Ryan's+Design

__**Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken Design Project**__

1. Students will come to class having read the poem away from the classroom setting.

2. The Instructor will begin by reading the poem aloud to the class without much expression or inflection. Then, ask the class for two volunteers. One is asked to read the poem optimistically. The other in a negative (pessimistic) manner.
 * Discuss observations, differences, preferences,images conjured up, and general feelings toward the poem, at this point in time. Why read the poem like this?
 * Ask the students why they feel this way.
 * Have the students spend a moment free writing about their interpretations of the poem. These can be words, phrases, sentences, or doodles. Whatever.
 * Possible questions to consider while free writing: Is there ambiguity in the poem, and how does/might this effect the reader's interpretation of the poem?

3. Show this creepy clip of a Robert Frost recording. media type="youtube" key="yG24ohpacDk" height="344" width="425" (The author has animated the lips to move on a still picture of Robert Frost, while the recording is authentic.) 4. Has their interpretation changed? Is there an interpretation? Etc.
 * As students hear the poem read by Frost, have them underline key words that seem strange, important, out of place, etc.
 * Discuss the differences between Frost's recording and the words on the page. How is the process (reading vs. listening) and understanding different? Which do they prefer? Why?