This document contains an agenda for a literature class that will discuss the poem "Casey at the Bat". The class will begin with recapping literary elements such as setting, mood, and tone. They will then provide historical background on the poem before reading and discussing it. The class will end by reminding students of assignments to complete, including a diagnostic test, benchmarks, and skills test required to pass the class. The essential unit question asks how poetry affects readers differently than other genres, which will be discussed at the end of the unit.

1. Narrative Stories
Essential Unit Question:
How does poetry affect a
reader differently than
any other genre?

2. AGENDA
 Welcome - Recap
 Literary Elements
 Historical Background
 Read and Discuss “Casey at the Bat”
 What to complete

3. Welcome to Marvelous
Monday
A mole can dig a tunnel 300 feet long
in just one night

4. Which sentence is appropriate in a
letter to a friend but not in a formal
report?
A. It's a really cool place because it's right on the
coast near the beach.
B. Brisbane is located about ten hours north of
Sydney, Australia.
C. Most Americans fly into Sydney and then take a
connection from Sydney to Brisbane.
D. Brisbane is a popular tourist destination because it
is located on the coast.

5. Which sentence is appropriate in a
letter to a friend but not in a formal
report?
A. It's a really cool place because it's right on the
coast near the beach.

6. Welcome New Students
Getting to your courses

7. Click Access Course

9. If you need help, stay after class for a
few minutes
OR
Contact:
Ms. Ragland at 5154
OR
Miss Shaffer at 2559
KMAIL works too!!

10. Types of
Narrative
 A narrative is a story with characters
and a definite plot line. A narrative has a
beginning, a middle and an end.
 There are two types of narrative – fiction
and non fiction

11. Fictional
Narrative
This includes novels, plays, poems, short stories
and mini sagas, films, TV, radio.
 In each instance the focus of the writing is what
the writer’s imagination has created.
 The presentation and the demands they make
on the writer may be different but the concept is
the same.

12. Non-Fictional
Narrative
 This includes personal narratives (Real life
stories about yourself or someone else),
bibliographies and autobiographies, as well as
feature stories in magazines and newspapers,
and travel articles.

13. Literary Elements
- recap
 Setting -The time and location in which the action
of a particular story or poem occurs.
 Mood - Describes the emotions or feelings
conveyed in literary works.
 Tone- The writer’s attitude toward the material
and/or readers.
 Alliteration - Refers to the use of the same or
similar sounds at the beginning of words.
“Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers”

14. Abner Doubleday is credited with inventing baseball in Cooperstown, New York
in1839.
Baseball (softball) is known as a “national pastime” Why do you think that is
has that name?
It is also a democratic game because _________________
In 1871 the first professional baseball league was born. By the beginning of
the 20th century, most large cities in the eastern U.S. had a pro baseball team
(National or American).
Who are some of the favorites that make this game a love of the nation?
______ Ruth, Jackie ________, Hank _______,
______ Cobb, Derek ________, _______Paige
Story Background

15. “Casey at the Bat”
 Poetry that has a plot and tells
a story.
 Narrative poems can be short
or long, and the story it relates
to may be simple or complex.
 The poems have a consistent
rhyme scheme and meter.
 There is often dialogue
included in narrative poetry.
 You read each narrative
poem as if it were a story.

16. Pre-reading Questions
 What is the setting at the start of “Casey at
the Bat?”
 How would you describe the main character?
 Is there a flaw in Casey’s character?
 What is the theme of this poem?

17. Stanza 1
The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to
play, And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows
did the same, A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of
the game..
Stanza 2
A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human
breast;
They thought, "If only Casey could but get a whack at that
--
We'd put up even money now, with Casey at the bat."

18. Part A: What is the poet’s purpose in the
FIRST stanza?
Part B: What words or phrases from the poem best
support your answer to Part A?

19. Stanza 3
But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a hoodoo, while the latter was a
cake; So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy
sat, For there seemed but little chance of Casey getting
to the bat.
Part A: Use context clues to determine the
meaning of melancholy.
Part B: What words from the poem best help you
determine the meaning of melancholy?

20. Stanza 4
But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despisèd, tore the cover off the
ball; And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what
had occurred, There was Jimmy safe at second and
Flynn a-hugging third.
Part A: Describe Flynn?
Part B: What words or phrase best support your
answer to Part A?

21. Stanza 5
Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell; It pounded on
the mountain and recoiled upon the flat, For Casey, mighty Casey,
was advancing to the bat.
Stanza 6
There was ease in Casey’s manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey’s bearing and a smile lit Casey’s face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat, No
stranger in the crowd could doubt ‘twas Casey at the bat.
Part A: What effect does Casey’s coming to bat have on the
audience?
Part B: What words from the poem best supports
the answer to Part A?

22. Stanza 7
Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands
with dirt; Five thousand tongues applauded when he
wiped them on his shirt; Then while the writhing pitcher
ground the ball into his hip, Defiance flashed in Casey’s
eye, a sneer curled Casey’s lip.
Part A: Describe Casey?
Part B: What words from the poem best supports
the answer to Part A?

23. Stanza 8
And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling
through the air, And Casey stood a-watching it in
haughty grandeur there. Close by the sturdy batsman
the ball unheeded sped— “That ain’t my style," said
Casey. “Strike one!” the umpire said.
Stanza 9
From the benches, black with people, there went up a
muffled roar, Like the beating of the storm-waves on a
stern and distant shore; “Kill him! Kill the umpire!”
shouted someone on the stand; And it’s likely they’d
have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

24. Stanza 10
With a smile of Christian charity great Casey’s visage
shone; He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go
on; He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the dun
sphere flew; But Casey still ignored it and the umpire
said, “Strike two!”
Part A: How is the description of Casey in stanza 8
DIFFERENT from his description in stanza 10?
Part B: What words from the poem best supports
the answer to Part A?

25. Stanza 11
“Fraud!” cried the maddened thousands, and echo
answered “Fraud!” But one scornful look from Casey and
the audience was awed. They saw his face grow stern
and cold, they saw his muscles strain, And they knew
that Casey wouldn’t let that ball go by again.
Stanza 12
The sneer is gone from Casey’s lip, his teeth are
clenched in hate, He pounds with cruel violence his bat
upon the plate; And now the pitcher holds the ball, and
now he lets it go, And now the air is shattered by the
force of Casey’s blow.

26. Stanza 13
Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining
bright, The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere
hearts are light; And somewhere men are laughing, and
somewhere children shout, But there is no joy in
Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.
What is the theme from this poem?

27. Essential Unit Question:
How does poetry affect a
reader differently than any
other genre?
End of unit discussion

28. If you came to class OR
watched the recording No
Online Lesson for “Casey at
the Bat”
Tomorrow – “The Scarlet Ibis”
Complete your Diagnostic (you
can’t pass this class without it,
the Benchmarks and the Skills
Test)