Writing Unit

: Poetry and Word Choice

Grade level
: Fourth (but adaptable to other grade levels)
Purpose
:
Understand that writers can learn to write a variety of poems from studying mentor texts.
Understand poetry as a unique way to communicate about and describe feelings, sensory images,
ideas, or stories.
Understand the difference between poetic language and ordinary language.
(CCL pg. 88)
Common Core standards
:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising,
editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, and editing. (W.4.5.)
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. (W.4.10.)
Continuum of Literacy Learning goals
:
Use a rage of descriptive words to enhance the meaning.
Select precise words to reflect the intended message or meaning.
Use figurative language to make comparisons (simile, metaphor).
Use memorable or vivid words (gigantic, desperate).
(CLL pg. 91)

Mentor Texts
:
Alarcon, F. X. (2005).
Poems to Dream Together/Poemas Para Sonar Juntos
. Lee & Low Books Inc.,
New York.
Creech, S. (2001).
Love That Dog.
Scholastic Inc., New York.
Silverstein, S. (1974).
Where the Sidewalk Ends.
Evil Eye Music, Inc. New York.
Stockland, P. M. (2004).
Recess, Rhyme, and Reason: A Collection of Poems About School
. Compass
Point Books, Minneapolis.
Stockland, P. M. (2004).
Fur, Fangs, and Footprints: A Collection of Poems About Animals
. Compass
Point Books, Minneapolis.

Day One
Introduction:
Today we are going to start our Poetry Unit! I know you all have talked about poetry in other
grades so get excited! We will be focusing on word choice for this unit and will be looking at some
different types of poems!
To ease us into the unit, I want to start today with reading a few of my favorite poems from some
books we will be using this week.
(this will allow the students to get reintroduced to poetry)
Hug OWar
by Shel Silverstein (from
Wh
e
re the Sidewalk Ends
)
I will not play at tug o' war.
I'd rather play at hug o' war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.
In My Dreams
by Francisco X. Alarcon (from
Poems to Dream Together
)
buffaloes roam
free once again
on the plains
whales become
opera singers
of the sea
dolphins are
admired by all for
their smarts and joy
in my dreams
there is no word
for war
all humans
and all living
beings
come together
as one big family
of the Earth

Lesson (still Day One):

Now we will be looking at an acrostic poem, which is the type we will be focusing on today!
The Tiger
by Patricia M. Stockland (from
Fur, Fangs, and Footprints
)
T
he tiger
H
ides in the
E
arly evening
T
eeth and claws and fur
I
nvisible hunter
G
old and black stripes hide him
E
very inch silently creeping, then suddenly
R
oaring, he pounces

Topic: Descriptive Words in Acrostics

Resources:
Poem:
Classroom
by Patricia M. Stockland (from
Recess, Rhyme, and Reason
)
Poems:
Teaching
and
Ms. Bromaghim
by Leah Bromaghim
Teacher Actions:
Explain acrostics, show examples and samples. Emphasize importance of descriptive words
to explain the subject of the poem. Acrostics are a nice type of poem, because you have to use
descriptive words that start with each of the letters in the subject of the poem.
Student Actions:
Listen to poems and directions
Complete assignment of writing own acrostic poems on something school-related and with
their names
Classroom
by Patricia M. Stockland (from
Recess, Rhyme, and Reason
)
C
hildren
L
earning and laughing
A
nd
S
inging
S
miling
R
eading and writing
O
r adding and subtracting
O
r making
M
emories
Sample writing of Acrostic from teacher with the subject of something school-related:
Teaching
by Ms. Bromaghim
T
otal
E
ngagement of students
A
s the
C
hildren
H
ave
I
nspirations,

N
ever
G
iving up on their dreams.
If students finish that early, task two is to write an acrostic with their names using descriptive
words to describe themselves:
Ms. Bromaghim
by Ms. Bromaghim
M
ighty
S
trong
.
B
oisterous
R
esponsible
O
rganized
M
arvelous
A
wesome
G
enerous
H
appy
I
ntelligent
M
essy

Checklist for assessing acrostics:

This lesson was to get them thinking about different words and having to choose ones based on
the structure of the poem. I think it is a good introductory poem, because it gives you a structure
and subject to focus on.

Day Two
Topic: Identifying Word Choice - Imagery
Resources:
Poem: In My Dreams by Francisco X. Alarcon
Highlighters and pencils
Overhead Document viewer
Teacher Actions:
Talk about word choice and what we have done so far write ideas down on the board
Read poems to students
Identify good word choice together, have students highlight good word choice and words
that produce imagery
Student Actions:
Respond to questions from the teacher and participate in the discussion of what we know
about word choice and poetry
Listen to poems
Identify good word choice

Day Three
Topic: Identifying Word Choice - rhyming
Resources:
st
Poem: The 1
Day or School by Jenny Whitehead
th
Poem: The 179
Day of School by Jenny Whitehead
Whiteboard or Chart Paper
Copies of poems for all the students
Teacher Actions:
Read poems to students
Identify good word choice together, have students highlight good word choice and words
that rhyme model this on the board/chart paper
Student Actions:
Listen to poems
Identify good word choice

Day Four
Topic: Rhyming Word Choice
Resources:
Poems from yesterday
Notebooks
Pens and pencils
Teacher Actions:
Talk about poems from the day before
Discussion about rhyming words
Pick a topic together and brainstorm words that go with that topic and words related that
rhyme

Write rhyming poem together

Student Actions:
Participate in discussion
Discuss rhyming words
Contribute to the process of writing a rhyming and pattern poem together

Day Five
Topic: Voice and perspective of poem
Resources:
Poem:
And The Answer Is?
By Carol Diggory Shields
Chart paper
Teacher Actions:
Talk about poems from the day before
Discussion about voice
Make list of what voice is and what makes it unique/different, etc.
Student Actions:
Participate in discussion
Discuss voice in example poem

Day Six
Topic: Partner poems with focus on all or any word choice, voice, rhyming pattern or imagery
Resources:
Pens and pencils
Notebooks
Teacher Actions:
Review of imagery and rhyming words and how to choose them
Give directions
Keep watch over class as they collaborate
Check in with groups
Student Actions:
Listen to directions
Collaborate with a partner and write a poem together, minding the directions and
instructions from teacher

Rubric for Peer written poem

Day Seven
Topic: Application of poetry knowledge individually
Resources:
Notebook
Pen or pencil
Teacher Actions:
Assign directions of the poem youd like them to write (open to ended)
Give them guidelines as to how you will be grading them
Talk about writers notebook and use of poetry in it connect to book
Love That Dog
by
Sharon Creech
Student Actions:
Write own poem using what youve learned in class (word choice that pertains to voice,
rhyming, and imagery)
Work on writers notebooks by incorporating poems (not an assignment, just an occasional
check in)

Books
by Ms. Bromaghim
Libraries are full of books
Ready to pull when you get caught on their hooks
As I work I like to look
And imagine all the ideas that they could cook
So many genres ready for me
To come and have a reading spree
I do enjoy the feeling of glee
When I crack open a new one and flee
Off into a world of imaginative flight
Where I might return when it turns night
I hope that it wont wake me with fight
When I let my mind go out of sight
Surely, though, it will all be great
To have a book that is ready for a date
It will have to wait until I fall for its bait
Lets just hope that I am not too late!

Reflection on writing process:

It was hard to write my own poems! A lot more thought and time needs to be put in than I
was ready for! I did enjoy it though. I felt like a part of my brain had to be dusted off to work on
rhyming words for
Books
and it was a challenge to come up with good descriptive words that
actually described
me
and it was hard to keep it teacher and school appropriate and not have it be
too contradictory (I am messy, but in an organized way, which I would probably have to explain to
my students).

This worksheet will be provided to help them write their poem:

Assessment:
1

Word Choice

General or ordinary
words used. Attempts
to use new and
descriptive words,
rhyming, and voice
but has limited
success (words may
be inappropriate, or
limited use).

Attempts to use
descriptive words to
create images. Some
rhyming and a little
voice. Tries to use
descriptive words
and has success with
some, but difficulty
with others.

Uses correct and

original descriptive
words that create
good images, use of
rhyme, and voice in
the poem.

Organization of Ideas

No planning or
organization of ideas
evident.

Some organization
apparent but could
use more before it is
truly a final draft.

Well organized with

concise ideas.

Conventions

Poem has many

grammatical and
spelling errors.

Poem has some

grammatical and
spelling errors.

Poem has no
grammatical or
spelling errors.

Differentiation:
This unit offers many opportunities that allow for differentiation. Access to the text of the
poems while it is read aloud will help students of lower levels. It will help students follow along
and understand what is required of them. Having a unit on poetry keeps it pretty open for
creativity and choice of topics. I think this allows advanced learners to stretch their abilities and it
can be catered to individual students abilities. Differentiation fits naturally into open-ended tasks
for students. If students continue to struggle with word choice, I will have thesauruses on hand to
use or I will allow them to ask their peers and myself for ideas. I will also have assorted poetry
books around the room to help them with ideas and inspiration.