William Carlos Williams: Poems Lesson Plan

Tone Transformation

Kind of Activity:

Creative Writing

Objective:

Students will have a profound understanding for the impact of word choice on a poem's tone.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3.D, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.3

Structure:

As a class, analyze the tone of "Spring and All." Pick out words WCW uses to establish the tone, and discuss why those words create the effect they do.

Now, individually, students will transform the poem by switching its tone. They should first describe a new tone, then choose only 10 words to replace with other words to effectively change the tone of the poem. They will first have to...