CM Volume 6 Composition Question“”

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  • CrystalN
    Participant

    I have finally begun reading Ms. Masons writings for myself and I am so engaged in her writing style! Who knew reading someones philosophy of education could be so enjoyable. I have even been choosing her for my “fun reading” time. Well all reading time is fun time but I usually have a lighter read for decompress time or waiting at the dentist time. I would have totally taken Ms. Mason to the dentist with me yesterday if the book itself wasnt so large. In any case I have a question regarding composition. In forms III and IV she requires “lines in blank verse that must scan.” Or “write in Ballad Metre some lines on…”  If we are not to really “teach” literature, where have the students learned to put a name to blank verse or ballad metre? I realize that they would have encountered these in their readings, but when and how do we attach names or definitions so we can then say “write some lines on Spring in the metre of Allegro?” I certainly cannot teach from my own storehouse of knowledge, I dont have a clue what blank verse, lines that scan, or ballad metre is. Soooo…help please.

     

    Thanks,

    Crystal

    Sonya Shafer
    Moderator

    I believe the scanning and meter of various types of poetry was introduced gently as the students encountered them in poem studies and then studied formally during composition lessons.

    For us, that translates to the children hearing poetry every year, of course, but especially including free verse with the study of Carl Sandburg Enjoy the Poems.

    Then we introduce a more formal study of poetry in Using Language Well, Book 3. Those lessons, designed for 7th and 8th grade, teach students about scanning and the sonnet format. I hope to introduce additional poetry forms in Books 4 and 5.

    CrystalN
    Participant

    Ooohhh I love Using Language Well. Thank you. My son just started book 3, a little late as he is a 10th grader. We haven’t gotten to poetry lessons yet, I am looking forward. Maybe I will jump ahead and educate myself. Thanks Sonya, you guys make this so easy on us. We haven’t used the Carl Sandberg Enjoy the Poems yet but we have loved the others we have used. Loving Alfred, Lord Tennyson right now. I will have to schedule Sandberg next. Thank you.

    Sonya Shafer
    Moderator

    I’m so glad ULW is helpful to you! In Book 3, rhyme schemes start at Lesson 22 and you will find other poetry focuses about every 10 lessons after that. Now, figures of speech (simile, metaphor, personification, etc.) are intermixed more than that, but if you want to have a little head start on seeing what rhyme schemes and scanning and such is all about, look around 22, 32, 42, etc.

    CrystalN
    Participant

    Thanks. I wish I was your neighbor Sonya!

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