32 Writing Poetry

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21st Century Skills:

English Language Arts:

Qualities of Writing

Page 280 from Write on Course 20-20

Reading and Appreciating Poetry

Read and discuss page 280, which provides suggestions for reading poetry. After you discuss this information, display these questions:

What mental pictures come to mind?
How does the poem look?
Is rhyme or repetition used?
Does the poem follow a pattern of rhythm or is it free flowing?

Then display and read aloud a poem of your choice. Model analyzing the poem by answering the four questions above about it. Share another poem and ask the class to analyze it in the same way.

State Standard Reference:

LAFS Standard:

LAFS.6.RL.3.7

NE ELA Standard:

LA 6.1.6.p

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Writing Basics

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Writing Qualities of Writing

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Page 281 from Write on Course 20-20

Poems

Have students silently read the poem at the top of the page, following the tips at the bottom of page 280. Then ask them to answer the four questions from the notes for page 280 about the poem. Afterward, have volunteers share their responses for discussion. Then have them repeat this process for the poem at the bottom of page 281. After these two analyses, ask students if these poems reinforce or dispel their original thinking about poetry. How so?

Extension: Ask students to submit poems that they like. Regularly, share these poems with the class for analysis.

State Standard Reference:

LAFS Standard:

LAFS.6.RL.3.7

NE ELA Standard:

LA 6.1.6.p

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Reading Writing to Learn

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Reading Writing

Page 282 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Prewriting

Have a student read aloud the introduction on page 282. Then review with students the prewriting guidelines on this page. Next, consider implementing the following activity:

Have students write the following categories on a piece of paper, leaving four lines between each category.

Important Events
Your Likes and Dislikes
The World Around You
Favorite People

Ask them to list possible poetry-writing topics beneath each category and choose one for a poem. Instruct students to gather details about this topic by freewriting about it or clustering ideas around it.

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Page 283 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Writing and Revising

Review with students “Writing the First Draft.” Then have students write a first draft for a free-verse poem about their topic. If they have trouble getting started, instruct them to start listing details about the topic in the order that they collected them or, if needed, first model the drafting process for them. (There is no right or wrong way to get started.)

Next, review “Improving Your Writing.” Ask for a volunteer to share his or her first draft with the class for discussion. Analyze this draft using the questions at the bottom of page 283 as a guide. Then have students revise their own first drafts individually or in pairs.

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Revising Poetry Checklist

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Writing Process Writing Revising

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Page 284 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Editing

Review with students the editing guidelines on this page. Then read aloud the final version of the example poem. Use the following questions as a guide to discuss the poem:

What mental pictures come to mind when you read this poem?
How does the poem look? How long is each line and why?
How is punctuation and capitalization used?
Is rhyme or repetition used?
Are special sounds created by the words?
Does the poem follow a pattern of rhythm or is it free flowing?

After discussing this poem, give students more time to work on their poems.

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Writing Process Editing

Page 285 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Publishing

Review the publishing ideas described on this page. Then have students publish their free-verse poems in one or more of these ways. Encourage some students to perform their poems. Reserve class time for a sharing session.

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Page 286 from Write on Course 20-20

Traditional Techniques of Poetry

Review the traditional techniques on these two pages as needed. Share traditional poems with students that display these techniques. Also ask students to find examples for discussion.

Extension: Have students write their own traditional poems following the patterns or techniques established in the original poems.

Have students choose a free-verse poem written by a favorite poet or by themselves. Instruct them to change the line breaks and add or subtract words to give the lines a regular length and even rhythm. Also have them replace the end words to establish a rhyme pattern. They should keep working with their poems until they have the look and sound of an effective traditional poem.

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Page 288 from Write on Course 20-20

Traditional Forms of Poetry

The next two pages provide explanations and examples for many traditional forms of poetry. Page 288 covers ballads, blank verse, cinquain, and couplets. At different points during the school year, share examples of these forms with students for discussion. Also have them write their own versions for some of the forms. Here is an approach to follow for writing a cinquain:

Have students read this syllable cinquain:

Line 1: Seashells (2 syllables)
Line 2: Cockles and clams (4 syllables)
Line 3: Collecting on beaches (6 syllables)
Line 4: Waiting for me to pick them up (8 syllables)
Line 5: Treasures (2 syllables)

Then ask them to write a syllable or word cinquain of their own using the model above and the information on page 286 as a guide.

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Page 289 from Write on Course 20-20

Traditional Forms of Poetry (Continued)

Page 289 covers elegy, epic, free verse, haiku, limerick, lyric, ode, and sonnet. Share examples of these forms as needed with students, and when appropriate have them write their own versions. Provide the “Writing a Limerick” activity.

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Writing a Limerick

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Page 290 from Write on Course 20-20

Other Forms of Poetry

The next two pages provide explanations and examples for many alternative forms of poetry. Page 290 covers alphabet poetry, clerihew poetry, concrete poetry, contrast couplets, and definition poetry. Review these forms with students. Then ask them to write their own versions for at least two of the forms.

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Page 291 from Write on Course 20-20

Other Forms of Poetry (Continued)

Page 291 covers list poetry, name poetry, phrase poetry, terse verse, and title-down poetry. Review these forms with students. Then ask them to write their own versions for at least two of the forms.

Afterward, have pairs of students respond to each other’s poetry from pages 290–291. Each student should then select their favorite poem to share with the class.

Extension: Have students compile a booklet of traditional, free verse, and/or alternative poems that they write during the term.

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