Unit Plan for Language Arts: Poetry

Unit Overview:
Erin Otagaki and Kathy Williams worked together on this four week Language Arts
poetry unit. In this unit, we will be examining four types of poetry – the concrete, the
haiku, the lyric, and the free verse. We chose to examine the concrete to show
students that poetry is painting a picture with words and a concrete poem is literally
painting a picture with words. We chose haiku to illustrate for students the power of
a few carefully selected words and the importance of word choice. We chose to study
lyric poetry (limerick, sonnet, etc…) as a means to introduce students to other poetic
terms such as meter and rhyme scheme. Free verse poetry was chosen to illustrate to
students that not all poetry has strict boundaries.
Students will begin by looking at the novel (written as a poem) Love That Dog. Through
this novel, students will be introduced to a variety of poetry. Students will also
realize, through this novel, that there’s much more to poetry than meets the eye.
Behind each carefully chosen word of a poem, is a story, and it’s that hidden story that
often makes poetry so powerful.
Students will also be examining poetic terms through weekly vocabulary quizzes.
To help students feel less overwhelmed, we will have them brainstorm a theme around
which all their poetry will be written. Students will be encouraged to chose a theme
that they feel passionate about.
We will begin the unit with concrete poetry since it is the most visual form of poetry
and is generally a lot of fun to create (get the enthusiasm up!). From there we will
move onto limericks, short funny poems that will provide us with a means to introduce
meter and rhyme to the students. Students will then be introduced to a variety of
lyric poetry (sonnets primarily) as well as free verse. Students will choose what form
of poetry they would like to write and work on cutting their poem of choice down into a
haiku, illustrating for them the importance of carefully chosen words as well as the
idea that there’s a lot more behind a haiku than 17 syllables.
The culminating project will consist of a book of poetry each student creates. Each
book will contain a concrete, haiku, lyric (limerick), and poem of choice (not a limerick
or haiku) written by the student. The writing process will be implemented for this
project (students will write, peer edit, and self revise each piece).
The last day of the unit will be devoted to allowing students a chance to share one of
their original works with the class. Students will also write a reflective paragraph of
the one poem they choose to read, sharing with the reader the poem’s significance to
them.

Rationale for Unit:

We want students to realize that poetry is not an intimidating art. It’s not something
just done by famous poets of the past. It is an art anyone can practice. However, we
also want students to realize that there’s much more to poetry than an outpouring of
emotional words on paper. Poetry is a deliberate art, each word carefully chosen for
its significance. Also, through the use of the writing process, students will understand
the importance and power of revision.

Unit Goals:
Students will gain an understanding of varous different forms of poetry (concrete,
lyric, free verse, and haiku).

Students will define and understand poetic terms (meter, rhyme, iambic pentameter,
simile, metaphor)

Students will understand the importance of word choice in poetry.

Students will implement the writing process and realize the importance of
editing/revision.

Students will have an opportunity to show their understanding of poetry through the
creation of their own poetry.

Students’ work will be validated through a presentation of their work to an audience.

EALRS:
Writing:
2.3 Student will write in a variety of forms including narrative, journals, poems, essays,
stories, research reports, and technical writing

3.1 – 3.5 Student understands and uses steps to the writing process

Communication:
2.4 Student will use effective language and style. Student uses language that is
grammatically correct, precise, engaging, and well suited to topic, audience, and
purpose.

Reading:
1.4 Student will understand elements of literature – fiction – such as story elements,
use of humor, exaggeration, and figures of speech.
2.2 Student will expand comprehension by analyzing, interpreting, and synthesizing
information and ideas.

3.3 Student will read for literary experience in a variety of forms such as novels,
short stores, poems, plays, and essays to understand self and others.

Materials Needed:
Poetry examples
Overhead
Love That Dog
A Poke in the I
Vocab lists
Vocab quizzes
Handouts

Assessments:
Formal assessments will include:
Vocabulary quizzes on poetic terms
Final draft of the poetry project that includes one concrete, one limerick, one haiku,
and one poem of choice
Rubrics for all poems (including checking for rough drafts, peer/self edits)
Rubric for presentation
Copies of all rough drafts/editing/revision to check for the use of the writing process
Verbal presentation of poetry (student will choose best of four)
Student will write a small reflection stating why they chose the poem to present to
class

Informal assessments will include:

Checking for completion of drafts
Checking for participation in peer editing
Checking for participation in self revision
Checking for proper and productive use of class work time
Checking for understanding through clarifying questions

Adaptations:
If a student is struggling with the writing of a poem, we will make ourselves available
to conference with that student during class while others work on
writing/editing/revision.
If a student is having a hard time with writing a poem, we can pair them up with a peer
mentor to help them brainstorm ideas or understand concepts of poetry.
If students are having a hard time understanding a poetic example shown in class, we
can bring in another poem the next day that will help to clarify in the students’ minds
that particular form of poetry.
If students are having trouble understanding a term or form of poetry, we will adjust
the lesson, spending more time with that term or form.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

(11/4) (11/5) (11/6) (11/7)
 SSR  Reading  SSR  Reading  SSR
 Binder Tuesdays  Introduce Tuesdays with  Vocab quiz
cleanout with Morrie poetry unit by Morrie  Finish
 Reading  Collect reading Love  Continue reading Love
Assessment Letters to That Dog reading Love That Dog
(school the Editor  Handout Love That Dog  Discussion on
based)  Vote on That Dog sheet Love That
 Handout Letter to the to students Dog
vocab list Editor cover
 Continue
school
required
reading
assessment

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

(11/10) (11/11) (11/12) (11/13) (11/14)
 SSR VETERANS’  SSR  Reading  SSR
 Handout  Introduce Tuesdays  Vocab quiz
vocab list DAY – NO concrete With Morrie  Check for
(more poetry SCHOOL poetry by  Collect reading completion
terms) showing logs of concrete
 Introduce examples from  Go over poems rough
 poetry A Poke in the I vocabulary drafts
project  On poetic  Time in class  Introduce
 Handout on terms sheet, go to work on: limerick
choosing a over concrete -concrete poetry by
theme for poem poetry/peer showing
their final  Handout edit examples
poetry concrete poem  Handout  On poetic
project graphic poetry terms sheet,
 Handout organizer portfolio go over
poetic terms  Time in class to rubric limerick
sheet work on (comprehensiv poem,
 Go over concrete e rubric for meter,
simile and poetry concrete, rhyme
metaphor limerick, scheme
 Work in choice, and  Handout
class on haiku poems, limerick
theme rough draft graphic
questions completion, organizer
self/peer  Time in class
HW: Finish editing, to work on
Theme illustrations, limerick
Questions sheet reflective
– due paragraph, and
WEDNESDAY presentation)

HW: Finish
concrete poem
rough draft – will
be checked for
completion
tomorrow
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
(11/17) (11/18) (11/19) (11/20) (11/21)
 SSR  Reading  SSR  Reading  SSR
 Handout Tuesdays  Introduce Tuesdays with  Vocab quiz
vocab list with Morrie reflection Morrie  Work day to
 Time to work  Check for paragraph on  Collect reading work on:
on class on: completion of one poem logs -editing or
-editing or limerick (handout) – due  Introduce revising
revising  Introduce WEDNESDAY haiku form concrete,
concrete various forms  Time in class to  On poetic limerick,
poem of poetry work on: terms sheet, choice, haiku
-limerick -sonnet -poem of choice go over haiku. (bare bones)
poem (lyric) -editing or  Introduce poems
revising -reflective
HW: Limerick -Frost (lyric) concrete bare bones paragraph
due tomorrow – -free verse poem project -illustrations
check for rough (song lyrics) -editing or (handout) –
draft  On poetic revising students will HW: Choice
completion terms sheet, limerick turn their poem and haiku
go over poem of choice due MONDAY –
sonnet, into a haiku check for rough
iambic  REMIND draft completion
pentameter, STUDENTS
free verse THAT FREE
CHOICE
HW: Choose a POEM AND
form of your HAIKU WILL
choice (other BE CHECKED
than haiku, ON MONDAY
limerick, FOR
concrete) in COMPLETION
which to write a –
poem about your EVERYTHING
theme. IS DUE
WEDNESDAY
:
 all brainstorm
sheets
 all rough
drafts (with
peer or
parent /self
edit)
 all final
drafts with
illustrations
 reflective
paragraph
poetry reading

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

(11/24) (11/25) (11/26) (11/27) (11/28)
 SSR Skating COFFEE HOUSE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
 Check for POETRY READING
completion party DAY!
of choice
and haiku READING
poem rough Tuesdays with
drafts Morrie (if time)
 Remind
 students of
all
requirements
(refer to the
rubric
handed out
on
Wednesday,
11/12)
 Time in class
to work on
preparing
their poetry
portfolio –
DUE WED.

HW: WORK ON
POETRY
PORTFOLIO
and PREPARE
FOR POETRY
READING