Making Emily and Walt Pop!

[Alicia Rosenbaum]

I teach in a high poverty, rural school and I am getting ready to teach Dickinson and Whitman to my 11th grade classes. Any ideas for making these two fabulous poets POP! I thought about focusing on Dickinson's obsession with death and Whitman's sexuality because these are always interesting to teens, but I fear homophobia would become a focus for my students.

[Ryan Goble]

Debra - thanks so much for sharing - I love the Whitman Hughes combo!

RRG:)

[Alicia Rosenbaum]

I did this one before and I loved it - thanks for reminding me of this - but I had not thought about turning it into a song . . . maybe a rap?!! Thanks!

[Alicia Rosenbaum]

That is a great idea! I usually do Hughes when I get to Modernism, but I think it would be a great way to get my students to see how influential society is on poetry!

[Ryan Goble]

Hey Alicia,

You have a great question. Here's a top secret way to get more feedback - when you post in the general discussion forums, only people who are looking carefully at updates will catch your excellent question.

My ten cents - copy and paste this question in the Poets and Writers discussion forum and the American Literature discussion forum - that way all the members of those groups will get e-mails notifying them that you posted a question.

Additionally, we have lots of interesting folks in those groups who know a lot about these things including some people from the Poetry Foundation. I also know that one of the women in the poets group did a whole summer retreat in MA on Dickinson - for that reason you're certain to get lots of feedback!

Thanks for posting - I hope you're having a great holiday!

Ryan:)

[Alicia Rosenbaum]

Great idea! Thanks Ryan!

[Ryan Goble]

Yeah, copy and paste = cool - as that makes sure folks with the extra poetry mojo can interact with you!! Thanks for getting out and posting!!! Happy New Year!

[Alicia Rosenbaum]

Thanks Elizabeth! The tournament sounds great! If you are tired of powerpoint, have you tried Animoto?

[Alicia Rosenbaum]

I would love that Debra! Thanks so much!

[Alicia Rosenbaum]

Sorry! Forgot the email! [e-mail]

[Pam Goble]

Perfection has a great text on the Harlem Renaissance that touches on the genre about the time.

[Pam Goble]

Another area to talk about is ED's seasonal disorder affliction. There was an article in Time or Newsweek a couple of years ago that was short and would pique considerable interest. You might try and find the article.