Log Unit – The Road Not Taken

The Road Not Taken

by Robert Frost

 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth,

 

 

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

 

 

II – Basic Understanding

1. Vocabulary Exercises

Exercise 1 – Translate the following words from the poem.

	להתפצל
Wood
Undergrowth
Fair
	טיעון
Want wear
Tread/trodden
	להטיל ספק
	אנחה
Hence

 

 

2. What prevents the “traveler” from seeing farther down the road?

……………………………………………………………………………………….

3. What regret does he express in the first stanza of the poem?

………………………………………………………………………………………

4. Which road does the traveler choose?

………………………………………………………………………………………

5. What does the word “that” in line 9 refer to?

………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

10. Does the traveler think his decision will have any impact on his life? Quote from the poem to justify your answer.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

II – Analysis and Interpretation

 

Literary Terms – Rhyme, Rhyme Scheme, Alliteration, Metaphor, Symbol, Theme, Tone

A)    Rhyme is the use of words with a similar sound at the end.  A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyming words at the end of lines in a poem.

 

Exercise –

1. Which words rhyme in the poem?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3 traveler –

…………………………………………………………………………………..

4. undergrowth –

………………………………………………………………………………….

5. grassy path -………………………………………………………………………………….

6. morning – …………………………………………………………………………………

D)    Metaphor  is a type of comparison in which one thing is described as if it were something else.

 

 

Exercise 1 – What is the tone in the following excerpt from the short story “Mr. Know All”.

………………………………………..

“Do you like card tricks?”

“No, I hate card tricks,” I answered.

“Well, I’ll just show you this one.”

He showed me three.

 

 

 

 

Exercise 2 – What is the tone in the following lines from “Count That Day Lost”?

…………………………………………

 

“If, through it all

You’ve nothing done that you can trace

That brought the sunshine to one face-

No act most small

That helped some soul and nothing cost –

Then count that day as worse than lost.”

 

 

Exercise 3 –  Quote words or phrases from the poem that express a tone of

1. regret – ……………………………………………………………

 

1. indecision – ………………………….……………………………………

 

1. hopefulness – ……………………………………………………………..

 

 

 

HOTS – Problem Solving/ Inferring

 

Problem Solving is a higher order thinking skill that is needed when a decision needs to be made.  It involves: ·         Identifying the problem ·         Considering the options ·         Weighing the pros and cons of each option ·         Reaching a decision

 

 

 

Here are a few silly inventions we don’t see every day. The inventors had a problem and came up with a unique solution.

Look at the photos and complete the charts below:

 

Picture One                                                                                        Picture Two

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture Three

Picture Four

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Complete the following chart:

Picture/Number	Problem  that needed to be solved	Solution

 

 

For each problem, give another possible solution of your own.

Problem	Solution 1

 

 

In the above exercise, we solved different kinds of problems by offering several different solutions and choosing the best final option for us, just as the inventors did in the pictures.  They had a problem and they created something which would solve it for them.

How can we use this skill in other areas of our lives?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

Exercise – Answer the following questions about the poem using the thinking skill of    Problem Solving.

1. At the beginning of the poem, the speaker is faced with a dilemma. What is it?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

2. How does he react to it?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

3. How does the speaker solve his dilemma?

………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

4. What factors does he consider?

……………………………………………………………………………………

Inferring means “reading between the lines” to understand information that is not explicitly stated.

 

When we “infer” we “read between the lines”. We read the text and assume new things that are not clearly said.  A person may TELL us something in words, but the words they do NOT say COULD be implying a different meaning.

1. Below is a sentence which can be understood in many ways. How can you understand the sentence (infer meaning) with each smiley (facial expression) after it?
2. Make up your own sentence, emoticon and inferences.

 

 

 

 

Sentence	Emoticon	I can infer that…….
I have to go now.
Make up your own sentence here…..	add smiley here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Frost himself referred to “The Road Not Taken” as being “tricky”.  Let’s read between the lines in order to understand his message better.

Exercise – Answer the following questions in order to get a better understanding of the poem?

1. “I shall be telling this with a sigh“
2. If the “sigh” is a “sigh of regret”, what is the traveler saying about the choice he made?

………………………………………………………………………………

 

1. If the “sigh” is a “sigh of relief”, what is the traveler saying about this choice?

……………………………………………………………………………….

 

1. Could the “sigh” be both a “sigh of relief” and a “sigh of regret” at the same time?

 

 

If so, what is Frost saying about “decision making”?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

2. “The Road Not Taken”

 

1. “The title of a piece of literature must be read before and after studying the piece.” Do you agree with this statement?

…………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…..

 

1. When we go back to the title after reading the poem, we can see that it too is ambiguous.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

III – Bridging Text and Context

Answer the following questions.  (Write 80 -100 words)

1. a) Read the short summary of Frost’s life. Use a search engine to find additional information.

Robert Frost (1874 – 1963) was born in California but grew up in Massachusetts, part of the region in northeastern USA known as New England.  After he finished school he took on all kinds of jobs  but he always knew he wanted to be a poet.  Although he spent two years at Harvard University, he left his studies and became a farmer to support his family.  Alongside his farming activities, he also wrote poetry and taught at several schools, colleges and universities throughout his career.  His poems reflect the sights and sounds of New England; its fields, farms and woods, the scenes of everyday life, the natural patterns of ordinary New England speech.  All of these elements make his poetry accessible, leading readers to understand the deeper truths behind seemingly simple ideas.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

 

1. Based on what you have discovered about his life, do you think he chose the path “less traveled by” or the path “more traveled by”? Explain.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

 

 

 

IV – Post Reading Activity

 

Answer ONE of the following:

 

1. We all have to face dilemmas, and make choices that will determine our future. Describe such a choice that you have had to make, or someone close to you had to make.  Describe  the situation and the options, describe what decision was made.  Explain why this choice was made.  Explain what the consequences are/were and how you/they feel about it today.

 

2. Are you a person who “goes with the flow” and chooses paths “more traveled by”, or are you a person who is not easily influenced by others and chooses paths “less traveled by”?

Describe and provide examples from your life.  Explain the advantages and the disadvantages of this behavior.

 

 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

 

 

 

V – Reflection

 

Look through all of the work you have done in this unit and answer the following questions.

 

1. Did you like the poem?  Give a number of reasons to support your answer.

 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……..

 

 

 

2. As part of this unit, you were taught a number of
3. What is the name of one of these HOTS?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

1. How did this HOTS help you understand the poem better?

 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..

 

 

3. Following is a list of the types of activities we did for this story. Put a checkmark beside each one that you have done.

Key Components	Done
a.       Pre-reading Activity
b.      Basic Understanding
c.       Analysis and Interpretation: i.      HOTS – Problem Solving, Inferring ii.      Literary Terms- Rhyme, rhyme scheme, alliteration, metaphor, symbols, tone, theme
d.      Bridging Text and Context
e.       Post-reading Activity
f.       Summative Assessment
g.       Reflection (this page)

 

Exercise 1 – What is the tone in the following excerpt from the short story “Mr. Know All”.

………………………………………..

“Do you like card tricks?”

“No, I hate card tricks,” I answered.

“Well, I’ll just show you this one.”

He showed me three.

 

 

 

 

 

HOTS – Problem Solving/ Inferring

 

Problem Solving is a higher order thinking skill that is needed when a decision needs to be made.  It involves: ·         Identifying the problem ·         Considering the options ·         Weighing the pros and cons of each option ·         Reaching a decision

 

 

 

Here are a few silly inventions we don’t see every day. The inventors had a problem and came up with a unique solution.

Look at the photos and complete the charts below:

 

 

Exercise – Answer the following questions about the poem using the thinking skill of    Problem Solving.

1. At the beginning of the poem, the speaker is faced with a dilemma. What is it?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

2. How does he react to it?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

3. How does the speaker solve his dilemma?

………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

4. What factors does he consider?

……………………………………………………………………………………

 

Sentence	Emoticon	I can infer that…….
I have to go now.
Make up your own sentence here…..	add smiley here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Frost himself referred to “The Road Not Taken” as being “tricky”.  Let’s read between the lines in order to understand his message better.

Exercise – Answer the following questions in order to get a better understanding of the poem?

1. “I shall be telling this with a sigh“
2. If the “sigh” is a “sigh of regret”, what is the traveler saying about the choice he made?

………………………………………………………………………………

III – Bridging Text and Context

Answer the following questions.  (Write 80 -100 words)

1. a) Read the short summary of Frost’s life. Use a search engine to find additional information.

Robert Frost (1874 – 1963) was born in California but grew up in Massachusetts, part of the region in northeastern USA known as New England.  After he finished school he took on all kinds of jobs  but he always knew he wanted to be a poet.  Although he spent two years at Harvard University, he left his studies and became a farmer to support his family.  Alongside his farming activities, he also wrote poetry and taught at several schools, colleges and universities throughout his career.  His poems reflect the sights and sounds of New England; its fields, farms and woods, the scenes of everyday life, the natural patterns of ordinary New England speech.  All of these elements make his poetry accessible, leading readers to understand the deeper truths behind seemingly simple ideas.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

IV – Post Reading Activity

Answer ONE of the following:

1. We all have to face dilemmas, and make choices that will determine our future. Describe such a choice that you have had to make, or someone close to you had to make.  Describe  the situation and the options, describe what decision was made.  Explain why this choice was made.  Explain what the consequences are/were and how you/they feel about it today

2. Are you a person who “goes with the flow” and chooses paths “more traveled by”, or are you a person who is not easily influenced by others and chooses paths “less traveled by”?

Describe and provide examples from your life.  Explain the advantages and the disadvantages of this behavior.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

IV – Post Reading Activity

Answer ONE of the following:

1. We all have to face dilemmas, and make choices that will determine our future. Describe such a choice that you have had to make, or someone close to you had to make.  Describe  the situation and the options, describe what decision was made.  Explain why this choice was made.  Explain what the consequences are/were and how you/they feel about it today

2. Are you a person who “goes with the flow” and chooses paths “more traveled by”, or are you a person who is not easily influenced by others and chooses paths “less traveled by”?

Describe and provide examples from your life.  Explain the advantages and the disadvantages of this behavior.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

 

2 As part of this unit, you were taught a number of

2. What is the name of one of these HOTS?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

1. How did this HOTS help you understand the poem better?

……………………………………………………………………………….

3. Following is a list of the types of activities we did for this story. Put a checkmark beside each one that you have done.

Key Components	Done
a.       Pre-reading Activity
b.      Basic Understanding
c.       Analysis and Interpretation: i.      HOTS – Problem Solving, Inferring ii.      Literary Terms- Rhyme, rhyme scheme, alliteration, metaphor, symbols, tone, theme
d.      Bridging Text and Context
e.       Post-reading Activity
f.       Summative Assessment
g.       Reflection (this page)