Unit 2: Poetry

How does a poet use the elements of poetry to

convey his/her message?
Lindsey Miller

Unit Focuses
1.
2.
3.
4.

Genre
Poetic Elements
Poetic Devices
Understanding/Appreciation

Standards
1. PA State Standards
E08.A-C.2.1.1
E08.A-C.2.1.2
E08.A-C.2.1.3
E08.A-C.3.1
E08.A-V.4.1.2. a,b
E08.C.1.1
E08.C.1.1.3
2. Common Core Standards
CC.1.3.8.E
CC.1.3.8.F
CC.1.3.8.H
CC.1.3.8.I
CC.1.3.8.J
CC.1.4.8.K
Assessments

Summative
o Journal Quiz
o Acrostic Name Poem (Alternative project: Song Lyrics)
o Found poetry
o Final Poetry Project
o Open Ended Response

Unit Questions

Genre
o Why do poets chose poetry over prose?
o Why do certain poets choose poetry over prose?
o How is genre important in conveying meaning?
Poetic Elements
o How do poetic elements help a poet express themselves?
o How can poetic elements help us write poetry?

Poetic Devices
o How can poetic devices help in discovering a poems meaning?
o Why do poets use certain language and style?
Understanding/Appreciating
o Can the meaning of a poem change?
o Why study poetry
o Who is poetry for?
o What are some ways to interpret poetry?

Essential (Key) Questions

What does different poetry look like?

What is prose?
How are poetry and prose alike? Different?
Can prose be turned into poetry?
What are some elements of poetry?
How do certain elements affect a poem?
How can I compare two poems using poetic elements?
What sort of devices do poets use?
Are sensory details important?
Why is understand figurative language important?
How can I understand figurative language?
What is there to learn about poetry?
How do I interpret meaning?
What is the poet trying to say?
What are some strategies for interpreting?
How does different poets message/theme differ?
How can I defend my opinion of a poems meaning?

Day-to-Day Breakdown WEEK 1

Day 1

Day 2

Teacher Will Do
Hand out This is to Say by W.C Williams
Lead discussion
Evaluate results from survey

Hand out example of poetry/prose

Give each group (4) large piece of paper and
marker
Lead class discussion
Introduce Found Poetry Project

Day 3

Hand out poetry type worksheet

Prezi with 3 types of poetry
Students in group with examples of poems
Explain activity

Day 4

Slam poetry
Prezi with 3 more types of poetry
Left over time= found poetry
Found Poetry Due Fri (?)

Day 5

Introduce Free-Write options

Introduce Open Ended response
O.E.R: Answer Unit Question
O.E.R due Monday
Work day for Found Poem

Student Will Do
See poem as prose and
poetry
Participate in discussion
Take Poetry Anticipation
Survey
Notice results
Notice differences in Poetry
and Prose
Fill in Notice Big Paper
Share with class
Fill in EQ sheet
Fill in Terms Booklet
List different poems
characteristics
Fill out poetry types wk
In groups: students elect a
leader, students determine
type of poetry
Leader: tells class about poem and
what group talked about
Other students fill out packet
Listen to Slam Poem
Fill out poetry type
worksheet
Follow same procedure as
previous day
Free-Write
Begin O.E.R
OR work on Found Poem

DATE
Essential
Question/ Key
Questions
Activating
Strategies

Teaching
Strategies

Summarizing
strategies

Day 1 (Monday, October 22)

Unit Focus Point: Genre
Lesson Questions: How do I recognize poetry from prose? Why do poets
choose poetry over prose? What is poetry?
Key Questions: How are poetry and prose alike? Different? What is prose?
Journal Warm-Up (new vocabulary and rules).
This is Just to Say by W.C Williams
o Students will see the poem first as prose (Handout), then in its
poetic form as a way to develop ways of thinking about what
poetry can be. T/T: Where would you find this?
1. Reactions to activating strategy
o T/T: Why did you think the poem was prose (a note, etc.) the
first time you read it? What made you realize it was a piece of
poetry?
2. P/W (pair work): what I know about poetry Worksheet
o S: Did reading the W.C William poem change your idea of
poetry?
3. Students will fill in new EQ sheet
4. Students will fill in Frayer Packet
Ticket-out-the-Door: Definition of prose vs. poetry in students own
words
Students will turn in their WIKAP worksheet so I can take into account
what they already are aware of concerning poetry.
NOTES:

This is Just to Say: The poem is written as though it were a note on a kitchen table. It almost appears
to be a piece of Found Poetry (talk about more tomorrow)

DATE
Essential
Questions/
Key Questions
Activating
Strategies

Teaching
Strategies

Summarizing
Strategies

Day 2 (Tuesday, October 23)

Unit Focus: Genre
Lesson Question: How do I recognize poetry over prose? Why do poets
choose poetry over prose?
Key Questions: How are poetry and prose alike? Different?
Journal Warm-Up
Students will be split into two groups upon entering the room and
given either prose or poetry (of same work).
o Ss will elect a leader
o Ss asked to fill out What I know/What I notice on the board
(leader).
1. Reactions to Activating Strategy
a. T/T: Ss will share ideas about differences between poetry and
prose. What makes a work prose? Poetry? (S)
2. Fill in terms booklet together.
3. T will introduce Found Poetry project
a. Hand out rubrics/go over expectations.
b. Show previous examples/my own.
Ss will answer key question in discussion with teacher/ as a Ticket Out
the Door.
o Why would a poet choose poetry?
NOTES

HOMEWORK: Students need to bring in a newspaper/magazine/etc article for use in their found
poetry project.

DATE:
Essential
Questions/Key
Questions.

Activating
Strategies:
Teaching
Strategies:
Summarizing
Strategies:

Day 3 (Wednesday, October 24)

Unit Focus: Genre
Lesson Question: How do I recognize poetry over prose? Why do certain poets
choose one genre over another? Why choose poetry at all?
Key Questions: What does different poetry look like? Can poetry be derived from
prose?
Journal Warm-Up
T/T: Students will discuss the difference between poetry and prose, and why
they believe a poet would choose poetry over prose.
1. Students will use class time to work on their Found Poetry.
2. If students finish early they may work on their enrichment
folders, read, Free Write, or work on another Found Poem.
Students will be asked to answer Key Question in large discussion and on their EQ
sheets
HOMEWORK:
NOTES:

Date:

Day 4 (Thursday, October 25)

Essential
Questions/Key
Questions:

Unit Focus: Genre (types of poetry)

Lesson Questions: How do I recognize poetry from prose? What is the difference
between poetry and prose
Key Questions: What do different types of poetry look like? Now that we know
what poetry is what types are there?

Activating
Strategies:

Teaching
Strategies:

Summarizing
Strategies:

Journal Warm-Up
Students will list types of poetry they are familiar with- Teacher will make a
wordsplash.
Students will listen to a video of SLAM poetry:
1. Students will T/T to discuss their reactions to the Slam poet.
1. Students will be placed into small groups to become experts on each type of
poetry.
a. After 10-15 minutes they will be asked to share with the class what they
learned about each type.
b. Students may use this site to complete this assignment
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/learning/glossaryterms?category=forms-and-types
c. Students not presenting will fill out a Frayer Model for each type.
2. When students are finished they will be given 3 types to choose from and asked
to write one type from that page. They may or may not want to share.
1. Students will share their reactions to the SLAM poet
a. How have their ideas of poetry changed?
2. Students will write a poem of their choosing
NOTES

Date
Essential
Questions/
Key Questions
Activating
Strategies

Day 5 (Friday, October 26)

Unit Focus: Genre
Lesson Questions: Why choose poetry over prose?
Key Questions: How can I compare and contrast prose and poetry?
Journal Warm-Up
Students will T/T with their partners about the differences between prose and
poetry.
Teaching
1. Reactions to Activating Strategies
Strategies
2. Review R.I.G.H.T F.A.C.E
3. Students will be given an Open Ended Response to work on after their journal
warm-up.
a. Analyze the differences between poetry and prose. Use two
supporting details from the text, and two details youve learned in
class.
Summarizing
a. As students finish writing they will share the ideas theyve used in their
Strategies
response with me.
HOMEWORK: ESSAY WILL BE DUE IN CLASS ON MONDAY
NOTES:

Teacher Will Do
Journal Warm-Up
Go through new EQ
Hand out packets with new vocabulary
Vocabulary sort
Fill in Terms Booklet
Journal Warm-Up
Discuss elements of sound
Alliteration, assonance, consonance,
meter, rhythm, rhyme,
Model music and acrostic
Introduce Acrostic and Music options
Journal Warm-Up
Put students in groups (4)
Give students two (2) different poems
(DIFFERENTIATION: simpler poems for
IEP/Special Needs)
Journal Warm-up
Acrostic Poem/ Music Lyrics Due
Poetic Form On EQ Sheet
Put students in groups of 4
COMPUTERS (?)
Journal Warm-Up (Free Write)
I have, who has
Read two different poems and have
students fill in graphic organizer

Student Will Do
Journal Warm-Up
Fill out new EQ
Vocabulary sort
Fill in Terms booklet

Journal Warm-Up
Participate in discussion about elements of
sound (Alli, Asson, Conson)
Choose music or acrostic

Journal Warm-up
Participate in group work with two
different poems stating the differences
and similarities.
Focusing on Elements of Sound
Journal Warm-Up
Share Music lyrics if applicable
Fill in EQ sheet
Participate in group work writing and
explaining poetry to peers
Journal Warm-Up (Free-Write)
I have, Who Has
Students fill in graphic organizer on board
The most important thing graphic
organizer as TOD

DATE
Essential
Questions/ Key
Questions
Activating
Strategies

Teaching
Strategies

Day 6 (Wednesday, October 31)

Unit Focus: Poetic Elements
Lesson Questions: What are the elements of poetry?
Key Questions: What is sound? What is Form?
Journal Warm-UP (Thought of the week There comes a time when silence
is betrayal -MLK
Vocabulary Sort
o Students will sort through the vocabulary they already know. They
will be using the Sound Vs. Form Worksheet
1. Students will T/T and discuss What they know/What they dont know/ What
they hope to learn more about.
2. Students will share similarities and differences about discussion with the
class
3. Teacher will give new EQ question
4. Discuss new vocabulary terms with students (see definition below)
a. Students will fill in their Terms Booklet (Sound and Form)
5. If time remains students will observe the History of Poetry in 5 Minutes.
1. Students will discuss the differences they see between Sound and Form

Summarizing
Strategies
HOMEWORK: Work on Enrichment Folders if behind.

Form, in poetry, can be understood as the physical structure of the poem: the length of the lines, their
rhythms, their system of rhymes and repetition.
Another sense of "form" is to refer to these familiar patterns - these can be simple and open-ended
forms, such as blank verse, or can be a complex system of rhymes, rhythms and repeated lines within a
fixed number of lines, as a sonnet or villanelle is. (This is similar to the word "shape"; asked to think
about "a shape", you would expect a triangle or a circle, but Alaska too has a shape.) The difference is
visible in Sebastian Barker's poem 'Holy The Heart On Which We Hang Our Hope': the form of this poem
shares aspects with another form, the villanelle, but also differs from it in interesting ways, just as its
content shares in some aspects of organised faith but not in others.

DATE
Key
Questions/
Essential
Questions
Activating
Strategies
Teaching
Strategies

Day 7 (Thursday, November 1)

Unit Focus: Poetic Elements
Lesson Questions: What are the Elements of Poetry?
Key Questions: What is meter and rhythm? What kinds of rhyme are there? What are
alliteration, assonance, and consonance?
Journal Warm-up

1. Discuss difference between Sound and Form from yesterdays vocab.

2. Alliteration/Assonance/Consonance in Frayer Model
3. Students will use an example poem to help them understand the terms (Sarah
Cynthia Sylvia Stout by Shel Silverstein)
a. Students will use a ripple activity (first they will try to poem themselves,
then with their partners, and then with the whole class.
Summarizing
1. Model Acrostic Poem or Music choice (Assessments)
Strategies
HOMEWORK: Decide which assessment you would like to do

Alliteration is a creative tool used in turning prose and poetry into more interesting and memorable
pieces of literature, especially when recited. This device is now even commonly used by advertisers to
create witty and memorable catchphrases and tag lines.

The way you use assonance can change the mood of the poem:
Long vowel sounds will decrease the energy at that point in the poem and make the mood
more serious.
Higher vowel sounds will increase the energy and lighten the mood.

DATE
Essential
Questions/
Key
Questions
Activating
Strategies
Teaching
Strategies

Day 8 (Friday, November 2)

Unit Focus: Poetic Elements
Lesson Questions: What are the Elements of Poetry?
Essential Questions: What kinds of rhyme are there? What are alliteration, consonance,
and assonance?
Journal Warm-Up (I once dreamed about Ive always been scared of)
T/T: What are Alliteration, Consonance, and Assonance?
1. Share reactions to activating strategy.
2. Students will do a ripple activity (self, partner, group)
a. Asked to fill out AAC worksheet
b. Students will first try to figure out the poems on their own, then they will
work with their partner, then they will share with the group.
Summarizing
1. Students will answer EQ on sheet
Strategies
2. Teacher will answer any questions about Acrostic Poem/ Music Lyrics Project
HOMEWORK: Work on Acrostic/ Music Lyrics Project

DATE
Essential
Questions/
Key
Questions
Activating
Strategies
Teaching
Strategies

Summarizing
Strategies

Day 9 (Monday, November 5)

Unit Focus: Poetic Elements
Lesson Question: What are the Elements of Poetry
Key Questions: What is free verse and how are the elements different from traditional
poetry?
I Have, Who Has
1. Reactions to IHWH
a. What are you confused about? (T/T)
2. Students will review the meaning of Form (as opposed to Sound)
a. Teacher will review types discussed last week (Frayer Model)
3 . Read two different poems
a. First poem will be modeled by Teacher
b. Second poem will be done in partnership
5. Students will be asked to use a LFS Compare Contrast sheet concerning both
Sound and Form
1. I Have, Who Has (Poetic Elements)
2. Students will answer EQ

***Acrostic Poem/ Music Lyrics DUE!!

DATE
Essential
Questions/ Key
Questions
Activating
Strategies
Teaching
Strategies
Summarizing
Strategies

Day 10 (Tuesday, November 6 )

Unit Focus: Poetic Elements: Form
Lesson Question: What are the Poetic Elements?
Essential Question: What is free verse? What types of poetry are there?

1. If time remains students will be asked to fill out a Most Important Thing
TOD (Candy for those who write in poem form)

DATE
Essential
Questions/
Key
Questions
Activating
Strategies
Teaching
Strategies

Day 11 (Wednesday, November 7 )

Unit Focus: Poetic Devices
Lesson Question: What common literary devices are used in poetry?
Essential Question: How are figurative language and sensory details used in poetry?

1.
2.
3.
4.

Summarizin
g Strategies

5.

Discussion of the five senses using a familiar example (ex. The Cafeteria) (Ripple
Activity)
T/T discuss differences in senses with partner.
Teacher reads Where Im From by George Elle Lyon
a. Discuss importance of Sensory detail with our connections to the poem.
Teacher models own WIF Poem
Students fill out WIF poem template
http://mysite.cherokee.k12.ga.us/personal/tracy_johnson/site/10th%20Grade%2
0Resources/1/Where%20I%27m%20From%20poem%20and%20Template.pdf
If time have students share
Students will fill out an Important Thing TOD

DATE
Essential
Questions/
Key
Questions
Activating
Strategies

(Monday, November 12)

Unit Focus: Devices
Lesson Question: What common literary devices do authors use in poetry?
Key Questions: How are figurative language and sensory detail used in poetry? How do
they effect mood?
Students will view a number of different pictures and choose the feeling word
that best describes the mood of that picture. (see worksheet)
T/T: How were your answers different?
Teaching
1. Reflection on activating strategy
Strategies
2. Define mood in Frayer Model Packet
3. Students will work in pairs to define the Mood in 2 different poems (D)
4. Use Mood worksheet
Summarizing
Students will share their interpretations with the class
Strategies

Date
Essential
Questions/
Key
Questions
Activating
Strategies
Teaching
Strategies

Summarizing
Strategies

( Monday , November 12)

Unit Focus: Devices
Lesson Question: How do I analyze the elements and devices an author used?
Key Question: What elements and devices affect the meaning of a poem?
Students will learn the background of the poem Paul Reveres Ride
Students will fill out a new EQ and answer yesterdays EQ
1. Students will read a poem with their partner. They will be using a reading road
map to answer questions concerning elements and devices used in the poem.
a. S Teacher summarizing as needed. Teacher will go through the first few
stanzas with students and then allow the students to work codependently.
1. TOD: two things you learned about Paul Revere
2. Check-up as needed (continuing tomorrow)

DATE:
Essential
Questions
and Key
Questions:
Activating
Strategy
Teaching
Strategies:

Day 14 (Tuesday, November 13)

Unit Focus: Devices
Lesson EQ: How do I analyze the elements and devices an author used?
Key Questions: What are some strategies for interpreting poetry? How can I decide what
an author is trying to say?
Students will discuss their ideas of the poem so far. They will discuss what they
think is occurring and why they believe that. (T/T)
1. Students will continue reading poem from yesterday, as well as filling out their
roadmap.
2. When students are finished they will create a post on Moodle as though they
were in Paul Reveres time period. They will write a letter to Paul Revere on
Moodle and must respond to at least one classmate as a friend of P.R.
a. If computers are unavailable, students will complete this on paper.
Summarizing
1. The Most Important Thing (about P.R).
Strategies:

DATE
Lesson
Questions/
Key Questions
Activating
Strategies
Teaching
Strategies

Summarizing
Strategies

Day 16 (Wednesday, November 14)

Unit Focus: Devices
Lesson Question: What are some common literary devices used in poetry?
Key Questions: How do elements and devices work together to make meaning?
Students will be given different poems to read with a partner and brainstorm
ideas about the meaning. (3 different poems per class)
1. Students will use the poem Paul Reveres Ride as a connection to the poetic
elements and how they help determine meaning.
2. Students will fill out a Frayer Model for THEME
3. Students will be given a Graphic Organizer to analyze the meaning of a poem.
4. Teacher will model one poem and then students will analyze another poem on
their own. (or with a partner).
What are some strategies you learned today? (Ticket Out the Door)

DATE
Lesson
Questions/ Key
Questions
Activating
Strategies
Teaching
Strategies

Summarizing
Strategies

Day 15 (Thursday, November 15)

Unit Focus: Devices
Lesson EQ: Who do I analyze the elements and devices an author used? How can I
make meaning of a poem?
Key Questions: What are some strategies for interpreting poetry?
What are some strategies of interpreting poetry?
1. Review Theme (Fill in Terms Booklet)
2. JIGSAW- Students become experts in a group, and then break apart and
teach another group. (Original groups of 5). Students will explain which parts
of the graphic organizer from earlier in the week helped them.
a. Each student will have a poem and a theme/meaning worksheet to
work with.
Time permitting students will share their poems with the class.

DATE
Lesson
Questions/ Key
Questions
Activating
Strategies

Teaching
Strategies
Summarizing
Strategies

(Friday, November 16)

Unit focus: Interpreting poetry
Lesson Question: How can I compare and Contrast poems
Key Questions: What are some similarities and differences between certain poems.
Work Splash: Elements of Poetry
o Form: Types of Poetry
o Sound: Alliteration, Consonance, Assonance, Figurative Language
(simile, Metaphor etc), Sensory Detail etc.
1. Teacher will read two poems to students
2. Students will help teacher fill in LFS Compare/Contrast on board
3. Students will complete an Open-Ended Response on the two poems.
1. If time remains answer EQ with partner.

Monday Teacher will introduce Poetry Project.

Date
Key Questions/
Lesson
Questions
Activating
Strategies
Teaching
Strategies
Summarizing
Strategies

Monday, November 19
Unit Genre: Interpreting poetry

Journal Warm up.

Students will be shown examples of past poetry projects. They will be asked
to brainstorm ideas for their own project.
1. Students will be given back their research essays and asked to review their
score and create a goal for the rest of the year.
2. Teacher will go over requirements for the poetry project.
Students will be asked to fill out Day 1 of their poetry project time line.

Date
Key Questions/
Lesson Questions
Activating
Strategies
Teaching
Strategies
Summarizing
Strategies

Tuesday, November 20
Unit Focus: Interpreting poetry

1.
2.
1.

Journal warm up
Students will share their topics and formats
Students will have the class period to work
Students must fill out day two of their project packet
Students will have their topics and formats approved by teacher

Date
Lesson
Questions/
Key Questions
Activating
Strategies
Teaching
Strategies
Summarizing
Strategies

Wednesday, November 21
Unit Focus: Interpreting poetry
Journal Warm-up
Students will share their projects so far
1. Students will continue working on their poetry projects with teacher direction
and help
2. Students will fill out Day Three in their poetry packet
1. Students will fill out EQ sheet for unit
2. TOD: 3 most helpful strategies for your project