Writing Assignment Narrative: Analysis of Nature

By Sydney Welch

In our 10th grade class, we are in the middle of a poetry genre study. A genre study is an intensive and extensive study in which students will read different forms of poetry, analyze the characteristics of these forms, and eventually write their own poetry. Within class we have already covered different forms of poetry (pastoral, sonnet, and haiku) through themes such as coming of age, family, and animals. We have discussed form, white space, and rhyme scheme. Our current topic is nature, focusing specifically on the representation of trees in poetry. The focus on trees will be studied in three poems: “The Copper Beech” by Marie Howe, “Planting a Dogwood” by Roy Scheele, and “A Poison Tree” by William Blake. Students will use one of the three poems and a poem on the topic of trees that they select themselves to write a comparison/contrast essay. Upon completion of all drafts of the essay, students will write their own tree themed poem. To prepare for this writing assignment, the class has already reviewed the basics of poetry. Students have response journals and are aware of the procedures connected to the journals. Starting with “The Copper Beech,” I will read the poem out loud to the students. Upon completion of the reading, the students and I will take a few minutes to write our initial reactions, feeling, and ideas. I will then read the poem aloud a second time, this time using guided reading, speaking my thought process out loud for students to understand. After this, I will give students more time to add to their initial response. I will share my response and ask for student volunteers to do the same. After we have shared responses, I will read the poem for a third and final time. This time students will be given the following writing prompts to focus their journaling: How does the speaker interact with the tree?; What type of picture is formed from this poem? This process will be repeated for the other two poems. The goal for “The Copper Beech” is to understand the physical relationship between the speaker and the tree; the goal for “Planting a Dogwood” is to understand the internal duality of tree and roots; and the goal for “A Poison Tree” is to see the metaphorical representation of the tree with the speaker’s emotions and hatred. When the students have an understanding of the three poems, each student will be responsible for finding another poem on the theme of trees. Students can fine examples of tree themed poetry on the Internet at: http://www.spiritoftrees.org/poetry/tree_poems.html. To prepare for the essay writing, students will be given the assignment sheet as seen here:

TASK: Using one of the following poems: The Copper Beech by Marie Howe, Planting a Dogwood by Roy Scheele or A Poison Tree by William Blake; and a poem of your own choice write a comparison / contrast essay.

PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE: Address the essay to an audience of your peers who have not read the poems.

FORMAT: LENGTH: 1 ½ to 2 pages double spaced, 12pt Times New Roman font TIME SCHEDULE: Draft 1 due: In Class Peer Edit: Draft 2 due: Learn Color Coding of Essay In Class: Teacher Review Essay: Final Draft Due:

EVALUATION: See attached peer editing questions and grading rubric.

I will model how to write a comparison/contrast analysis essay (see attached essay). We will review what is necessary within this form of essay, including providing textual sources, citations, and format. The writing process will consist of multiple drafts, peer editing, as well as teacher editing. After completion of the first draft of the essay, students will have a class to peer edit a classmate’s essay. Before the peer editing takes place, students will self assess their essays by answering the following questions on a separate sheet: Did I open with a strong hook or lead in line? If not, how might I change it?; Does the essay consist of well thought out ideas, supported by the examples from the text? If not, where can examples be added; and is there a strong conclusion where I bring all my ideas together? The peer editing sheet is attached to this summary. Students will then write a second draft of their essay, using the ideas of their peer reviewer, as well as their own from the self- assessment questions. With this draft students will continue the self-assessment by color coding their own essay as described below. Students will use a color-coding test on the second draft of their essays, which is after the initial peer editing. For this mini lesson, I will give students red, blue, and green colored pencils. Students will have my sample essay, as well as their own essay in front of them. Starting with the sample essay, together as a class, we will underline all the plot summary with the red pencil. Then we will underline the commentary in blue and the supporting detail in green. Next, students will look at their own essays and complete the same procedure. This will help students realize where they need to add more detail or less plot summary. Students will rework their essay removing unnecessary plot summary and adding commentary based on their individual color coding. Once complete, this draft will be handed in to the teacher for commenting and editing. Upon return, students will write a final draft of the essay for grade, which will be graded with the attached rubric (based on the NYS Regents grading rubric). After the completion of all drafts of the essay, students will write their own tree poem, which will eventually be presented to the class and published in an anthology of class poetry. This assignment covers three NYS ELA standards: Standard 2: students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression through the classroom journals, sharing of ideas and hearing the poems read in class; Standard 3: students will read, write, listen and speak for critical analysis and evaluation through the writing of the essay and analysis of the poems; and Standard 4: students will read, write, listen and speak for social interaction through class discussions and peer editing. Tree Poems:

“The Copper Beech” by Marie Howe

Immense, entirely itself, it wore that yard like a dress, with limbs low enough for me to enter it and climb the crooked ladder to where

I could lean against the trunk and practice being alone. One day, I heard the sound before I saw it, rain fell darkening the sidewalk.

Sitting close to the center, not very high in the branches, I heard it hitting the high leaves, and I was happy, watching it happen without it happening to me

“Planting a Dogwood” by Roy Scheele

Tree, we take leave of you; you’re on your own. Put down your taproot with its probing hairs that sluice the darkness and create unseen the tree that mirrors you below the ground. For when we plant a tree, two trees take root: the one that lifts its leaves into the air, and the inverted one that cleaves the soil to find the runnel’s sweet, dull silver trace and spreads not up but down, each drop a leaf in the eternal blackness of that sky. The leaves you show uncurl like tiny fists and bear small button blossoms, greenish white, that quicken you. Now put your roots down deep; draw light from shadow, break in on earth’s sleep. “A Poison Tree” by William Blake

I was angry with my friend. I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe. I told it not, my wrath did grow;

And I water'd it in fears, Night and morning with my tears; And I sunned it with smiles, And with soft deceitful wiles;

And it grew both day and night Till it bore an apple bright, And my foe beheld it shine, And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole When the night had veil'd the pole. In the morning glad I see My foe outstretched beneath the tree. Peer Review Questions: 1. Does the essay start with a strong opening line? If not, what might you suggest to the writer?

2. Does the writer mention title and author of both poems to be used in the opening paragraph?

3. Does the author provide comparison of the similarities of the two poems? Is this done with the use of quotes and examples from the text?

4. Does the author provide contrast of differences of the two poems? Is this done with use of quotes and examples?

5. Does the writer discuss literary elements? If so, which ones?

6. Does the paper use proper conventions (punctuation, spelling, grammar). Go through the paper and provide suggestions.

7. Does the essay make sense? Do you get lost at any point? If so where? Is it confusing at any point? If so where?

8. Is the essay in proper format (introduction paragraph, at least three body paragraphs, conclusion paragraph)? If not, what is it missing?

9. Did the writer use one of the class given poems and one he or she selected. Please give titles.

10. What was the best line in the essay? Please write it out here. Comparison Contrast Essay Rubric: Quality Level 6 Level 5 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Meaning: - reveals an - reveals a -reveals a -reveals a -reveals a -reveals no how the essay in-depth thorough basic basic vague or evidence of shows analysis of understanding understanding understanding inaccurate understanding understanding, both poems of both poems of both poems of poems understanding the poems interpretation -makes - makes clear -makes -makes a few of the poems -makes no and analysis insightful and explicit implicit superficial -mentions the connection of the task and connections connections connections connections poems, but between the poems between the between the between the between the makes unclear poems and the task and the task and the task and the task and the connections to task ideas of the ideas of both ideas of both ideas of the the task poems poems poems poems Development: -ideas are -ideas are -ideas are -ideas are -ideas are -ideas are how ideas are clearly and clearly and inconsistently developed largely minimal, with developed fully consistently developed, simply, using undeveloped, no evidence or through the developed, developed. using relevant some details vague, development use of specific making use of Uses relevant details from from one poem sketchy, and relevant a wide range and specific both poems irrelevant or evidence from of relevant details from repetitive the poems and specific both poems details from both poems Organization -maintains -maintains a -maintains a -failed to -lack of -shows no : how the clear and clear and clear and maintain an appropriate focus or essay exhibits appropriate appropriate appropriate appropriate focus organization direction, focus focus focus focus -minimal shape and -logical and -logical -basic -uneven organization coherence coherent sequence of structure, may organization structure; ideas through be some effective use use of inconsistencies of appropriate appropriate or irrelevant literary literary information devices and devices and transitions transitions Language -sophisticated -uses fluent -uses -basic -uses language -uses Use: style using and engaging appropriate vocabulary that is language that How the essay precise language with language, with and language imprecise or is incoherent shows an language with some some from poems unsuitable for or awareness of awareness of awareness of awareness of -sentences are the audience or inappropriate audience and audience, audience and audience and unvaried in purpose -violates basic purpose voice and purpose purpose length and -sentences lack rules of through purpose -shows -occasionally structure variety or may sentence sentence -vary consistent use varies length be constructed structure structure, structure and of sentences and structure incorrectly variety and length of that vary in of sentence word choice sentences for length and effect structure Conventions: -demonstrates -demonstrates -demonstrates -demonstrates -demonstrates -may be how the essay control of control of partial control, partial control, lack of control, illegible due reveals conventions conventions some errors some errors many errors to errors conventional with a few that do now that that make spelling, minor errors hinder occasionally comprehension punctuation, that have no comprehension hinder difficult paragraphing, effect on comprehension capitalization, comprehension grammar and usage Model Comparison Contrast Essay:

Trees are a very popular topic for all forms of writing, especially poetry. Two poems that embody representations of trees are “The Copper Beech” by Marie Howe and “Fern-Leafed Beech” by Moyra Caldecott. Howe’s poem shows the physical connection between the speaker and a tree, while connecting the tree to nature. Caldecott’s poem shows the emotional support a tree can offer and uses personification of the tree to show its physical presence. Both poems use personification (giving human traits to inanimate objects) of the tree. In “The Copper Beech,” the lines “Immense, entirely itself / it wore that yard like a dress” (Howe 1-2) lead the reader to believe that the tree is wearing the yard like a dress. These lines also use a metaphor to paint the picture that the dark green lawn is like a dress to the large beech tree. The second form of personification appears in “Fern-Leafed Beech”: “This tree listened / when my husband died” (Caldecott 1-2). This implies that the tree has ears to listen to the sorrows of the character in the poem. The use of personification gives the reader a closer connection and understanding of the importance of trees by providing examples of interactions with trees the reader might be more likely to relate too. A second similarity between both poems is the connection that the speaker of the poem has with the tree. In “Fern-Leafed Beech,” the speaker says, “I leaned my head / against its trunk / and cried” (Caldecott 3-5). The speaker has a bond with the tree, but more specifically she feels safe when she is with the tree. In “The Copper Beech,” the speaker says, “I could lean against the trunk and practice being alone” (Howe 5). Here the speaker is also safe and can be alone when with the tree. Nothing or no one else is needed during this time. There are also contrasts between the two poems. The first difference is that in “The Copper Beech,” Howe connects the tree with the overall picture of nature: “Sitting close to the center, not very high in the branches, / I heard it hitting the high leaves, and I was happy” (7-8). Here the tree is connected to the interaction with weather, but more specifically rain. This connection is something that doesn’t happen in “Fern-Leafed Beech”; however, within this poem there is an emotional connection between tree and character that isn’t present within the other poem: “No words passed, / but I took its strength” (Caldecott 6-7). The speaker is drawing strength from the sturdiness of the tree. One final difference between the two poems is the actual interaction the speaker has with the tree. “I leaned my head / against its trunk” (Caldecott 3-4) here the speaker is almost embracing the tree or using it to hold herself up. While in “The Copper Beech,” “with limbs low enough for me to enter it / and climb the crooked ladder to where” (Howe 3-4), the speaker is climbing into the branches to hide from the world. Overall “The Copper Beech” by Marie Howe and “Fern-Leafed Beech” by Moyra Caldecott depict the representation of trees in poetry through personification, theme, and interaction of person and nature. Each poem addresses the idea of trees physical and emotional ways. Tree Poem Used in Essay:

“Fern-Leafed Beech” By Moyra Caldecott

This tree listened when my husband died. I leaned my head against its trunk and cried. No words passed, but I took its strength and knew that life at last secretly transforms until what is seen becomes unseen, and what has been is still to be.