Theme for English B

Today we had a look at Langston Hughes' poem "Theme for English B." After I collected the warm-ups and the homework from last night, we spent the rest of the period annotating (#1 below) the poem and discussing it. Students should complete steps 2-5 below for homework.
~~~~~~~~~

1. Annotate the poem. On a copy of the poem itself, mark features that stand out (rhyme, stanzas, type of poem, alliteration, consonance, enjambment, syllables, metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, etc.), note difficult words or lines, indicate questions or comments, etc.
2. Paraphrase the poem in simple, everyday sentences. Look up words if needed.
3. Summarize the poem in a sentence or two.
4. Explain the tone of the poem in a sentence or two. Use our list of tone words if they help.
5. Explain the theme of the poem in a sentence or two.