The Lovely Bones Lesson Plan

Grief Poetry

Kind of Activity:

Individual Writing

Objective:

Students will reflect on different ways of thinking about and coping with grief

Structure:

Grief is universal; it is also unique. The novel The Lovely Bones highlights that reality through its characters. Throughout the novel, each character's grief develops in different ways. The ways they mourn, cope, and heal vary between them. Students will consider this as they read the following three poems on grief:

"In Blackwater Woods" by Mary Oliver
"Michiko Dead" by Jack Gilbert
"Talking to Grief" by Denise Levertov

While reading each poem, students will consider:

- What is this poem about? How do you know?
- What...