Unit Teaching Plan
Unit Name: William Stafford: Writing our place in the World
Objectives
Students will…
Compose poems inspired by
William Stafford poetry.
Use observations of the
natural word to think about
their own world.
Revise poems utilizing
techniques that Stafford did.
Discuss favorite Stafford
poems.
Pre-Assessment
Check knowledge of poetry
gained last year:
- What do you think of
when you hear the
word poetry?
- What are metaphors?
Similes?
- What did our term
“the six senses of
poetry” mean?
Vocabulary:
- Vocabulary in poems (especially “Representing Far Places”)
- Metaphor, Simile (last year)
- Specific (last year)
- Revise (last year)
- Stanza, line (new)
Grade Level: 8th Grade
Duration: 3 Weeks
Power Standards Accommodations (TAG, ESL,
SPED)
1.) Create compositions that
engage the reader, have a SPED and ESL: Suggest
clear message… beginnings of poems
2.) Use descriptive language List of free write topics
that clarifies and enhances Pre-teaching vocabulary
the ideas… Response through pictures as
3.) Utilize the writing well as written response
process
TAG: No limit to amount of
final drafts/poems written –
encourage some students to do
more. Some possible bonus
lessons?
Post-Assessment On-going Assessment
Final Drafts of poems (plus Daily Writing
saved copies of rough drafts) Rough Drafts
Discussions
Self-Evaluation of the Poem
1.) Describe the writing
process you used to
create this poem.
2.) Why were you drawn
to revising this
poem?
3.) What William
Stafford poem is this
based on? How is
your poem like or
unlike his poem?