Sequence of activities:

Play and discuss song (10 minutes)

Play Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good” for the class. This link has a version with the lyrics.

As students listen to the song, ask them to write down at least three ways Simone uses nature (animals and plants) to show how she “feels good.” A few examples to consider are:

Birds flyin’ high
Breeze driftin’ by
River runnin’ free
Blossom on the tree
Stars when you shine
Scent of the pine

All these phrases show, or are examples of, how Simone illustrates what “feeling good” means to her.

Read the “Feelings List” and divide into groups (5 minutes)

Pass out the “Feelings List” handout (see .pdf of lesson plan, attached). Read the list, or selections from it, “popcorn” style. Depending on the size of the class, divide into groups of 2-5 people, or see if the students already have groups they are comfortable working in.

Table worksheet group work (5 minutes)

Pass out the table worksheet (see .pdf of lesson plan, attached). I have included examples in the first vertical column, but these can be erased. The class can then complete the first vertical column of the table to come up with “feelings.”

Circulate as groups of students work to fill in the chart. Encourage collaboration but also make it clear that not everyone has to have the same chart. The more ideas the better!

Each group presents their work (20 minutes)

If possible, as the groups contribute their ideas, type some of the responses into a laptop attached to a Promethean board, or write the phrases on the board, so students can start to see the poem take shape.

Collect the tables and later, cull the responses to create the group poems.