Lesson/Unit Topic/Theme:  Literacy - Poetry, “Shape Up”

Lesson/Unit Length:  Language Arts, double period – 80-90 minutes

Curriculum Expectations:

4e44  Grade 4 PLNR06  English Language  Writing  Overall Expectations

- generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose

  and audience;

4e48 Grade 4 PLNR06  English Language  Writing  Specific Expectations

- identify the topic, purpose, and audience for a variety of writing forms (cinquain or

  shape poem

Cross-Curricular Links:

4a32 – Grade 4 PLNR06 The Arts – Visual Arts Overall Expectations

- identify the elements of design (colour, line, shape, form, space, texture), and

  use them in ways appropriate for this grade when producing and responding to works

  of art

4a36 – Grade 4 PLNR06 The Arts – Visual Arts Specific Expectations

 – identify the emotional quality of lines (create emotions of peace, unease, energy)

Content Area Focus

This poetry lesson fits nicely within the Grade 4 curriculum for students to learn about what a poem is, how different and unique poems can be, and that poems do not have to rhyme.  This lesson will be integrated with an art lesson, where students have previously learned about lines and shape.

Students will be asked about what they think a poem is and if they know any poems.  After asking the students what they think a poem is, they will be read several poems that share different qualities and writing techniques, such as a rhyming poem, (a nursery rhyme/limerick), acrostic, a cinquain, and diamante.  They will be shown some examples of these poems and that some poems have particular writing formats, such as the diamante and how the writing makes a diamond picture.  Students will then be shown two examples of a shape poem.  Their first poetry lesson will be about what poetry is and what poetry means to them, and that they will be writing a shape poem.  Examples of shape poems will be shown to the students.  The examples will consist of a shape poem that has writing with a particular shape, such as a piece of fruit, or sports ball, where the writing takes the shape of the line drawing, with the writing on the inside.  The other example will show the poem that is written in the shape of the object they are describing and that it is the writing that takes the shape to produce an emotional quality of lines without the lines actually being drawn.

Students will then be asked again about what they think a poem is.  The class will discuss how a poem is an expression, an expression that is personal to them.  Students will be asked to work in their groups to brainstorm some ideas about what types of feelings and expressions that would be good for their poem to bring out personal expressions.

Students will then be asked to write a shape poem that describes something about what they really enjoy doing in their personal lives, either inside or outside of school time.  Students will be asked to discuss some ideas for their shape poems.  Suggestions could be:  a special talent – like music, hockey, dancing, or sports.  The teacher would encourage students to write about their interests, something they are passionate about.

Skills Focus:

Social Skills:

-          cooperation – working together as partners or in a group

-          listening skills

-          communicate effectively

Learning Skills:

-          writing skills (develop creativity)

-          stay on task, stay focussed

-          time management

-          provide help to peers

Culminating Task/Performance:

-          “think-pair-share” - students will work with a partner and/or their group to discuss their poem and provide feedback to each other regarding grammar, spelling, context of writing, and general positive feedback on the poem

-          students will be producing a “good copy” of the poem that they will put away and saved until additional poetry lessons have been completed – with the end result being a poem anthology of approximately five different types of poems

-          students will have about ten minutes at the end of class to read their poems to the entire group if willing

Assessment Tools and Strategies:

Rubric – students will be assessed with a rubric on their poem(s) making sure that they have met the criteria for their poem (has a shape – writing is either in the shape or written in a shape), and its uniqueness (describes something about them)

Checklist – students will be assessed with a checklist to make sure they have their poem(s) complete

Observation – students will be monitored and observed by the teacher as writing is taking place and to answer questions and help brainstorm for ideas, if necessary

Lesson/Unit Checkpoints & Feedback:

Teacher will regroup the students several times throughout the poem writing to make sure the students are on track and focussed.  Teacher will use the board and/or chart paper to write ideas for students who are having a difficult time making a decision on a topic.  Teacher will circulate and observe offering feedback as needed.

Key Concepts & Skills

Reading

Instructional Approaches:

-          students will be asked to identify the differences in the poems that were read at the beginning of class and use those feature and elements in their writing

-          students will have a chance to reread some of the poems that were used in the introduction to the lesson to help them identify the structure of the shape poem that is to be used as a reference for this writing lesson

Critical Literacy/Thinking Skills:

-          students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the topic by choosing an appropriate topic to write about and will partner with others for positive and helpful feedback

Accommodations/Modifications:

-          students who are having a difficult time choosing a topic will share ideas with the teacher and/or other students for suggestions

-          students may take their work home to complete on their own time if not completed in class

Writing

Instructional Approaches:

-          the students will be asked several questions before writing their shape poems, such as; “What is the purpose of your writing?  How are you going to choose your topic?”

-          students will be told that they may gather ideas and make jot notes to support their topic before they begin to write their shape poem

Critical Literacy/Thinking Skills:

-          students will decide if the ideas and information that they have chosen are relevant for their topic and intended audience

Accommodations/Modifications:

-          students will be working with a partner/group to brainstorm ideas and seek suggestions about themselves to help them decide on a topic for their shape poem

-          students will have the opportunity to have peers review their work and edit it appropriate and/or provide feedback for revisions

Language and Word Study

Instructional Approaches:

-          teacher will ask students to think of strategies to help them with word choices for their poems, such as prior knowledge of other poems they have heard, or from stories they have read

-          students will be told that by saying their poem out loud to actually hear what is sounds like can help and they can ask opinions of others

Critical Literacy/Thinking Skills:

-          students will be encouraged to write about something that they do well, and are passionate about

-          students will have the opportunity to talk to others about suggestions on how to describe specific activities that they are interested in

Accommodations/Modifications:

-          students who are having a hard time with word selections will be encouraged to look in the thesaurus, or in poetry books within the classroom for ideas

Oral Communication and Media Literacy

Instructional Approaches:

-          ask students to think about how they might use their voice when presenting their poem to the others in the class

-          ask students to think about how they speak and will it reflect their emotions in the meaning to the audience when presenting and/or reading their poem

Critical Literacy/Thinking Skills:

-          remind students that they can use vocal effects, such as volume, and pace when presenting their poems

-          remind students about how the class had used “punch, paint, and pause” in previous oral presentations and how this could be used when reciting their poem

Accommodations/Modifications:

-          right to pass when presenting poems at the end of class (for those who are shy)

-          provide opportunity for those who are shy to present their poem orally to the teacher and/or a small group at a different time of day