Welcome to Our Experiencing Epics and Poetry Homeschool Language Arts Course

Course Outline for Our Experiencing Epics and Poetry Homeschool Language Arts Course

Eighteen Experiencing Epics and Poetry homeschool language arts lessons introduce middle school students to poetic forms, elements, and devices.

• Part One: Epic Poetry
  • Lesson One: Introduction to Epic Poetry
  • Lesson Two: The Epic Hero Cycle
  • Lesson Three: Oral Traditions
  • Lesson Four: An Epic Poem
  • Lesson Five: Analysis
  • Lesson Six: Update and Recite
• Part Two: Narrative and Lyric Poetry
  • Lesson Seven: What Is Narrative Poetry?
  • Lesson Eight: Write a Narrative Poem
  • Lesson Nine: What Is Lyric Poetry?
  • Lesson Ten: Lyric Poetry in Songs
  • Lesson Eleven: Poems Reflecting the Natural World, Part One
  • Lesson Twelve: Poems Reflecting the Natural World, Part Two
• Part Three: Poetic Structures
  • Lesson Thirteen: Haiku
  • Lesson Fourteen: Sonnet
  • Lesson Fifteen: Free Verse
  • Lesson Sixteen: Other Traditional Poetic Forms
  • Lesson Seventeen: Hebrew Poetry
  • Lesson Eighteen: 21^st-Century Poetic Forms

Course Sample for Our Experiencing Epics and Poetry Homeschool Language Arts Course

Lesson 1 – Introduction to Epic Poetry

Epic poetry has been an important part of literature, even before stories were recorded in writing. The nature of these long poems, including heroism, adventure, and friendship, have made them surprisingly compelling, even today. The memorability and durability of these poetic stories is due largely to their basis in oral tradition and cyclical pattern of events.

Read a history of epic poetry: https://www.poetrysoup.com/article/the_history_of_epic_ poetry-1399

Read a definition of epic poetry: http://www.chegg.com/homework-help/definitions/epicpoem-39

Answer the following questions:

• What makes a poem an epic?
• What is the basic structure of epic poetry?
• What is the background and the purpose of epic poetry in history?
• What are some famous epic poems?
• Try to name some newer stories that are epics (The Lord of the Rings series, Star Wars)