Two Voices and a Tableau: Pearl Harbor and 9/11

Day 1:

• Ask for a volunteer to help introduce poetry project with read-a-loud: Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman. Explain to students that two voice style poetry gives two perspectives of commonalities and differences. The differences are one perspective and are read in a conversational style. Commonalities between the two perspectives are read together. 
• Model for students how to write a two voice poem. Use the graphic organizer to create a two voice poem for SpongeBob and Patrick. Once finished read with students. Teacher should be "Reader one" and students are "Reader two".
• Next, put students into pairs. Give graphic organizer to brainstorm and write a draft of a two voice poem. Student pairs choose topics from basket. 
• Allow 10-12 minutes to complete activity. Have student pairs share. 
• Closure: Direct students to Google Classroom to respond to the following: How did your poem "speak" for your topics? 

Days 2-4: 

• Review with students the structure of a two voice poem. 
• Explain that the focus of the next few days is to write a two voice poem about the events of Pearl Harbor during World War II or the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001. Students will use primary sources and secondary sources to research specific perspectives in which to craft the poem. Students will work in pairs. 
• Post resources on Google Classroom for students to conduct research. Encourage students to listen to interviews, read articles, analyze photos, etc. to "speak" for the voices of their chosen historic event. 
• Provide for students data collection sheet to record findings. 
• The final step for the research is to choose a photo to use for the tableau. The photo should be the inspiration of the poem.

Days 5-6:

• Student pairs will use collection data sheet to draft two voice poem. Encourage students to use their selected photo as the focal point of their poem. Provide graphic organizer. 
• Once the two voice poem is drafted, student pairs will rehearse poem and recite for classmates. 

Day 7:

• With the assistance of the Media Specialist or ITS (Integrated Technology Specialist), student pairs will create a tableau using the selected photo and green screen technology.

Day 8:

• Plan for student presentations for peers and parents. On the big screen, students' tableaus are displayed while the student pairs recite two voice poem. 

Prior to teaching these lessons, students should already have a background knowledge of the events of World War II, and the attacks on Pearl Harbor, the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The suggested resources will help students gain multiple perspectives to assist with their tableau. Students should also have experience analyzing and responding to primary sources to aid in creating a tableau and writing poetry from a specific “voice” or point of view.

Finally, Two Voices and a Tableau can be adjusted to accommodate various historical or current event topics. To differentiate, students could create poetry for one historic topic with various perspectives, or take a notable event such as the meeting of the Transcontinental Railroads at Promontory Point, Utah and write two voice poetry from the point of view of the railroad bosses, Chinese Immigrants, Irish Immigrants, etc. How cool would it be to include a Native American and buffalo (bison) as the voices during this event? I hope you find this activity useful for your students as they develop fresh perspectives of notable and everyday people during historical events.

Two Voices Poem Rubric (Read Write Think)