Final Exam- Poetry Slam

Begin Preparing for our Slam: 
Slam will be on 6/10/14!            

What is a poetry slam?

A traditional poetry slam is a spoken word poetry event, usually competitive, that takes place on a stage in front of an audience. Winners are decided by a formal judge, or by the audience’s reactions.

How will it work?

Each student will write a poem and “present” it to the class. We will respond with positive feedback. In addition, students will be graded for the criteria established in the rubric, below.

Slams must be (components of your final exam):

• A typed copy must be handed in to Ms. O'Donnell before you perform.
• 3-5 minutes in length and will be timed.
• Very little to NO reading should take place.
• Slams should be acted out and emotional. (Show what you are feeling and want the audience to feel.)
• All students will give you written feedback.

Directions for poems:

1.       Choose one original poem you wrote during this unit (that you feel comfortable sharing).

2.       Make any revisions or changes you want, if needed.

3.       Practice saying the poem out loud by yourself and with a partner.

Participate in the slam!

a.       On your presentation day, you will briefly stand up to introduce** your poem.
b.      Hand the teacher your rubric and your final typed/printed copy of the poem.
c.       We will applaud and give you positive feedback on index cards or post-it notes.

Tips for Success:

ü  Focus on your expression and sound quality.

ü  Practice in a quiet place so as to not be disturbed by distracting background noise.

ü  Think about how you want us to feel at the end of it. Entertained? Inspired? Nostalgic? Sad? Something else?
 Make sure your word choices and your expression reflect that.

ü  Think about where you could pause, e-nun-ci-ate, slow down, speed up, and play with your own volume while you’re reading the poem. All of these things can make your reading more dramatic.

ü  If you have a low voice, you may have to work extra hard to avoid being monotone.

Poem Rubric: Writing & Speaking

		Exceeds	Meets	Improving	No Progress
Writing	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.	Student’s poem not only MTS, but may also express mature writing in terms of content or advanced poetry techniques (i.e. figurative language, imagery, sensory details, onomatopoeia).	Student has created at least one poem that conveys a clear message or emotion for an audience. Poem is effectively expressed through its techniques, length, word choices, and/or tone.	Poem does not meet one criteria to MTS.	Poem does not meet two or more criteria to MTS.
Speaking and Listening					.
	Use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.	Student’s recording not only MTS but has a particularly engaging reading that may use pacing, inflection, or emphasis to add meaning or emotion to the poem.	Student’s reading is generally clear, is audible, has sufficient volume, and uses purposeful voice inflection for stress or emphasis to avoid being monotone.	Audio file does not meet one criteria to MTS.	Audio file does not meet two or more criteria to MTS.
	Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate	Student’s overall presentation not only MTS, but shows exceptional command of vocal or written skills to support the poem and its meaning.	Student’s introduction** and poetry reading are appropriate for the poem and the classroom, based on tone, word choices, and language use.	Student does not meet one criteria to MTS.	Student does not meet two or more criteria to MTS.

Other Considerations:	Student Self-Assessment:
ð        Rubric was late or missing. ð        Self-assessment was not completed. ð        Poem was not school appropriate. ð        Poem was not grade level appropriate. ð        Student was disrespectful while listening to others. ð        Other:	What did you do well on this assignment? What could you still revise, OR what would you do differently if you could do this again?

Teacher Comments: