How We Became Human

Here are the last few exercises we did with How We Became Human.

Please remember that we have an in-school field trip on this Friday, 4th-5th period, in the auditorium.

Read some poems from the book. You can start from the beginning, use the table of contents to find titles that appeal to you, or just open to a random page and start reading. Just read.


Find two poems that share the same theme. How does each one deal with the theme? What techniques does Harjo use to express the theme? Form Tone Figurative language Other literary elements/techniques (symbolism, irony, alliteration, etc)


Find a poem you cannot understand the first time you read it. Read it again. What do you start to understand after repeated readings? Switch poems with someone. How can you help each other with the poems?


Find a relatively short poem. 
Copy the entire poem into your notebook. 
Does this help you understand the poem?  What did you notice about it as you copied it down?
Recopy the same poem, but this time, change the way it appears on the page.  If it is a prose poem, chop it into lines.  If it a free verse poem, change the places the lines end or make it into a prose poem.
What does this show you about how the poem is shaped?
Repeat this process with another poem, if you have time.