Poetry Unit

Author: Shelby McCann

School: Newhalen School 3
rd
, 4
th &
5th grade
Grade Level 3
rd
, 4
th
& 5th
Duration Students will spend up to on hour, four days a week, for
two weeks, working on a series of poems to be put
together as a final poetry journal booklet.
Subject Area(s) Reading and Writing
LPSD Standards-Based-
System-Booklet
(unique to rural Alaska
teaching)
Lake and Peninsula School District Standards:

RE 04.01 The student uses strategies to decode or
comprehend meaning of words in text.
05.02- Self-monitoring and self correcting while
reading (e.g. sounding words out, adjusting reading pace,
rereading difficult or relevant material)

RE 04.03 The student reads text aloud.
01.02-Reading orally with rhythm, flow, and
expression showing understanding of punctuation and
other conventions of print

RE 04.07 The student analyzes content and structure
of genres
03.02- Identifying use of literary elements and devices
(i.e dialogue, rhyme, alliteration, or simile)

WR 04.04 Word Choice
03.02 Choose expressive words and phrases to convey
events and experience precisely.

05.02 Improves word choice by looking up definitions
of words in dictionaries, and finding synonyms for
common words in thesaurus.

WR 04.07 Process, Portfolio, Publication
01.02 With guidance and support from peers and adults,
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and
editing.

07.02 Give and receive appropriate feedback and use
established criteria to review own and others written
work. (e.g., peer conferences, checklists, scoring guides,
or rubrics.



Content Objectives/
Learning Targets
- I can read poems and discuss the possibilities of
meaning in the poems.
- I can write various types of poems, such as a
haiku, acrostic and five senses poem.
- I can use descriptive words and vivid verbs.
- I can use the poem I write and speak fluently when
reading my work.
- I know how to use a thesaurus.
- I know the importance of speaking clearly and
articulately for my audience.

Primary Sources http://rightdownthemiddleblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.kathimitchell.com/poemtypes.html

http://teacherspayteachers.com

Preparation
What does one need to do
prior to instruction?
1. Prior to instruction, a packed was created and
printed for the students to see examples and
provide information on writing poems as well as a
checklist of their requirements.
2. Examples were created for the process of writing a
poem as well as a final poem and illustration
example was provided for the kids to view.

Hook/Formative
assessment
The hook for this lesson plan will begin with playing a
game of what am I?
1. I am a piece of writing that is often short, but
sometimes can be long. I have very descriptive words and
vivid verbs. I make people happy, sad and sometimes mad
when they read me. I sometimes do not have capital letters
at the beginning of my sentences and periods at the end. I
can make no sense at all and confuse people when they
read me, and sometimes I rhyme. What am I?

After the students have been given the opportunity to
think and explore my questions I reveal the mysterious
writing topic if they do not guess it. Next we discuss what
we already know about poetry, why it could be important,
as well as what we would like to know more about?
1. What is a poem?
2. What is the purpose of a poem?
3. What kind of information would you in a poem?
4. Where have you ever seen a poem or read one?


Instruction
Description of the
pedagogy, strategies,
The first part of this lesson I will walk the students
through the requirements of the lesson. I will project the
requirements that are attached as well as display them on



Instruction
Description of the
pedagogy, strategies,
possible modifications and
key skills or concepts
needed to be taught for all
students to be successful.
The first part of this lesson I will walk the students
through the requirements of the lesson. I will project the
requirements that are attached as well as display them on
the board. We will talk about examples for each one and
students will be made aware of various types of poems
they will read and write. I will read examples of poems to
them, as well as they will read them aloud as well. We
will then go over the process of writing each type of
poem.
1. Students will be told that they do not have to write
in complete sentences for poems.
2. We will then walk through an example poem
(haiku) that I will write and project on the
smartboard, and I will model for them the pattern
(5,7, 5 syllables) and requirements for this specific
type of poem.
3. The students as a whole will help write another
example of a haiku. I will have them clap out each
line they provide to ensure they are fulfilling the
appropriate theme and syllable requirement.

The students will then have time in class to work
independently. I will be available to monitor and assist
students through the revising portion of their written
poems.

The second portion of this assignment will take place after
they successfully have written a haiku and its been
revised and approved by me. They will be given a second
set of requirements, this time for the creativity and art.
The students are to make their poem colorful and are
encouraged to illustrate their poem. The writing must be
neat and the illustrations are to be eye appealing. We will
go over a writing checklist, as well as we will go over
explicitly the grading rubric. Students will know all
expectations and whats required of them by the end of
this assignment.



Links to relevant web
sites
None.
Assessment
How will you know if the
students understand your
lesson and are capable of
demonstrating mastery?
I will know the students understand my lesson and are
capable of demonstrating mastery if they are able to work
through the steps of creating and writing a poem. I will
know that my students are participating and furthering
their work by using different writing tools such as a
thesaurus. This includes the writing of their poem, being
creative and descriptive with their words and producing a
quality final product. Lastly, I will be able to see my
students understanding of the lesson by the presentation
(both speaking and listening) of their poems to the class.