Shealynn Womble

ECI 307
POETRY UNIT PLAN
Grade: 6th Grade Language Arts
Ability Level: Homogenous
Class Length: 60-minutes
Unit: Poetry (2 weeks/10 Days)
Rationale:
Poetry is a major component of the arts and written language. This unit will
expose students to a diverse art form and style of written and spoken expression
and help them better understand language. The poetry unit will develop students
literary skills along with the constant journaling of poetry for a portfolio, which
will improve student writing skills and fluency. Poetry will be studied as a
representative of human expression incorporating collaborative skills,
performance sills, and artistic methods.
Standards: (Common Core)
1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.4- Produce clear and coherent writing in which
the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
2. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5- With some guidance and support from peers
and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising,
editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
3. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.6- Use technology, including the Internet, to
produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others;
demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of
three pages in a single sitting.
4. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.10- Write routinely over extended time frames
(time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
Objectives: Students will be able to
1. SWBAT write various types of poetry.
2. SWBAT identify literary components in written poems.
3. SWBAT effectively use poetry literary skills in their own work.
4. SWBAT analyze poetry.
5. SWBAT work collaboratively.
6. SWBAT perform in a poetry slam.
List of Materials:
Computer with internet access
Projector with projection screen

Document camera or overhead projector

Online document application (Moodle, Google Docs, EdModo)
10 laptops/seats reserved in a computer lap
White board
Journals (1 per student, recycled)
Index cards
Dry erase markers; markers; pens; pencils; colored pencils; erasers.
Various art supplies at students leisure.

Sequence Descriptions:
Day 1 Sequence: Introduction to Poetry
Students will enter the classroom and be handed note cards with text relating in
some form to poetry (this includes lines from a famous poem, the name of a poet,
types of poetry, poetry techniques, but no literary terms). The class will come
together discover the meaning behind the index cards. Technology will show the
whole class different poems, pictures, videos, and recordings related to each
individual index card. Students will create a poetry section in their journals and
free write about anything associated with poetry. The class will end in a
discussion about the day and students are free to share their writings. For
homework, students will take home their journals write down one scientific fact
they find interesting.
Day 2 Sequence: Literary Terms
This day will be devoted to literary terms. The students will find variations of
plastic bags filled with 3 literary terms (curriculum based) on their desks. The
literary terms are: line, line-breaks, meter, alliteration, assonance, rhyme, slant
rhyme, diction, metaphor, simile, and images. The students will examine the
literary terms given and write down their definitions along with an example for
each. The students will when jigsaw into their associated groups to learn the
remaining literary terms. The teacher will then lead the class together and create
our class notes (that are created digitally and kept on a technological device
accessible to and compiled by all students like Moodle). The final activity will be
composing a class poem of each individuals favorite example of a literary
composed in class. The students will write the class poem in their poetry journals
and add it to their final portfolio (Portfolio Assignment 1). For homework,
students will take home their journals write an example for each literary term
(Portfolio Assignment 2)
Day 3 Sequence: Form
This day will be devoted to exploring literary forms. The students will be given a
teacher instructed lesson on meter, iambic pentameter, rhyme, repetition, and the
poetry forms: ballad, sonnet, haiku, ghazal, and concrete. The students will then

have time to look at examples of each type of poem. In their journals they will
create new poems in the different forms or transform old poems into the forms
given. The class will end in a discussion about the day and students are free to
share their poetry. For homework, write a poem that is either a sonnet or ballad
(Portfolio Assignment 3) and bring in the clean lyrics from a song of their choice
and continue to work on writing and editing their 8 available portfolio poems in
their journals. The song lyrics students bring into class will be used in in the
Music lesson in the poetry unit.
Day 4 sequence: Music
This day will be devoted to poetry and music. There will be a teacher led
discussion on the connections between poetry and music as well as a guidance
activity how to analyze songs for poetical literary techniques. The students will
then analyze their own poems from this unit for literary techniques. The class will
then analyze literary techniques in music expressed vocally in an example song.
For homework students will edit and revise their form poem.
Day 5 Sequence: Freewrite
This day will be devoted to students creating their own poetry. The students will
be given different options/prompts to freewrite in their journal. The finished
products of each poem for each prompt will be complied in the students final
portfolio. The different options are students will compose their own poems (1)
using a list of specific words compiled by the entire class, (2) a paragraph of
previous prose writing in their own journal (3) relating to any of the discovery
cards from the first class introduction to poetry (4) using any 3 literary terms from
the previous lesson (5) or using one or more of the scientific facts researched in
Lesson 1. The students will have the class researched scientific facts and poetry
association index cards from Lesson 1 available to them. Each prompt will have a
teacher-led example. During this class period students are to freewrite a selfassessment style prompt where they are to share their feelings about poetry and
this unit, ask questions about poetry, and ask for assistance if needed. The class
will end in a discussion about the day and students are free to share their poetry.
The teacher will collect the journals at the end of class. For homework students
will finish writing poems based on the prompts (Portfolio Assignments 4, 5, 6, 7,
8)
Day 6 Sequence: Poetry Workshop
This day will be devoted to work-shopping students poetry. Workshops are a time
for students poetry from this unit to be peer reviewed. The class will come
together in a circle and discus 1-3 poems from each student. This will be teacherled workshop and students will have a worksheet with discussion topics and. For
homework students will bring in a picture/video/object of their choice to the next
class and continue to work on writing and editing their 8 available portfolio
poems in their journals.

Day 7 Sequence: Images

This day will be devoted to developing images. There will be a teacher led
instruction on images, developing images, and a poem based on a physical image.
Students will freewrite in their journals poetry based on the image they brought
into class for homework. Students will then write a poem filled with images. The
class will end in a discussion about the day and students are free to share their
poetry on images. The homework students will finish writing, editing, and revise
their image poem along with other 8 portfolio poems in their journals.
Day 8 sequence: Poetry Workshops
This day will be devoted to workshops. Students will split into 3-4 small groups
and review poems they select from their incomplete portfolio poems. Workshops
are a time for students poetry to be peer reviewed. 10 laptops/seats reserved in a
computer lap for students to type final distinguished poem. We will end the class
watching video recordings of poetry slams. For homework students are to polish
and type their favorite poem from the unit, continue to work on writing and
editing their other 9 available portfolio poems in their journals, and bring any
materials necessary for their artistic representation.
Day 9 sequence: Artistic Representation of Poem
This day will be devoted to students work-shopping and completing the poems in
their journals for their final portfolio. The students will also be given the
opportunity to work on their artistic representation of their final poem for the
poetry slam. This artistic representation could be a presented in forms like
paintings, drawings, videos, songs, and dances. This artistic representation in
combination with the poetry slam will compose the final evaluation. Students will
have 10 laptops/seats reserved in a computer lap available to use for their project.
For homework students are to polish and type their favorite poem from the unit,
continue to work on writing and editing their other 9 available portfolio poems in
their journals, and bring any materials necessary for their artistic representation.
Day 10 sequence: Poetry Slam
This day will be where each student will present their final poem to the entire
class as well as their artistic representation of the poem. During the poetry slam,
students will recite their final poem and display their completed artistic
representation to the class. The students work will be displayed inside the
classroom. The printed distinguished poems from each student will be compiled
into a class portfolio and added to the classroom bookshelf. The final
distinguished poems will be posted to the same internet site as the class notes
were posted on. The poetry slam may be recorded and the video could be posted
online (optional).
Lesson Plans:

Lesson Plan Day 1: Introduction to Poetry

Topic or Main Idea: Students will be introduced to poetry.

Standard(s): CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.10- Write routinely over extended time
frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Objectives:
SWBAT write various types of poetry.
SWBAT work collaboratively.
List of Materials: Notecards, Journals, Computer with projector, White board, Markers,
Pencils, Pens.
Procedures:
1. Settling in Activity (8 minutes): The students will enter the classroom and be
handed note cards with text relating in some form to poetry (this includes lines
from a famous poem, the name of a poet, types of poetry, and poetry techniques,
but no literary terms).The class will come together and share what each person
has on their index card.
2. Statement of Topic, Standards, and Objectives (1 minute):
3. Lecture (30 minutes): The class will discover and discuss the meaning behind
the index cards. A computer will be used to show the whole class different poems,
pictures, videos, texts, and recordings related to each individual index card online
and through a presentation. Example: if one student Sarah received an index card
that said Maya Angelou, the presentation would have a piece either about this
poet and a poem of hers.
4. Individual Activity (10 minutes): Students will create a poetry section in their
journals and free write about anything associated with poetry.
5. Closure (10 minutes): The class will end in a discussion about the day and
students are free to share their writings.
6. Follow Up: For homework, students will take home their journals write down one
scientific fact they find interesting. This will be later incorporated in one poem for
their final portfolio.
Evaluation Method:
Students will be evaluated based on class participation, completion of journals
entries, and completion of homework. Students will be able to ask questions and receive
feedback orally in class and through written responses in journal.

Lesson Plan Day 2: Poetry is Literature

Topic or Main Idea: Students will learn essential literary terms in poetry.
Standard(s): CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.10- Write routinely over extended time
frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Objectives:
SWBAT identify literary components in written poems.
SWBAT effectively use poetry literary skills in their own work.
SWBAT work collaboratively
List of Materials: plastic bags, notecards, journal, white board, markers, pencils, pens.
Procedures:
1. Statement of Topic, Standards, and Objectives (1 minute):
2. Settling in Activity (7 minutes): The students will find variations of plastic bags
filled with 3 literary terms on their desks. The students will examine the literary
terms given and write down their definitions in their journals.
3. Group Activity (12 minutes): The students will when jigsaw into their associated
groups (determined by the index card color or number) of 3 or 4 to share and learn
the remaining literary terms. By the end of the activity every person will have
every literary term and definition in their journals.
4. Lesson (20 minutes): The class will then come together and the teacher will then
lead class notes (that are created digitally and kept on a technological device
accessible to and compiled by all students like Moodle). like Moodle or Google
Docs). The literary terms are:
line, line-breaks, meter, alliteration, assonance, rhyme, slant rhyme,
diction, metaphor, simile, and images.
5. Class Activity (10 minutes): The final activity will be composing a class poem of
each individuals favorite example of a literary composed in class, the students
will write the class poem in their poetry journals. The class poem will be added to
the class portfolio from the final project.
6. Closure (10 minutes): The class will end in a discussion about the day and
students are free to share their writings.
7. Follow up: For homework, students will take home their journals write an
example for each literary term (they do not have to relate).
8. Evaluation Method:
Students will be evaluated based on class participation, completion of journals
entries, and completion of homework. Students will be able to ask questions and
receive feedback orally in class and through written responses in journal.

Lesson Plan Day 5: The Words: Freewrite

Topic or Main Idea: Students will write their own poems.

Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5- With some guidance and support from peers and adults,
develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.10- Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or
two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Objectives:
SWBAT write various types of poetry.
SWBAT identify literary components in written poems.
SWBAT effectively use poetry literary skills in their own work.
List of Materials: Journal, White board, Computer with projector or Overhead projector
or Document camera, Pencils, Pens, Markers,
Procedures:
1. Statement of Topic, Standards, and Objectives (1 minute):
2. Introduction (7 minutes): The students will be given different options/prompts
to freewrite in their journal. The finished products of each poem for each prompt
will be complied in the students final portfolio. The different options are students
will compose their own poems (1) using a list of specific words compiled by the
entire class, (2) a paragraph of previous prose writing in their own journal (3)
relating to any of the discovery cards from the first class introduction to poetry (4)
using any 3 literary terms from the previous lesson (5) or using one or more of the
scientific facts researched in Lesson 1.
3. Guided Practice (12 minutes): The teacher will show the students their own
examples of poetry written from the prompts. The students will have time to ask
questions and get guidance.
4. Preparation (5 minutes): The students will write down one word to add to the
compiled list for prompt #1. The students will write down their scientific facts on
a list for display use in the classroom for prompt #5.
5. Independent Practice (25 minutes): The class will then complete write poetry
based on the prompts. During this class period students are to freewrite a self-

assessment style prompt where they are to share their feelings about poetry and
this unit, ask questions about poetry, and ask for assistance if needed.
6. Closure (10 minutes): The class will end in a discussion about the day and
students are free to share their writings.
Evaluation Method:
Students will be evaluated based on class participation, completion of journals
entries, and completion of homework. Students will be able to ask questions and
receive feedback orally in class and through written responses in journal. The
teacher will be able to assess what students have learned and provide assistance to
every student during class time while they work individually. The teacher will
collect the journals at the end of class and respond to the student entries in their
journals.

Lesson Plan Day 6: Poetry Workshop

Topic or Main Idea: Students will edit, revise, and peer review poetry.
Standard(s): CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5- With some guidance and support from
peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.10- Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or
two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Objectives:
SWBAT write various types of poetry.
SWBAT identify literary components in written poems.
SWBAT effectively use poetry literary skills in their own work.
SWBAT analyze poetry.
SWBAT work collaboratively
List of Materials: Journal, White Board, Markers, Pencils, Pens, Workshop discussion
handout, Document camera (optional), Computer with projector (optional.)
Procedures:
1. Statement of Topic, Standards, and Objectives (1 minute):
2. Introduction (10 minutes): The students will learn about work-shopping poetry.
They will be given guidance on how to critique others poetry and a handout for
peer editing poetry.
3. Group Activity (45minutes): The students will workshop as many poems as
possible for the class period.
4. Closure (4 minutes): The class will end in a discussion where students may ask
questions, give opinions, and share their work.
5. Follow up: For homework students will bring in a picture/video/object of their
choice to the next class and continue to work on writing and editing their 9
available portfolio poems in their journals. The image students bring into class
will be used in in the Images lesson in the poetry unit.
Evaluation Method:
Students will be evaluated based on class participation, completion of journals
entries, and completion of homework. Students will be able to ask questions and
receive feedback orally in class and through written responses in journal. The
teacher will be able to assess what students have gained and incorporated in their
poetry from direct examples and provide assistance to every student during the
class period workshop.

Lesson Plan Day 7: Images

Topic or Main Idea: Students will write poetry heavy with images
Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5- With some guidance and support from peers and adults,
develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.10- Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or
two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Objectives:
SWBAT write various types of poetry.
SWBAT identify literary components in written poems.
SWBAT effectively use poetry literary skills in their own work.
List of Materials: Journal, White board, Computer with projector or Overhead projector
or Document camera, Pencils, Pens, Markers,
Procedures:
1. Statement of Topic, Standards, and Objectives (1 minute):
2. Introduction (15 minutes): There will be a teacher led instruction on images,
developing images, and a poem based on a physical image.
3. Guided Practice (5 minutes): The teacher will give personal examples of poetry
with heavy imagery or based on an image.
4. Independent Practice (25 minutes): The students will then write their own
poems filled with images based on the image they brought into class or a
classmates image.
5. Class Discussion (10 minutes): The class will end in a discussion about the day
and students are free to share their writings.
6. Follow Up: The homework students will finish writing, editing, and revise their
image poem along with other 8 portfolio poems in their journals.
Evaluation Method:
Students will be evaluated based on class participation, completion of journals
entries, and completion of homework. Students will be able to ask questions and
receive feedback orally in class and through written responses in journal.

Invention Strategies: Freewriting:

Students will write their own poems during this time.
Students will write a poem using specific words given.
Students will write a paragraph and create a poem based on the short story.
Students will write a poem relating to a picture/word of their choice.
Evaluation of Unit:
The final evaluation of the unit will be split into three separate sections: a portfolio, an
artistic representation of a poem, and student participation in a poetry slam. The portfolio
component is a compilation of 9 completed/revised poems written by each student during
class periods worth 50% of the final evaluation grade. The distinguished poem in the
portfolio should include: original poem written, copies of teacher feedback and your
subsequent revisions of each poem. Your grade will be based on how well I feel youve
understood the feedback and executed revisions of your poems. This covers standards
6.4, 6.5, 6.6, and 6.10 and objectives 1, 2, 3 and 4. The poetry slam is a class performance
where each student presents one final distinguished poem from their 9 poem options
worth 25% of the final evaluation grade. This covers standards 6.6 and 6.10 and
objectives 1, 5, and 6. The artistic representation is a visual component (painting, video,
dance, etc.) created based off of their final poem worth 25% of the final evaluation grade
and cover objectives 5 and 6.
FINAL EVALUATION BREAKDOWN
FINAL PORTFOLIO (50%)
Class Poem
Literary Terms
Diction Poem
Prose to Poetry
Discovery Poem
Literary Terms Poem
Scientific Fact Poem
Form Poem
Image Poem
*Distinguished poem should include: original poem written, copies of teacher feedback
and your subsequent revisions of each poem. Your grade will be based on how well I feel
youve understood the feedback and executed revisions of your poems.
POETRY SLAM (25%)
ARTISTIC REPRESENTATION (25%)

SELF-EVALUATION OF UNIT PLAN

Shealynn Womble
1. The strongest part of my unit is the activities planned for each lesson because...
they are unique and interactive. I put a lot of time into planning fun activities for
the poetry unit and got many wonderful ideas from my peers and past teachers.
2. If I had more time, the part of my unit I would develop more would be the
flow between lesson to lesson because... I feel like many fun activities and
content are in the second week of my lesson plan, but I could not find a better way
to arrange my sequence. I wanted to give my students enough time to work on
their portfolio poems by presenting the assignments in the first week of the unit,
but this left some content for the second week.
3. I have incorporated writing and writing to learn by... creating a journal
component where constant method for writing to be read and responded to,
created workshop days where student writing can be shared, critiqued, edited,
and improved,
4. I have incorporated computer & other technologies by... allowing my students
explore poetry on the internet, creating class notes accessible on the internet,
publishing students distinguished poems on the internet, all student final poems
will be typed and printed, and artistic representations may be digital.
5. The part of my unit I still have questions about (and would like some specific
feedback about) is incorporating more detail for clarification in my sequences
and lessons because... I feel as though I understand completely how this unit
should go but I am not sure another person reading the lesson plan will understand
some smaller details.