StudySync Lesson Plan
The Cremation of Sam McGee
Objectives
1.
Engage students in the narrative elements, poetic techniques, and themes of “The
Cremation of Sam McGee” so that they may develop an understanding of the poem’s
meaning and are prepared to discuss and write, both critically and creatively, in response
to the poem’s style and subject.
2. Practice and reinforce the following Grades 9-10 ELA Common Core Standards for
reading literature, writing, and speaking and listening:
READING: LITERATURE – RL.9-10.1-5, 10
WRITING – W.9-10.1-10
SPEAKING AND LISTENING – SL.9-10.1-6
Time
130 minutes (with up to an additional 250+ minutes of extension possibilities)
Materials
SyncTV Premium Lesson on Robert Service’s “The Cremation of Sam McGee”
Overview
Robert Service’s poem set in the Canadian Yukon Territory balances the darkness of human
mortality in harsh wilderness with the light feel of metered, rhyming, alliterative verse. Close
inspection of the poem will allow students to think about how form fits function in creative writing
as they ask themselves what makes this a poem and not a story and observe how the poet
reveals aspects of the narrative (characters, plot and setting) through verse. Students will answer
text-based questions and model the SyncTV students’ discussion, preparing thoughtful
responses to the poem consistent with the Common Core Standards for the high school grades.
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Lesson Plan: The Cremation of Sam McGee
Background (10 minutes)
1.
Watch the Preview (SL.9-10.1-2). As a group, watch the video preview of the premium
lesson. After viewing, use the following questions to spur a discussion:
a. What do you know about the Klondike Gold Rush? How were the goals and
journey of a prospector different than those of other pioneers?
b. What are some different ways to tell a story? What is the difference between
telling a story in a poem versus reading it in a book?
c. What images stuck out to you in the preview? What do you imagine the setting of
the poem will be? Can you make any guesses about what the poem will be like
based on your knowledge of the Yukon, gold prospectors, narrative poems, and
what you saw in the preview?
Extension (additional 80+ minutes)
d. Discover (SL.9-10.2). If your classroom has a projector, show students some
images of the Klondike Gold Rush using a Google Image search. Discuss what
words and feelings come to mind while viewing these images.
e. Read (RL.9-10.1-5, 10). Assign students Jack London’s The Call of the Wild as a
premium lesson to give further context to the poem’s setting. For further reading,
assign London’s “To Build a Fire” or other poems from Robert Service’s Songs of a
Sourdough to better introduce students to this excerpt’s historical context.
f.
Research (W.9-10.7-8). Have students visit further Internet resources for
information on the Klondike Gold Rush (e.g., http://www.nps.gov/klgo/index.htm;
http://www.nps.gov/klse/index.htm). Use these resources as a springboard for
additional historical context before launching into the lesson.
Engaging the Text (120 minutes)
2. Read the Text (30 minutes)
a. Read and Annotate (RH.9-10.1-5). Ask students to read the introduction and the
poem “The Cremation of Sam McGee.” Be sure to give them enough time to both
read and annotate the text. If your classroom has a projector, you may want to
model note-taking skills by reading and annotating the first paragraph as a class. If
students are completing “The Cremation of Sam McGee” as a homework
assignment, ask them to write any questions they have into the annotation tool–
these questions are visible to you after the students submit their writing
assignments or beforehand if you use the “Mimic” function to access the students’
accounts.
i. Read. Ask the students to read the introduction and have a student
volunteer read the poem aloud. Each student should have the poem in
front of them and, if possible, it should also be projected on the board.
ii. “What do you notice?” After hearing it for the first time, ask the students,
“What do you notice?” This should be a free-form–discussion, anything
that attracts attention in the poem is worth mentioning. If the conversation
is having a hard time getting started, tell the students to pretend you’ve
taken the poem away from them after the first reading and you just want to
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Lesson Plan: The Cremation of Sam McGee
know what they remember about it.
iii. Read again with a pencil. Have another student read the poem aloud a
second time, or use the audio feature on the site. This time, students
should underline any image, phrase, or line that appeals to them—anything
goes: something that sounds nice, a phrase that rings true, or something
that is clearly stated. Ask that they underline at least three things as they
listen to the poem. At the same time, they should circle any words or
phrases that are unfamiliar to clarify later.
iv. Ask questions. Each student should write at least two specific questions
they have about this poem.
Extension (additional 20 minutes)
b. Listen and Discuss (SL.9-10.1-2). As a class, listen to the audio reading of the text.
Ask students to use context clues to define key terms from the “Cremation of Sam
McGee” glossary. Note whether the word is in contemporary use or has gone out
of fashion. As a group, work to define any other unclear terms or ideas not listed
in the glossary.
c. Comprehend (RL.9-10.1-5, 10). Have students complete the multiple-choice
questions. Collect papers or discuss answers as a class.
d. Explain (ELL). Use sentence frames to distill what the narrative arc of the poem is:
Sam McGee complains of _________________ during the journey over Dawson
Trail. He asks to be _________________. The speaker honors his promise but
finds the task difficult because _______________________________________.
In the end of the poem, the speaker is surprised to find Sam McGee
_______________.
3. Watch SyncTV (30 minutes)
a. Watch. Either watch the SyncTV discussion as a class or ask students to watch it
on their individual computers.
b. Focus (SL.9-10.1-3). Pay attention to the portion of the episode from roughly 0:402:05 as students debate the academic and critical merit of the poem. Consider
both sides of the debate: is a poem like this worthy of critical appraisal?
c. Focus (SL.9-10.1-3 and RL.9-10.2). Consider 4:00-4:55 as the SyncTV students
speculate on the poem’s timelessness and whether some of the themes within are
still relevant to a modern audience.
d. Focus (SL.9-10.1-3 and RL.9-10.1-2, 4). Finally, focus on the portion of the episode
from 7:54-9:35 as the SyncTV students discuss how the poem combines its “light”
and “dark” elements. Think about the contrast at work here and how this contrast
both creates meaning and makes the poem more entertaining.
e. Discuss (SL.9-10.1-4 and RL.9-10.1-5, 10). After watching the model discussion,
have a conversation with the class about the ideas discussed in the SyncTV
episode. What new thoughts do they have after hearing the students' discussion?
Next, divide students into small groups (3-4 students). Move around the room
monitoring groups as students follow the SyncTV episode as a model to discuss
some of the following questions:
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Lesson Plan: The Cremation of Sam McGee
1.
How do you imagine the speaker? In your group, come up with a
profile of the speaker, “Cap” – including full name, age, physical
appearance, and any other details you can think of (What is his
family like? What are his hobbies?)
2. Choose one stanza to study and circle all the rhymes, developing
an understanding of the pattern of rhyme in the piece. Then test
this pattern on another stanza, checking to see if it is consistent
throughout the piece.
3. What is the function of rhyme in the poem? What would the poem
be like if it did not rhyme? Be specific as you list the ways in which
the story would affect the reader differently if it did not rhyme.
4. Can you find anything that foreshadows the “twist” in the poem?
Study how Sam McGee expresses himself in the piece and what
the desires and emotions of the narrator are throughout the poem.
Share what you believe happens to Sam McGee in the poem (there
are several interpretations possible). Discuss with your group why
you believe this to be true, using examples from the poem to
support your answer.
5. What are the themes of this poem? Use phrases or lines from the
text to back up your answer.
6. Track which aspects of the poem are light versus dark (figuratively),
what makes the poem funny or lighthearted, and what are the parts
that are a little more sinister? Use the text to create your lists.
Extension (additional 50 minutes)
f.
Debate (SL.9-10.1-6). Siding with either Troy or Ashley, have a class debate
wherein students argue about the merits of Service’s poem. What is the value of
studying a poem like this? What are the criteria of poetry that is worthy of critical
examination? After the debate, identify which side better argued its case and why.
g. Record (SL.9-10.5-6). Have students, in groups or on their own, record a podcast
of their own dramatic reading of “The Cremation of Sam McGee.” Have them pay
careful attention to the way they read–the slightest changes in tone can alter the
poem’s effect.
h. Illustrate (SL.9-10.5 and ELL). Split the class into small groups, assigning each
group a different scene or stanza from the poem to illustrate, using details from
the poem to capture and translate the poem to illustration. In conjunction with the
previous assignment, have students create an illustrated movie of the poem in
iMovie (or similar multimedia program) using the drawings and recordings
together.
4. Think (10 minutes)
a. Respond (W.9-10.1, 4). Ask students to read the “Think” questions, watch the
corresponding video clips, and respond to the questions, either in class or for
homework.
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Lesson Plan: The Cremation of Sam McGee
5. Write (50 minutes)
a. Discuss (SL.9-10.1). Read the prompt you have chosen for students, and then
solicit questions regarding the prompt or the assignment expectations. Whichever
prompt you have chosen, make sure you are clear about the assignment
expectations and the rubric by which you and the other students will be evaluating
them.
b. Organize (RL.9-10.1-5, 10 and W.9-10.1-2, 5). Ask students to go back and annotate
the text with the prompt in mind. They should be organizing their thoughts and the
points they’ll address in their writing as they make annotations. If you’ve worked
on outlining or other organizational tools for writing, this is a good place to apply
them.
c. Write (W.9-10.1-2, 4-6, 8-10). Have students go through the writing process of
planning, revising, editing, and publishing their writing responses.
d. Review (W.9-10.4-6). Use the StudySync “Review” feature to have students
complete one to two evaluations of their peers’ work based on your chosen
review rubric. Have the students look at and reflect upon the peer evaluations of
their own writing. What might you do differently in a revision? How might you
strengthen the writing and the ideas?
Extension (additional 100 minutes)
e. Write (W.9-10.1-2, 4-6, 8-10). For homework, have students write an essay using
one of the prompts you did not choose to do in class. Students should publish
their responses online.
f.
Write Argumentatively (W.9-10.1, 4-6, 8-10). Using the topic of the aforementioned
debate, have students pretend they are the head of a school board that is
deciding its curriculum for the coming term. Argue whether “The Cremation of
Sam McGee” should be included on the curriculum, and why or why not, using
arguments presented in the debate as well as the SyncTV episode. Make sure
students cite details from both the excerpt and their own further research to
validate their points.
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Lesson Plan: The Cremation of Sam McGee
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
Key Vocabulary
1.
cremate (v.) – process of incinerating a person’s remains; to reduce to ashes
2. moil (v.) – to work hard
3. queer (adj.) – strange, odd
4. marge (n.) – margin, border, edge
5. homely (adj.) – plain, unattractive
6. mushing (v.) – to make a journey across snow in a dogsled
7. parka (n.) – a coat with a hood, meant for very cold weather
8. derelict (n.) – an abandoned vessel
9. grisly (adj.) – causing horror or disgust
10. ere (prep.) – before, until
Reading Comprehension Questions
1.
Why does Sam McGee leave Tennessee?
a. Because it is too hot there
b. Because he wanted an adventure
c. Because he was searching for gold
d. “God only knows”
2. Which of the following images describes how cold it was?
a. “through the parka’s fold it stabbed like a driven nail”
b. “the stars o’erhead were dancing heel and toe”
c. “In the days to come, though my lips were dumb, in my heart how I cursed that
load”
d. “He crouched on the sleigh, and he raved all day of his home in Tennessee”
3. Why does Sam McGee want to be cremated?
a. He hasn’t found gold
b. He intended to die on this trip
c. He doesn’t want to be buried in the ice
d. He wants his ashes scattered in Tennessee
4. What does the phrase “you may tax your brawn and brains” mean in the context of the
poem?
a. Sam McGee must be cremated no matter the physical/mental demands
b. Sam McGee wishes the speaker to be cremated with him
c. Sam McGee’s weight will be paid in gold if he is not cremated
d. Sam McGee has neglected to think about the death tax
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Lesson Plan: The Cremation of Sam McGee
5. Why does the speaker, Cap, seem upset about the task of cremating Sam McGee?
a. Because he does not believe Sam McGee had to die
b. Because Sam McGee’s body is very heavy to carry around while he finds the right
spot to cremate him
c. Because they are very far from Sam McGee’s home
d. Because they cannot carry as much gold when they have the body
6. What does Cap use as a crematorium for Sam McGee’s body?
a. A hole in the ice
b. A funeral pyre
c. An abandoned ship
d. A broken-down cabin
7. Why does Cap leave after he puts Sam’s McGee’s body in to be cremated?
a. He has to search for dinner
b. He doesn’t want to be within hearing-distance
c. He doesn’t want to be within smelling-distance
d. He needs some time to clear his head
8. What is surprising about the cremation?
a. Sam McGee is alive
b. The fire causes a dark black smoke to crawl across the sky
c. The fire does not melt the ice
d. The fire goes out
9. What purpose does the refrain in the poem serve?
a. Reminds us of Sam McGee’s background
b. Puts the story of Sam McGee in the context of other tales about Arctic goldseekers
c. Recounts the details of Sam McGee’s death
d. Summarizes the poem
10. What type of literary device is illustrated in the phrase “he wore a smile you could see a
mile”?
a. Alliteration
b. Metaphor
c. Personification
d. Hyperbole
Answer Key
1. D
2. A
3. C
4. A
5. B
6. C
7. B
8. A
9. B
10. D
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Lesson Plan: The Cremation of Sam McGee
Further Assignments
1.
Have students view and listen to a reading of “The Cremation of Sam McGee” recorded
by Johnny Cash: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJNZwuamwj0
There are some mistakes in the reading; have students look out for the mistakes as a way
of close listening. Ask students to discuss how Cash interprets the poem through his
reading—what emotional tone does he set for the piece based on the way he reads it?
(SL.9-10.1-3)
2. Based on what the reader learns about Sam McGee in the poem, have students write a
poem, prose narrative, or short play exploring a different time/situation in Sam McGee’s
life—this could be anything from Sam McGee’s wedding day to Sam McGee’s favorite way
to pass time to Sam McGee & his dog Butch. (W.9-10.3, 9)
3. Ask students to note the differences between the styles of narrative and lyric poetry. Use
“The Cremation of Sam McGee” as a model for the narrative style and ask students to
think of a poem they know that is lyric and compare/contrast the two. The conversation
may start by simply asking students what they typically expect in subject and style. Have
students write a poem, using Service’s as a fund for material, in a lyric style. Note that
students may not want to or be able to cram all of the story that exists in Service’s poem
in the new lyric version. Instead they may focus on a smaller moment, like the narrator’s
struggle to honor his promise to Sam McGee or the image of Sam McGee’s ice- cubeheavy body warming in the incinerator. (RL.9-10.1, 4 and W.9-10.3, 9)
4. Have students write a poem in the rhyming, narrative style of Service that tells a story with
a twist or surprise, using “The Cremation of Sam McGee” as a model. (W.9-10.3, 9)
5. Using a contemporary TV and print news journalism as a guide, have students create a
news article or video news report about Sam McGee. Have students note how the story
changes when translated into this medium (through details, tone, perception by the
audience, and so on). (SL.9-10.5-6 and W.9-10.3, 9)
6. Identify a few aspects of the story of Sam McGee that reflect the culture it is being written
from and for. These can range from the setting of the story to the strong sense of loyalty
in keeping one’s promise. Write your own folk tale (in the form of a poem, like Service’s,
or as a story if you wish) that reflects the time, place, and ideas of another culture. (ELL)
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Lesson Plan: The Cremation of Sam McGee