When Puffy says...

Writing Workshop

Workshop Title: Generations

Step 1

Ask your students to think of some of the customs or traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation in their families or communities. Then give them time to discuss.

Step 2

Read “When Puffy says, and we won’t stop, ’cause we can’t stop.” by Rasheed Copeland. Then have them discuss the issue he asserts is “generational.”

Step 3

Give your students some time to think about this “tradition” or “custom” and how it has affected their families or how it has manifested itself over the years. Remind your students that this brainstorming session does not need to revolve around a topic as heavy as Copeland’s.

Step 4

Ask your students to write a poem similar to “When Puffy says, and we won’t stop, ’cause we can’t stop.” in which they recount something that has been passed down from generation to generation in their families or communities.

Step 5

When the students are done, have them share their responses with one another.

The full presentation may be found HERE.

Analytical Lesson

Area of Focus: Figurative Language

Step 1

If your students are not familiar with the concept of “figurative language,” go through the introductory lesson.

Step 2

Read “When Puffy says, and we won’t stop, ’cause we can’t stop.” by Rasheed Copeland. Then simply ask your students what they thought of the poem and what particular images stood out.

Step 3

Have your students open the following document and go over the instructions with them. In short, the students will have to identify the figurative language in the poem, choose one example that they feel best encapsulates the meaning of the work as a whole, and create a visual of that particular image to reinforce the message of the poem.

Step 4

Give your students time to work on the assignment.

Step 5

When done, the students may read the exemplar essay if they’re looking for a more robust analysis of the poem.