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Unit 5: Lesson 10Students Write Free-Verse Poems

Unit 5

Words in Motion!

               

 

Purpose

To develop an appreciation of and interest in the power of words to convey particular ideas, feelings, and images (word consciousness) through an exploration of free-verse poetry, dance, and prosody.

 

Unit Description

In this unit, students compose free-verse poems and choreograph them into Word in Motion! Dances. To prepare, students become "word explorers" as they read a series of free-verse poems. Students explore the poet's word choices and how particular words and phrases evoke images, feelings, ideas, and responses from readers. Then, they consider words and phrases that might be used in place of the poet's choices. By studying words in relationship to one another, students will come to know them more deeply. Throughout the process, students engage in movement and prosody to deepen their understandings. In the next part of the unit, students brainstorm and compose their own free-verse poems and choreograph them into dances. As a culminating event, students showcase their poetry and dances for an audience and reflect on their experience.

 

                

 

Common Core State Standards

Arts for Learning is aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language. This Overview describes the scope of the standards and this Quick Reference Guide provides each of the standards fully or partially met within this A4L Unit, followed by the charts that specifically identify the standards addressed in each lesson and step in the Unit. The standards are also coded and listed at the beginning of each lesson in the unit. Arts for Learning also provides a comprehensive student assessment program in each unit. This A4L Assessment Toolkit Quick Reference Chart indicates an overview of the locations of the tasks to be scored in the unit.
 
Each A4L unit is developed on a common framework and contains a 3-part sequence of instruction that educational research suggests will help students become more self-directed, independent learners. There is a gradual hand-off of responsibility--from teacher to students-- that is supported by assessment and teacher help as needed. Throughout A4L units the arts serve as motive and means to advance reading for meaning and writing thoughtfully.

 

 

 

 

 

Part 2

Exploring

Unit 5: Lesson 10

Students Write Free-Verse Poems

Unit 5: Lesson 10

Students Write Free-Verse Poems

 
 

LITERACY OBJECTIVE

By the end of this lesson students will be able to write a free-verse poem, carefully selecting words and phrases to communicate feelings and images for readers.
 
 

LITERACY "I CAN" STATEMENT

“I can write a free-verse poem, carefully selecting words and phrases to communicate feelings and images for my readers.”
 
 

 

LESSON OVERVIEW

 

Steps Pacing: 60 Minutes
 
45 Minutes
 
15 Minutes

 

Standards Alignment

 

Targeted Standards

 

Secondary Standards

 

Teaching Resources

 

Student Notebook

 

Classroom Charts

 

Arts Materials

 

Life & Learning Skills

 

  Differentiation Options  

 

  Leveraging Moments

 

 

 

STEP 1: INTRODUCE LESSON 10

 
 
Process: Give an overview of the lesson objective, which is to write first drafts of poems.
 
Suggested Dialogue
 

Introducing the Lesson

 

 

 

STEP 2: WARM UP WITH THE BRAINDANCE

 
 
Process: Lead the students in the BrainDance of Words #4. The audio track for BrainDance of Words #4 (Unit 5, Track 4) has verbal cues and musical accompaniment for the BrainDance. If desired, instead of using the audio track, use the verbal cues below to guide students through the BrainDance. This can be facilitated as a generic BrainDance without descriptive words, with descriptive words, with or without music.
 

 

Suggested Dialogue

 

Warm Up with BrainDance

 

 

 

STEP 3: STUDENTS DRAFT POEMS

 
 
Process: Students write first drafts of their free-verse poems. See menu below, Differentations Options: Drafting Free-Verse Poems for ways to scaffold the activity. Model writing a free-verse poem if appropriate for students. See the Suggested Dialogue below for a sample modeling script. Then, guide students to review their brainstorm on pages 20-21 in their A4L Notebooks and then write the first drafts of their poems on pages 22-23. See the menu below Prompts to Guide Free-Verse Poem Writing for tips to support students.
 
If desired, set a poem length that is appropriate for students. For example, between five and 20 lines. If students finish quickly, have them brainstorm and write another poem or share their poem draft with a partner.
 

  Differentiation Options: Drafting Free-Verse Poems

 

Teaching Tip: Prompts to Guide Free-Verse Poem Writing

 

Model Writing a Free-verse Poem

 

Students Drafting Poems

 

 

 

STEP 4: SHARE POEMS WITH PARTNERS AND USE POETRY CRITERIA TO REFLECT ON WORD CHOICES

 
 
Process: If time permits, have students share their completed drafts or portions of their poems with a partner. Once students have completed drafts, guide them to reflect on their word choices using the free-verse poetry rubric and to circle parts of their poems they want to improve.
 
 
 

STEP 5: CLOSE LESSON 10—TREASURE PILE OF BOOKS

 
 
Process: Collect the A4L Student Notebooks to review the poem drafts and provide feedback. Focus the feedback on the poetry criteria and identify several places where students might use different words or phrases to better communicate ideas, images, and feelings.
 
Send students to the Treasure Pile of books to hunt for books with powerful words and phrases. Have students select books to take home. Encourage students to post powerful words and phrases on the Words in Motion Wall. Close the lesson with a look forward describing the next lesson.
 
Suggested Dialogue

 

Making the Treasure Pile of Books Available

 

Looking Forward

 

Performing The Closing Ritual (Optional)

 

 

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING LESSON 10! YOU ARE NOW READY TO MOVE ONTO LESSON 11 OF UNIT 5.

 
 
 
 

You've now reached the end of our ArtsforLearning Curriculum preview.