“The Evolution of Poetry” - Assignment

Overview: One way to appreciate something for it’s present value is to acknowledge

how it became what it is today. Think about yourself for a moment. You would not be the person

you are now if it were not for the ups and downs you have experienced throughout your life. For

instance, as a grade 11 student, there have been different phases and areas in your life that have

shaped who you are – memorable experiences in school, amazing childhood friends, even the

videogames you play or the songs you listen to. This assignment focuses on the evolution of

poetry and how it came to be what it is today.

Task: Students will get into groups of 4 and each group will analyze ONE era of poetry

(list of eras below). Each student in a group will be assigned a role to do and will work

cooperatively to complete the overall assignment. Below are guiding questions for your group to

follow:

List of Eras of Poetry:

 Renaissance
 Elizabethan
 Metaphysical
 Romantic
 Victorian
 Modern

Guiding Questions to Consider (But are not limited to):

1. Brief History of Era (One Page double-spaced)
i) What years did the era span?
ii) What inspired individuals during this era? (What did the poems reflect?)
iii) Were there any political/social factors that may have influenced the
purpose/message of poems?
2. Poetic Form (One Page double-spaced)
i) What forms of poetry could you commonly see during this era?
ii) What are some famous poets during this time?
iii) What are some key terms that these poems were influenced by? (nature, love,
imagism, etc.)
3. Poetry During the Era (2 students in a group will be assigned this task)
i) Find a popular poem written during that era, and use the KEY method to unlock
it’s meaning
 “The Evolution of Poetry” - Assignment

Individual Component: Each member of the group is to do a one page, double-spaced

write-up on their experience doing this assignment. Some questions to consider for your

reflection include, but are not limited to:

i) What was your individual task for this assignment?

ii) What was the one thing you found most interesting while researching your topic,
and why? What was one aspect you disliked, and why?
iii) Was there any part(s) of this assignment that were challenging?

Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Knowledge/ History of poetry History of poetry History of poetry History of poetry
Understanding era is not clearly era is somewhat era is presented era is effectively
presented presented presented (year,
social factors,
etc.)
The form(s) of The form(s) of
poems in this era poems in this era The form(s) of The form(s) of
are not clearly are somewhat poems in this era poems in this era
/10 stated stated are stated are clearly stated
Application Analysis of Analysis of Analysis of Analysis of
poem during this poem during this poem during this poem during this
era are unclear era are era are conveyed era are
somewhat effectively
/5 conveyed conveyed
Thinking Student does not Student reflects Student reflects Student reflects
reflect on his/her on his/her on his/her on his/her
learning learning to some learning learning with a
degree critical lens

Student shows Student shows Student shows Student shows a

little to no some an engagement high degree of
engagement in engagement in in the learning engagement in
the learning the learning process the learning
/10 process process process
Communication More than five More than four No more than No errors in
errors in errors in three errors in communication
communication communication communication (grammar,
(grammar, (grammar, (grammar, punctuation,
/5 punctuation, punctuation, punctuation, spelling, etc.)
spelling, etc.) spelling, etc.) spelling, etc.)