Poetry Power
Who wrote “Nothing Gold Can Stay”?
Robert Frost
What region of the U.S. do the Lakota Sioux come from?
The Great Plains (mainly South Dakota)
Who is the narrator of the story?
Martin
What is a “rhyme scheme”?
The pattern of rhyming words at the ends of lines in a poem
If you could have any superpower for a day, what would it be?
(Open-ended; each student answers)
What does “Nothing Gold Can Stay” suggest about life or beauty?
That beautiful or special moments are temporary.
What are the three main groups of the Sioux Nation?
Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota
Who visits Martin’s family unexpectedly?
His grandfather
What is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem called?
Meter
Would you rather write a poem about your favorite food or your least favorite subject in school?
open
In poetry, what is a line of verse that follows a repeating beat or pattern called?
Meter
What does the medicine bag symbolize in Lakota culture?
Heritage, identity, and spiritual protection
Why does the grandfather give Martin the medicine bag?
To pass on family tradition before he dies
What do rhyme and rhythm help do in poetry?
Create musicality, mood, and meaning
What’s one song lyric you know by heart?
open
What season does the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” describe?
Spring turning into summer (symbolizing change and impermanence)
Name one item that might be kept inside a medicine bag.
A small stone, feather, piece of sage, or other sacred object
What lesson does Martin learn by the end?
To appreciate and respect his heritage
What is the meter of “Nothing Gold Can Stay”?
Mostly iambic trimeter
Name a tradition in your family that’s important to you.
(Connects to The Medicine Bag)
What kind of rhyme scheme does “Nothing Gold Can Stay” have?
AABBCCDD
What values are central to Lakota tradition that appear in the story?
Respect, family, connection to ancestors, and spiritual meaning
What item does Martin add to the medicine bag at the end?
A piece of sacred sage from the reservation
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream” is an example of what meter?
Trochaic (stressed-unstressed pattern)
If you could talk to any author or poet, who would it be and why?
(Open-ended; links to literary inspiration)