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Social Justice: Poetry Analysis


Pain is important: how we evade it, how we succumb to it,
how we deal with it, how we transcend it.

- Audre Lorde
Text: This section has four poems, three from the book Sirens in Her Belly and the fourth, All-American Pastime, is provided. 
​
Synthesis:
An additional reference (article, documentary, video) is provided to engage students with compare/contrast analysis.
Analysis: 
Historical references are provided for contextual understanding and critical thinking.

Empowerment Assignment: 
​Political Commentary and Voice.
Students create their own artwork, poetry, song, either individually or as a group and use a current event article, podcast, and/or video to add depth.

The assignments that have activities are in red.

Picture
1. Poem: August 1965, p. 28
​
 Discuss the emotional impact of The Watts Riots from these three sources . 
​Click on the button for the assignment.
​There are videos and articles to help with historic background information.
What impact does this historic uprising create for the poet and society?
​What is resolved? What still needs to be resolved?
August 1965
Watts Riots
Watch the 2:30 video
for Burning
Watch the Documentary.56 min.

Picture
2. Poem: All-American Pastime. (included)
​Click on the button for the assignment, instructions, and the poem, All-American Past-Time.
Discuss the experience the police shares and what the poem describes.
How can there be a resolution or healing in this environment?
What steps would you take as a police officer?
 
a Racist Cop
All-American

Picture
3. Poem: We Need Video Cam Eyes, p. 29
Click on the button for the assignment.
​There are videos and articles to help with historic background information.
Video cam
Police Videos
POLICE VIDEOS button:
​NPR has a hybrid of articles & 3 videos
​43, 40 and 28 minutes respectively.
Trauma
A PBS article.

Picture
4. Poem: Strange Fruit: A Crucifixion p.33
Click on the button for the assignment.
​There are videos and articles to help with historic background information.

Strange Fruit
Growing Up
Watch the NYT 5 minute video.
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Siren's Lessons
Content in Sirens Lessons is free and for educational purposes. Lessons may be used to compliment poetry books by Romaine Washington or as stand alone lessons or with other writing.
POETRY TERMS
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© 2023 Romaine Washington
  • HOME
  • Events
  • Community
    • ARTICLES
    • GALLERY
  • Books
    • PURGATORY HAS AN ADDRESS
    • SIRENS IN HER BELLY
    • SIREN'S LESSON >
      • POETRY TERMS
      • DIVERSE WRITERS
      • SOCIAL JUSTICE >
        • SOCIAL JUSTICE LESSONS >
          • STANDARDS
          • BIAS
          • RACISM
          • WHITE SUPREMACY
          • POETRY ANALYSIS
          • EMPOWERMENT >
            • DEBATES >
              • FREE SPEECH
            • TED TALK
      • MENTAL HEALTH >
        • MH LESSONS >
          • AWARENESS
          • MINDFULNESS
          • STIGMA
          • MENTAL HEALTH: SUICIDE PREVENTION
          • ANALYSIS
          • MH RESEARCH >
            • Mind & African Americans
            • Mind & Asians
            • Mind Indigenous
            • Mind & Intersectionaltiy
            • Mind & Latinx Community
            • Mind & LGBTQ+
            • Mind & Middle E.
            • Mind & Police
            • Mind & Racism
            • Mind Special Needs
      • BEAUTY >
        • BEAUTY LESSONS >
          • PERCEPTION
          • BEAUTY BIAS
          • BEAUTY
          • UGLY?
          • HAIR BEAUTY
          • POETRY ANALYSIS >
            • BEAUTY RESEARCH
      • RELATIONSHIPS >
        • RELATIONSHIP LESSONS >
          • POETRY ANALYSIS
          • CROSSING BOUNDARIES
          • HEALTHY
  • Contact