In this lesson, students will work together to create original poetry on the theme of "Imagine," inspired by John Lennon's seminal classic.

Subjects:
Language Arts, Social Studies, Visual Arts, Music.

Grade Levels:
Variations of the Imagine Poetry Lesson have been created for all grades, K through 12, and are outlined specifically under "Procedures."

Rationale:
Though often considered daunting to the classroom teacher, poetry writing can immensely successful and rewarding classroom activity. This lesson will simplify and demystify the poetry writing process for classroom instruction. Poetry writing provides students with a unique outlet to express their feelings, and can serve as a comfortable bridge for students into the writing process. During the process of constructing the Imagine Poems, students will explore the boundaries of their own creative potential, learn to share these ideas with others through both written and spoken means, and will become introduced to John Lennon, one of the most significant writers and performers of the twentieth century.

Objectives:
Over the course of this lesson the students will:

1) Explore the possibilities of their own imaginations, and learn to view their own creative ideas as material for writing.
2) Work in small groups to share the products of their own "imaginations."
3) Learn, through discussion and music listening, about the work of John Lennon.
4) Write their own poems concerning the theme of "Imagine."
5) Learn to combine their written words with artistic drawings.

Materials:
The students will need basic art supplies (markers, drawing paper, etc.) For grades K-2, teachers should be equipped with large bulletin board or butcher paper. The classroom should also be equipped with a music-playing device.

Procedures:
For the specific procedures of the lesson, please read under the intended grade levels.

Kindergarten- Second Grade.

1) Have students gather around the board, and a large sheet of bulletin board/ butcher paper.
2) Ask the students to close their eyes. (Giggling should subside in thirty seconds or so.) Ask the students to picture themselves in an imaginary place. While their eyes are still closed, ask them to think about certain questions -- What does the place look like? What are you doing there? Who is there with you? Is there anything you can do there that you can't do in the real world?
3) After several minutes, ask the students to share what they imagined with the class. Write down key words, i.e. "flying," "sky made of chocolate," etc. on the chalkboard. Be sure to write the students name next to the key word (this is important later in the poetry construction, as well as to provide students with the pride of authorship, encouraging others to participate).
4) Inform the students that today is a very special day because the whole class is going to make a poem together.
The poem structure is very simple. It need not rhyme, or follow in any overtly apparent way from line to line. There is only one simple rule: each line of the poem must begin with the word "Imagine…"
5) Lead the class through the key words written on the board. For each one, ask volunteers to offer a line in the class poem. For example, the key word "flying," might inspire the suggestion, "Imagine that you could fly to the moon," etc. Write each line on the large sheet of bulletin board/ butcher paper.
6) Once you have gone through the key words, read the poem to the students, and then have the class read the poem together. (A fun addition is to erase the names beside each key word and see if class members can remember which lines belong to whom!)
7) Once you have created the class poem, ask the students to draw a picture depicting their own contribution. Once pictures are completed, use them to decorate the outside of the large written poem.
8) Display in your classroom, or better yet, in a public space in your school such as the cafeteria or hallway, and revisit throughout the year!


Third Grade- Sixth Grade

1) Have students close their eyes (again, wait out the giggles). Ask them to picture themselves in an imaginary place. Inform them that they should keep good mental notes of what the place looks like, how it differs from "the real world," etc. in order to report back on this place to their classmates.
2) Have class break up into groups of 4-5 students. In each group, the students will take turns leading the others through an imaginary journey. Students will take turns having others close their eyes, as they lead them to picture their own imaginary worlds. (About 20 min.)
3) Return to the whole class setting. Have students report back to the class about what they imagined. How was it similar to their classmates? How did it differ? What common themes were covered?
4) Introduce the work of John Lennon. Link him to the lesson by explaining that he was someone who used imagination in his songs, and even wrote a song called "Imagine," where he asks the listeners to imagine a better world.
5) Play John Lennon's "Imagine" on cd or tape recorder, and provide students with the lyrics. Have students first read along with the song silently, then sing along with recording. (A note on singing: We have found that students vary greatly in their willingness to sing in the classroom. You know your students better than anyone, so you decide whether it will work well in your classroom. We do, however, strongly encourage you to try!)
6) Discuss the song. Ask some probing questions. What would the world be like if there were no possessions? What if there were no countries? No wars? No violence? Can we imagine such a world?
7) Have students take out a piece of paper and write their own "Imagine Poem." The "rules" for this poem are simple. It need not rhyme, or even "make sense" in any conventional sense. The only requirement is that each line begins with the word "Imagine.." (A note on poetry writing: Pending on the age group, location, etc., students (particularly boys) might stigmatize the idea of writing a poem. Be creative here. This can just as easily work as a rap, a song lyric, etc. Again, you know your students, so choose the best way to encourage their participation.)
8) When poems are completed, or after a set amount of time (we suggest 20- 25 minutes), have students come together as a class and share their poems.
9) Read over the student poems, correcting any glaring errors in grammar, spelling, etc. Have students revise poems for presentation.
10) Ask students to draw a picture to accompany their poem. Display these poems together with pictures in the classroom, or better yet, some public place in the school community.

Seventh Grade - Twelfth Grade:

The Imagine Mural

For grades 7-12, we suggest beginning the lesson at step 4 above, and follow through to step 10. With this older group, we encourage the classroom teacher to lead the students on a journey beyond the walls of their classroom to create an enduring work of public art in their community.

The "Imagine" Lesson will culminate in a nationwide public arts initiative, where students of all ages and cultural backgrounds will create lasting testaments to Lennon's creative social vision - the Imagine Murals. Drawing from the students' own creative writings, school groups will work with community leaders and arts organizations to construct public murals of diverse mediums and styles on the theme of "Imagine." The Rock & Roll Library will provide guidance in mural construction, as well as provide a network for teachers to contact participating arts organizations in their area.

Rationale:

The experiences gained through mural construction -- the processes of discussion, planning, and collective creativity -- provide a unique and lasting learning opportunity for students. Mural projects teach many skills at the same time, including social, creative, and technical. Mural projects teach responsibility to their peers, to the project, and to the public. In the process of constructing a mural, the student, perhaps for the first time, will play an integral role in transforming his or her own environment.

Aesthetically, mural painting or mosaic construction teaches students to understand color, line, and form. Students learn how to handle brushes, paints, and other artistic materials. Students must also make collective decisions in the areas of selection, revision, evaluation, color, and composition. They will learn to "look outward" as well, as they consider the how their expression of a particular idea will affect those who will view the mural.

Most of all, the mural process will bring great pride to the classroom, while providing an outlet for students to express their dreams for a better world.

Procedures:
1) Select the poem which will serve as the theme for the Imagine mural.
-There are many ways to go about choosing the text to base the class mural. We suggest one of the following:

-choose individual lines from different poems, combining them into a whole class poem.

-have students conduct a secret ballot vote for their favorite poem.

-combine elements of class poems with Lennon's "Imagine."

2) Introduce your students to mural painting.

-show them slides of murals, books on murals (see bibliography), websites on murals (see mural links), and other available visual resources.

-Take them to see murals in your school area.

-Invite a mural painter to talk to your class.

3) Work with the students to develop a sketch for the theme "Imagine."

-We suggest that you make a concerted effort to include the drawings of students who did not make poetic contributions. As for the logistics of sketch selection, we offer the following suggestions:

-select drawings with images that can be combined in a final sketch.

-select one drawing that has a basic design into which other ideas can be incorporated, and that has a style that will be easy for everyone to paint.

-conduct a secret ballot vote for the class sketch.

-keep the basic design simple and clear enough for others not connected to the project to understand.


4) Once sketch is selected, the class should decide on individual responsibilities for each student.
-provide each student with the opportunity to participate fully. Each member of the class should feel proud of the final product.

-be sure each student knows and understands what to do before work actually starts.

The Rock & Roll Library will soon post specific directions on the mechanics of mural painting, including mural styles, details of construction, and specifics on wall selection, preparation, decoration, and documentation. The Rock & Roll Library is also proud to announce that copies of Mark Rogovin's seminal classic, Mural Manual, will be made available for download.

The Rock & Roll Library will facilitate mural dedications taking place simultaneously across the country, beginning on December 8, 2000, the twentieth anniversary of John Lennon's untimely death. Mural dedications will be promoted, publicized, and extensively covered on the Rock & Roll Library website.

Follow Up:
Finished murals and designs will be posted in the Rock & Roll Library's Student Gallery. Students will have the opportunity to present their work online to a global audience, and view the creative endeavors of their peers. In this way, the young participants of the Imagine Project will see their work as a vital link in a creative chain - and understand that their contribution represents a meaningful participation in a larger social movement - a collective call for world peace.