Poetry: The Effects of a Literary Time Period on its Art

Emily Dickinson

How & Why

You will follow a Cooperative Learning Jigsaw model to learn a vast amount of poetry and history in a limited period of time (six weeks). You will be responsible for your own learning in a collaborative work environment. This project requires the responsible use of class time, library periods, and the use of the computer lab. You will choose a time period individually, research and complete your work. You will become expert on that one time period, its history and its poetry. At the end, the individuals who chose the same periods will be grouped together and you will have additional time to prepare a presentation for the class which will expose us all to the historical progression of literature and its effects on society to date. This method allows you to choose an area of interest for you in poetry and/or history, to study it in depth, and to report your findings to the class. It allows me to cover an incredible amount of poetry in a relatively short time and to learn from what you find interesting.

Expectations 

• You will complete the work assigned in a professional manner.
• You will use class time effectively.
• You will realize and understand the ideologies of the time period chosen.
• You will notice and discern the influences of history on the poetry of that time.
• You will act as social critics in your own time.
• You will present this information confidently to classmates.
• You will utilize the computer at all stages of the learning process: research, presentation, and publication.