1. Students discussed what they thought after reading the essay “Tundra”. It was easy enough to see who had read the essay as they would be able to answer a very obvious question. This piece of writing had very vivid writing, very poetic and full of imagery. Students each found one phrase that stood out to them and we recorded these on the board.
2. I shared with them a “found” poem I had put together with phrases directly quoted from the essay. I explained how I tried to maintain the author’s purpose in taking these pieces and putting them into a poem. The tone started out appreciative, moved into the mournful for the loss of this beauty, hopeful and ends with a warning note.
3. Students then read the “I am a Canadian” poem by Duke Redbird. This poem was the inspiration for the Molson Canadian “I am Canadian” rant that has become such a popular cultural item. We discussed how all the descriptions of what the author is are metaphors, things he directly compares to being Canadian. The students have to write their own “I am a Canadian” poem, typed, with a sketch or drawing of a symbol that is Canadian to them attached with the poem. I showed them examples of former students’ work. This poem will be due next Wednesday, as decided by the class.
4. Students worked on their poetry writing for the rest of the class except the last five or so minutes when I handed out a sheet and asked them if they could define what “Canadian Literature” is. What makes Canadian literature Canadian literature? We compared themes from American and British literature and discussed whether anything written before Canadian confederation could be considered Canadian as the country itself didn’t yet exist. There is no real definitive answer but it is something to consider when studying literature within the Canadian genre.
5. We had just started a discussion about the constant theme of “Survival” within Can lit. We will talk more about this.
6. Tuesday (the next class they have), the students will be doing a poetry analysis for marks. They will each be given a different poem to analyze, respond to questions, and search for figurative language examples. The focus here is their individual ability to consider literature (in this case poetry) and share their findings.

Here is an example of another’s student’s own “I am a Canadian” poem:

I am…

I am an inuksuk alone in the wind.

I am a sunset, precious-gem coloured.

I am a velvet seat of grasses.

I am the sunflowers turned up towards the sun.

I am singing sands in Newfoundland.

I am the ghosts of pier 21.

I am glaciers held between sky-scratching peaks.

I am Castle Butte.

I am a fortress, a citadel.

I am the fragrance of Butchart Gardens.

I am the roller coaster trail of Cape Breton.

I am ’22 Minutes’ and ‘Royal Canadian Air Farce’.

I am a Tower of Peace on a hill.

I am snow in the middle of July.

I am dancing Northern Lights.

I am the C.F.L.

I am the longest bridge over the shortest stretch of water.

I am the colours of fall.

I am the glowing heart in the anthem.

I am free health care.

I am four points on a compass.

I am collapsing elevators and decrepit barns.

I am the longest undefended border in the world.

I am vieux Quebec.

I am a mosaic of shapes, sounds and colours.

I am the past, present and future.