TPFASTT Poetry Introduction

TPFASTT Poetry Introduction

By Emily SUCEVIC

Multiple Choice

Which of these is the most similar to a poem?

• a song

• an article

• a short story

• a novel

reading poetry

• Reading poetry is not that different than reading a short story, article, or novel.

• ​In order to make reading poetry less scary, we use the TPFASTT method

#poetry #TPFASTT ​

Poll

How do you feel about reading poetry?

TPFASTT - T = Title ​

Think about the title and try to predict what you think the poem may be about.

​Activating that prior knowledge you already have makes reading the poem a whole lot easier.

#poetry #TPFASTT

Multiple Select

The title of the poem is "The Road Not Taken". What is a logical prediction about this title? Select all that apply.

• It is about a road that might not be popular with everyone.

• It might be about a car.

• It might be about regrets someone has in their life.

• It might be about making choices.

​TPFASTT - P = paraphrase

• Determine what is going on in the poem.

• Summarize by stanza or full text or both.

• Just the facts: what’s happening/what’s the poem about? ​

#poetry #TPFASTT​

Multiple Choice

What is an accurate way to describe paraphrasing?

• Picking out what you think is important and writing it down.

• Analyzing the text for deeper meaning.

• Breaking down the text little by little to understand what is actually happening.

TPFASTT - f = figurative language

• First step is to identify the figurative language used. Great. Next, think about why the author chose to use that language. Explain with text evidence. 

• Consider imagery, figures of speech (simile, metaphor, personification, symbolism), diction, point of view, and sound devices (alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhythm, and rhyme)

#poetry #TPFASTT

Multiple Select

After paraphrasing a poem for its literal meaning, you begin to look for ______ (select all that apply).

• Figurative Language

• Diction

• Imagery

• Sound Devices

• Point of View

Poll

Select which GIF would apply to you about the statement below: I understand all of the words from the previous slide (figurative language, diction, POV, sound devices, imagery, etc.)

TPFASTT - A = ATTITUDE ​

• Examine diction, images, and details which might suggest the speaker's attitude. What is the tone of the poem? (See TONE & MOOD words handout)

• How does the author feel towards the subject of the poem? ​

#poetry #TPFASTT

​tpfastt - s = shifts

Rarely does the poet's experience begin and end in the same place. This "shift" is a gradual realization of this new understanding. In order to determine where this occurs, watch for the following:

• ​keywords (but, yet, however, although)

• punctuation (dashes, periods, colons) ​

• ​stanza divisions

• changes in lines or stanza length or both ​

• ​irony

• changes in sound which may ​indicate changes in meaning

• changes in diction ​

#poetry #TPFASTT ​

Multiple Choice

True/False

Shifts are in EVERY poem.

• True

• False

​tpfastt - t1 = theme

Identify the theme by attempting to recognize the human experience, motivation, or condition suggested by the poem.

What lesson is the author trying to teach us? ​

​What message is the author trying to convey?

topic + author's message/lesson = theme.

​

Example: topic: homelessness; author's message: we need to pay more attention to the homeless. THEME = The homeless deserve more of our attention and understanding.

#poetry #TPFASTT​

Multiple Choice

Which of these is a theme statement?

• The poem "The Blessing" is about a guy who stops on a road trip to pet two ponies in a pasture.

• In the poem "The Blessing" the author's message is that sometimes you need to slow down and appreciate life more.

• The poem "The Blessing" contains personification when it says "twilight bounded".

• The poem "The Blessing" contains a simile with "They bow shyly as wet swans".

​TPFASTT - t2 = title (revisited)

• Look back at your first prediction based on the title - was your prediction correct? Yes/No? Why/why not?

#poetry #TPFASTT

tpfastt

• Title

• Paraphrase

• Figurative Language

• Attitude

• Shift

• Theme

• Title (Revisited) ​

#poetry #TPFASTT

Open Ended

What is something you learned today?

"I learned that..."

Open Ended

What is something you still have questions about?

"I still am not sure about..."

"I still don't know what _____ is."