Introduction

Poetic meter is a tool that poets use to help them express their ideas more rhythmically. Good poetic rhythm helps convince the reader of the narrator's intentions. Meter is natural to language, and can in many cases seem invisible--yet meter is always present in langauge and cen therefore be analyzed for meaning.

The Quest

How can poetic meter evidence the narrator's arguement? Make sure you can define 'meter,' explain stressed and unstressed 'feet,' and scan a line of poetry so as to evidence your arguement.

The Process and Resources

In this Webquest you will attempt to discovery an introductory understanding of poetice meter. You should be on the lookout for a good, working definition of 'meter,' be familiar with a few regular types of meter and be ready to 'scan' a short line of poetry.

Phase 1 - Background: Something for Everyone

Use the Internet information linked below to give you idea of how poetic meter works. These links are arranged in different contexts, but much of the information overlaps. Look for consistency among the three sites, and be sure to record any questions or discrepencies.

• Theory of Poetic Meter - Brief slideshow that describes some of the characteristics of poetic linguistics and poetic meter
• Words and Stuff - Private Research paper about poetic meter, stress and metrical feet.
• Scansion - A page concerning scansion, or the metrical analysis of poetry.

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Individuals or pairs from your larger WebQuest team will explore one of the roles below.

2. Read through the files linked to your group. If you print out the files, underline the passages that you feel are the most important. If you look at the files on the computer, copy sections you feel are important by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying / pasting it into a word processor or other writing software.

3. Note: Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the passage from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to to prove your point.

4. Be prepared to focus what you've learned into one main opinion that answers the Big Quest(ion) or Task based on what you have learned from the links for your role.

role, job or perspective #1

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role, job or perspective #2

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role, job or perspective #3

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role, job or perspective #4

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Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus

Now that you have some metrical experience and vocabulary you should be comfortable working with some poetry. Have all the members of your group copy into their notebooks the following line from Lewis Carroll's 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland:'

The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:

Use the scansion techniques you have learned during this Webquest to analyze the poetic rhythm of the line--break the line into poetic feet and indicate which syllables are stressed and which are unstressed. Next, look for any irregularities in the meter. Make a case for the author's meter and any irregularities that might occur in the line.

Phase 4 - Real World Feedback

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Your Contact is: Mark Porembski

Conclusion

You might have learned specific names of poetic feet, or the use of regular and irregulr poetic meter, but you should also have learned that we use meter in every sentence we utter, emphasizing some syllables more than others.