Poetry SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: QHT, Graphic Organizer, Brainstorming, Free Writing, Looping, Drafting, Marking the Draft, Adding, Rearranging, Substituting, Sharing and Responding, Self- Editing/Peer Editing Writing Focus: Poetry is a form of creative writing in which authors use vivid descriptions to portray their thoughts and feelings. Through poetry, writers share their insights and observations about life experiences. This type of writing draws upon personal experiences and imaginative thinking. It provides rich opportunities for recollection of past, present, or imagined experiences and thoughtful reflection on these experiences. Goal: To write poems that include: Figurative language. Poetic techniques. Purposeful tone, either formal or informal. Transitional words and phrases. To achieve this goal, you will engage in a series of activities in which you work with your teacher and with your classmates to construct two model poems. You will then use these models to construct your own poem. Activity 1: Discovering Elements of Poetry 1. Think about your own experiences with poetry. What is poetry? Who are some of your favorite poets? What kinds of things do poets write about? 2. Create the QHT chart below on a separate piece of paper. Then, use the chart to rate your level of familiarity with the following terms: tone, stanza, transitions, vivid verbs, rhyme scheme, meter, metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, and idiom. Q: Question (Unfamiliar) H: Heard (Somewhat Familiar) T: Teach (Very Familiar) Writing Poetry 25
Poetry 3. What is lyric poetry? Sample Text I Wandered Lonely as a CLOUD by William Wordsworth (1770-1850) I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed and gazed but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils. 26 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 2
4. Use the guiding questions below to help you respond to and analyze the lyric poem. Use the blank graphic organizer to take notes. Ideas What is this poem about? What is the author s purpose (to inform, persuade, entertain, or express emotion)? What is the tone of the poem? Language Identify vivid verbs, poetic techniques (rhyme scheme, meter), and figurative language (metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, idioms). What is the effect on the reader? How do these techniques help to communicate ideas and create tone? Ideas Organization How are the words and lines laid out on the page (number of stanzas, line length created by line breaks, transitional words or phrases, short and long sentences)? Why did the author make these choices (purpose)? Conventions What kinds of punctuation does the author use? Which words are capitalized, and why? How does the punctuation help to communicate ideas and create tone? Organization Language Conventions Writing Poetry 27
Poetry Activity 2: Writing a Class-Constructed Poem Prompt: Work with the class to write a poem that meets the requirements listed in the goal statements. 1. When you write poetry, you will need to know how to apply these terms in your writing. Write a definition and provide an example for each term. metaphor Figurative Language Term Definition Examples simile personification hyperbole idiom rhyme scheme meter capitalization Poetic Techniques Graphic Elements line length/line break word position 28 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 2
2. Use the space below to record ideas throughout your writing of a lyric poem. 3. After copying the class-constructed poem, evaluate it by answering these questions: Are the ideas in the poem clear? Explain. Describe how the organization, language, and conventions work to achieve the desired purpose and tone. 4. As you prepare to write a poem with a partner, are there areas where you still need additional support? What questions do you still have? Activity 3: Writing a Poem with a Partner Prompt: Work with your partner to write a lyric poem that meets the requirements listed in the goal statements. Writing Poetry 29
Poetry Generating Content 1. With a partner, revisit your class brainstorming and add ideas to your list. Agree upon a topic, and determine a different purpose or tone for your shared writing. 2. Free write about the topic and then use the looping strategy. Underline your best word or phrase, rewrite that word or phrase below your writing, and free write again about that idea. This strategy will help you spark new ideas and refine and clarify your thoughts. 3. Highlight your favorite lines, and work with your partner to select the lines that best fit your selected purpose and tone. Revise and create new lines as needed. Remember to incorporate vivid verbs. Elaborating with Figurative Language 4. With your partner, brainstorm creative and imaginative language that includes personification, idioms, and hyperbole. You may choose to transform lines that have already been created or create news lines that elaborate upon your ideas. 5. Identify your best figurative language (personification, idiom, and hyperbole) that powerfully communicates your ideas about the topic and contributes to your chosen tone. You may want to look back at the sample poem to see how the author uses figurative language to make his ideas more vivid for the reader. Sequencing and Refining Ideas 6. Write the lines you and your partner agree upon on index cards or sticky notes. Determine the most logical and effective sequence to get your ideas across. You may find that you need to create some new lines to address any gaps in ideas. Revising by Adding Poetic Techniques 7. Review the poetic techniques in the sample poem. Determine the best place to purposefully incorporate rhyme scheme and meter in your poem. Revise as needed. Applying Graphic Elements 8. Review the purpose of line breaks. With your partner, discuss where your line breaks should fall to shape your poem. Read your poem aloud softly to check for fluency, and revise and edit as needed. Reflecting and Publishing 9. Reflect on your poem to determine the extent to which it includes these elements: Ideas are clear. Organization, language, and conventions work to achieve the desired purpose and tone. 10. When you are ready to share your poem with an audience, each partner should carefully recopy the poem and rehearse reading it aloud, paying close attention to how your voice communicates meaning. Use the poem s punctuation (pauses, exclamations, questions, etc.) as a guide. 30 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 2
11. Combine with another pair to form a writing group for sharing and responding. In your group, decide which pair will read first. Listeners should be ready to give specific feedback on the strengths of the poem, such as: Interesting topic Vivid word choices Creative comparisons Effective tone Fluent reading. 12. Exchange written copies of your poems, and create a 4-square graphic organizer on your own paper. With your original partner, use the guiding questions below to help you respond to and analyze the writer s craft. Ideas What is this poem about? What is the author s purpose? What is the tone of the poem? Organization How are the words and lines laid out on the page? Why did the author make these choices? Language Conventions Which vivid verbs, poetic techniques, and figurative language are evident in the poem? What is the effect on the reader? How do these techniques help to communicate ideas and create tone? 13. Share feedback in your writing group. What kinds of punctuation does the author use? Which words are capitalized and why? How does the punctuation help to communicate ideas and create tone? 14. As you prepare to write a poem on your own, are there areas where you need additional support? What questions do you still have? Activity 4: Independent Writing Prompt: Write a lyric poem on a topic of your choice that includes poetic techniques (rhyme scheme, meter) and figurative language (personification, idioms, hyperbole). Be deliberate in your use of graphic elements (capitalization, line length, word position) to convey your ideas. All of the elements in your poem should work together to make your purpose and tone clear to your audience. Writing Poetry 31
SCORING GUIDE Poetry Scoring Criteria Exemplary Proficient Emerging Development of Ideas uses first-person point of view to create effect develops ideas clearly and carefully reveals meaningful and purposeful insights and observations about life. uses first-person point of view presents ideas clearly reveals insights and observations about life. is not written in first-person point of view presents unclear and incoherent ideas provides minimal insights or observations about life. Organizational Structure uses form and structure to enhance ideas uses graphic elements such as word position, line length, and stanzas with sophistication for effect uses meaningful transitional words and phrases to seamlessly connect ideas. contains a form and structure appropriate for the task, purpose, and audience uses graphic elements such as word position, line length, and stanzas to enhance ideas uses transitional words and phrases to connect ideas. contains an unfocused form and structure uses graphic elements randomly or without purpose presents disconnected ideas and limited use of transitions. Use of Language uses description, figurative language, and/or vivid verbs with sophistication for effect uses poetic techniques skillfully to enhance larger ideas presented in the text uses sentence structure and conventions purposefully to achieve a particular effect shows technical control of punctuation, grammar, capitalization, and spelling includes description, figurative language, and/ or active verbs appropriate for the task, purpose, and audience uses poetic techniques to develop ideas uses sentence structure to enhance meaning may contain minor errors that do not interfere with meaning. contains limited or ineffective description, figurative language, and/or active verbs uses poetic techniques ineffectively or not at all shows little or no purposefulness in sentence structure contains several errors that interfere with meaning. Writing Process demonstrates evidence of thoughtful planning, purposeful revision, and careful editing to produce a draft ready for publication. demonstrates evidence of planning, revision, and editing to produce a draft ready for publication. demonstrates minimal evidence of planning, revision, and editing and is not ready for publication. 31a SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 2