Poetry Lesson 3: Concrete Poetry

Why does this task matter: Students experiment with language to develop creative thinking and writing
strategies.
General Outcome(s): Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to:
.! "xperiment with language
#.$ "nhance artistry
Speci%ic Outcomes:
.! explore surprising and play%ul uses o% language and visuals& explain ways in which imagery and %igurative
language convey meaning
#.$ experiment with %igurative language, illustrations and video e%%ects to create visual images, provide
emphasis or express emotion
'riteria: ( ')* +
"xperiment with language to create visually meaning%ul concrete poems
)ppreciate the purpose%ul use o% elements and techni,ues such as en-am.ment, indentation, and physical
placement o% words in poetic texts.
/aterials01isplays: 2andouts Suppose 'olum.us
3ime 3eacher will: Student will:
$
4

m
i
n
u
t
e
s
)
n
t
i
c
i
p
a
t
o
r
y

S
e
t
2andout copies o% Suppose 'olum.us
"xplain that there is something unusual
a.out its arrangement on the page.
Give students a minute or so to look at its
arrangement on the page.
Get students to read individually.
http:00www.readwritethink.org0%iles0resources0lesso
n5images0lesson$$0Suppose'olum.us.pd%
)sk %or student volunteers to read the poem.
1iscuss how the visual structure o% the
poem is essential to its reading.
Show other examples o% concrete poems
(simpler)
6ead 7Suppose 'olum.us8
"sta.lish the right to le%t reading
pattern.
) student volunteer reads the poem.
1iscuss elements o% concrete
poems.
"xplore a variety o% concrete
poems.
$
9

m
i
n
u
t
e
s

/
o
d
e
l
0
g
u
i
d
e

:rovide prompts %or students to .rainstorm
ideas %or a concrete poem
Write the ideas on the .oard.
Select an idea to model writing a concrete
poem.
;rainstorm ideas %or concrete
poem.
:articipate in class discussion
)ssist the teacher in completing
the concrete poem.
:repare to write their own concrete
poem.
<
$
9

m
i
n
u
t
e
s
(
n
d
e
p
e
n
d
e
n
t

:
r
a
c
t
i
c
e
Walk around help students .uild0extend their
ideas.
'omplete their concrete poem.
"xperiment with words and language
to create a meaning%ul structure %or a
concrete poem.
)sk ,uestions to clari%y and extend
understanding.
$
9

m
i
n
u
t
e
s
'
l
o
s
u
r
e
)sk students to volunteer to present their
poem to the class. (denti%y themes, literary
devices, images and ideas used .y the
student.
"ncourage a variety o% themes and ideas to
showcase a variety o% poems.
:resent their poem = show through
document reader and read aloud %or
peers.
)ppreciate and cele.rate their own
and peers> poetic prowess.
Extension: Students can re%ine their concrete poem or create a
new, more developed concrete poem to .e su.mitted as a part o%
poetry port%olio.
Differentiation: Students are engaged in
writing their own individual concrete
poem. Students work at their own level o%
learning and .uild their understanding to
achieve the next level o% pro%iciency. )ll
lessons in this poetry unit are di%%erentiated
as they allow students at varying levels o%
learning to %ully engage in the lessons.
)ssessment: ?ormative (in class through o.servations) and summative (poetry port%olio)
*otes:
3his poem is -ust one example o% a certain kind o% poetry@concrete poetry. (n a concrete poem, the placement
o% words on the page is related to the meaning o% the poem.
Silently reread line four, noticing your eye motion. How is that motion related to what the line says and
to Columbus' actual voyage from Spain?
Why do the ships' names shift slightly more to the left each time they appear in the poem?
Why are only two ships listed in line thirteen? Only one in line fifteen?
re there other instances where the placement of words or phrases!especially at the ends of lines!
is related to the events as they occur in the poem?
Suppose Columbus
Charles Suhor
wrong .een had 'olum.us Suppose
sheet this as %lat was earth the Suppose
goodships the )nd
*(*) :(*3) /)6() S)*3)
"ast the to get to west 3raveling
the is %act the ;ut
*(*) :(*3) /)6() S)*3)
cli%% watery a towards 6acing
the o% nests crowAs the in )nd
*(*) :(*3) /)6() S)*3)
BCho DandB cry to wanting men ?rightened
the on ;ut
:(*3) /)6() S)*3)
gone was ship sister their that only crying /en
the on )nd
/)6() S)*3)
gone were ships sisters his that only crying man craEed )
end the and a.yss airy an suddenly )nd
'olum.us O%