Subject: ELA-Poetry

Grade: 4/5

Duration: 5 weeks

Essential Questions:
How does poetry act as a form of communication?
How does figurative language enhance communication?
How can you reflect personal thought, experiences and emotion through the use of poetry?
Resources & Materials:
The Poetry Corner by Arnold Cheyney
Poetry Patterns & Themes
Writing Poems
Teaching Resources & Materials (videos, etc.) :
Words change the world video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzgzim5m7oU
Coca Cola Classic Ad
Burger Kind Ad
Esso Ad
The Limerick Song- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-rN3DGMCsE
Literature Included
Sick by Shel Silverstein
The Voice by Shel Silverstein
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud by William Wordsworth
She Sells Seashells: A Tongue Twister Story by Grace Kim
Websites Consulted and Used:
Readwritethink.org
Poetry4kids.org
Pinterest.com

Objectives & Goals:

Learning Outcomes
GLO 1 - Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.
GLO 2- Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, print and other media texts.
GLO 4- Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to enhance the clarity and artistry of communication.

Other GLOs and SLOs may be covered in individual lessons due to the nature of the ELA curriculum

SLOs
1.1 Discover and Explore
1.1.3 Express Preferences
a. Select and explain preferences for particular forms of oral, print or other media texts.
2.2 Respond to Texts
2.2.1 Experience Various Texts
a. Experience oral, print and other media texts from a variety of cultural traditions and genres (historic fiction, myths, biographies, poetry, news reports
and guest speakers)
b. Express points of view about oral, print and other media texts in different forms
e. Write or represent the meaning of texts in different forms
2.2.3 Appreciate the Artistry of Texts
a. Explain how simile and hyperbole are used to create mood and mental images
b. Alter sentences and word choices to enhance the meaning and create mood and special effects
2.3 Understand Forms, Elements and Techniques
2.3.2 Experiment with Language
a. Experiment with words and sentence patterns to create word pictures; identify how imagery and figurative language such as simile and exaggeration,
convey meaning.
2.4 Create Original Texts
2.4.1 Generate Ideas
a. Use texts from listening, reading and viewing experiences as models for producing own oral, print and other media texts
2.4.2 Elaborate on expression of ideas
a. Experiment with modeled forms of oral, print and other media texts to suit particular audiences and purposes
4.3 Present and Share
4.3.3 Use effective oral and visual communication
Adjust volume, tone of voice, and gestures to engage the audience; arrange presentation space to focus audience attention.

Learning Objectives & Goals

Students will
1. Explain how figurative language creates mental images and meaning
2. Explain how figurative language helps convey mood and emotion
3. Experiment with word choice to create mental images/word pictures
4. Formulate preferences about poetry and figurative language
5. Demonstrate knowledge of modeled forms of poetry
6. Produce poetry based off of modeled forms
7. Demonstrate effective oral and visual communication skills

Day/Date
Jan 4-5

Activities

Assessments
Becoming a Poet
Formative:

Objective:
To introduce the poetry unit, get kids
excited, and use their I Like poems to
help me get to know my students
Texts:
My I Like poem
Words Change the World -Video

I like poems
(Display them in class,
make sure that you are
making it pretty)
Think-pair-share
KWL chart

Activities:
-Think-pair-share about Video grabber
-KWL chart
-Use K items from the chart to have
whole group discussion about poetry
-Create an all about poetry list on the

GLO/SLO

smart board
-Create Like-Dislike T-Chart
- I Like poems
Jan 6-7

What Will Our Unit Look Like

Objective:
Introduce the Poetry Portfolio and
Poem of the Day

POD & Poetry Portfolio

(send out FOIP) stuff.

Texts:
The Sea by James Reeves
Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya
Angelou
Activities:
-Discuss POD requirements-pair sign
up
-Assignment overview to be completed
through expert groups
-Look at poetry (books or on the
computer for a CTS connection) and
poets students are interested in
-Pick one poem to do a poetry review
Jan 8

Work PeriodObjective: Allow students the time to

review what has already been taught
about poetry.
Activity:

POD

Class works on Rhyming- talk about

what makes things rhyme.
Let students know that rhyming
generally happens in couplets which
means 2 lines that follow eachother
with the last words in the line rhyme.
*Hand out Rhyming sheet & Couplet
sheet for practice.
Jan 11-12

Wonderful Words

POD

Objective:
Figurative language flip
Introduce Figurative language; Students book
have no prior knowledge. Begin
learning about the different types and
practicing using them.
(Metaphor, simile, alliteration)
Texts:
She Sells Seashells: A Tongue Twister
Story by Grace Kim

My own examples for figurative

language to share
Activities:
- Begin learning about figurative
language. Set up will be Examples
(with images), student shared example,
writing definition in flip book, practice
sheet (go over as a group), then
individual practice to come up with 3

Jan 13-14

examples of their own

- Start Figurative language flip books
Wonderful Words Continued
Objective:
Continue defining types of figurative
language. Students will identify
figurative language within poetry
(Hyperbole, personification)
Texts:
Teacher and student created examples
Activities:
-Flip books contd.
-Group and individual practice
-Whole Class discussion

Jan 15

Read and Understand Poetry

POD- Pairs & Read outloud
Objective:
Provide students with opportunities to
decode different kinds of poetry
styles.
Activities:
Go over/read poem together (make sure
to have sent home the poem with select
students the night before)
Get into partners and read poem again.

Worksheets with questions to answer.

*Circulate to help individual students

Jan 18-19

When finished students can have time

to finish their own poems, etc.
Figurative Language and Imagery
Objective:
Finish teaching types of figurative
language. (Onomatopoeia,
idiom*review). Introduce and practice
the concepts of Imagery, word choice
and descriptive writing
Texts:
The Kangarooster Mixed Beasts by
Kenyon Cox

Jan 20-21

Activities:
-Figurative Language practice sheets
-Flip books
-Read sentence examples discuss why it
is a good imagery poem
- Does it show or tell activity
-Descriptive writing activity sentence
altering
-Discuss adjectives if necessary
Poetry Scavenger Hunt (Formative
assessment) *period 1

Objective:
Gain an understanding of student
learning up to this point- make
instructional decisions from here
Texts:
I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud by
William Wordsworth
Sick by Shel Silverstein
Activities:
- Students will individually read
through 2 poems and identify figurative
language. There will be a matching and
short answer section.
Acrostic Poems *Period 2
Objective: Begin teaching different
poetry types. Start with a high interest
type.

Jan 22

Activities:
- Discuss adjectives
- Teach poem type
- Students will do a rough copy, and
then once spelling is checked will begin
the good copy of their acrostic.
Finish Acrostic Poems
Activities:

Jan 25-26

- Students will finish rough copies

- Complete good copy, including
illustrations
Colour and Sensory Poems
Objective:
Introduce colour and sensory poems.
Have students write about colour and
begin to think about rhyming, Have
students create a poem from an
authentic experience (senses)
Texts:
Colour Poem ppt.
Examples created by me

A Song of Colors by Judy Hindley

Jan 27-28

Activities:
- Read examples (have student readers)
-Write a colour poem
-Discuss the senses (I will bring in
items to perk the senses ex. Popcorn,
cotton balls, stress ball etc.)
- Complete colour sensory pre-write
-Write a colour sensory poem on paint
chips
Cinquain Poems
Objective:
Students will read, write and represent
Cinquain poems. Students will

complete both the descriptive method

and the syllable method.
Texts:
My own cloud example

Feb 1-2

Activities:
- Interview a friend and create a
Friendship Cinquain
- Create a class descriptive style poem!
- Create your own using the descriptive
method
- Introduce syllable method
- Create class poem
- Students make their own syllable
method poem (taught them the make
tall marks beside the line to help with
proper amounts)
Haiku Poems and Autobiographical
Objective:
Teach Haiku poetry as it has very
specific and strict structural
requirements. Link this poem up to our
science unit.
Texts:
Teacher and student made examples
Where I Want To Be (my I am from
Poem)

Activities:
- Explore structure
-Haiku Riddles
-Create your own Haiku riddle
- Create your own weather poem
- Use printed template to create
Autobiographical poems
- Students will create a good copy if
they are including it in their poetry
portfolio
Feb 3-4

Shape Poems and Limericks

Objectives:
To convey meaning through shapes and
images, along with written word
(integrate figurative language). To show
rhythm in poetry and to show a funny
and structured type of poetry
Texts:
Limerick Song- Youtube
Teacher and student made examples
Raindrops poster (unknown)
Activities:
Watch video and list criteria with
students on the board
-Bring in a tips and tricks poster (create
a poem as a class)

-Write your own funny poem!

- Students pick a topic for their shape
poem: can be anything as long as they
include 3 different types of figurative
language in it
- Words must act as the outline
Feb 5

Poetry in Our World

Objective:
For students to connect poetry and
figurative language to their daily lives.
Big picture connection!
Texts:
Coca cola classic ad
Sochi Olympics trailer
Burger king ad
Clothing ad
Rule the World by Walk Off The Earth
Activities:
-Examine poetry in:
-Songs
-Cards
-Advertising
-What are they communicating?
-Why use poetry?

Feb 8

Work Period and Poem in Your

Pocket Day
Objective:
Give students an opportunity to polish
and illustrate their written poetry. Have
students share original poetry with
students and teachers outside of the
classroom
Texts:
Poetry Library

Feb 9

Activities:
-Poetry present exchange (new
audience to write for)
- Get caught up!
- Student competition of who can share
poetry with the most people outside of
our grade 5 classroom (3 small prizes as
incentive)
Reflecting
Objective:
To have students express preferences
and points of view about poetry and
figurative language
Texts:
N/A

Activities:
-Students will write their What I like
about Poetry Reflection
-Complete the KWL chart and submit
- Practice for the poetry share
- Presentation analysis and describing
criteria for tomorrow
*Portfolio Due

Feb 1011

Collect Poems for the poetry share and

have students indicate what poem they
want to have included in the class
anthology.
Poetry Share!
Self Evaluations
Objective:
To have students orally present an
original work (work on oral and visual
communication)
Texts:
N/A
Activities:
-Poetry Share Day!
- Go outside to make the experience
special

- Once students have read their poem

they will explain why they wrote the
poem and why they chose to share it
will the class
Feb 12

Flex Day- I am scheduling an extra

day so that students are able to have
extra time to complete assignments.