A Writing & Thinking Script for You Begin by Margaret Atwood Read the poem around twice stanza

by stanza. During the second reading, ask the students underline any words or ideas that are repeated. * After the second reading, ask the students to count how many times each word or idea is repeated. Make a determination as a group. (6-8 minutes total) Say one or two sentences about the relationship between repetition and significance when we express ourselves. Talk about ____ and ____ being most present and perhaps give it away that perhaps the poem could be viewed as being about writing. Focus on the hand, draw an array of writing various things that the hand is, does, or represents in the poem. Put some/all of those on the board. (7 minutes) FFW: Choose one aspect of the hand and talk about how it reinforces or undermines the general focus of the poemthe process of writing. (5 minutes) Share-some volunteers (or chosen ones). (5 minutes) Lets deal with the world (or the word). Using the poem as a frame of reference, write a 2-column list noting how the world (or the word) is different from the hand. Advise them avoid the obvious. (5 minutes) 30 FFW: Think about the relationship between the world (or the word) and the hand as they are presented in the poem. (5 minutes) Share-some volunteers (or chosen ones). (5 minutes) FFW: If the hand, the word, and the world are the three most prominent terms/concepts in the poem, think about their relationship to consider what you think the poem is talking about. (5 minutes) Readaround responses. (10 minutes) Discuss: Talk about the poet and the idea of writing. What is writing for the poet? I hope to arrive at ideas of vocations, urgency, etc. Come back to those three essential things that are necessary for her to do her work. (3-5 minutes) Think about something that you must do. Perhaps it is a passion, a vocation, an assignment from Spring semester. List some of those essential things that you need to do this. Be as concrete or abstract as you like. (23 minutes) FFW: Pick between 2 and 3 of those things and describe how they relate to that thing you need to do. (3-4 minutes) FFW: Take those same 2-3 things and describe their relationship to each other. (4-5 minutes). 66. Write a poem loosely modeled after Atwoods where you reflect on that thing you have to do but focusing on the requisites youve established. (i.e., You begin this way:/ this is your . . . .)

Your poem should be at least 3 stanzas long. The first couple of stanzas may reflect on each your requisites, and the final stanza may reflect on their relationship. (10-14 minutes) Poetry Reading: Read around poems. (10 minutes) Process writing: Just write to yourself about that thing you need to do. How are you going to make sure you have your requisites? What is your determination level to accomplish this? * * * A little off the rails: The students could create and perform a skit (individually or in groups) where their own requisites are involved in a scene interacting with each other in relation to that thing that must be done.