Sometimes, it is difficult for students to connect with themes in poetry until they put them into a real-world context. Consider the following activity for students to storyboard with "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening".
Have students find inspiration in the world around them by taking a “nature walk”, either in school as a class, or at home on their own. Have students set aside one hour to find a place where they can think quietly and observe the world around them. Ask students to describe their experience with sensory imagery, writing down one thing for each sense, and document it in a storyboard as in the example.
I saw the waves crashing into the rocks at high tide, almost reaching the sea wall. I saw seagulls lazily floating overhead, and I watched as a man with his dog played frisbee in the surf. The sunset was red, orange, and yellow, like fire.
I heard the sounds of a dog barking, and the seagulls cawing. I heard the laughter of small children, and car horns on the main road. I listened to the waves breaking evenly on the rocks.
I could smell the ocean, mixed with the smell of fried dough and barbecue from the restaurants near the boardwalk.
I smiled as I sipped my Del’s frozen lemonade and watched the sun go down. The lemonade was tart and cold.
The air was warm, the breeze was faint, and the sand was cool. As I walked along the water, the waves were cold as they washed across my feet.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Think about a time you were experiencing nature like the speaker in “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening”. Identify and illustrate an example for each of your five senses.