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San Diego Jewish Academy
High School Humanities
Using Odes


  • Read, look at, react to some of Neruda's odes. Odes to Common Things are fun, for example, "Ode to a pair of socks."
  • Discuss how the odes look and sound.
    What is an ode?
  • Discover how Neruda "odes" an object.
    How does he convey a love of the object?
  • Brainstorm a list of possible things to ode.
    What things are dear to you?
    What things are common but may hold a greater significance?
  • Discuss metaphors, similes, personification, alliteration, and assonance.
    Take one or two of the possible ode objects and make a figurative language web around each.
  • Choose one object to ode.
    Draft an ode copying Neruda's physical structure and use of figurative and concrete language.
  • Use the Re-Vision suggestions to literally re-vision your ode and make your draft more powerful.
  • Share with response group. Re-vison. Edit.
  • Create a final copy.
  • Publish. Post. Collect.
    Team up with a Spanish class, a Spanish speaker, or an art class.
    Exhibit with Spanish odes from Spanish-speaking students. Exhibit with art created by students to match odes.


Site Map | Ode Rubric | Neruda's Poetry | Using The Book of Questions | Using Natural Artifacts | Re-Vision | Neruda Bio | Quotes | Glossary | Co-Teachers - Doug and Melissa | Gallery

E-Mail Doug at mrdoug@aznet.net or Melissa at mjmckinstry@earthlink.net

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