Elements of
Poetry
Two-week unit
Crystal Harris
Teaching the Exceptional Child
Dr. Sid Womach
“What happens to a dream deferred?”
Introduction to the unit
This unit was designed
to cover the elements of poetry. It is
aligned with my goal statement, objectives, state frameworks, activities,
assessments, past, present, and future learning, and Bloom’s taxonomy. However, all of this
unit was not taught because I am not in a traditional classroom setting. I
teach 5-12th graders at a church on Wednesday nights; therefore, the amount of
material that can be covered is limited.
For that reason, I concentrated on the pretest, basic knowledge of
poetic vocabulary, and appreciation for poetry.
I have included the unit in its entirety, however. The differentiated instruction that is most
infused throughout these lessons in frequent praise and preferential seating.
If this were a traditional class there would be a review before each new lesson
to reinforce what the students have learned. The students in this class do not
have any specific exceptionalities. However, some of the students do not receive
much attention at home. Therefore, the
intimate setting is beneficial for the social needs of the students. Also, students
are able to interact with one another with this unit. The pretest was a focal point and therefore
the content needs were taken into account. Students participating in this unit
have previously worked with strategized reading,
which is a prerequisite for understanding poetry. Therefore, the pretest
applied poetry to the strategies of reading of which the students have a
knowledge base. The pretest also adds
poetry terms that the students may or may not be familiar with in order to
determine the unit’s directional focus.
Goal Statements
1. Students will appreciate the
elements of poetry during a two week period.
2. Students will understand,
analyze, and synthesize the elements of poetry during a two week period.
Day One
State Frameworks:
LSV1.3 participate in activities, discussions, and/or debates
W1.16 write to persuade, to defend, to
inform, and to explain from thoughts, experiences, and research
LSV 1.6 evaluate and respond to oral presentations
LSV1.11 use graphics and supporting audio visual media
Objective:
After listening to music and mini-lecture, students
will be able to appreciate figurative language, sound devices, and the elements
of poetry, as assessed by participation and journal writing.
Materials:
paper, pencil, Louis Armstrong’s,
“What a Wonderful World” cd
SET:
Statement of the objective: The instructor tells the
students that their ability to recall and memorize songs and lyrics can be
reciprocated with poetry. If you can
appreciate music, you can appreciate poetry and the elements that make up
poetry
Relate to the past, present, and future learning: The students have already
learned how to read poetry. With an
appreciation for poetry the students will gain a better understanding for
literature and poetry.
Involve the learner: The instructor asks the
students to write down their five favorite songs, then their favorite song’s
lyrics, and, finally, to interpret them.
Explanation:
poem- pacts all kinds of ideas,
feelings, and sounds into a few carefully chosen words
sound- poets choose and arrange
words to create the sounds they want the listener to hear
rhyme- word parts that are read with
less or more emphasis in a line of poetry
imagery- involves words and phrases
that appeal to the five senses
figurative language- words or phrases
that help the reader picture ordinary things in new ways
Questioning:
“What are
you five favorite songs?” “Can you write
the lyrics to one of those five songs?” “What do those words mean?” etc.
Activities:
The students will make a list of the favorites songs, write lyrics, interpret lyrics, share with
classmates, listen to music and interpret lyrics, and write a journal entry
describing their appreciation of poetry.
Differentiated Instruction:
whole class discussion
(interpersonal); movie clip
Students in this particular class have varying
preferential seating needs from task to task as well as frequent praise.
Assessment:
The students are assessed informally by their
participation in discussion. Their
journal writing is checked for completion and content, as well as, their
interpretations. I want them to express
how they can relate to or appreciation poetry.
Closure/involve the learner:
Questioning- “After interpreting your song, who can
tell me how your song is poetic?”
Pretest
Name ______________________
Date _______________________
Answer the following questions.
1. What is rhythm?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is a simile?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What is figurative language
used for?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Read the following poem. Then, follow the directions.
I am a bird.
I feel like an eagle, ready to
conquer the world.
My books are like birds’ wings
carrying me places I never dreamed.
I want to travel more,
so I study more.
Books speak to me.
Sometimes I laugh;
sometimes I cry.
But, no matter what,
I always learn.
I love learning about far away
places,
yellow sunsets, cool air that
tickles my nose,
and warm waters that soothe my
thirst for knowledge.
You see, I am a bird,
flying and seeing, spying and
fleeing
into a world that encourages my
flight.
6. What does the author compare himself to? (recalling)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
7. How do you think the author
feels about books? (inferring)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. What happens in the poem?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Write a metaphor about books.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I will include samples from this test at the end of the unit. From the tests, I realized that the students
were able to comprehend the poem by recalling, inferring and summarizing. However, the students had limited knowledge
about the elements of poetry, which reinforced the initiative to teach the
elements. Some of the students had a
very basic or general idea what the elements were or they confused metaphor
with simile, which meant that in previous years they have worked with poetry.
From this point, the unit involves repetition of words and examples to solidify
the students’ understanding of poetry terms. Each day there is a review of the
previous day’s lesson. Also, the
students will begin to create their own work/poetry, which will allow them to
use their critical thinking skills.
Day Two
State Frameworks:
LSV1.4 participate in
activities, discussions, and/or debate
R1.2 read and analyze material written for general audience to personal
goals
R1.16 apply critical
thinking skills in interpreting text
Objective:
After a mini-lecture, students will understand the elements of poetry
as assessed by participation and completion of a worksheet with 85% accuracy.
Materials:
textbook, paper, pencil, overhead projector
SET:
Statement of the objective: The teacher announces that they will examine the elements that a poet
looks at when writing poetry. Then, you
will also get a chance to write and share your own figurative language
examples.
Involve the learner: Questioning-
“Have you ever felt a particular way and the only way you could describe it is
by comparing it to something else?” Students describe instances accordingly.
The teacher proceeds by explaining simile and metaphor.
Explanation:
simile- a comparison that uses the words ‘like’ or ‘as’
metaphor- a comparison that does not use ‘like’ or ‘as’
personification- when a poet describes an animal or object as
if it were a human or has human qualities
theme- the basic message that the poet is trying to tell his audience
Questioning:
“How many of you use similes, metaphors, and personification in
everyday speech?” “How?” “Can anyone give examples of
figurative language in the classroom or school?” “How do the strategies for
reading poetry and figurative language relate?”
Activities:
The students will take notes on figurative language, find examples in
discussion, complete a worksheet
Differentiated Instruction:
The lesson addresses visual (overhead projector), interpersonal (whole
group), intrapersonal (worksheet), and linguistic (write figurative language)
learners.
Assessment:
The students are assessed informally by their participation in
discussion. Formal assessment will be
measured by the worksheet that the students will complete. The worksheet will ask the students to define
terms in their own words. Then, they
will create their own figure of speech and write a short response answer
stating how they believe figurative language makes poetry better.
Closure/involve the learner:
Allow the students to read their figures of speech and answer questions
about the relevance of figurative language in poetry and everyday speech.
Day Three
State Frameworks:
R1.1 read and analyze works from various genres and cultures
R1.8 articulate the
central purpose or theme of a text
R1.16 apply critical
thinking skills in interpreting text
LSV1.1 work
collaboratively to generate ideas and solve problems
LSV1.3 speak formally
to a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes
Objective:
After a mini-lecture on cooperative learning groups, students will
analyze poetry, as assessed by a group presentation rubric.
Materials:
pens, paper, textbook, markers and construction paper
SET:
Statement of the objective- you all have a good understanding of the elements of poetry, so you
are ready to analyze a poem today, but we will be working in groups.
Involve the learner-
allow students to think of a time when they had a conflict with someone and
describe it using figurative language / introduce the poem “For my Father” by
Janice Mirikitani.
Teach to the Objective
Explanation
cooperative learning groups- each group will have a list
of roles that need to be filled along with a definition of the contributions each
must make. i.e reader,
writer, time keeper, motivator, and presenter
Questioning:
Questions will be on the worksheet, which will guide the groupwork.
“What idea is suggested by the father’s carrying
“How could his father’s soul be described differently?”
Activities:
The students will identify figures of speech to describe a conflict
they’ve had with someone, analyze poems, groupwork, present information to the class.
Differentiated instruction:
logical/mathematical (cause & effect in literature analysis),
cooperative learning groups (interpersonal), describe a conflict
(intrapersonal), presentation (linguistic)
Assessment:
The students are assessed by their participation in groups. Formal assessment is measured by a group
presentation rubric that examines organization, content knowledge, visuals,
mechanics, and delivery.
Closure/involve the learner:
Students will present their analysis of the poem “For my Father”
Days Four & Five
State Frameworks:
W1.2 build a store of
ideas for writing through appropriate classroom activities relating past
present experiences, literature, the opinions of others, etc..
W1.1 activate, organize and build upon background knowledge
through a variety of cooperative and individual strategies, brain storming,
concept mapping, and role playing
W1.3 select and use methods of organization appropriate to
audience and purpose
Objective:
After modeling, students will write their own poem using the circle
diagram as assessed by completion of a poem.
Materials:
overhead projector, circle diagram, pen, pencil, paper
SET:
Statement of the objective: You all will be poets by the end of the period because you will create
your own poems today using a circle diagram to guide your writing.
Involve the learner:
The students will create a collective short poem about their school.
Teach to the objective:
Explanation:
purpose for circle diagram- to help organize ideas for writing
vivid description words- help the poem become more realistic for the reader
Questioning:
“What vivid words describe your school?”
“What type of figurative language can we use to describe your school?”
Activities:
The students will collectively write a poem about their school and
write their own poem about their favorite extracurricular activity
Assessment:
The students are informally assessed by their participation during
class. The instructor gives students
feedback on the following elements of their poems: creativity, correct use of
figures of speech, proper organization, grammar, and legibility. The students get points for completion of the
circle diagram and poem.
Differentiated Instruction:
overhead projector (visual), circle diagram (spatial), write a poem
(linguistic/intrapersonal), poem written by the class (interpersonal)
Closure/involve the learner:
Ask a student to pick a word or phrase that they put in the circle
diagram and tell how they used it in their poem.
Days Six & Seven
State Frameworks
W1.5 write in response to new learning in a variety of written
forms
R1.10 gather research
data from a variety of sources to formulate, substantiate, or refute opinions
of theories
LSV1.4 participate in
activities, discussions, and/or debates
LSV1.14 analyze and
evaluate what is heard
Objective:
After a mini-lecture on imagery and sound devices, students detect
imagery and sound in poetry as assessed by 85% accuracy on a brief open
response paragraph.
Materials:
poems “Dream Deferred,” “Formula,” paper, pen overhead projector
SET:
Statement of the objective: The instructor tells the students about the importance of visualizing
what is read. Then, the teacher tells the students that
they will look for imagery and sound in poetry
Involve the learner:
Ask the students to suggest images that they could include in a poem titled,
“Sounds,” and “Tastes.”
Teach to the Objective
Explanation:
imagery- words or phrases that appeal to the five senses
sound devices- rhyme, rhythm, repetition, free verse
Questioning:
What kind of word/part of speecj can we use
to write imagery?
Which images in “Dream Deferred” appeal to smell?
Activities:
The students will find imagery in poems, write their own imagery, write a paragraph about the imagery in “Formula”
Differentiated Instruction:
writing (linguistic, intrapersonal), whole group discussion (interpersonal)
Assessment:
The students are assessed informally by their participation in
discussion. They are graded formally
from their paragraphs and reports. Each
will be graded according to a rubric that checks for understanding of imagery
and sound as well as ability to write within English standards.
Closure/involve the learner:
Students will be given the opportunity to read their paragraphs and
give feedback to peers and instructor regarding their feelings toward imagery
and sound.
Day Eight
State Frameworks
W2.5 synthesize research data into an original work and
presentation that works in a developmentally appropriate manner.
W1.5 write an open response to new learning in a variety
of forms
LSV1.1 express one’s ideas
LSV1.10 listen effectively
in formal and informal situations
Objective: After
playing a rhythm game, students will synthesize all elements of poetry,
imagery, and sound devices by writing song lyrics, as assessed by a rubric.
Materials:
paper, pencil, poems, dry erase board, markers, rewards
SET:
Statement of the objective: The teacher reminds the students of the material covered in the
previous day. Then, the instructor tells them that they will specifically
examine rhythm before combining all the elements of poetry into a song.
Involve the learner: Students
will compete in a game. The class will
divide into two teams. Each team will
choose a person to represent their team and to guess the rhythm pattern of
poetry.
Teach to the objective
Explanation
rhythm- word parts that are read with less or more emphasis in a line of
poetry
unstressed mark- for words that are not spoken with much emphasis
Questioning:
What is the rhythm pattern of “Once upon a
How is rhythm important in poetry?
Activities:
The students will listen to a mini-lecture on stressed and unstressed
marks, play a rhythm game, listen to music clips, which
demonstrates how each syllable has to be accounted for, and write a song
using all the elements of poetry.
Differentiated Instruction:
The following learning styles are addressed: interpersonal (game), intrapersonal &
linguistic (write song), and musical.
Assessment:
The students will be assessed informally by their participation in the
game. The song that the students write
will serve as the formal assessment. I
wanted to create a lesson that appealed to the musical learners, since poetry
is infused with music. The lesson also
culminates all elements of poetry.
Closure/involve the learner:
Students are asked to speak a line of rhythm from their song. Also students are asked to share a metaphor,
simile, or theme of their song.
Days Nine & Ten
State Frameworks
W1.5 write a response to new learning in a variety of
forms
LSV1.1 express one’s ideas
Objectives:
After review, students will synthesize all elements of poetry as
assessed by 85% accuracy on a test.
Materials:
paper, pencils, test, dry erase board, study guide
SET:
Statement of the objective: Tell the students that we will dedicate an entire class period to
review before the test on the following day
Involve the learner: Students
will examine the examples provided by the teacher, answer question, ask questions
Teach to the Objective:
Explanation:
All material we be reviewed thoroughly. The teacher will also define
any words that students are unsure about.
Questioning:
Questions on the test align with objectives, and goal of the unit, as
well as, Bloom’s taxonomy
Activities:
The students will answer and ask questions, and take the test
Differentiated Instruction:
Students who do have special needs as instructed by a 504 plan or IEP
will have modified tests, which will be much like the pretest, including more
inferring, recalling, and summarizing questions
Assessment:
This is a summative, formal assessment.
The test is a synthesis of all the information presented in the
unit. It also covers affective and
psychomotor domains.
Closure/involve the learner:
Allow the students to share their favorite/least favorite parts of the
unit, after all test have been completed.
Elements of Poetry Worksheet
Answer the following questions on your own
paper. Make sure to write the correct
heading. Write your name on your
paper
Write in complete sentences.
1. In your own
words, define personification.
2. In your own
words, define theme.
3. Write an
example of a metaphor in the classroom.
4. Write two
examples of similes from your textbook.
5. Write two of
your own examples of personification.
6. Write two of
your own examples of metaphors.
7. Write two of
your own examples of similes.
Write the correct figure of speech.
8. The stubborn
door would not open.
9. Life is like a box of chocolates.
10. The rain was ice.
11. The snowflakes fell as music swelled.
12. Her classroom was exciting.
13. The winds roared.
In 2-4 sentences describe the importance of figurative
language in poetry and your everyday lives.
Song Lyrics Rubric
|
Topic |
Grammar/Mechanics |
Use of elements of poetry |
|
Student clearly stays on topic
and offers insight. 8-10 |
Student has 1-0 errors in
punctuation, capitalization, or spelling. |