Poetry Grade Five
Overview
The objectives of the poetry unit are to expose the students to a variety of
types of poetry that they will emulate, to let them explore poetry and share what
they enjoy with other students, and creatively present poems.
The unit will have four key parts; a portfolio of student work, an illustration
to accompany some of their poems, a journal of poems they have read, and an
opportunity to share poetry they have found or created. (See poetry package
handout)
Structure
The lessons begin with ten to fifteen minutes of poetry reading and
sharing. Students read poems from books and collections provided and some
students share their favourite with the class. Students may read in small groups
and may choose to present a poem as choral speaking exercise, or by taking
parts. They should record their reading in their poetry journals.
Then the teacher gives a structured overview of one type of poem. The
styles of poem are haiku, tanka, cinquain, diamonte, limerick, concrete, and free
verse. Students take notes on the key characteristics of each poem and write a
poem in that style. Other classes can be used to teach poetic teach different
poetic techniques like onomatopoeia, alliteration, couplets, quatrains, etc….
Once all the poetry types have been covered work begins on making
poetry portfolios and the students work independently and the teacher can
conference, assist and reteach as necessary.
The final phase of the unit is sharing where students have an opportunity
to present some of their better work.
Objectives
Foundational Objective: Listen to a range of grade-level appropriate texts in a
variety of situations for a variety of purposes.
-suspend judgment until all key ideas or points have been presented
Foundational Objective: Speak to express information, thoughts, feelings, and
experiences in a variety of forms for a variety of purposes and audiences.
-participate in a variety of shared language experiences (e.g. choral speaking,
dramatic reading)
-share ideas, observations, and experiences courteously during structured
small and large group talk, and accept responsibility for fulfilling own role as a
group member
Foundational Objective: Read a range of grade-level appropriate texts in a
variety of situations for a variety of purposes.
-orally and silently, read a range of contemporary and classical grade-
appropriate texts for enjoyment and information (e.g., poetry)
-review and share responses to favourite texts
Foundational Objective: Write to express information, thoughts, feelings, and
experiences in a variety of forms for a variety of purposes and audiences.
-write narratives, explanations, instructions, descriptions, stories, short
biographies, researched reports, letters, poems, and journal entries with
increasing confidence, clarity, and fluency
-write regularly and confidently to respond to a range of experiences, ideas,
observations, and texts
-understand and compose in a variety of forms and genres (e.g., poems)
express and support a point of view with evidence and reasons
Foundational Objective: Learn about and practise the skills and strategies of
effective writers.
Before Writing:
use personal experiences as a basis for exploring and expressing
opinions and understanding
seek others' viewpoints to build on personal responses and understanding
organize ideas and information in ways that clarify and shape
understanding
organize information and ideas in a manner that fits with writing purpose
(e.g., to inform, to persuade), using a variety of strategies
record information in own words
focus a topic for written texts by integrating ideas from experiences and a
variety of other sources
choose forms (e.g., news stories, reports, poems) appropriate to particular
audience(s) and purpose(s)
During Writing:
consider audience and purpose
write clear and focused compositions
write with a clear focus
participate in developing criteria to respond to, evaluate, and revise
compositions
experiment with words and sentence patterns to create word pictures and
clarify ideas
check for complete and clear sentences, interesting and precise words,
correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and legible writing
develop and demonstrate an understanding of written language
conventions including:
o use common conjunctions and transitional words (e.g., and, then,
next)
o spell correctly common words and use a strategy to learn to spell
new words
write legibly using correct letter formation and consistent size and spacing
After Writing:
revise for content, organization, and clarity
check for complete and clear sentences, interesting and precise words,
correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and legible writing
edit to eliminate fragments and run-on sentences
know and apply spelling conventions when proofreading own writing
use a variety of strategies (e.g., structural analysis, syllabication, visual
memory) and spelling patterns when editing and proofreading
verify the spelling of unfamiliar words using a variety of resources
share writing in various ways
Foundational Objective: Learn about and practise the skills and strategies of
effective viewers. (This is used when students view each others’ illustrations for
their poems, poetry books, and power point presentations)
Before Viewing:
predict what the text might be about
activate and build upon prior knowledge and experiences
summarize personal knowledge of a topic to determine additional
information needs
formulate general and specific questions to explore the visual text further
set purposes for viewing
During Viewing:
build upon connections between previous experiences, prior knowledge,
and a variety of visual texts
determine the usefulness of visual information for particular purpose(s)
using criteria
After Viewing:
think, talk, and write about what was viewed
respond to and discuss meaning, ideas, and effects, describing how visual
features are combined for different purposes
make judgements and draw conclusions
Lessons
1.Introduce the unit. Share some poems in different styles such as Shel
Silverstein and Dennis Lee, or current songs without the music. Hand out the
poetry package sheet and give an overview with the students. Give examples if
possible for what each section of the package might look like.
2. Haiku- Introduce the concept that poetry is a metrical composition concerned
primarily with creating a feeling in the reader. Notes and example of haiku. Show
students how to count syllables. Send students outside to write poems. Stress
that they are word pictures of nature and take a digital camera along as a
metaphor. They choose a subject and describe what the camera sees. Assign
students to write at least one haiku to be marked.
3. Tanka- . Notes and example of tanka. Stress that they often have to do with
seasons in nature or changing seasons. Point out similarities to haiku. Assign
students to write a tanka.
4. Cinquain- Notes and example of cinquain. Stress that line length is based on
the number of words. Point out the usefulness of a thesaurus for doing lines 1
and 5. Assign students to write a cinquain.
5. . Diamonte- Notes and example of diamonte. Stress that line length is based
on the number of words. Point to the contrast between the opening subject and
the ending subject. Review parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives). Assign
students to write a diamonte.
6. Limerick- Notes and example of limerick. Stress that line length is based on
the number of beats per line or number of syllables (Does it sound right?). Try to
get students to make rhyming poems that actually make sense. Assign students
to write a limerick.
7. Concrete- Notes and example of concrete poems. Use an overhead projector
or projector to show samples of concrete poems. Stress that the words make the
picture. This can be done by writing an outline of the subject in words, or by filling
in an outline with words. Either way the poems should still be about feelings.
Assign students to write a concrete poem.
8. Free Verse- Give examples of free verse (Janey by Charlotte Zolotow and
Alex’s birthday card by Dwayne). Stress that there does not have to be a pattern,
but the poem should still evoke a feeling. Poems should not be too short or all
follow the same patter. Be descriptive. Have students do a timed stream of
consciousness writing. Assign a free verse poem.
9+ Work on poetry packages and sharing finished products. Publish.
10. Test
Adaptations
The adaptations are listed in the Poetry Package. Further adaptations can be
made by changing the types of poems that are to be included in the package.
Assessment
Portfolio
Style- follows Mechanics- Originality- not
the guidelines required repetitive or
for each type spelling, slavishly
of poem. punctuation copied 1mk
3mks and
capitalization
1mk
Illustration
Style- follows Mechanics- Originality- not Effort- shows
the guidelines required repetitive and time and effort
for each type spelling, pictures put into
of poem. punctuation match poems product 5mks
1mks and 1mk
capitalization
1mk
Journal
Student has Student has
read the shared some
required of their
number of favourites with
poems the class
10mks 5mks
Sharing and Critiquing
Student has There is a demonstrable
recorded difference between the
which poems rough copy and good copy
have been that has incorporated
shared criticism
10mks 5mks
Poetry Package
Over the next two weeks we will be learning about 7 different types of
poems and creating portfolios of our writing. Choose one option from each row.
Check with Mr. Keen once you have made your choices. Start work early as
these assignments will take a lot of effort to complete.
OPTION 1 OPTION 2 OPTION 3 OPTION 4
Portfolio Write 2 poems Write 3 poems Write 3 poems Write 3 poems
each of haiku, each of haiku, each of haiku, each of haiku,
tanka, cinquain, tanka, cinquain, tanka, cinquain, tanka, cinquain,
diamante, diamante, diamante, diamante,
limerick, free limerick, free limerick, free limerick, free
Package # verse, and verse, and verse, and verse, and
concrete poems concrete poems concrete poems concrete poems
__________ for a portfolio. for a portfolio. and five extra and five extra
poems of any poems of any
type for a type for a
portfolio. portfolio.
Illustration Draw and Put together 5 Make a slide Write a
colour a picture pictures, from show, using rhyming
to go with one any source, to Power Point, to children’s book
of your poems. go with 5 illustrate at and illustrate it.
Include it in different poems least five of (Take a look at
Package # your portfolio. in your your poems. Dr. Seuss’s
portfolio. ABC book for
__________ an example.)
Journal Keep a reading Keep a reading Keep a reading Keep a reading
log in your log in your log in your log in your
journal about journal about journal about journal about
the poems you the poems you the poems you the poems you
have read and have read and have read and have read and
Package # the books they the books they the books they the books they
were in. Rate were in. Rate were in. Rate were in. Rate
__________ the poems the poems the poems the poems
(excellent, (excellent, (excellent, (excellent,
good, fair, good, fair, good, fair, good, fair,
poor) poor) poor) poor)
5 poems. 10 poems. 10+ poems.
Sharing and Share your Share your Share your
critiquing Share your portfolio with a portfolio with portfolio with a
poems. poetry portfolio classmate 2 or more 2 or more
with your before your classmates classmates
parent, or good copy is before your before your
guardian. Have made. Use good copy is good copy is
them initial their feedback made. Use made. Use
your rough to improve your their feedback their feedback
copy of each poems. Have to improve your to improve your
Package # poem you them initial poems. Have poems. Have
share. your rough the members of the members of
__________ copy of each the group initial the group initial
poem you once in your once in your
share. book when you book when you
have finished have finished
sharing. sharing and
share your
favourite poem
with the class.
Poetry Reading Journal
Date Poem Title Book Title Page Rating
Number