Low Self Esteem in Adolescents

Expressing Self Esteem Through Poetry

 

J. Callaghan

IS 126

 

INTRODUCTION

Poetry uses powerful figurative language and sound devices to create images for its readers to connect to their own lives. Students will be divided into groups and will choose a poem from a list of poems that express adolescents developing their self esteem through discovering something about themselves. This Web Quest will focus on lack of self-esteem and the role it plays in an adolescent’s life, through poetry.

 

HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR?

 

LOW SELF ESTEEM

low.jpeg

 

HIGH SELF ESTEEM

high self.jpeg

 

 

TASK

Administer a self-esteem survey: Self Esteem Survey

 

Directions:  Your group will teach a poem to the class.  Each member of the group is responsible for his/her part of the assignment.  Students will be graded on their individual contribution to the project, as well as the group presentation.

 

1.      Read one of the following poems

2.      Write a summary of what your poem is about! Cite evidence from the poem that shows that expresses the speaker’s feeling about the topic.

3.      Create a graphic organizer for notes for 3 poetic elements present in your poem: simile, metaphor, rhyme, repetition, personification, hyperbole, onamonapeia, or alliteration. You may choose to illustrate some or all of these elements.

4.      Illustrate scene/or scenes from your poem using a storyboard

5.      Identify one stanza, or lines from the poem that is important and read it to the class.  Explain why this is important.  [It might explain a character’s behavior, illustrate a conflict, or clarify a theme].

6.      Choose a song that represents something (ex: theme, speaker, or conflict) in your poem.  Be sure to explain how the song is connected to your story.  BRING ME A COPY OF THE LYRICS FOR APPROVAL THE DAY BEFORE YOUR PRESENTATION.

 

Choose one of the following poems:

“Oranges” by Gary Soto     (ADD PICS)  

“Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” by Maya Angelou

"A Dream Within A Dream" by Edgar Allan Poe

“The World Is Not a Pleasant Place to Be” by Nikki Giovanni

 

 

PROCESS/RESOURCES

Each step of the PPA must be included on the poster board. Focus should be made on the public policy

Step #6. All worksheets must be filled out.

 

1)      Defining the Social Problem

2)      Gathering Evidence of the Problems

3)      Identifying Causes of the Problems

4)      Identify and Evaluate Existing Pubic Policy

5)      Develop Public Policy Solutions

6)      Selecting the Best Policy

 

The worksheets above should be completed using the INTERNET sources found in the resource section and in hyperlinks.

 

-Pearson’s Prentice Hall Literature Anthology

·         http://www.englishforums.com/English/OrangesByGarySoto/zzrpq/post.htm

·         http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-dream-within-a-dream/

·         http://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/2007/04/poems-comfort-and-nikki-giovanni.html

·        http://www.swaraj.org/shikshantar/life_mayaangelou.htm

 

 

EVALUATION

The presentation grade is composed of the following:

 

1. Poem summary and evidence that expresses the topic:                                                                  2          4          6           8          10

2. Graphic organizer: author’s life and evidence of at least 3 poetic elements:

            6          12        18        24        30

3.      Presentation of a stanza, or line from the poem, to the class:                              

4          8          12        16        20

4.      Important passage and explanation of its importance:                

2          4          6          8          10

5.      Clarity/organization of presentation:

a.       Including voice, eye contact, body language      

6          12        18        24        30

 


TOTAL:

The individual grade is composed of the following:

 

Completion of task for group position held:                                                  

10        20        30        40

Knowledge of story                                                                                       

10        20        30

Cooperation with group                                                                                 

10        20        30

                                                                                                TOTAL:

 

Poetry Analysis Rubric

Interpretation

5 – Insightful, specific and thorough interpretation of the poem

4 – Clear and specific interpretation of the poem; all major points covered

3 – Basic interpretation of the poem; some major points included but some major ideas missing

2 – Incomplete or unclear interpretation of the poem

0 – Unacceptably vague or missing most major points

Textual Evidence

5 – Insightful and specific examples with cited line numbers solidly prove your interpretation

4 – Well-chosen examples with cited line numbers support your interpretation

3 – Examples, cited line numbers, back interpretation, but more or stronger evidence is available

2 – Weak examples do not convincingly back interpretation.  Line numbers may not be cited.

0 – Irrelevant or no evidence

Explanation of evidence

5 – Insightful, specific commentary analyzes how the evidence proves your interpretation

4 – Commentary explains how the preceding quotation/example supports your interpretation

3 – General analysis explains points but does not make specific reference to the evidence itself

2 – Unclear or incomplete explanation

0 – No explanation of how the evidence proves your interpretation

 

 

CONCLUSION

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."–Henry David Thoreau

 

In conclusion, this Web Quest should assist you in identifying, and most of all improving, your level of self-esteem and confidence in any given situation, through poetry.  You will have identified specific situations in which the speakers of various poems and sense of self worth is low and those in which it is high.  You have now identified ways in which you can be a problem solver and affect those around you in a positive way. 

 

 

STANDARDS

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.5 Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.2b Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.3d Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 6 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific expectations.)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.4a Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.4c Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.