVITIES

The teacher,

1. discusses the subject matter of each stanza and shows the relationship between the stanzas.

2. discusses the use of rhymes encouraging theh pauses which inturn arrests the readers’ attention.

 

 

STUDENT’S ACTIVITIES

The students arrange the poem in sub sections, sequentially to show the development of subject matter and theme in the poem.

LESSON EVALUATION

Students to,

1. write out the rhyming scheme for the poem.

2. state the effects of the arrangement of lines on a real poem.

3. write a poem using a similar form.

THEME – POETRY “A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL” – WILLIAMS WORDSWORTH

TOPIC 3 – LANGUAGE, STYLE, NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE AND SYMBOLISM

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The poem

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. comment on the main features of the language of the poem, comparing with what obtains in other poem already studied.

2. describe the effects of simplicity of the language.

3. comment on the poet’s ability to achieve vivid imagery effect by direct statements and with few images.

CONTENTS OF THE LESSON

FOCUS LESSONS 

The language of the poem is very simple.

‘Slumber’ is used in the sence of inactivity, referring to the initiative shock or dazed state of the poet.

‘Divmal’ refer to Lucy’s everlasting union with earth in its daily routine of life and movement.

Descriptions and statement are made in very plain manner.

LESSON PRESENTATION

TEACHER’S ACTIVITIES

The teacher,

1. explains the contextual meaning of various words.

2. leads discussion to show that the language is a simple, direct statement of the poet’s feeling.

3. leads the students to identify images and show their effectiveness in the poem.

 

 

STUDENT’S ACTIVITIES

The students,

1. write a paraphrase of the poem.

2. Identify images and their effectiveness in the poem.

LESSON EVALUATION

Students to,

1. identify 2 or 3 similar expressions common or used in the present day (as found in some songs for example).

2. list the poetic devices used in the poem.

3. state 2 or 3 effects of the images in the poem.

THEME – POETRY “A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL” – WILLIAMS WORDSWORTH

TOPIC 4 – SUBJECT MATTER 

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The recommended text, pre-recorded cassettes.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. say the content of the poet in their own words.

2. relate the subject matter to their own experience(s).

3 describe the feelings of loss experienced on the death of a loved one.

CONTENTS OF THE LESSON

FOCUS LESSONS 

The poem relates the feeling of shock and numbness experienced by the poet at the death of Lucy as well as his feelings of loss. To the poet although Lucy is dead, she lives another life with nature, the rocks, stones and trees.

LESSON PRESENTATION

TEACHER’S ACTIVITIES

The teacher,

1. guides the student to find the present day meaning of major words in the poem.

2. asks questions that will lead the students to understand the poem.

 

 

STUDENT’S ACTIVITIES

The students attempts explanations of the poem in group discussion.

LESSON EVALUATION

Students to,

1. write the content of poem in their own words.

2. list words/phrases which describe the feeling of loss by the poet.

THEME – POETRY “A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL” – WILLIAMS WORDSWORTH

TOPIC 5 – THEME 

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The poem

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to identify and commend on the main themes of the poem.

CONTENTS OF THE LESSON

FOCUS LESSONS 

1. The poem is a description of the feeling of the poet.

2 It immortalize Lucy by associating her with nature.

LESSON PRESENTATION

TEACHER’S ACTIVITIES

The teacher leads the students to identify the central idea(s) of the poem.

 

 

STUDENT’S ACTIVITIES

The students discuss in class other ways of immortalizing people and how effective this is.

LESSON EVALUATION

Students to write a poem to immortalize a diseased loved one.