Read Prereading page 635. Copy the cluster charts for the father and grandfather, adding additional circles to each. Then, draw a third cluster chart for the son, the speaker of the poem. As you read, you will fill in information about the father, the grandfather, and the son (the speaker). You should identify the tools and products of each, as well as any personality traits that stand out.
1. Follow along in the text as your teacher reads the first stanza of the poem. Then, fill in the tools of both the father and the son in your graphic organizers. Discuss the similarities between the tools.
2. Read the remainder of the poem independently. Stop at the end of each stanza to fill in information in your charts. Identify the tool of each man, the product of each man’s work, and the attitude with which each man approaches his work.
If you have difficulty applying the reading strategy, take a break from reading. Stop and try to visualize the picture presented by the text. Then, reread the stanza and identify the descriptions included. What do these descriptions indicate about the subject? Read through the entire poem and take time to think about its overall meaning. Then, work stanza by stanza to fill in your cluster charts.
Review the information in your charts. Then, write a brief essay making connections between the generations. Consider the tools of each generation and the products of the men’s work. Discuss the connections between the products in your essay. When you finish, share your essay with a partner.