an archive of lesson plans

Tag: Poetry

ESADV SP2022 Literature and poetry

Language resident: Natalia Cano

Class theme/topic discussed: Literature and poetry

Goal of the class: The students learn about Spanish literature and poetry

Class structure:

Activity 1: No juzques un libro por su portada

I show students the book covers of 6 Spanish literature classics. After randomly reading the back cover of the books, students have to match them to the book cover.

Activity 2: La Celestina

I asked them if they knew this book. I showed a draw my life video of La Celestina and they asked me questions about the plot.

Activity 3: Helicón

In pairs, create a story with this text as inspirations. Then, each pair will share their story with the rest of the class.

  • Si la memoria no me engaña y puedo considerarme aún un hombre cuerdo, con la normal capacidad para interpretar los signos del calendario y del reloj, precisaré que fue hace diez días y nueve horas exactamente cuando cometí el error.

Activity 4: Poetry

  • Who is your favorite poet? In any language.
  • What do you think it is more important when translating poetry? Keeping the rhym, the meaning or the images?

Activity 5: Your favorite poem

Which one is your favorite poem?

In pairs, they have to choose a poem in English and try to translate it to Spanish.

Activity 6:

Poetry in Spanish.I brought to class two books. One is a bilingual edition of Neruda’s poems and the other one is Lorca’s Poeta en Nueva York, so they can take a look at the poems. 

Resources used:

La Celestina:

Blackboard

Poems of Love, NerudaPoeta en Nueva York, Lorca

What worked well? What did not work?

I would add a warm up to this class, but I think the class went well. The students loved to share their opinions related to literature and poetry and they also found very challenging the translation part.

ESADV SP2022 Music and poetry

Language Resident: Natalia Cano

Class theme/topic discussed: Music and poetry

Goal of the class: The students discuss their opinions and come up with a story in Spanish

Class structure:

Activity 1: Reggaeton or poetry

The students have to decide if these fragments are reggaeton or poetry.

Tú eras tóxica como veneno

Pero me falta el aire desde que no estás

Quizás no me trajeses nada bueno

Pero al menos no nos la pasábamos mal

Es un placer conocerte

Quizá tú me traigas pena

Pero no puedo perderte

Me gustas cuando callas porque estas como ausente, y me oyes desde lejos, y mi voz no te toca. Parece que los ojos se te hubieran volado y parece que un beso te cerrara la boca.

Hoy te odio en el secreto, ante todo lo confieso

Si pudiera te pidiera que devuelvas todos los besos que te di

Las palabra y todo el tiempo que perdí

Me arrepiento una y mil veces de haber confiado en ti

Quisiera que te sientas como yo me siento

Quisiera ser como tú, sin sentimiento

Quisiera sacarte de mi pensamientoQuisiera cambiarle el final al cuento

Y que yo me la llevé al río
creyendo que era mozuela,
pero tenía marido.


Yo sé que lo nuestro es cosa de ayer

Y me pone contento que te va bien con él

Yo ni te extrañaba ni te quería ver

Pero pusieron la canción que te gustaba ponerY me acordé de ti, cuando me hiciste feliz

¡Ay, qué trabajo me cuesta
quererte como te quiero!
Por tu amor me duele el aire,
el corazón
y el sombrero.

Ella y yo, dos locos viviendo una aventura 
castigada por Dios. 

Un laberinto sin salida
donde el miedo se convierte en amor

Activity 2: Now is your turn

In pairs they have to choose two fragments of poetry, or a song and the rest of the class has to guess what they are.

Activity 3: Estopa

I give the students the beginning of a well-known Spanish song:

Era una tarde tonta y caliente

De esas que pega el sol en la frente

Era el verano del noventa y siete

Y yo me moría por verteThe students have to imagine a story with this text as an inspiration, when they finish, I showed them the video and the ‘’storyline’’ of the song.

Resources used:

We used the projector for the poetry/reggaeton fragments.

Video la raja de tu falda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wECwsE4yNSQ

What worked well? What did not work?

I might add a warmup to this class, but I also think that activity 1 worked a little bit as a warmup.

They discussed a lot during the first activity, so I think it was nice. With the second activity one of the pairs decided to put a fragment of Lorca’s poetry. So, we look the poem up and discussed it a little bit too.I really liked activity 3 because the students had great ideas in their stories, and they were quite disappointed by the actual song.

RU F21 ADV Intro to the Soviet Poetry: Gennady Shpalikov

Language Resident: Aleksandra Bystrova

Date: 10/05/2021

Class theme/topic discussed: Soviet Poetry of the Khrushchev Thaw (1960s)

Goal of the class: 

  • Learn about the poetry during the Khrushchev Thaw
  • Practice translating and listening skills
  • Get to know the Soviet director, screenplay writer and poet Gennadiy Shpalikov

Class structure:

  1. Greetings and warm-ups.
    Discussion in pairs: Do you like poetry? Who is your favorite poet if you have one? Do you know any Soviet or Russian poets?
  2. Introduction. Gennadiy Shpalikov
    I briefly introduce the biography of Gennady Shpalikov to the class. Why he was important for the “Ottepel” (the Khrushchev Thaw) and what the general atmosphere in the culture at that time was. I ask students if they know something about 1960s culture in the Soviet Union.
    “В воздухе была надежда на свободу, и мы дышали этим воздухом, а как точно заметил Сергей Соловьев, Шпаликов этот воздух создавал” (Юлий Файт)
  3.  Activity 1. Translate a poem.
    I give students a handout with the Shpalikov’s poem “Людей теряют только раз” (“You lose people only once…”) translated in English and ask them to come up with a Russian translation for this poem. I put students into two groups, so every group come up with their own translation. Then, I ask them to present their poems to the rest of the class.
  4. Activity 2. Comparison with an original.
    Александр Яценко – “Людей теряют только раз”
    I show students a video of a Russian actor Alexander Yazenko reading this poem in a studio. Before that, I give them a handout with an original text, so students can compare their poems with the original.
Геннадий Шпаликов
Людей теряют только раз,
И след, теряя, не находят,
А человек гостит у вас,
Прощается и в ночь уходит.
А если он уходит днем,
Он все равно от вас уходит.
Давай сейчас его вернем,
Пока он площадь переходит.
Немедленно его вернем,
Поговорим и стол накроем,
Весь дом вверх дном перевернём
И праздник для него устроим.    
Gennady Shpalikov
Translated by Igor Skryagin and Aleksandra Bystrova  
All people may be lost just once,
And a lost trace may not be found,
When a person, who is staying with you,
Leaves into the night, saying «goodbye».
And if they leave in the afternoon,
They leave you anyway.
Let’s return them right now,
While they are crossing the square.
Let’s return them immediately,
And talk to them, and set the table,
Turn the whole house upside down
And arrange a feast for them.  
Activity 1. Translate the poem.
Activity 2. Comparison with the original

What worked well in this class? What did not work?
Students came up with beautiful translations of the poem. They were very engaged into translating it. If students are interested in the Soviet culture and poetry, it can be a very enjoyable class. However, if students don’t like poetry it might be challenging. The level of the poem is appropriate for advanced learners. The groups of two students in each group worked well.

How could this class be improved/ modified? 
I would leave it as it is. If you have more time left, you can do the same with another poem from the Thaw’s poet Bella Ahmadulina “В тот месяц май, в тот месяц мой…” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbhaPvhokqM)

JP SP21 INT/ADV: Hyakunin Isshu, Waka, Renga

This topic can be done in a class or two classes.

anguage Resident/Assistant Name:  

Kozue Matsumoto  

Day and Date:  

Wednesday April 14, 2021   

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):  

Intermediate 

Class theme/topics discussed:  

  • Movie trailer 
  • Make Renga 

Goal of the class:  

  • Understand a movie trailer  

anguage Resident/Assistant Name:  

Kozue Matsumoto  

Day and Date:  

Wednesday April 12 – 15, 2021   

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):  

Intermediate 

Class theme/topics discussed:  

  • Movie trailer 
  • Hyakunin isshu 
  • Renga 

Goal of the class:  

  • Understand a movie trailer  
  • Understand hyakunin-isshu, waka poetry, and other ideas around waka
  • Make some renga 

How did you structure the class?  

  1. Trailer #1 (20 min) 
    1. https://youtu.be/ZjNlJLjDzjk  
    2. What kind of characters? 
  2. Karuta or Hyakunin isshu (15 min) 
    1. What is this? 
    2. A collection of Waka poems 
      1. 100 poems from 100 poets throughout the history  
      2. Created in the early 13th century 
      3. Who are poets? 
        1. Emperors, aristocrats, monks 
    3. There are lots of other waka collections 
      1. Some of them include regular people’s poems and poems with writers unknown from ancient times  
    4. What Is waka? 
      1. Haiku (5.7.5) vs. Waka (5.7.5.7.7.) 
      2. 柿くへば鐘が鳴るなり法隆寺 by 正岡子規 
      3. ちはやふる 神代もきかず 竜田川 からくれなゐに 水くくるとは by 在原 業平 (9th century) 
    5. As a game 
      1. How the game works 
    6. Renga 
      1. Difference between waka 
  3. Trailer #2 (15 min) 
    1. https://youtu.be/MU6FqgKawxQ   
    2. What’s new here 
    3. New Character? What’s she like?  
    4. What’s a message shown throughout the trailer? 
    5. The effect of adopting story that was originally written in a manga format. 
  4. Let’s make renga (30 min) 

What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)  Class agreement, breakout rooms 

Zoom, Sharescreen, Youtube, Whiteboard 

What worked well in this class? What did not work?   

Intermediate:

  • Today’s trailer was a lot easier to understand for them. They were able to guess the relationship of 3 main characters. 
  • They know some sort of card game is related, but they had little idea. One student was able to guess that it would be something with poems. That was great. 
  • Introduced this game, Hyakunin Isshu, Waka, and Renga. I talked a lot for this to explain what they are. It was like I’m doing a Japanese class in a junior high school in Japan. At least they got the new ideas and cultures around Hyakunin Isshu and Waka poems. 
  • The trailer #2 was fun. This time we guessed what’s going on and also tried to listen carefully each phrase in the trailer. From these phrases, we thought about shared value that these characters are having (team work) in contrast to the best player (individualistic). 
  • Renga was a fun activity. This is a collaborative poetry, so you have to follow 5-7-5 and 7-7 format and also develop the idea and theme that previous people present. They created funny poems collaboratively. 
  • I used whiteboard for this collaborative activity. They just type their work on to whiteboard by themselves. This worked out very well. 
  • I shared music when they were working on poems. It was a good and fun addition to the class. 

Advanced:

  • Today’s trailer was a lot easier for them to grasp the story. They were able to find more details than 11.1 students 
  • We talked a lot about Hyakunin Isshu, Waka, Haiku, and Renga. They knew Haiku but they didn’t know Waka. 
  • We discussed the difference between Karuta and Hyakunin Isshu, which also called karuta occasionally  
  • With trailer #2 we talked about certain values that Japanese society likes to hear and see in pop cultures and entertainment. Some elements, friendship, collaborative work, hard work, are so popular and they are seen a lot of pop cultures 
  • We also talked about a little strange cinematography. This might be because the film tries to adopt the styles of comic. 
  • Renga making was so fun. I used background music to play while they are thinking so there is no awkward silence. Their works are so funny. 
  • I used white board for the renga making activity, and it worked well 

How could this class be improved/ modified? 

  • Renga making was so fun. I used background music to play while they are thinking so there is no awkward silence. Their works are so funny. 
  • Renga activity can be done in breakout room instead of whiteboard. I was thinking which way to do. This time I used whiteboard. But I think breakout room works as well 

Trailers

Haiku, Waka, and Renga Whiteboard

Students’ Renga Works

JP F20 INT/ADV: Haiku

Language Resident/Assistant Name:  

Kozue Matsumoto 

Day and Date:  

Monday October 5, 2020   

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):  

Intermediate / Advanced

Class theme/topics discussed:  

  • Haiku 

Goal of the class:  

  • Learn about Haiku 
  • Create haiku and kigo 

How did you structure the class?  

  1. Good news (5min) *We share positive stories at the beginning of each class.
  1. Today’s plan and watch a video: https://youtu.be/BNyPE93fXh8  (10 min) 
  1. Example of “kigo” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_kigo#Autumn:_8_August_%E2%80%93_6_November (5 min) 
  1. Break out room (2-3people) (25 min)  
    1. How we appreciate season? Any new “kigo” that we can create that’s specific to American seasonal moments? 
    2. What reminds us of seasons? What kind of things do we appreciate in a season? What do we do, see, hear, taste or feel in a season?  
    3. Let’s make a haiku! 
  1. Main room (15 min) 
    1. Share the haiku each group made.  

What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.) 

Class agreement, breakup rooms 

Zoom, Breakout room, emails, YouTube and internet resources.   

What worked well in this class? What did not work? 

  • They knew the basics of haiku. The video helped them understand a little deeper about haiku. 
  • “kigo” is an interesting concept. Instead of telling them this as a rule, I let them think about and come up with their own “kigo” in their own environment (American or California or whatever they think of) 
  • I believe it’s a nice activity to reflect how we are related to our environment, such as nature or seasonal events.  
  • This also turned into finding a little nice or memorable moment in their daily life relating to a season 
  • They enjoyed thinking of “kigo” and they explained how seasonal a certain word is to me, as I’m not quite familiar to American seasonal practice.  
  • They enjoyed making haiku, too, and they are using some techniques such as ji-amari (extra letter) or taigen-dome (ending a phrase with a noun)   
  • I also had them type their poem into the chat so I can make sure I know what they did and also I can save it. 
  • This was also finding a little nice or memorable moment in their daily life 

How could this class be improved/ modified? 

  • We focused on fall as it’s fall now, but we can do this any seasons 
  • We can also do “senryu,” which is like haiku, but you do not need to use “kigo” in it. So this could be a little freer and more hilarious.  

 If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that).  Please attach any handouts as well. 

Some concepts: 
俳句、季語、字余り、字足らず、倒置法 

Student works (with my quick translation): 

天の川(あまのがわ)
 
今晩月は(こんばんつきは)
 
珍しい(めずらしい) 
With Milky way, tonight’s moon is rare. 

紅葉狩り 
カリフォルニアで 
火事がある 
While enjoying the colorful fall tree leaves while it’s on fire in California 

コーン畑 
踊って来てる 
骸骨は 
At Corn field, a skeleton is coming while dancing 

花枯れる (はなかれる) 
BTS が来る (ビティエスがくる) 
うれしいな 
The season the flowers die, it’s also a season BTS comes here. Feels happy. 

タコ火曜
 
感謝祭と
 
食べすぎる 
Taco Tuesday, also Thanksgiving, I’m eating too much 

秋のくれ(あき) 
カボチャをほって 
光入れ(ひかりいれ) 
At dusk, I curve a pumpkin and light inside. 

秋の時間 
色々な色 
思い出す 
Fall time, I remember lots of colors. 

秋に来る 
外を見る時 
しあわせな 
Coming in the fall, I feel happy looking outside 

春寒のころ 
電車を待ち中 
あの子見た 
In early spring, while waiting for a train, I saw the girl. 

宿題が 
飛んで行ってる 
貝寄風のおかげ 
My homework is all blown away, thanks to a strong spring wind! 

蝉の音 
種を吐き出せ 
ネバネバな手 
Cicada sounds, let’s spit out seeds with my sticky hands 

最初の雨 
上に雪が降る 
山眠る
 
The first rain, and then snow falls, the mountain sleeps 

大雨で 峰
白くなり 
山眠る 
A huge rain fall, the peak of mountains become white as mountains sleeps 

雨の後  
雲吹き飛ばし  
白い山 
After the rain, the clounds are blown away and I see a white mountain.  

JP F20 INT/ADV: Onomatopoeia

Language Resident/Assistant Name:  

Kozue Matsumoto 

Day and Date:  

Wednesday November 4, 2020   

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):  

Intermediate  / Advanced

Class theme/topics discussed:  

  • Check in with everyone and see how they are doing 
  • Onomatopoeia 

Goal of the class:  

  • See if everyone is cool to do a class (This class was right after the presidential election)
  • Explore Onomatopoeia 

How did you structure the class?  

  1. How are you doing? Hanging there? Good news if any??? (7 min) 
  1. Introduce Onomatopoeia (8 min) 
    1. ザーザー and パラパラ 
    2. Animal voices etc. 
  1. Breakout room (30 min) 
    1. Describe a moment or create a story 
    2. Pick 3 or 4 Onomatope from https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/japanese-onomatopoeia/ and use it in sentence. One sentence one onomatope. 
  1. Main room (15 min) 
    1. Share the sentences that each group creates 
    2. Wrap up. Stay positive, and stay calm

What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.) 

Class agreement, breakup rooms 

Zoom, breakout rooms online resource 

What worked well in this class? What did not work? 

  • Students were tired and stressed out with election situations. 
  • Students loved Onomatope. They sound funny and cute apparently. 
  • In the breakout rooms, students were laughing so hard finding new Onomatope and how they sound like 
  • They were so creative about making a story. This is a lot more than I expected. 
  • In the main room, students typed what they created in a chat and read aloud. It became almost like a theatre at some point. One student acted character A, another one was character B, and another one was a narrator, etc. 
  • They were so good at creating, writing, and using new words. I gave a little grammar correction to make a phrase sound natural after every group presented their stories. 
  • I enjoyed so much how engaged they were in today’s activity.  
  • I wanted this class to be somewhat fun. I’m glad that this class created some cheerful moments for them, especially after hearing them saying that other classes were all ok today and that they were just ok. 
  • This is one of classes students chose as the best.

Advanced:

  • They knew a lot more onomatope than the intermediate class. 
  • They were very nervous and worried about the election results.  
  • We ended up with talking a lot of feelings and situations around the election with onomatope.  
  • We also had some fun moments with some fun and positive and funny onomatope.  
  • Students also expressed some feelings about COVID. 
  • Onomatope are very nuanced expressions, so it was a great exercise to think about what the equivalent expressions are in English. I ended up with doing a lot of acting and facial expressions to tell them the nuances. That was fun.  
  • Manga is a great way to learn onomatope. 

How could this class be improved/ modified? 

  • Onomatopoeia is very fun and great things to know. I used an entire class focusing on this. But also it’s possible to introduce a few Onomatopoeia at the beginning of every class. This would give students some laugh and create a positive mood to start a class. 
  • I used a breakout room with 3-4 people. It could be smaller groups. 

If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that).  Please attach any handouts as well. 

https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/japanese-onomatopoeia/

Student works: Each group created a story. 

  • ある日かえるさんとあひるさんが、いけに会いました。あひるさんは、かえるさんにかっこつけて、大きな声で 「ガーガー」と泣きました。かえるさんは、これを聞いてクスクス笑いました。じつは、あひるさんはじこあいせいでしたので、笑われたことがなかったです。あひるさんは、これを聞いて「ブルブル」ふるえました。かえるさんは、それを見て「おほん、きみはキャンセルドだ!」と言いました。あひるさんはもじもじして、こいにおちました。そして、かえるさんは、「へんなやつだなー」と思ってたたたたにげました。
 
  • ある日、マイケルジャクソンは馬をみました。馬はマイケルに向かってサクサク走りました
。
マイケルも馬に向かってタタタタ走りました。

マイケルのマネージャーは「マイケル!馬の話をできない」と言いました。
でも、マイケルはガミガミだけを聞きました。
マイケルは気にしませんでした。

馬は「ひひいん」と言いました。
マイケルはうっとりです。
マイケルは「ひひ」と言いました。
その後、マイケルは馬と友達になりました。
マイケルは歌手をやめて、カウボーイになりました。 

サクサク = stepping in dirt 
タタタタ = running 
ガミガミ = being lectured/nagged by someone above you 
ひひいん = sound of a horse 
うっとり = being fascinated by something beautiful 

  • 昔々 きみちゃんという六歳の子供は もりに すたこらに あるいていた。

きゅうに おおきくてこわいくまが 起こった。

でも きみちゃんは ゆうかんな子供 泣かなかった。


くまさん、大丈夫ですか?一人で もりにいるのは さびしいでしょう
。
くまさんは、ええええ、何これ?どうして この子 怖くならないの?

きみちゃんは、私の方が くまさんより こわいよ!それで、どんなに大きくても ぜんぜん ぶるぶる ふるえない!
くまさんは、そうなんだ。じゃあ、一緒に 世界せいふくをしよう!
きみちゃんは、世界征服 したくないけど。でも、人間は 最悪から 一緒に 森を 守ろう!
それ以下 きみちゃんとくまさんは もりを守ったり 毎日ラーメンをたべたり 幸せに 住んでいた.
 

RU F19 ADV: Poetry and Translation

Language Resident Name:

MARIA GLUKHOVA

Day and Date:

Tuesday, 10/08/2019

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):

Russian, Advanced

Class theme/topics discussed:

Poetry and translation

Goal of the class:

To work on translation skills and to perform poetry.

How did you structure the class?

0. Greetings, announcements, general questions.

Activity 1: Discussion. What is more important in the translation of poetry: to keep the form (rhythm, the literal meaning of every word, etc.) or the ideas and images beneath the text?

Activity 2: Students receive a poem by Wallace Stevens “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” in English. They should read it first and then we talk about ideas, technics, images, etc. that are present in the text. Then students work in pairs: their task is to translate 2-3 stanzas from English into the Russian language, keeping in mind the style of each stanza. Once everyone is ready, they should read what they have come up with, one by one. We edit the translation together and then read out loud one more time.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45236/thirteen-ways-of-looking-at-a-blackbird

Activity 3: Students have to write their own stanza for a collective poem “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a [Human]”.

Conclusion and a follow-up discussion.

What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)

A whiteboard, handouts

What worked well in this class? What did not work?

The class worked out great! Students were very creative and poetic J

How could this class be improved/ modified? I would leave it as it is.

DE SP16 ADV Carnival speech

Conversation Class Lesson Summary

 

Language Resident Name: Charlotte Eisenblaetter

 

Day and Date: Tuesday, 9 February ‘16

 

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): German advanced

 

 Class theme/topics discussed: Die Büttenrede (Carnival speech in Germany)

 

Goal of the class: Writing a funny speech and rhyming about Pomona college

 

How did you structure the class?

 

  • Warm-up: I gave them some rhyming words and they had to come up with two lines for each pair. (10 min)
  • I explained to them what a “Büttenrede” is and that at carnival, people make funny speeches about things that the audience can relate to, like institutions, places and people. Then I asked them to think of typical places and persons representing Pomona college and interesting characteristics of these. From this information, we started to make rhyming couples and wrote a little speech. (50 min)

 

What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)

Paper and pen

 

What worked well in this class? What did not work?

 

This worked great! The students told me that they had a lot of fun.

 

How could this class be improved/ modified?

 

For intermediate, you could also write a speech. But instead of rhyming, you set a rule that each sentence has to start with the last word of the sentence before.

Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan advanced 9. februar 

 

 

 

RU S15 ADV Poetry and wisdom: Joseph Brodsky

Conversation Class Lesson Summary

Language and Section: Russian Advanced 13 

Date: April 9, 2015

Class theme/topics discussed:

Joseph Brodsky: poetry and wisdom; English-language poetry in Russian

Goal of the class:

Prepare for the Russian tea April 15, learn about Joseph Brodsky, talk about life and wisdom, read well-known English-language poems in Russian

Structure of the class (unless you attach your lesson plan below):

Activity 1 Warm-up – Who is Joseph Brodsky? – 5 minutes

We discuss what they know, look at the Wikipedia page and other sources

Activity 2 Handout 1 – “Don’t leave the room” – 10 minutes

We listen to the dub-step version of Brodsky reading one of his best-known poems, “Don’t leave the room” and discuss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyRAK5Pqv2k

Activity 3 Handout 2 – Brodsky’s Life Advice – 25 minutes

We read the highlights of the famous Ann Arbor Speech – and I read from the full text on http://fit4brain.com/408 Discuss. What’s your favorite piece of advice? What is the most relevant today? How can we tell this was meant for American students?

Activity 4 Handout 3 – Poetry in translation – 20 minutes

Each student gets one poem, they take time to read and try to guess what it is (they’re really famous mostly). We discuss.

What technology, media or props did you use? (satellite tv, internet resources, playmobiles, etc.)

What worked well in this class? What did not work?

The class went very well – poetry is always so much fun! And they loved the life advice. More pair work next time.

How could this class be improved/ modified?

Please attach your lesson plan and handouts for this class below – if you used any.

CC_RUSS13_Poetry and wisdom_April 9

RU F14 ADV Stereotypes

Conversation Class Lesson Summary

Language and Section: Russian Advanced 13 

Date: September 4, 2014

Class theme/topics discussed:

Stereotypes 

Goal of the class:

Talk about stereotypes about Russia, practice listening comprehension, revise vocabulary, develop synonymy

Structure of the class (unless you attach your lesson plan below):

Activity 1 – Video 1 – poem (I have learned that I have a big big family) – 5 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A9FlXr9phg

Discussion – where is this from? What is it about (listening comprehension without the text)

Activity 2 – Poem HANDOUT 1 – 5 minutes

Compare the video to the original poem (there are some textual differences), recite it together

Activity 3 – Video 1 “You have something to be proud of” Commercial – 15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6XI8i_69xA

Stop for listening comprehension of Russian, discuss stereotypes about Russia: banya, hiking, icebreakers, ballet, space, music.

Activity 3Vocabulary building – HANDOUT 215 minutes

Explain vocabulary from Activities 1 and 2, talk about etymology and word-building. Based on my experience last year, this semester I keep a Google spreadsheet with vocabulary we stumble upon in class. Regular vocabulary revision with a strong focus on word-building (morphology is crucial in Russian) was one of the most efficient elements last year and it got great feedback from students. I update the spreadsheet after every class and share it with the students. They understand it is not homework, but they can consult it at their leisure (they can also edit the file, adding translations, examples, etc.)

Activity 4 – Video 4 – Interview with the director of the commercial – 15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGN_ZlMuiIg

Listening comprehension (watch once without stopping, watch again with pauses). Listen for specific information: What is the main concept of the video? Who else did they have in mind for the role? What is the budget of the commercial? What were David Duchovny’s impressions?

Activity 5 – Discussion – 5 minutes

Is the commercial rhetorically effective? What is makes good or bad?

What technology, media or props did you use? (satellite tv, internet resources, playmobiles, etc.) 

Video, Internet

What worked well in this class? What did not work?

The class went very well, the students had fun watching the commercial and reading the poem. Just like with Intermediate, David Duchovny is not a big name, but the discussion was still very interesting. The interview was quite hard to understand, but these students seem to really like a challenge, so we are going to watch more videos like that in the future.

How could this class be improved/ modified?

Please attach your lesson plan and handouts for this class below – if you used any.

HANDOUT 1

Владимир Орлов “Родное”

Я узнал, что у меня

Есть огромная родня:

И тропинка, И лесок,

В поле – каждый Колосок,

Речка, Небо надо мною –

Это все мое, родное!

HANDOUT 2

4 сентября 2014

Вам есть, чем гордиться

баня

ледокол, колоть лёд, колоть дрова

космос

хоккей

космос

дача

строчка

политология

колос, колосок

родной, родня

взаимность, взаимные чувства

полтора

Крещение, крестить

купаться в проруби, прорубь (рубить)

средство передвижения


 

RU S11 ADV Poetry. Game

Class theme/topics discussed:
Game – ПОЭТИКУС

How did you pick this theme or topic?
n/a
How did you present the material? (handouts, group work, general discussion, student presentations, etc.)
Board game – see the attachment.

How did students react?
They enjoyed the class, though for some of them the task turned out to be challenging.
Did they engage with each other and you?
Yes.

What materials or media did you use? (articles, satellite tv, digital projector, etc.)
The game – ПОЭТИКУС
Please attach a copy.
IGRA poeticus1
IGRA poeticus2
IGRA poeticus3
IGRA poeticus4

Would you recommend this activity for a future class?
Yes.
Why or why not?
Students always enjoy any game-related activities, and this one encourages creativity in the target language and enhances active vocabulary.

Advanced Russian
Lesson 8
February 10, 2011

1. News of the day.

2. Game:
See file Poeticus. (The file contains: fields, “pieces”, and detailed instructions)

BEFORE THE GAME: introduce the game. Discuss – what makes good poetry? Vocabulary:

Рифма/ рифмоваться
Ритм
Размер
Строфа
Строка
Стих vs стихотворение

Students create their own poems (working with a dictionary) and then introduce them to class + give a translation.

ES F10 ADV Poetry

Conversation Class
Lesson Plan

Section: ADVANCED SPANISH, SPAN013

Date: 09/28/2010

Class theme/topics discussed:
Poetry

How did you pick this theme or topic?
We are going to have poetry during the special dinner, so they can work on it.

How did you present the material? (handouts, group work, general discussion, student presentations, etc.)
First we started with an exercise to put verbs in the subjunctive form (it was a poem) and then we read poetry.
I split them in groups and each group had to discuss what their poem was about. Then I put 1 menber of each group together and have them explaining to the other what their poem was about. Finally we read them out loud trying to pronounce it perfectly.

How did students react?
Some loved it, others not so much… but in general they liked it.

Did they engage with each other and you?
Yes, they engaged pretty well.

What materials or media did you use? (articles, satellite tv, digital projector, etc.)
Poems.

Please attach a copy.

Would you recommend this activity for a future class?
Yes. It’s nice to challenge them every now and then.

Why or why not?
They like poetry (not all of them) and it’s something different.

Adv10-No te salves
Adv10-Hagamos un trato

RU F10 INT Guests. At the table

Class theme/topics discussed:
At the Russian table.

How did you pick this theme or topic?
Russian culture of receiving guests is very different from the American, and this class familiarizes students with the basics of Russian everyday life.

How did you present the material? (handouts, group work, general discussion, student presentations, etc.)
Handouts, general discussion.

How did students react?
They enjoyed the activities, and the text brought about many questions.
Did they engage with each other and you?
Yes

What materials or media did you use? (articles, satellite tv, digital projector, etc.)
Handouts.
Please attach a copy. Lesson 7_Sept 21_Etiquette

Would you recommend this activity for a future class?
Yes.
Why or why not?
It provides students with some cultural knowledge.

Intermediate Russian
Lesson 7
September 21, 2010

Прочитайте текст и поразмышляйте об отличиях традиционного приёма гостей в России и в Америке.

Один из распространенных стереотипов о русских – что это очень гостеприимные люди: они всегда рады гостям. Они любят и ходить в гости, и приглашать гостей к себе. Если вы пришли в гости, будьте готовы целый вечер сидеть столом, есть и пить. Сначала подают холодные и горячие закуски, потом всё убирают со стола и подают горячее – это может быть мясо, рыба, курица с разными гарнирами (овощи, рис, картошка и так далее). Потом всё опять убирают со стола и накрывают «сладкий» стол: торты, пирожные, выпечку, чай, кофе, фрукты (иногда фрукты стоят на столе с начала застолья). За столом произносят тосты. Часто в тостах звучат слова «Выпьем за…», «Хотелось бы выпить за…», а также пожелания и благодарности хозяевам или виновникам торжества.

Как вы думаете:

Кто разливает напитки в бокалы?
Как произносить тосты? Как ведут себя остальные гости?
Что говорят перед тем, как приступить к еде?

Ваше мнение:

1) Когда мы приглашаем гостей, важно приготовить вкусную еду.
Гости приходят не для того, чтобы есть, поэтому можно не готовить.

2) Семья всегда должна ужинать вместе.
У каждого в семье своя жизнь, и неважно, обедают все вместе или нет.

Это стихотворение написано в форме тоста. Прочитайте и переведите его.

Я пью за разорённый дом,
За злую жизнь мою,
За одиночество вдвоём,
И за тебя я пью, –
За ложь меня предавших губ,
За мёртвый холод глаз,
За то, что мир жесток и груб,
За то, что Бог не спас.
Анна Ахматова (1934)

RU S10 ADV Analyzing a poem by Iosif Brodsky

yClass theme/topics discussed:
Analyzing a poem by I. Brodskiy

How did you pick this theme or topic?
n/a

How did you present the material? (handouts, group work, general discussion, student presentations, etc.)
Handouts, direct questioning, general discussion.

How did students react?
The task was challenging for them, but it didn’t make the class inefficient.
Did they engage with each other and you?
Yes.

What materials or media did you use? (articles, satellite tv, digital projector, etc.)
Handouts, laptop, Internet.

Please attach a copy.
– Brodskiy #1 – the text of the poem with blanks Lesson 28_April 29_Brodskiy _1;
– Brodskiy #2 – the full text of the poem with accents, vocabulary footnotes, and questions Lesson 28_April 29_Brodsky _2;
– Brodskiy Teacher’s – more notes about using the material in class + additional questions Lesson 28_April 29_Brodsky TeachersNotes.

Would you recommend this activity for a future class?
Yes.

Why or why not?
It’s a cultural experience;
it requires the use of specific language;
it is a way to teach students to understand not only simple messages, but to analyze deep meanings and metaphors.

Advanced Russian
Lesson 28
April 29, 2010

1. Introduction:
– Слышали ли вы имя Иосифа Бродского? Что вы о нем знаете?
Students tell what they already know, then the teacher introduces some basic facts about the poet.

2. Listening to the recital (в исполнении В. Маслакова, например)
And filling in the blanks in the handout Brodskiy #1.

3. Students get the handout Brodskiy #2 with the full text and correct themselves. They look through the text and new words.

4. Reading loud the poem, paying attention to the new words. Translation into English if needed. + answering “additional questions” from the teacher’s copy (Brodskiy Teacher’s).

5. Answering the questions from the handout. Discussing the impression students have.

DE S10 ADV Poems 2

Conversation Class Lesson Plan

Section: Advanced Conversation
Date: March 2, 2010

Class theme/topics discussed: German poems (continued)

How did you pick this theme or topic?
See previous lesson.

 

How did you present the material? (handouts, group work, general discussion, student presentations, etc.)
I asked my students to recall what we did the lesson before and to sum up some of the poems that they found intriguing. Then, I asked them to discuss which one they would like to choose in order to recite it for the upcoming German “Liederabend”. They agreed on Goethe’s “Erlkoenig”. We discussed the poem in great detail and the students came up with different, very interesting analyses. Afterwards, I gave them the English translation of the poem and we critically compared the German and English version.
Then, I asked the students to discuss the way in which they would like to recite the poem. After they’d agreed on that, we spent the rest of the lesson practicing how to recite the poem and how to ‘act’ on stage.

How did students react?
I think the students were really happy with the poem they finally selected. They had fun rehearsing it and really got into character. I think it was a good way for them to rehearse the poem and to make them more prepared and comfortable for the upcoming “Liederabend” event.

Did they engage with each other and you?
Yes, they did.

What materials or media did you use? (articles, satellite tv, digital projector, etc.)
Copies of the “Erlkoenig”

Would you recommend this activity for a future class? Why or why not?
Yes, the students were very motivated to rehearse their recital and they were excited for the upcoming “Liederabend”.

Der Erlkönig

DE S10 ADV Poems 1

Conversation Class Lesson Plan

Section: Advanced Conversation
Date: February 25, 2010

Class theme/topics discussed: German poems

How did you pick this theme or topic?
The “Musikabend”, an event hosted by the Scripps German and Music Department, was coming up soon, and my students wanted to take part in this by reciting a poem. Thus, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about famous German poems and to learn how to recite them.

How did you present the material? (handouts, group work, general discussion, student presentations, etc.)
At first, I asked my students if they knew any German poems. They did know a few and I asked them to summarize and analyze them as well as they could. Then, I handed out three pages with popular German poems, ranging from Goethe to Morgenstern to Fried. We read each poem, talked about vocabulary, discussed the meaning of the poems and the author’s intentions. At the end, I asked each student to pick their favorite poem, explain why it’s their favorite and try to recite it to the rest of the class as good as possible. Myself and the other students gave feedback.

How did students react?
I think the students liked talking about the poems, although some of them were rather dated and did not have any kind of reference to them, I think.

Did they engage with each other and you?
Yes, they did. At first, they were a little shy while reading out the poems, but the further the lesson progressed, the more comfortable they got. They asked a lot of vocabulary questions and seemed quite interested in most of the poems.

What materials or media did you use? (articles, satellite tv, digital projector, etc.)
Copies of poems (from 18th – 20th century)

Would you recommend this activity for a future class? Why or why not?
Yes, I think you can integrate poems into a conversation class very well. I think I’d spend even more time on choosing the ‘right’ poems for my class next time to keep them interested and motivated.

 

FR F09 ADV – Translation of a poem

Translation of Victor Hugo’s poem “Demain, Dès l’Aube”

How did you pick this theme or topic?

One student from this group is going to recite a poem for the French Dinner, so I thought it would be nice to have the other students translate it so that everyone could understand it during the Dinner. And it would also be a way to make them take part in it.

How did you present the material? (Handouts, group work, general discussion, student presentations, etc.)

Work in two groups and then group discussion

How did students react?

They reacted well, but they spoke mainly English since it was a translation from French to English. However, I think they liked it because it was a bit different from what we had been doing.

Did they engage with each other and you?

They engaged with each other and discussed the best ways to translate the lines.

What materials or media did you use? (articles, satellite tv, digital projector, etc.)

Youtube,
Handouts

Please attach a copy.

Below is the plan I had with me in class

Would you recommend this activity for a future class?
Not for a regular conversation class because it didn’t involve French.

Advanced 10/15

1. Warm-up

2. Workshop: Victor Hugo’s poem “Demain, Dès l’Aube”

– Jenna introduces it
– They read the text in French
– They listen to the way it should be recited (youtube video)
– Explanation of some terms

3. Translation

– they work in two groups: each group translate a part of the poem
– then they switch what they translated and correct the other part they didn’t translate
– then they all talk about the problematical translations

RU S08 INT A Song “У природы нет плохой погоды”

Topics discussed: Russian literature: poetry and prose

Warm-up (10 min):
Listen to the song and fill in the blanks
Free discussion

У природы нет плохой погоды (“There is no bad weather in the nature”)

Песня из к/ф “Служебный роман”
Автор текста: Рязанов Э.
Композитор: Петров А.

У ______ нет плохой погоды
Каждая погода благодать* – grace
______ ли _______- любое время года
Надо благодарно* _______________ – thankfully

Отзвуки* душевной* непогоды – echo; emotional
В сердце одиночества* печать* – loneliness; stamp
И бессонниц* горестные* всходы* – insomnia; sad; coming-up
Надо благодарно ________________

Надо благодарно ____________

Смерть* желаний*, __________ и невзгоды – death; wishes
С каждым днем все непосильней* кладь* – beyond one’s strength; load
Что тебе назначено ¬___________
Надо благодарно _____________.

Смену* лет, закаты и восходы – change
И любви ___________ благодать
Как и дату своего ухода* – leaving
Надо благодарно ______________

Надо благодарно _______________

У _________нет плохой погоды
Ход* времен нельзя остановить* – order; to stop
Осень ________ как и осень _______
Надо не скорбя* благословить* – without grieving; to bless

Надо не скорбя благословить
Надо не скорбя благословить

Vocabulary Revision (20 min):

With the partner, take turns describing the meaning of the folowing words:

• Библиотека
• стихотворение
• пародия
• домашнее задание
• писатель
• музей
• интернет
• лекция

Game “Once upon a time…” (20 min):
(Oral Conversation Practice)

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