Poetry Analysis
Tentative Schedule: Fall Semester 2026
Six weeks
Poetry Analysis
We study both serious and delightfully silly poetry to learn the literary devices poets employ and use them in our own writing.
Students annotate their copy of the poems.
We tease out explicit and implicit themes.
Students learn to cite textual evidence in both our literature study circles and in writing to support their claims.
Students also duel with poems— writing their own poetry in the style of the poems we study.
Foundational skills for Shakespeare and literary analysis
This class is an important precursor to studying Shakespeare here at Farm School. (Shakespeare and Co. is offered once a year but not every year.)
We build critical literary analysis skills as well as understanding of foundational literary devices
Ages, homework, supplies, etc.
Writing Time
For a detailed supply list visit our supplies and learning outdoors tips page
Ages
10+ Middle school and up. This class is best fro 6th -9th graders BUT precocious 5th graders who are emotionally mature, have good self-regulation, and are reading at a middle school level are admitted on a case-by-case basis.
Weekly Homework
Type up paragraphs written in class
Memorize a short poem from our FS poetry collection
Prerequisites
Middle school reading level
Class Length
8-weeks. 1 day per week, 1.25 hours each day for 10 hours of instruction over the course of the class.
ABOUT MS. LISA CLARK-BURNELL
Relevant Education and Experience
I have a BA in English and Political from UC Santa Barabara. While an undergraduate, I was a university writing tutor for disadvantaged graduate and undergraduate students, assisting them with writing assignments in all disciplines. Upon graduating with highest honors and multiple awards, I then earned a CLAD multiple subject teaching credential with supplementary authorization in Social Studies and Language Arts from San Jose State University. In 1996 I began teaching middle school language arts, social studies, and math, first in the Bay area and then in Carmel Valley. While at these middles schools I concentrated on designing language arts and history curriculum.
In 2005 I took a hiatus from teaching middle school to stay home with my children. During that period I co-founded and directed Salem Harvest, a non-profit that connects farmers and backyard growers with volunteer pickers to harvest fruits and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste in an effort to end hunger. I also began honing my organic gardening expertise and animal husbandry skills, diving deep into permaculture and restorative agriculture. In 2012 I returned to teaching but this time as a homeschooling parent.
In 2019, at the request of my own kids and other parents, I started teaching classes in my areas of expertise for homeschool students.
For more information about Farm School and why I offer the classes I do, see the About page.