About This Lesson
In this 90-minute lesson, students develop and refine self-management skills through Yusef Komunyakaa’s “Slam, Dunk, & Hook.” Students will conduct multiple readings of the poem in order to do a close reading of the poem that will lead to a thorough and detailed analysis of it. After the last reading, students will complete a journal entry that paraphrases the poem along with including the student’s reaction to different parts of the poem along with the poem as a whole. During the lesson students will have the opportunity to work with a partner, and at the end of the lesson they will complete an exit ticket that asks them to reflect on their effectiveness as a listener during the activities. This lesson is aligned to the Common Core State Standards for the 11-12th grade band.
