Soraya R. Potter
The Introductory Unit
OBJECTIVES:
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1. The students will be able to discuss their ideas about what poetry is and who writes poetry.
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2. The students will be able to engage in a group poetry writing activity.
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3. The students will be able to write an original poem using everyday words in creative ways.
Day One:
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Forty minute session.
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BRAINSTORMING ASSIGNMENT (10 mins.)
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What is poetry and who writes poetry?
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LESSON:
10 minutes of discussion, 10-20 minutes of poetry
DISCUSSION
Together, the teacher and the students will share their ideas about the following questions.
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1. Who writes poetry?
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2. What is poetry?
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3. How do you feel about reading poetry?
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4. How do you feel about writing poetry?
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5. How is poetry published?
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6. Do all poems have to rhyme?
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7. Do you think that you can write and publish some poetry of your own? Why or why not?
Leading question: WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY TO WRITE SOME POETRY WITH ME AS A CLASS?
DIRECTION:
Today in class we are going to write a group poem on the board. Each of you has to create a sentence for this poem based on the words that we write out together. The lines do not have to rhyme.
FORMULA :
1. Name five feelings: love, joy etc.
2. Name five colors: red, blue etc.
3. Name five things: bag, table etc.
4. Name five places: garage, my room etc.
Direction: Now make up a sentence using one word from each of the four categories on the board. I will write the first sentence.
Joy is a blue book on the table in my room.
Direction: Each student should come up to the board and create a new sentence to be added to the poem. When the poem is complete, have the students vote on a name for the poem and copy it into the next available page in their journal. The author should be listed as: The Entire Grade Class.
HOMEWORK:
Students are to brainstorm (on their own) five new words for each of the categories above and create an original poem of their own.
Caution them that they may have to read it to the class tomorrow, so be prepared.
CLOSURE:
Forty minute class period.
Homework (15 minutes) Allow the students to read their poems aloud to the class. Ask first for volunteers. You should write a poem of your own so that if some volunteers are hesitant about reading their own work you can model the required behavior.
Discussion (20 minutes) Ask the students the same list of questions from yesterday to find out if any perceptions have changed. Also include the following two questions:
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1. Did you think that you could write a poem like that before yesterday? Why or why not?
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2. When you are reading your work to the class, what kinds of behaviors do you expect them to display? (How do you want your class-mates to react to your reading?)
Journal (5 minutes) Do you think that you would like to write more poetry? OR Did you like the poem that you wrote? Why or why not?