Emily Dickinson's Collected Poems Lesson Plan

If all of the elements of this lesson plan are employed, students will develop the following powers, skills, and understanding:

1. 1

   Develop a thorough understanding of the elements of Dickinson’s life that shaped her worldview and her writings;

2. 2

   Read Dickinson’s poetry with an eye to the linguistic and thematic details that Dickinson is known for, and recognize the broader themes present through Dickinson’s poetic oeuvre;

3. 3

   Analyze and discuss, both individually and as a class, the important and common themes in Dickinson’s poetry;

4. 4

   Compare and contrast the different ways that common themes are portrayed in different poems, especially in consideration of the elements in...