Poetry Writing Lesson: Forest Odes and Elegies

I did a shortened version of this lesson with 10th graders, about 30-40 minutes. I went over the definition of odes and elegies, played the video, and then we discussed the video, researched a forested area for 8 min, and gave them time to write an ode or elegy. This worked well within a larger poetry unit. The 10th graders seemed to be engaged in the video, attentively watched it, and we discussed how deforestation seems so damaging, especially with both visual browning and construction sounds in the video. The lesson seemed to be memorable and helped students to really understand what an elegy is. Several students struggled with finding information and putting that information productively into the poem. Only a few finished entire poems within the time period. There was also a bit of confusion because some students thought an ode meant praising deforestation, not the forest itself. I would use this lesson again, and perhaps give more time to think through the writing and application of info to poetry.