Lesson Title: Free Verse Poetry

Name: Desiree Oliverio & Sasha Rose Reyes

Date: March 8, 2017
Grade Level: 5th Grade
Duration of Lesson: 30 minutes

GDOE Content Standards/ Performance Indicators:

5.3.1 Identify and analyze the characteristics of poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction as
literary forms chosen by an author for a specific purpose
Example(s): Analyze an authors purpose for writing, whether it is to inform, teach, entertain,
or elicit an emotional response, and tell how well the author has achieved that purpose by the
type or writing produced

Lesson Objectives & CCSS

10.RL.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,
and poetry, at the high end of the grades 45 text complexity band independently and
proficiently.

5.W.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

I can write free verse poetry

I can do choral reading

Key Concepts Prior Knowledge

Free Verse Students should already be introduced to poetry and familiar in
Using adjectives creating poems. Students should also know the different types of
Understanding the poems, such as haikus, limericks, sonnets, and couplets.
structure of free verse
poetry Lesson Overview
In this lesson, students will be given an overview of what free verse
Vocabulary poetry is and come up with their own piece.
Free Verse
Choral
Poetry
Inconsistent
Structure
Punctuation

Materials/Resources
Powerpoint
Sheets of paper with topics & adjectives
 Index cards with student name (randomizer)
Hat (to hold index cards for randomizing name-calling)

Procedures

Anticipatory Set:

The teacher projects the powerpoint on the board to showcase several types of poems for the
students to label. Along with the poem, there will be a list of options for the students to choose
from as their answers. The options to choose from include a haiku, limerick, couplet, and
sonnet. At this point, the students should already be familiar with these types of poems, so they
should be able to answer accordingly.

The first poem shown will be a haiku. The second poem shown will be a couplet. The third
poem will be a limerick. The last poem (which was created by the teacher) will be a free verse.
The students wouldnt know the answer to this yet. Pointing out to the students how the poem
lacks structure compared to the previous examples, the teacher branches off from this concept
and begins the introduction and overview of what free poetry is.

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1. Using the powerpoint slides, the teacher will go over the characteristics of a free verse
poem along with its main objective.
2. In preparation for the upcoming class activity, the teacher will relay tips and ideas as to
starting off writing free verse poems.
3. The teacher will go over a couple of free verse poem examples. The students will
conduct a choral reading while going over each example.
4. There will be a slide with a pre-set web diagram for a class activity. In order to model
students on how to start writing their own free verse poem, the teacher will guide the
class by choosing one topic and create adjectives pertaining to that topic while
inputting the answers into the web diagram. Once the class filled out the web diagram,
they should be familiar as to using this method when it comes to their turn in making
their own free verse poem.
5. The teacher will come around for students to pick a slip from the hat containing topics
their free verse should be on. These are to help jumpstart the student into writing their
free verse. They would also create their own web diagram to come up with adjectives
to their topic.
6. After ten minutes, the students will share with the person next to them their own free
verse.

Adaptations for Students with Unique Needs

To help with the brainstorming portion in the web diagram, the teacher can ask the students
some questions that may lead them to come up with adjectives on their own. Another
alternative would be giving the student a set topic along with the set adjectives for them to take
and compile into a free verse.
Assessment/Evaluation Closing Activity/Homework
Once the students have completed their poems and shared Exit Ticket: Turning in their
with the person next to them, the teacher will open the floor index card with their free verse
for the students to each share their piece to the class. poem

No homework!