tech-up with Focused Poetry With Beverly Flance, Staci Weber, & Donna Brown Contact Information: Donna Brown dbrown@ccisd.net @DonnaBr105 Staci Weber sweber@ccisd.net @Sara_Staci Beverly Flance bflance@ccisd.net
One of my favorite things about Focus Poetry is the predictable structure. Each poem is typically studied for one week, and the daily activities stay the same. Plan your week by choosing the skills you will cover in this poem. Here is one possible schedule: Monday: Read the poem together and discuss the author s purpose and the meaning or theme. This initial comprehension work sets them up to study the poem more closely the rest of the week. Tuesday: Read the poem together and discuss some key vocabulary words. Write these words on note cards so that you can add them to the vocabulary list. Wednesday: Read the poem together and discuss a grammar skill found in the poem. This could be anything from prefixes to commas. Write the skill on a note card so that you can add it to your list of grammar skills Thursday: Read the poem together and discuss a poetic device (stanzas, line breaks, rhyme, alliteration, etc.) found in the poem. Write the skill and a brief definition on a note card so that you can add it to your list of poetry skills. Friday: Read the poem together and have students respond to it orally or in writing. They might have a discussion about inferences they are making, you could give them a copy of the poem and let them draw a picture of how it makes them feel, or they could highlight the rhyming words. More information found at http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2012/09/focus-poetry-createpoetry-pros-less-ten-minutes-day
Based upon Grade 6 TEKS Read with accuracy and fluency Make inferences and draw conclusions about author s use of sensory language. Determine meaning of figurative phrases (personification, metaphors, similes, hyperbole). Explain how authors create meaning through stylistic elements and figurative language. Identify the speaker s message. roots and affixes words Identify non-count nouns (rice, paper) and verbs (irregular, active, and passive voice) Identify subordinating conjunctions and transitional words/phrases Identify predicate adjectives and their comparative and superlative forms. Identify conjunctive adverbs (consequently, furthermore, indeed) Identify prepositions and prepositional phrases to convey location, time, direction or to provide details Identify poetic elements such as word position. to the meaning of the poem. (capital letters, line length) semicolons, colons, hyphens) Identify poetic techniques (alliteration, onomatopoeia) refrains)
Based upon Grade 7 TEKS Read with accuracy and fluency Make inferences and draw conclusions about author s use of sensory language. Determine meaning of figurative phrases. Analyze author s use of language and how it creates imagery, appeals to senses and suggests mood Identify the speaker s message. roots and affixes words Identify adverbial and adjectival phrases and clauses Identify conjunctive adverbs (consequently, furthermore, indeed) Identify prepositions and prepositional phrases and their influence on subject-verb agreement Identify relative pronouns (whose, that, which) Identify subordinating conjunctions (because, since) Identify poetic elements such as word position. to the meaning of the poem. (capital letters, line length, word position) semicolons, colons, hyphens) Identify poetic techniques (rhyme scheme, meter) idioms) Identify verbs (progressive and perfect tenses) and participles Identify appositive phrases
Based upon Grade 8 TEKS Read with accuracy and fluency. Compare and contrast the relationship between the purpose and characteristics of different poetic forms (epic, lyric). Determine meaning of figurative phrases. Explain the effect of similes and extended metaphors in literary text and how it supports the author s message. Identify the speaker s message and tone of poem. roots and affixes. words or words with novel meanings. Identify verbs (perfect and progressive tenses) and participles. Identify relative pronouns (whose, that, which) and subordinating conjunctions (because, since) Identify appositive phrases, adverbial and adjectival phrases and clauses. semicolons, colons, hyphens, brackets and ellipses) Identify poetic techniques (rhyme scheme, meter) idioms) to the meaning of the poem. (capital letters, line length, word position)