Grade: 8th Grade Teacher(s): Patrice O. Toulson and Ann DeLoach

Content Topic: Poetry

Summary of Unit: This unit will be on poetry. The students will be introduced to different types of poetry and will focus on literary elements in poems that they read. They will read poetry and analyze the literary elements of each one and they and will create a collection of original poems.

Methods of Collecting Information:This lesson will be taught to a class of 17 eighth graders who are enrolled in 8th grade Language Arts. The age range of the students is thirteen to fifteen. There are 9 Black Males, 2 White Males, 5 Black Females and 1 Hispanic Female.

Demographics:

2010-2011 Writing Test Scores and CRCT Test Results of the students:

Student Race/Gender Writing Scores 2010-2011

CRCT Reading 2010-2011

CRCT ELA 2010-2011

CRCT Math2010-2011

CRCT Science 2010-2011

CRCT Social Studies 2010-2011

RM Black/Male 20 788 777 791 768 750TB Black/Female 21 790 788 766 762 725XB Black/Male 20 788 804 830 790 766EC Hispanic/Female 20 805 802 825 805 789JDa Black/Male 24 782 806 802 783 778JDi Black/Male 20 790 806 793 781 766BH Black/Female 22 805 824 800 814 784AK White/Male 20 773 784 769 783 769TL Black/Female 28 835 824 793 778 760QL Black/Male 20 785 804 804 755 750ML Black/Female 28 817 819 806 796 792SR Black/Female 29 805 811 816 783 798CR Black/Male 25 793 802 812 776 769CS Black/Male 22 793 811 814 796 795BSm Black/Male 807 814 804 773 769BSt White/Male 20 782 800 793 778 739NT Black/Male 20 793 804 804 792 787

*** CRCT Failing Test Scores

Reading – 11 out of 17 students failed the CRCT in 2010-2011.

Language Arts – 3 out of 17 failed the CRCT in 2010-2011.

Math – 6 out of 17 failed CRCT in 2010-2011.

Science – 14 out of 17 failed CRCT in 2010-2011.

Social Studies – 17 out of 17 failed CRCT in 2010-2011.

While talking to the Language Arts teacher, Ms. Deloach, prior to co-teaching this unit

on poetry, Ms. Deloach stated that none of these students are in the gifted program or the

ELL program. None of these students have a learning disability or are EBD. There are

no special education students in this class. However, there is one student in the process

of being tested for the special education program. There is another student in this class

that is being considered for testing in the special education program. One student is

ADHD and is on medication. There are numerous behavior problems in this class of

seventeen. In fact, one student has been in the alternate school the majority of his middle

school years. Ms. Deloach stated that these students struggle in Language Arts, reading,

writing, and other areas. Actually, more passed the CRCT in Language Arts than any

other subject area in 2010-2011. Ms. Deloach stated that one of the areas that these

students have a lot of problems in is in the area of literary elements and this was a

weakness for them on the CRCT the past two years.

UbD Stage 1 Established Goals

Title of Unit

You’re a Poet and Didn’t Know It

Grade Level

8th Grade

Curriculum Area Language Arts

Time Frame

3 Weeks

Stage 1 – Identify Desired ResultsGPS Content Standards: ELA8R1 The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literary and informational texts.

ii. Figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, symbolism, imagery).

Standards for the 21st Century Learner Goals:2 – Draw Conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge.

Skills Indicator(s):2.1.1 Continue an inquiry-based research process by applying critical-thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, evaluation, organization) to information and knowledge in order to construct new understandings, draw conclusions, and create new knowledge. 2.1.3 Use strategies to draw conclusions from information and apply knowledge to curricular areas, real-world situations, and further investigations.2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize information.2.1.6 Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create products that express new understandings.

Benchmark(s):-Interpret information and ideas by defining, classifying, and inferring from information in text.-Draw conclusions based on explicit and implied information.- Form opinions and judgments backed up by supporting evidence.-Use interactive tools to participate as a group in analyzing and organizing information.-Create products that incorporate writing, visuals, and other forms of media to convey message and main points.-Assess and edit for grammar, visual impact, and appropriate use of media.

Dispositions Indicator(s):2.2.3 Employ s a critical stance in drawing conclusions by demonstrating that the pattern of evidence leads to a decision or conclusion.

2.2.4 Demonstrate personal productivity by completing products to express learning.

Responsibilities Indicator(s):Connect understanding to the real world.

Self-Assessment Strategies Indicator(s):2.4.3 Recognize new knowledge and understanding.

Understandings

Students will understand that….• there are different literary elements used in poetry• that there are different forms of poetry• poetry is an expressive and creative outlet

Related Misconceptions: 1) All poetry has to rhyme.2) Poems are short in length.3) All poems are sweet and happy.

Essential Questions

Overarching Questions:

1) Why is learning about poetry important?

2) How do literary elements contribute to meaning in poetry?

3) How do we use our personal experiences to bring meaning to poetry?

Topical Questions:

1) What is poetry?

2) What are literary elements that can be used in poetry?

3) What can our personal experiences add to understanding poetry?

Knowledge and Skills

KnowledgeStudents will know:

• What literary elements such as similes, metaphors, hyperbole, alliterations and onomatopoeias are.

• There are different types of poetry

• That understanding literary elements help us to understand poetry better.

Skills Students will be able to:

• Identify different types of poems.

• Identify literary elements: similes, metaphors alliterations, and onomatopoeias.

• Write a variety of poems• Use web 2.0 tools to publish

their original poems

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence

Performance Task(s)

Goal: The goal is to create a variety of original poems.

Role: You are an author of poetry.

Audience: The target audience is your peers and your teacher. The location will be at a Poetry Reading at a café.

Situation: You will write a collection of original poetry that will utilize literary elements.

Product Performance and Purpose: You will compose a book of original poems in order to show that you have understanding of different types of poems and understanding of literary elements.

Standards and Criteria for Success: Student must create an original book of poems and use one type of technology in order to publish the final product.

Performance Task(s) Rubric(s)

Rubric for being an author and composing original poetry using literary elements.

Category Score

Poems: A minimum of 5 poems will be written. The student will write at least one Rhyming poem, one Diamonte poem, one Free Verse Poem, one Acrostic poem and one poem of

choice.

______/20

Poetic Devices: A minimum of five different literary elements is used. The five elements are used correctly (i.e. a metaphor is used as a metaphor, simile, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, and alliteration). The poet provides a thorough explanation of all literary elements that were used, where they were used, and how they were used.

All literary elements were used effectively, correctly, and appropriately.

______/20

Organization: Each poem is very well organized. One idea or image follows another in a logical sequence with clear transitions.

______/20

Spelling, Grammar, Mechanics, etc.: There are no errors in the final draft. People or place names that the author invented are spelled consistently throughout. End punctuation, and correct

punctuation in general, is used throughout the poem.

______/15

Creativity: The poems contain many creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author

has really used his or her imagination.

______/5

Title: Title is creative, sparks interest and is related to the poem and topic. ______/5

Quality Product: The final draft of the poems is done by using a Web 2.0 tool called LiveBinder. The final product is clean, neat,

and attractive. The final product shows that the author attempted creative styles. It looks like the author took great pride in it.

______/15

Other Evidence(e.g. tests, quizzes, work samples, observations)

Ticket Out the Door: The student will list the different literary elements explain the meaning in their own words and give an example of each.

Teacher will observe the students when they are writing in class to ensure the student has understanding of the poems being studied and the literary elements being used.

Teacher will observe classroom discussion.

Teacher will review reflections of the students to see how they feel they are doing.

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

Student Self-Reflection Letter Dear Students of Poetry, During this unit you have written five poems, learned different ways of interpreting poems, and have learned to understand and analyze poetry by looking at literary elements as clues to help youunderstand the meaning. We hope that you have come to enjoy poetry more and will continue to read and write poetry in the future.

We would like you to write a letter to us expressing your experience with this poetry unit. This letter will be turned in. Please answer the following questions in your letter:

1) How did you feel about poetry before this unit? 2) How do you feel about poetry now? 3) Was there anything in particular that changed your mind/feelings? 4) Which poetry assignment was your favorite? Why? 5) Which poem was the easiest to write?6) Which literary element was the most enjoyable to work with?7) What is one lesson or memory you will take from this poetry unit? 8) What is one thing you learned during this unit? 9) How do you feel you did on your poetry project in comparison to the rubric?

Thank you for taking the time to write this letter. Again, we hope you have enjoyed this unit and we are excited about reading your letters.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Toulson and Ms. Deloach

Stage 3: Plan Learning ExperiencesWeek 1

Day 1:

1) Teachers will have the song “Circle of Life” by Elton John playing in the classroom as the students enter. How many of you believe that this is a form of poetry? How many of you believe the songs that you listen to on your IPods are a form of poetry. They will vote by a show of hands. We will look at some songs and relate them to poetry. (H)

1) What is poetry and literary elements that help us to understand poetry better? You will pretend to be an author and you will create five original poems. (W)

2) KWL Chart on poetry. The students will write down what they previously know about poetry and what they would like to know about poetry. (R)

3) The computer teacher will use a computer, Internet and a projector to show a podcast of the literary elements that we will be studying that will help us interpret poems better. In this podcast, there is a definition of each literary element and an example of each one. This will help the visual impaired student, the hearing impaired student and the ADHD students. This will also allow the students to download it onto their IPod/MP3 player so they can review it as many times as they need to for better understanding. http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/chellis22-1195438-literary-elements-podcast/ (E,T)

4) After looking at the podcast, students will be able to come up with their own example of each literary element. If they are having trouble, they can look on the internet to find examples of each. If they do the latter, they will need to make sure they give the author credit. (E,T)

5) Students will reflect on what they learned about literary elements and which type they enjoyed the most. (R)

Day 2:

6) Students will be put into groups to share briefly their previous day’s examples of the literary elements. (E)

7) The Language Arts teacher will then share three poems by Natasha Niemi with the students. The poems are:

A) Mom & Dad Are Home

Slam! Slam!Go the car doors. Jangle! Jangle!Go the house keys.Jiggle! Jiggle!Go the keys in the door.Squeak!Goes the front door! Thump! Thump!That is me running down the stairs.Guess what?Mom and Dad are home!!

B) The Game

Clap! Clap!Stomp! Stomp!Swish! Swish!This is the way we get throughOur games.The crowd shouts,”Yahoo!”The ball soars through the air.Then, bounce, bounce, bounce.The audience holds its breath.SWISH!The ball goes in; We win!

C) Camping

Crack! Crack!The fire crackles under the stars.Sizzle! Sizzle!The water sizzles above the fire.Crunch! Crunch!The campers crunching on potato chips.Click! Clack! Click! Clack!The tent poles clicking and clacking together.Rustle! Rustle!As we prepare our sleeping bags to go to sleep.Chirp! Chirp!The crickets say, “good-night”.

8) The students will be reminded of what onomatopoeia means. Together the class will brainstorm

Reflection:

It was very interesting looking at these students’ writing and CRCT scores for

2010-2011. I have taught these children in Business and Computer Science and really

was surprised that only three failed the Language Arts section on the CRCT. Based on

their performance in my class and a math class that I have worked with them in, I would

have really thought more would have failed. Their math scores were better than I

anticipated them to be so that is positive as well. I had most of these students last year in

a Reading class and they struggled with reading. They were in a program called READ

180. It was a program that consisted of whole and small group instruction, independent

reading and reading exercises on the computer. I think this program helped the students

that were in it tremendously. Talking to the language arts teacher helped me realize

where some of their areas of greatest weaknesses were. One of the areas, of course, is in

the area of literary elements.

This lesson plan was a little difficult for me. This is not the area that I teach so I

had to re-familiarize myself with the different types of poetry and the different literary

elements. It has been a long time since I studied poetry and the literary elements. I

didn’t have any material already in my collection to use for this lesson so I had to do a lot

of research in order to get ideas and find resources to use for this lesson plan.

Once I got going, I really got into this lesson plan. I liked the way that I found the

different songs that had the literary elements in them. I thought the students would enjoy

comparing the songs to poetry. I tried to relate it to something that they would enjoy. All

the songs may not have been the songs that they may listen to but I thought it would still

peak their interest. I also enjoyed trying to find technology that they could do along with

writing poetry. I would think that normally, the majority of students don’t get excited

about poetry. I see in the classes that I teach that students love to do anything when it

involves computers. So, I knew that I wanted to make sure that involved computers as

often as I could.

In this class, there are 11 boys and 6 girls. I didn’t expect these students to get

excited about poetry too much. I was right. The girls got into it a little more than the

boys. Mostly what we heard was that they couldn’t do the specific poems that we were

requesting them to do. But, once they got into it and they saw that we tried to make it as

easy for them as possible, they accepted it a little more. They seemed to enjoy the

acrostic poem and diamante poem better than the other poems. I think the diamante

poem intrigued them because of its shape. The acrostic poem was fun for them. They

liked how you spelled out a word with the first letter of each word as it went down. They

also had fun with alliterations. They loved trying to make up their tongue twister.

Needless to say, it got pretty loud while working with alliterations. They would try to say

the tongue twisters fast and get to laughing. And of course, it doesn’t take much for

middle school kids to get out of control. As far as technology, the students enjoyed

incorporating this into their poetry. They liked the comic strip that they got to create

using Make Belief Comix. They thought that was fun. They enjoyed scanning their

picture that they drew into the computer. None of them had ever done this. They had fun

with Wordle.net. They thought this was pretty cool. In fact, after they copied and pasted

their acrostic poem into Wordle.net, they wanted to keep playing with it. So, we gave

them several topics to write about and then form the visual from the words. They seemed

to enjoy the interaction site where they got to go on and do their diamante poem. They

thought this was fun and they said they thought the site made it easier to write the poem

versus doing it alone with only pen and paper.