DAY 3 Intro to Amanda Gorman and Writing About Heroes

 Amanda Gorman is a poet made famous by being the youngest poet to read an Inaugural poem this past January. (Info on that poem is linked on the bottom of the page,) The success of that
poem led her to be invited to write and recite a new poem for Super Bowl LV. It is an ode to heroes in our year of Covid-19, and we are going to study it and write an ode to our own heroes.

Here two sports announcers introduce the poem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iyaee8AP-M

 

Here is her reading the Super Bowl poem (for our ears):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ejbSCjg2qo

Here is a backup video: https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/02/07/amanda-gorman-super-bowl-lv-poem-video

Here is an interview where she talks about herself: her childhood problems and her successes and her writing process:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/lessons-plans/lesson-plan-discuss-22-year-old-amanda-gormans-inaugural-poem-the-miracle-morning/

Here is a copy of the poem (for ours eyes):

"Chorus of the Captains"
        by Amanda Gorman

 

Today we honor our three captains
For their actions and impact in
A time of uncertainty and need.
They’ve taken the lead,
Exceeding all expectations and limitations
Uplifting their communities and neighbors
As leaders, healers, and educators.

James has felt the wounds of warfare,
But this warrior still shares
His home with at-risk kids.
During Covid, he’s event lent a hand,
Live-streaming football for family and fans.

Trimaine is an educator who works nonstop,
Providing his community with hotspots,
Laptops, and tech workshops,
So his students have all the tools
They need to succeed in life and school.

Suzie is the ICU nurse manager at a Tampa Hospital.
Her chronicles prove that even in tragedy, hope is possible.
She lost her grandmothers to the pandemic,
And fights to save other lives in the ICU battle zone,
Defining the frontline heroes risking their lives for our own.

Let us walk with these warriors,
Charge on with these champions,
And carry forth the call of our captains!
We celebrate them by acting
With courage and compassion,
By doing what is right and just.
For while we honor them today,
It is them who every day honor us.

Discussion: 

Who have your heroes been in this past year? Why? 

Can anyone find any examples of alliteration in the poem? Any rhyme?

The poem, like the classic ode has three sections: the strophe, antistrophe, and epode. You don't have to know those terms, but let's look at how Amanda Gorman is using them: The strophe (Stanza 1), The antistrophe (Stanza 2-5), and the Epode (Stanza 6). 

ASSIGNMENT: Your assignment will be to write an ode to your hero or heroes from the past year. Your poem needs three parts:

Part 1 - Tell what your poem is about, why it is honoring

Part 2 - Choose 1, 2 or 3 heroes. For each, have a stanza where you describe in detail what that hero has done for you and/or for others.

Part 3 - Tell how these heroes have inspired you and what you are going to do now because of them.

====
For teachers:

This is a PBS News Hour Lesson Plan for teaching the Inaugural poem.:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/lessons-plans/lesson-plan-discuss-22-year-old-amanda-gormans-inaugural-poem-the-miracle-morning/