Lesson Plan: Courage

Subject: English Literature
Class: 7th Grade
Duration: 45 minutes
Topic: Poetry - "Courage" by Edgar Albert Guest (Unit 2, Term III)

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the teacher aims to help students:

Understand the true meaning of courage as a consistent character trait rather than momentary bravery
Analyze poetic structure, including stanza organization, repetition, and contrast
Identify and interpret metaphors and imagery used to define courage
Recognize the difference between superficial displays and genuine inner strength
Develop appreciation for inspirational poetry and its life lessons
Build vocabulary related to character traits, time, and perseverance
Learn about Edgar Albert Guest and his role as the "People's Poet"
Understand how poets use negative definitions (what courage isn't) to clarify positive meaning

2. Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

Show consistent courage in their daily challenges, not just in dramatic moments
Persist in their goals even when progress seems slow or difficult
Develop inner strength that remains steady through both good and bad times
Work patiently toward long-term goals rather than seeking instant results
Face ordinary challenges with the same bravery as extraordinary ones
Build courage as a habit through regular practice in small situations
Support others quietly without seeking recognition or praise
Maintain their values consistently, not just when others are watching

3. Introduction (5 minutes)

Engaging Questions:

"What comes to your mind when you hear the word 'courage'? Can you give an example of a courageous act?"
"Do you think courage is something you're born with, or can you develop it over time?"
"Which do you think requires more courage: saving someone in an emergency, or studying hard every day for a year? Why?"
"Have you ever done something brave that nobody else saw or noticed? How did it make you feel?"
"Is a person who is never afraid more courageous than someone who is scared but does the right thing anyway?"

4. Reading and Understanding (8 minutes)

New Vocabulary with Meanings:

Word	Meaning	Example Usage
Brilliant dash	A quick, showy, impressive action	Courage isn't a brilliant dash
Daring deed	A bold or brave action	Not just a daring deed in a moment
Instantaneous	Happening or done immediately	It isn't an instantaneous thing
Despair	Complete loss of hope	Not born of despair with sudden spring
Flickered	Shone unsteadily; wavered	Not a creature of flickered hope
Resort	A final option when all else fails	Courage isn't the last resort
Apt	Likely to do something	When he's apt to fall
Strain	Pressure; stress; difficulty	When the strain is great
Strive	Make great effort to achieve something	Who would strive for a distant goal
Dazzling	Extremely bright or impressive	Not a dazzling light
Unwavering	Steady; not changing or becoming weaker	A slow, unwavering trait
Ingrained	Firmly established and hard to change	An ingrained trait
Trait	A distinguishing quality or characteristic	Part of a person's character
Freed	Released or liberated from	Never freed of it
Creed	A system of beliefs; guiding principles	A strong man's creed

5. Mind Map

                    COURAGE
                  by Edgar Guest
                       |
        ┌──────────────┼──────────────┐
        │              │              │
   WHAT COURAGE     WHAT COURAGE   TRUE NATURE
      ISN'T            REALLY IS    OF COURAGE
        │              │              │
    ┌───┴───┐      ┌───┴───┐      ┌───┴───┐
    │       │      │       │      │       │
  NOT     NOT     DEEP    ALWAYS  PART OF WRITTEN IN
  instant dramatic in soul working DAILY   victory &
    │       │      │       │      LIFE    defeat
    │       │      │       │      │       │
NOT a    NOT      Serves  Present │    Every
brilliant last    some    when    │    trial
dash     resort  plan    needed   │       │
    │       │      │       │      │       │
NOT a    NOT      Slow    With you Always Hours,
daring   thing   unwaver- in blue there  days,
deed in  you can ing     skies   │      years
moment   call     │       │      │       │
flash    later   Patient With you Never  Back of
    │       │    to work at work designed smiles
    │       │      │       │    for show │
NOT      Must     Strength Never    │    Behind
instant- have it  to wait freed     │    tears
aneous   NOW       │       │      │       │
    │       │      │       │    Can't   │
    │       │    Ingrained Never  come &  │
Born of  If not   trait  "freed   go     │
despair  now,      │    of it"    │       │
    │    won't     │       │      │       │
    │    have it   │       │      │       │
NOT      later    Part   Has it  Written Breath
creature  │      of man  when no  in all of life
of       │        │      need    moments  │
flickered │       │       │      │       │
hope     Great   │       │      │     Strong
    │    strain   │       │      │     man's
    │    & hot    │       │      │     creed
NOT      pace     │       │      │
final     │       │       │      │
tug at   Distant │       │      │
slipping goal    │       │      │
rope     needs    │       │      │
         courage  │       │      │
         in soul  │       │      │

         POETIC STRUCTURE
         ┌────────────────┐
         │ 4 Stanzas      │
         │ 8 lines each   │
         │ Rhyme: AABBCCDD│
         │ Repetition:    │
         │ "Courage isn't"│
         │ Contrast method│
         │ Metaphors used │
         └────────────────┘

6. Consolidation and Presentation (8 minutes)

Summary of the Lesson:

"Courage" by Edgar Albert Guest is a profound philosophical poem that redefines courage from popular misconceptions to its true essence as a consistent character trait. Written by the "People's Poet," known for making complex ideas accessible through simple language, this poem uses a unique teaching method: defining courage by repeatedly stating what it is NOT before revealing what it truly IS.

Stanza 1 - What Courage Isn't (Misconceptions): The poem opens by dismantling common misconceptions about courage:

NOT "a brilliant dash" - not a quick, showy action
NOT "A daring deed in a moment's flash" - not sudden heroism
NOT "an instantaneous thing / Born of despair with a sudden spring" - not a desperate last-minute reaction
NOT "a creature of flickered hope" - not wavering or unsteady
NOT "the final tug at a slipping rope" - not a last-ditch effort when all seems lost

Instead, Guest reveals the truth: courage is "something deep in the soul of man / That is working always to serve some plan." This introduces courage as:

Internal, not external
Constant, not occasional
Purposeful, not random
Deeply rooted, not superficial

Stanza 2 - Courage Must Be Present NOW: This stanza emphasizes the crucial timing of courage:

"Courage isn't the last resort" - not something saved for emergencies
"It isn't a thing that a man can call / At some future time when he's apt to fall" - you can't suddenly summon courage if you haven't developed it

The critical message: "If he hasn't it now, he will have it not / When the strain is great and the pace is hot." This means courage must be cultivated during calm times to be available during crises. You cannot develop courage IN the moment of crisis—it must already exist within you.

The stanza concludes: "For who would strive for a distant goal / Must always have courage within his soul." Anyone pursuing long-term goals needs courage as a constant companion, not an occasional visitor. This applies to students studying for future success, athletes training for distant competitions, or anyone working toward dreams.

Stanza 3 - The True Nature of Courage: This pivotal stanza shifts from negatives to positives, defining what courage actually IS:

NOT "a dazzling light / That flashes and passes away from sight" - not spectacular but temporary
INSTEAD: "It's a slow, unwavering, ingrained trait" - steady, unchanging, deeply embedded

The beautiful description continues:

"With the patience to work" - courage includes persistence
"and the strength to wait" - courage includes endurance

Most importantly: courage is present in ALL circumstances:

"It's part of a man when his skies are blue" - during good times
"It's part of him when he has work to do" - during ordinary times
"The brave man never is freed of it" - it's permanent, not temporary
"He has it when there is no need of it" - it exists even when not being tested

This profound insight reveals that true courage is not situation-dependent but character-dependent.

Stanza 4 - Courage Is Written in Everything: The final stanza synthesizes all previous ideas:

"Courage was never designed for show" - not for performance or recognition
"It isn't a thing that can come and go" - it's permanent, not temporary

Then comes the powerful accumulation:

"It's written in victory and defeat" - present in success AND failure
"And every trial a man may meet" - present in all challenges
"It's part of his hours, his days and his years" - woven into all time
"Back of his smiles" - behind happiness
"and behind his tears" - behind sadness

The poem concludes with two magnificent lines that capture courage's essence:

"Courage is more than a daring deed" - synthesizing all the "isn't" statements
"It's the breath of life and a strong man's creed" - courage is as essential as breathing, and it's a fundamental belief system, not just actions

Poetic Techniques:

Structure: Four eight-line stanzas with consistent AABBCCDD rhyme scheme
Repetition: "Courage isn't" and "It isn't" emphasize what courage is NOT
Contrast: Juxtaposing false ideas against true understanding
Metaphors: "breath of life," "dazzling light," "ingrained trait"
Accumulation: Building intensity through listing (hours, days, years / smiles, tears)
Accessibility: Simple language makes profound philosophy understandable

The Lesson: Guest teaches that courage is not dramatic heroism but quiet persistence; not occasional bravery but consistent character; not shown for others but lived for oneself. It's the daily choice to keep going, keep trying, keep believing—whether anyone notices or not.

7. Reinforcement (5 minutes)

Additional Information:

About Edgar Albert Guest (1881-1959): British-born American poet who immigrated to Detroit at age 10; wrote over 11,000 poems; known as the "People's Poet" because he wrote about everyday life, values, and challenges in accessible language
Historical Context: Guest's inspirational poetry was especially popular during difficult times (Depression, World Wars) when people needed encouragement
Philosophy: The poem reflects Stoic philosophy—courage as an inner virtue independent of external circumstances
Character vs. Action: The poem distinguishes between courageous CHARACTER (steady trait) and courageous ACTS (occasional deeds)
Growth Mindset: Implies courage can be developed through consistent practice, not just innate
Modern Relevance: Applies to students facing academic challenges, peer pressure, personal goals—courage in ordinary life, not just emergencies
Cultural Impact: This definition of courage influenced how courage is taught in schools and character education programs
Practical Application: The poem suggests building courage through daily small challenges prepares us for larger future challenges

8. Evaluation

a) Lower Order Thinking Question (Knowledge/Comprehension)

Question: "According to the poem, list three things that courage is NOT, and then state what the poet says courage truly IS."

Expected Answer: Three things courage is NOT:

A brilliant dash or daring deed in a moment's flash (not sudden or instantaneous)
The last resort or something you can call at a future time (not occasional)
A dazzling light that flashes and passes away (not temporary or showy)

What courage truly IS: Courage is "something deep in the soul of man that is working always to serve some plan." It's "a slow, unwavering, ingrained trait with the patience to work and the strength to wait." It's present in all circumstances (blue skies, work, victory, defeat) and is "the breath of life and a strong man's creed."

b) Middle Order Thinking Question (Application/Analysis)

Question: "Analyze the line 'If he hasn't it now, he will have it not / When the strain is great and the pace is hot.' What does this mean, and how can students apply this to their studies or sports practice?"

Expected Answer: This line means that courage cannot be suddenly summoned during a crisis if it hasn't been developed beforehand. When pressure is high ("strain is great") and things are moving fast ("pace is hot"), you can only draw upon courage that already exists within you. You cannot manufacture courage in the moment of need—it must be cultivated in advance.

Application to studies: Students can't suddenly develop discipline and persistence during final exams if they haven't practiced these throughout the year. The courage to study difficult subjects, complete homework consistently, and ask for help when confused must be built during regular school days, not just before tests. Daily practice of these small acts of courage prepares students for the pressure of exams.

Application to sports: Athletes can't suddenly find the courage to perform under championship pressure if they haven't developed mental toughness during regular practice. The courage to push through fatigue, practice skills repeatedly, and maintain focus must be built during training. Game-day courage is simply the manifestation of practice-day courage.

Life lesson: Build courage as a daily habit in small situations so it's available in big situations.

c) Higher Order Thinking Question (Synthesis/Evaluation)

Question: "Evaluate Guest's definition of courage compared to how courage is typically portrayed in movies and stories (superhero moments, dramatic rescues, battlefield heroism). Which definition is more useful for students in their daily lives? Create a personal 'courage development plan' based on the poem's message."

Expected Answer:

Comparison of definitions:

Movie/Story Courage:

Dramatic, visible, spectacular
Happens in extreme situations
Often involves physical danger
Recognized and praised by others
Occurs in rare, extraordinary moments
Makes good entertainment

Guest's Definition:

Quiet, internal, steady
Present in ordinary daily life
Involves mental/emotional strength
May never be noticed by others
Constant throughout all moments
Makes good character

Which is more useful for students?

Guest's definition is far more useful because:

Students rarely face life-or-death situations requiring dramatic heroism
Students face DAILY challenges requiring persistent courage: difficult homework, peer pressure, standing up for beliefs, trying again after failure, practicing when tired
Movie courage cannot be practiced regularly, but Guest's courage can be built through daily choices
Guest's courage prepares you for ALL of life, not just rare emergencies
Guest's definition is achievable for everyone, not just "special" people

Personal Courage Development Plan:

Daily Courage Practice (Small situations build the trait):

Academic Courage: Attempt difficult problems even when confused; ask questions even when nervous; admit mistakes and learn from them
Social Courage: Stand up for classmates being bullied; say no to peer pressure; befriend someone sitting alone
Personal Courage: Wake up on time even when tired; complete chores without being reminded; practice skills even when progress seems slow
Moral Courage: Tell the truth even when lying would be easier; admit when I don't know something; apologize when I'm wrong

Weekly Review: Every Sunday, journal about situations where I showed courage this week—even small ones

Monthly Challenge: Each month, identify one fear or difficulty and face it consistently (speaking in class, learning a new skill, having a difficult conversation)

Remember Guest's Message:

Courage is built NOW for future challenges
Courage exists in ordinary moments, not just dramatic ones
Courage is who I AM, not just what I DO
Small daily acts of courage build the "ingrained trait"

This plan recognizes that I'm not building courage FOR a specific crisis but building courage AS my character—which will be there whenever needed.

9. Remedial Teaching

Strategy for Slow Learners:

Two-Column Chart Method:
- Left column: "Courage Is NOT" (list all the negatives from poem)
- Right column: "Courage IS" (list all the positives)
- Visual comparison makes the contrast clear
Daily Life Examples:
- NOT courageous: Doing homework only the night before exam
- IS courageous: Doing homework every day even when you'd rather play
- NOT courageous: Being nice only when teacher is watching
- IS courageous: Being kind consistently even when nobody notices
Stanza-by-Stanza Approach:
- Read one stanza
- Ask: "What is this stanza telling us?"
- Summarize in one simple sentence
- Move to next stanza
Key Line Focus: Memorize and discuss these essential lines:
- "something deep in the soul of man"
- "If he hasn't it now, he will have it not"
- "a slow, unwavering, ingrained trait"
- "It's the breath of life"
Picture Associations:
- Flash of light = temporary (NOT courage)
- Strong tree with deep roots = steady (IS courage)
- Fireworks = showy (NOT courage)
- Steady heartbeat = constant (IS courage)
Personal Story Sharing: Teacher shares a time they showed quiet daily courage (studying for difficult exam, learning new skill through persistence)
Fill-in-the-Blanks: Provide poem with key words missing; students fill in to reinforce vocabulary
Rhyme Recognition: Have students find and highlight rhyming words to understand poem structure
Acting Out Scenarios:
- Scene 1: Student shows off (temporary bravery)
- Scene 2: Student works quietly every day (real courage)
Simple Summary: "Courage is not doing one big brave thing. Courage is being brave every single day in small ways."

10. Writing Activity (8 minutes)

Writing Task: "Write a personal reflection (150-180 words) titled 'My Daily Courage' describing how you can apply the poem's definition of courage to your own life. Include:

One situation where you previously thought you needed to be dramatically brave
How you now understand courage as a daily practice
Three specific ways you will show 'slow, unwavering' courage this week
One long-term goal that will require persistent courage
How you will remind yourself that courage is 'something deep in the soul'"

Guidelines:

Write in first person ("I," "my")
Use at least 3 vocabulary words from the poem
Give specific, realistic examples from your life
Show understanding that courage is a trait, not just actions
End with a personal commitment or resolution

Example Opening: "I used to think courage meant doing something big and dramatic like saving someone from danger. But Edgar Guest's poem taught me that courage is really about..."

11. Follow-up Activities

Homework Assignment:

Courage Journal: For one week, write daily entries (3-4 sentences each) about small acts of courage you performed or witnessed. At week's end, write a paragraph reflecting on how these small acts build the "ingrained trait" of courage.

Additional Activities:

Quote Analysis: Choose one couplet (two rhyming lines) from the poem that resonates with you. Write a paragraph explaining why it's meaningful and how it applies to your life.
Contrast Poem: Write your own 8-line poem using Guest's contrast method. Choose another virtue (kindness, honesty, patience) and define it by first saying what it ISN'T, then what it IS.
Interview Project: Interview three people (family, teachers, neighbors) about a time they showed quiet, daily courage. Write a summary comparing their stories to Guest's definition.

Extended Learning:

Edgar Guest Research: Research Edgar Guest's life and find two other poems by him. Write a paragraph about his writing style and themes.
Courage Case Studies: Find three real-life examples of people who showed Guest's type of courage (persistent, daily, quiet) rather than dramatic one-time heroism. Present your findings to class.
Visual Representation: Create a poster, drawing, or collage that visually represents the difference between "courage as a brilliant dash" and "courage as an ingrained trait."
Comparison Essay: Write an essay (200 words) comparing Guest's definition of courage with how courage is portrayed in a movie, book, or story you know.
Memorization Challenge: Memorize one complete stanza of the poem and recite it with proper expression and emphasis.
Application Scenarios: Write five different scenarios from student life and for each, explain how Guest's type of courage would be shown (e.g., "Your friend is being teased. Guest's courage would mean...")

Assessment Criteria:

Understanding of the poem's central message (25%)
Ability to distinguish between misconceptions and truth about courage (20%)
Vocabulary comprehension and usage (20%)
Personal application and reflection (20%)
Recognition of poetic techniques and structure (15%)

Resources Needed:

Chart paper for two-column comparisons
Pictures illustrating temporary vs. permanent things
Biography information about Edgar Guest
Examples of inspirational poetry
Student journals for daily courage tracking
Poster-making materials for visual projects

Cross-Curricular Connections:

Values Education: Character development, perseverance, integrity
Psychology: Growth mindset, resilience, habit formation
History: Studying figures who showed persistent courage
Physical Education: Building mental toughness in sports
Life Skills: Goal-setting, delayed gratification, consistent effort
Philosophy: Stoicism, virtue ethics, character vs. reputation
Social Studies: Quiet heroes in history who showed daily courage

Extension for Advanced Learners:

Compare Guest's philosophy with other philosophical texts about courage (Aristotle, Marcus Aurelius)
Analyze how this definition of courage relates to modern concepts like "grit" (Angela Duckworth)
Write a research paper on how courage is portrayed differently in different cultures
Create a documentary-style presentation about "everyday heroes" who embody Guest's definition
Develop a school program to recognize and celebrate quiet, daily courage among students

Saturday, January 17, 2026

Lesson plan: Class 7: Term III - Unit 2- Poem - Courage