Using poems that illustrate the use of figurative language, tone, repetition, imagery, and refrain, high school English students write short essays, first in small groups and then by themselves. Afterwards, they answer questions on the poem they have selected as their favorite and write about it. Along with the poems, these essays make up the Favorite Poem classroom Web site.
Students scan the poems, and artwork can also be incorporated.
Then they compare and contrast their classroom site to a national Favorite Poem Web site. There are also video and audio readings of some of the poems on the national site. Students can also analyze and write about some of these poems. Students are assessed by their comprehension of the poems content and the literary devices used, as well as by the essays they write. This project takes ten or more class periods to complete.