A Low-Prep, High-Engagement Way to Start Second Semester in High School English
I’m 12 weeks pregnant and extremely nauseous. I’m looking out at a class of second semester seniors who have had class trip cancelled (for the third year in a row) due to covid. It’s January. Everything is dreary, sad, and slightly sickening (I’m excited about the pregnancy though). And, to top it all off, I don’t have a plan because I thought my students would be gone… Things were not looking great.
I’d spent some of the previous covid-y years listening to the Poetry Unbound podcast and feeling like I was back in a college literature seminar. If you haven’t listened to it, it’s an amazing podcast: Pádraig Ó Tuama reads poems and analyzes them in the most illuminating and engaging way. Honestly, I think it could make almost anyone love, or at least understand and appreciate, poetry. So, I tried it! And it went better than I could have hoped! If you’re looking for a way to start second semester strong, fit in a little poetry, relax while someone else expertly illumines ideas for your students, I’d highly recommend trying the podcast out!
If you’re mourning the end of break and looking down at the long second semester haul, I highly recommend trying out Poetry Unbound. It’s the best thing I’ve found to engage students right off the bat, take some of the pressure off of yourself, and add in a truly important genre of literary studies without burning anyone out. This can work really well for teachers who are looking to start the new semester right with discussion-rich, but still low-prep activities after a break.
Why Poetry Unbound Works So Well for High School English Classrooms
The poems selected are short, engaging, not overly complicated and many are on topics that high school students are already thinking about.
Ó Tuama’s voice is one of the best podcasting voices I’ve ever heard. He’s Irish and is so passionate about poetry, which is just a winning vocal experience.
Students are able to access the amazing analysis possible with poetry through a medium they are likely more inclined to enjoy because it’s recorded. Bonus, you don’t have to lecture!
Each episode is about 15-20 minutes long, which, when combined with a warm up and the inevitable discussion that will follow, is perfect for most high school class periods.
You don’t have to do any heavy lifting! Listen in advance (to make sure the topic is appropriate and interesting for your students), print out a copy of the poem or the transcript of the episode, press play, and then enjoy the discussion that follows with simple starting questions like “What stood out to you?”
Why is Poetry Important in the Age of AI?
If the stereotypes are to be believed (and in my experience they generally can be), not many students are ecstatic at the idea of analyzing poetry and many teachers are intimidated by teaching poetry (even if they enjoy it themselves), but, despite all this, poetry might be the single best genre to introduce to students in our current AI age. The complicated language of poetry is beyond the capacity of AI, and if we want students to be able to think beyond AI we have to expose them to writing beyond what AI can reproduce. In a recent study out of Italy, researchers found that poetic language has the ability to jailbreak AI which points to it’s linguistic power. If there’s anything you teach this year, poetry may well be the most important!
How I Teach Poetry in High School ELA
If you want a ready to go unit focused on Poetry Unbound, filled with engaging discussion questions, and ending with an exciting PBL poetry and podcasting assignment, I have one! It’s flexible, so you can teach it all at once or just use an episode here and there to fill in those awkward days you just need something. The entire unit can be done in class, and, with a little oversight, can be completely AI proof. The final project is a presentation so that students are working on the critical skills of public speaking, organized and creative thinking, group work, and close reading and analysis.
You can find the full unit here: Contemporary Poetry and Podcasts Mini Unit
As well as some other times I’ve written about it here: The Easiest Way to Teach Poetry to High School Students
And here: Teaching Poetry to Teens: How to Make It Fun and Engaging at Home
I also have a few stand alone episode available that are in the full unit if you want to just try it out before committing:
Poetry Unbound Lesson: Brad Modlin Close Reading & Discussion
Poetry Unbound Lesson: Danez Smith “Minnesota” Poem
FAQ:
Is Poetry Unbound appropriate for high school classrooms?
Yes! Overall, at least. I highly recommend previewing episodes before playing them, both for general appropriateness as well as for interest and school guidelines.
How long does a Poetry Unbound lesson take?
45-60 minutes, which, for most, is perfect for a class period!
Does this work for just a few days after break or between units?
Yes. This is perfect for those in between times and days.
Is the unit really AI-proof?
While most things can be put through AI, this unit is heavily discussion based, which cannot be reproduced by AI, the project can be done completely in class and by hand (take out the recording element if you really don’t want any tech), and, even if students sourced some ideas with AI, they still have to present the project, which means they must understand what they are presenting and must practice hard skills that they cannot outsource.
How does this help with burnout of both teachers and students?
Poetry is presented by a third person and, at least initially, the “hard” work of poetry is done. This scaffolding allows both teachers and students to experience an engaging poetic discussion. Practically, teachers can turn on an episode, and with my unit, have all the questions written out to fill the rest of a class period!
What grade levels does Poetry Unbound work for?
This podcast is great for 9-12, but especially juniors and seniors.
If you want an easy, engaging way to start the new semester strong without completely reinventing the wheel, grab my Poetry Unbound unit today!