Ask: Based on what you saw in the movie trailer and the poem’s opening lines, when do you think Play or project Allen Ginsberg reading his poem.ĭiscuss student observations of the opening of the poem, including their understanding of the famous first line. So, what is it? If not, what do you think it might refer to?ĭistribute or project the full text of “Howl” and read the first few lines of Part I aloud. What a film based on a poem might be like? What do you learn about Allen Ginsberg’s poem “Howl” from this short clip? What gets your attention? What do you want know more about? What in theĬlip seems relevant to today? Why? Have you heard of the Beat Generation or the Beat poets before? If Then play the trailer for the film “Howl.”ĭiscuss the following: Based on this trailer, what are your impressions of the poem, “Howl,” and the poet, Allen Ginsberg (played by James Franco)? Did the trailer reinforce or challenge your ideas about Warm-up | Ask students to write briefly about what they expect from a film based on a poem. This lesson can be easily adapted to explore any poem or poet. It may not be appropriate for all classes. Though it prevailed in obscenity trials and has long been considered by many to be part of the canon, Note to Teachers | “Howl” was banned after its publication in 1956 for obscene content.

Materials | Full-text copies of Allen Ginsberg’s poem “Howl,” computer with Internet access and projectionĮquipment, video cameras and film editing software.

Overview | How can poetry both reflect and transcend the era in which it is written? How can looking at a poem from multiple perspectives illuminate its meaning? In this lesson, students consider aįilm about Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl,” study the poem and express their ideas about poetry, their generation and life in writing and on film. Teaching ideas based on New York Times content.

Howl and another poem