Picturing Poetry

6th Grade English/Language Arts

Grade Level/Subject:
Standards Targeted:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.7
Compare and Contrast the experience of reading a story,
drama, or poem to listening to or viewing it in audio, video
or live version of the text, including contrasting what they
see and hear when reading the text to what they
perceive when they listen or watch.

Goal Statement:

Why is it important for students to learn this? The goal of

this lesson is to introduce students to the skill of
visualization, which is important when comprehending
literature and poetry. Readers create images in their minds
that reflect or represent the ideas in the text. These
images may include any of the five senses and serve to
enhance understanding of the text. Research shows that
proficient readers create mental images spontaneously and
purposefully during and after reading. These images help
readers recall details and draw conclusions.

Objectives:

The Learner Will:

Become familiar with the comprehension strategy of

visualizing
Learn and apply the sketch-to-stretch strategy as a
way to better understand and interpret texts
Visualize the descriptions and events in texts and
describe how this strategy helps enhance their
comprehension of poetry.

Multimodal Text/Resource:

Materials Needed:

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost: YouTube Video

link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=KUaQgRiJukA
The Poetry Splatter interactive website link
http://www.rif.org/kids/readingplanet/gamestation/po
etrysplatter.htm
Materials are listed:

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost worksheet and

comprehension questions ReadWorks.org Link
http://www.readworks.org/passages/road-not-taken

Shhh! They Are Sleeping by Joyce Sidman

Worksheet
To You by Karla Kuskin Worksheet
The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost: YouTube Video
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=KUaQgRiJukA
Large Chart Paper
5 Senses Visualization Worksheet
Pens, Pencils, Markers, Colored Pencils
Notebooks for Journal Writing

Lesson Outline:
Introduction: Today we will read poetry through visualization, which is
a strategy that you will use to help you understand a poem.
Procedures:
Part 1
1) Pass out The Road Not Taken poem worksheet (ReadWorks.org) to
the students and have them read it silently then answer the ten
comprehension questions to follow.
2) When all students are finished. Have them trade their papers with a
partner.
3) Each partner will grade their classmates paper as you give the
correct answers to the comprehension questions (Tell students to
only mark the incorrect answers, and DO NOT put the correct
answer on the paper they are grading).
4) Once all papers are graded and returned. Play the YouTube video of
the poem being read aloud with the visual images accompanied in
the video.
5) Have the students correct any wrong comprehension questions that
they had from the first time they answered them.
6) Place the students in groups of 4-5 and give each group 2 sheets of
chart paper. On one sheet, put When I Read the Poem on the
other sheet put When I Visualized the Poem
7) In groups, students should write their thoughts and ideas on both
sheets of chart paper. They should have discussions on the
differences in interpretations from reading the poem on their own as
opposed to visualizing the poem being read aloud from the YouTube
Video.
Part 2

8) Once groups have finished their comparisons on chart paper, have

them return to their seats and pass out the 5 senses Visualization
chart
9) Explain to students that when we use visualization, we use our 5
senses to understand what we read. When we read poetry, using
our senses helps us better understand what they author is saying.
10) Replay the YouTube video of The Road Not Taken
11) As students are watching the video, students must actively
complete the 5 senses chart of what they see, hear, smell, taste or
feel as they are experiencing the poem.
12) Once they have completed the chart, students can share and
discuss what they saw, felt, heard, touched and tasted as they
watched the video.
Part 3
13) Pass out the Shhh! They Are Sleeping worksheet
14) Read Aloud the poem Shhh! They Are Sleeping to the class.
15) Have students complete the worksheet by rereading the poem
and drawing a picture to visualize understanding of the poem.
16) When students are finished they can share their drawings and
visual interpretations of the poem.
Differentiation and Modifications:
Students who may struggle can be placed in groups with
students be placed in heterogeneous groups with students who
excel. Also, Students who are visual learners may want to draw
their interpretations of the 5 senses chart instead of writing
them.
Assessment:

This is a performance task, and students will be assessed on

their ability to properly visualize and interpret a poem. They will
complete the final worksheet of the poem entitled To You by
Karla Kuskin as an Exit Ticket. Students will be assessed on their
response to the question at the end of activity as well as the
visual interpretation in the box provided.

Extensions:

An extension to this lesson can be a creative writing activity:

Part 4:
Students can explore poetry by creating their own poems. They
can use visualization and imagery that appeals to their senses as
they are writing their poetry. Students can also visit The Poetry
Splatter website, which is an interactive sit that allows students
to create their very own poetry in a fun and interesting way!

http://www.rif.org/kids/readingplanet/gamestation/poetrysplatter.
htm