1. Before you read the poem aloud…

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1. Before you read the poem aloud...

Sometimes it is helpful to set the stage for a poem, especially if it is written about a context that children do not have experience with. You may want to share the following information with them.

This poem is written about a time before airplanes, cell phones, and GPS systems. There were no cars, trucks, or highways. You could not hop on a plane and be around the world in a matter of hours like you can now. In fact, at the time that this poem takes place, people did not know the geography of the world. They did not know how much ocean or land lay between Europe and Asia.

The men in this poem are sailing in a 15th century ship. They are out on a discovery mission sailing their ship through unknown waters and exploring the world.

Imagine how scary it would be to set sail without knowing where you were going- or what was even out there! Many people during this time believe that there were monsters in the ocean or other strange creatures waiting to attack them.

They did not know how long it would be until they reached land. They had no accurate world map to look at because no one knew what the world looked like yet!

Setting sail as a discoverer must have taken a lot of courage and determination as you sailed through storms and fog not really knowing what you would find.

(P.S. The admiral in the poem is Columbus.)

2. Read the poem aloud to your students.

You may want them to follow along with a copy while you read, or you may want them to only focus on only your reading. You may choose.

3. Identify and define words that students do not know.

At this point, hand out the poems and the charts to students. I have included a chart with definitions of some troublesome words. I would encourage you to have students copy the definitions on their poem sheets.

4. Read the poem aloud again now that the students are familiar with the vocabulary.

You can ask them to focus on the difference between the admiral and the mate and crew. What do the mate and crew want? Why? What does the admiral tell them?

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5. Have students tell you in their own words what each stanza means. You may have to help "translate" this poem for your students. I have included a chart with a section titled, "In Other Words." Feel free to use this as your guide. Again, I would recommend that students write this information in their charts.

6. Discuss the poem.

Key Questions:

1. Why are the mate and crew scared?

? They fear that the ship is lost and headed into unknown waters. 2. What do the mate and crew want?

? They want to sail back home! They know what the seas are like on the way home. Since they know the geography of the coastlines of Europe, they would not be scared of the unknown.

3. What does the admiral tell them? ? He does not show any emotion, and simply tells the crew to continue sailing through the unknown waters.

4. Choose one word to describe the admiral.

? I would accept words like brave, courageous, persistent, and determined. 5. Why did you choose that word? (Use quotes from the poem.)

6. Choose one word to describe the mate and crew.

? I would accept words like scared, timid, and nervous. 7. Why did you choose that word? (Use quotes from the poem.)

7. Ask students for personal experiences and make connections to other areas of curriculum.

? Does the admiral remind you of any characters from books or movies? Why?

? Does the mate and crew remind you of any characters from books or movies? Why?

Other Connections... ? Science - This poem would connect well to a lesson about stars, the ocean, or compasses.

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? History ? Learning about a time in history so different from our own can be fascinating. This poem would connect well to history lessons focusing on Columbus (of course!) and the Age of Discovery, also known as the Age of Exploration (15th century - 17th century).

? Geography ? The poem references the Azores and the Gates of Hercules. It would be fun for students to find these places on a map.

Political Map of the World, 2009. (The World Factbook)

8. Assign the poem for students to memorize. Break the poem into manageable chunks for your students - maybe they have three days to memorize each of the stanzas- you can decide! It is really helpful for the students to recite it as a class a few times throughout the day.

9. Students recite the poem. You could have them recite each section as it is due and also have them recite the whole poem at the end. (I would recommend this.) You could have the students recite the poem for their families (call Grandma and Grandpa over!), you could videotape them reciting it (kids love watching themselves in videos), or you could simply have them recite it for you. There are many possibilities! Have fun!

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Columbus

BEHIND him lay the gray Azores, Behind the Gates of Hercules; Before him not the ghost of shores, Before him only shoreless seas. The good mate said: "Now we must pray, For lo! the very stars are gone. Brave Admiral, speak, what shall I say?" "Why, say, 'Sail on! sail on! and on!' "

"My men grow mutinous day by day; My men grow ghastly wan and weak." The stout mate thought of home; a spray Of salt wave washed his swarthy cheek. "What shall I say, brave Admiral, say, If we sight naught but seas at dawn?" "Why, you shall say at break of day, 'Sail on! sail on! and on!' "

They sailed and sailed, as winds might blow, Until at last the blanched mate said: "Why, now not even God would know Should I and all my men fall dead. These very winds forget their way, For God from these dead seas is gone. Now speak, brave Admiral, speak and say" -He said, "Sail on! sail on! and on!"

They sailed. They sailed. Then spake the mate: "This mad sea shows his teeth tonight. He curls his lip, he lies in wait, With lifted teeth, as if to bite! Brave Admiral, say but one good word: What shall we do when hope is gone?" The words leapt like a leaping sword: "Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!"

Then pale and worn, he kept his deck, And peered through darkness. Ah, that night Of all dark nights! And then a speck -A light! a light! at last a light! It grew, a starlit flag unfurled! It grew to be Time's burst of dawn. He gained a world; he gave that world Its grandest lesson: "On! sail on!"

-Joaquin Miller (1841-1913)

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Poem

BEHIND him lay the gray Azores, Behind the Gates of Hercules; Before him not the ghost of shores, Before him only shoreless seas. The good mate said: "Now we must pray, For lo! the very stars are gone. Brave Admiral, speak, what shall I say?" "Why, say, 'Sail on! sail on! and on!' "

"My men grow mutinous day by day; My men grow ghastly wan and weak." The stout mate thought of home; a spray Of salt wave washed his swarthy cheek. "What shall I say, brave Admiral, say, If we sight naught but seas at dawn?" "Why, you shall say at break of day, 'Sail on! sail on! and on!' "

They sailed and sailed, as winds might blow, Until at last the blanched mate said: "Why, now not even God would know Should I and all my men fall dead. These very winds forget their way, For God from these dead seas is gone. Now speak, brave Admiral, speak and say" -He said, "Sail on! sail on! and on!"

Vocabulary

Azores-agroupofislands GatesofHercules-an ancientnameforthehigh pointsoflandatthe entranceofthe MediterraneanSea mate-anofficeronaship lo-look Admiral-thecommander ofaship mutinous-disobedient ghastly?unpleasantly wan-pale stout-strongandbrave swarthy-dark-skinned naught-nothing dawn-morninglight

blanched-growingpale fromfear

InOtherWords...

Adiscoveryshipissailing outintothemiddleofthe ocean. Thecrewandthemateon theshipcannotseeanyland orstars,andthismakes themnervous. Theyfearthattheymaybe lostorsailingintosome greatunknowndanger.The admiralontheshipisnot nervousandtellsthemto continuesailing.

Thecrewisbecomingso fearfuloftheunknownthat theyareconsideringgoing againsttheadmiral'sorders inordertosailbackhome. Theadmiraltellsthemto continuesailingevenif,by dawn,theycanstillonlysee nothingbuttheseas.

Themateandcrewcontinue togrowfearful. Theysaythattheyaresolost thatevenGodhasleftthem. Theadmiraltellsthemto continuesailing.

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They sailed. They sailed. Then spake the mate: "This mad sea shows his teeth tonight. He curls his lip, he lies in wait, With lifted teeth, as if to bite! Brave Admiral, say but one good word: What shall we do when hope is gone?" The words leapt like a leaping sword: "Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!"

Then pale and worn, he kept his deck, And peered through darkness. Ah, that night Of all dark nights! And then a speck -A light! a light! at last a light! It grew, a starlit flag unfurled! It grew to be Time's burst of dawn. He gained a world; he gave that world Its grandest lesson: "On! sail on!"

spake-anoldformofthe word"spoke"

pale-lightincolor worn-verytired deck-thetoplevelofa ship peered-looked speck-atinyspot unfurled-spreadout

Nowtheseaisstormy,and thecrewandmatehavelost allhope.Theybelievethat theywilldie. Theadmiraltellsthemto continuesailing.

Theadmiralstayedawake intothenightlookingoutfor anythingthathecouldsee. Finally,thecloudslifted,and theycouldseethestarsand eventually,eventhesun! Theshipanditscrewwould beokaynow. Theadmiraltaughtthe lessonofpersistence.

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Name____________________________________

Date________________________

"Columbus"PoetryChart

Poem

BEHIND him lay the gray

Azores,

Behind the Gates of Hercules;

Before him not the ghost of

shores,

Before him only shoreless seas.

The good mate said: "Now we

must pray,

For lo! the very stars are gone.

Brave Admiral, speak, what shall

I say?"

"Why, say, 'Sail on! sail on! and

on!' "

"My men grow mutinous day by

day;

My men grow ghastly wan and

weak."

The stout mate thought of home;

a spray

Of salt wave washed his swarthy

cheek.

"What shall I say, brave

Admiral, say,

If we sight naught but seas at

dawn?"

"Why, you shall say at break of

day,

'Sail on! sail on! and on!' "

They sailed and sailed, as winds

might blow,

Until at last the blanched mate

said:

"Why, now not even God would

know

Should I and all my men fall

dead.

These very winds forget their

way,

For God from these dead seas is

gone.

Now speak, brave Admiral,

Vocabulary

InOtherWords...

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