Odes to Common Things

Lesson Plan Attachments

• "Worksheet: "Writing An Ode"
• "Template: Vocabulary Definition" (Word)
• "Sample: Verb Conjugation Table"
• "Rubric for Ode Assignment"
• "Step Sheet: Using a Projection Device"
• "Step Sheet: Teacher-Directed Demonstrations"
• "Step Sheet: Creating a PowerPoint Presentation"
• "Step Sheet: Putting the Slide Show Together"
• "Step Sheet: Creating Tables in Documents"
• "Step Sheet: Creating a New Document"
• "Step Sheet: Creating WordArt"
• "Step Sheet: Inserting Pictures into Microsoft Word"
• "Step Sheet: Typing Spanish Characters in Microsoft Office"
• "Step Sheet: Changing the Spelling and Grammar Check"

Odes to Common Things Lesson Plan
In this lesson, students will study examples of poetry in both Spanish and English from Pablo Neruda's Odes to Common Things. They will learn Spanish vocabulary used in the poetry and create illustrated flashcards, becoming familiar with figurative language terms such as metaphor, simile, personification, and alliteration. Students will compose and illustrate their own 'Ode to a common thing' in Spanish and do research on the times in which Neruda lived.

On-line Resources

• EmpireZine: 'a writer's cookbook'
  This emagazine features articles that offer career advice for aspiring poets along with a large archive of articles based on a wide variety of perspectives on literature. It also features a useful glossary of poetry definitions.
• About Spanish
  This dictionary website has over 56,508 entries with over 10,369 audio pronunciations.
• Microsoft Office
  This is the Microsoft Office website where you can get free clipart for any ode illustrations you might wish to use.
• DiscoverySchool.com
  A crossword puzzle using vocabulary words can be created by the teacher to reinforce vocabulary knowledge via this website.
• Learning Network
  A quiz on the vocabulary words can be developed online via this website.
• Spanish Learning Resources
  A website produced by Spanish Learning Resources in Anchorage, Alaska that students can use to practice verb conjugations and grammar topics. This site was voted one of the coolest reference sites of the year.
• Colby University
  Another excellent Spanish language reference website developed by Barbara Kuzcún Nelson. Use it with your native speakers as the material is more advanced than on the Spanish Learning Resources site.
• University of Chile
  This website offers quite a few resources about the life and times of Pablo Neruda in addition to an audio file in English of the poem "Oda A La Manzana."
• MSN Encarta
  This is the MSN Encarta entry on the life and work of Pablo Neruda.

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