Poetry and Bias

Aims:
1. IWBAT analyze the theme in poetry.
2. IWBAT evaluate whether a newspaper article is biased or objective.

Tasks:

1. Identify the theme of the poem "The Grumble Family." Remember, the theme is the author's main message (sometimes, lesson) to the reader: what he/she wants you to do or to believe.

• Go to Google Moderator.
• If you don't see a dialogue box, click Submit a Question at the bottom of the page.
• Type an answer to the question: "What is the theme of this poem?"
• Remember, the theme is the author's main message to the reader: what he/she wants the reader to do or think.
• Remember to only use your first name and use CA as your location.
• When you finish typing and submitting your response, vote on other students' responses.

2. Read the poem "Autumn Fires" by Robert Louis Stevenson.

• Open Google Drive. 
• Open the folder Writing Portfolio.
• Click the document entitled Autumn Fires - Your Name.

3. After reading the poem, summarize each stanza.

• Select the text of one stanza.
• Insert a comment (three ways: 1 - click Comment under the Insert menu; 2 - right click and select Insert Comment; or 3 - click Ctrl + Alt + M).
• Paraphrase what the stanza is about (the main idea or summary).
• Repeat this procedure for all of the stanzas.

4. Using Socrative, answer some analysis questions based on this poem.

• Go to Socrative.
• Type in room number kba. Click Join Room.
• Respond to the questions that Mr. T displays on the projection screen by clicking the multiple choice answer on your computer.

5. Examine your homework from last Thursday, "Hang Up and Drive." Evaluate whether the article is biased or objective. Being objective is to not be influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. However, being biased is showing prejudice for or against (someone or something) unfairly.

• Go to Google Moderator.
• If you don't see a dialogue box, click Submit a Question at the bottom of the page.
• Type an answer to the question: "Is the text biased or objective? Explain."
• You can use your answer from #6 on the backside of the homework to help you.
• When you finish typing and submitting your response, vote on other students' responses.

6. Read a newspaper article and look out for bias! Answer the questions that follow. Click here to view the article and the questions. This is your exit slip to show off your skills from last week's lessons.


If you finish early:

• Comment on why Mr. T thinks the comic at the top of the page is funny.
• Read more about propaganda on Encyclopedia Britannica.
• Click the Encyclopedia Britannica link at the top of this page.
• If you need to log in, enter username kba and password access.
• Then, search for propaganda.
• Read the article. Note, there are 6 pages to the article.
• Try writing with and without bias.
• In your Google Drive, create a new document and write two versions of the same nonfiction article--one with bias and one without bias. You could write a person, a place, or event. What did you add in or take out to make it biased? (Hint, take a look at the checklist from Friday, 01/11/13.)
• Explore the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum online propaganda exhibit: click here
• Read an AR book silently.

Homework: Figurative Language in Our America