Leaves of Grass Lesson Plan

Whose America? #1

Kind of Activity:

Technology

Objective:

Students will be able to relate Whitman's work to modern lyrical poetry

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.5

Structure:

Review the students' playlists of songs about the state of modern America. Ask students to write a brief explanation for each of their selections: what makes the song particularly American to them, and how do they relate to Whitman's ideas about the panoply of experience?

Divide the class into small groups and have the class play a few songs for each other and explain their choices. How do the songs they chose work together to cover various facets of...