Before Reading
Determine a Purpose for Reading
Read the About the Selection paragraph. As you read, focus on the planting and reaping metaphor in the poem.
During Reading
Keep the Purpose in Mind While Reading
1. Listen as your teacher reads the first stanza. Write down any references you hear to planting or reaping.
2. Keep focusing on planting and reaping images as you read the rest of the poem on your own. Take notes on these images. Then try to find what larger experiences these images may represent.
Fix-Up Idea: Read Short Sections
Try reading stanza by stanza. Read stanza 1. Then answer the Guided Reading Question and summarize the stanza. Do the same thing for stanza 2 and stanza 3.
After Reading
Summarize and Share Your Ideas
With a few of your classmates, discuss the images you noted while you were reading. Then write a brief explanation of the speaker and his experiences.