ELA 9 & Art 9

Cross-curricular Project: The Power of Poetry

Overview:
One of poetry’s functions is to illuminate things we wouldn’t normally think of as beautiful and make us
see them in a new way.
For example, in the poem, “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer,” the author discusses various
aspects of the topic of astronomy and explores the idea that even though the topic bores him in school,
there is still a sense of magic in it when he experiences the night sky in real life.

When I heard the learn’d astronomer,

When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide,
and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with
much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.
-Walt Whitman

In “Winter Trees,” the author simply describes the way that trees prepare themselves for winter. It
doesn’t go into much scientific detail, but rather describes the process in a more imagistic manner.
All the complicated details
of the attiring and
the disattiring are completed!
A liquid moon
moves gently among
the long branches.
Thus having prepared their buds
against a sure winter
the wise trees
stand sleeping in the cold.

— William Carlos Williams

“Geometry of Love” connects the principles of geometry to relationships. It uses a lot of math
terminology but clearly says something about human beings on a more emotional level as well.
Two lines intersect
 an inherently
unstable situation.

Parallel lines
are better
each proceeding
separately in
the same direction
balanced by forces
of attraction/repulsion.
But if these change
the lines diverge
or intersect (see above).

Sometimes two
intersecting lines
may align
with a third
forming a
triangle.
Which is stable
but generally
disapproved of.

Very occasionally
two lines may meet
end to end
and curve
to form
a circle
which is
One.

-D.W. Rodgers

Finally, “I Lost My Talk” by Rita Joe discusses the topic of residential schools. She uses figurative
language and rhythm to address a tough subject that you learn about in Social Studies.

I lost my talk
The talk you took away.
When I was a little girl
At Shubenacadie school.

You snatched it away:

I speak like you
I think like you
 I create like you
The scrambled ballad, about my word.

Two ways I talk

Both ways I say,
Your way is more powerful.

So gently I offer my hand and ask,

Let me find my talk
So I can teach you about me.

Now that we have read a few examples of how other subjects can be related to poetry, you must do the
same. Your assignment is to take a topic you have learned about in another class (DNA, cell structure,
assimilation, graphing, etc.) and turn it into something creative by combining poetry and art. Decide on a
topic, write a poem about it, and create an image that can represent your topic as well. All of this will go
together on one page as a complete work of art.
Details:
 I need to see a rough plan before you get started.
 The topic and school subject that you originally learned about the topic in must be identified
clearly somewhere on the final product.
 You don’t have to use technical, subject-specific terms if you don’t want to, but it should be
clear what your poem is about.
 You must incorporate figurative language.
 You can use pencil, charcoal, watercolour, pastel, acrylic, collage, ink, or whatever your little
heart desires for the art portion.

Marking:
You will be getting both an Art mark and an ELA mark for this project. Your ELA mark will be for the
poem and formatting aspects and the art mark will evaluate your piece of art, including the way you
incorporate your poem into the composition visually. We will be working on the Art aspect next week,
when the grade 7/8s learn more about gridding. You can of course choose to do a grid drawing as your
art part of the project if you don’t want to miss out on that.
 ELA Marks Breakdown
Use of figurative language  5 marks
Mechanics  5 marks
Content (level of detail, quality of
connection to original topic)  10
marks
Total marks possible  20
Art Marks Breakdown
Use of shade or colour  5 marks
Neatness  5 marks
Content (level of detail, quality of
connection to original topic)  10
marks
Total marks possible  20