Understanding By Design Unit Template

Title of Unit Poetry Grade Level Grade 8

Subject Language Time Frame 3-4 weeks (12 lessons)

Developed By Jamie Gowan

Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results

Broad Areas of Learning
How are the BAL incorporated into this unit?

• Health and Well-Being: students are given the opportunity throughout this unit to write about and explore areas that interest them and to write
about their journey and feelings which can be a great reflective opportunity. This unit works to help students learn to express their needs and
emotions through writing
• Personal and Career Planning: in lesson two students explore their future employment goals through poetry by writing a rhyming poem about
their dream job or current job.
• Media Literacy: students are given opportunities in this unit to explore many different text and media forms such as poems, songs, plays, etc.
• Citizenship and Community Life: this unit has multiple opportunities for students to work in different groups and to share their work with the
classroom community (ex. lesson 2 engineers poem, lesson 12 café).
Cross curricular Competencies
How will this unit promote the CCC?

• Multiple lessons cross over with visual arts and drama as students will be asked to illustrate, read and/or act out the poems they create (lessons
7-10)
• Lesson two deals with rhythm, rhyme and beat and students are asked use body percussion to show their understanding (cross to music)
• Could cross to French with some communication between the classroom and French teacher by having the students write one of the poems in
French and/or perform one in French

Learning Outcomes
What relevant goals will this unit address?
(must come from curriculum; include the designations e.g. IN2.1)

Reading 1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct
meaning
Writing 2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and
audience;
Enduring Understandings
What understandings about the big ideas are desired? (what you want
students to understand & be able to use several years from now)
What misunderstandings are predictable?
Students will understand that...
• Poems come in many forms, styles and methods of delivery
• Poems can have multiple interpretations and are still meaningful in
the 21st century
• Poems can be used to express emotions, ideas or to tell a story
Related misconceptions…
• That all poems have to rhyme
• That songs are not poems
• Poetry must be written in eloquent language
• Poetry is not for kids
Knowledge:
What knowledge will student acquire as a result of this unit? This content
knowledge may come from the indicators, or might also address pre-requisite
knowledge that students will need for this unit.
Students will know...
• How different forms of poetry are structured
• How diction affects poetry
• How to critically analyze poetry
• How to write multiple forms of poetry
• How our world, the issues we deal with and current events affect
poetry
• How culture and diversity influence poetry
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry into the content? (open-
ended questions that stimulate thought and inquiry linked to the content
of the enduring understanding)
Content specific….
• How have poems changed/evolved over time, and how are they
still relevant today?
• Where do we see poetry in the 21st century?
• What does poetry look like? Sound like?
• How can a poem have more than one meaning or message?
• How can you express your emotions or ideas through poetry?
FNMI, multicultural, cross-curricular…
• How does culture, ethnicity, race, up bring, SES status affect
poetry?
• Why is it important to read poetry from different cultures,
ethnicities, races, eras/time.
• What relationship do you see between poetry and the arts (ex.
music, drama, visual arts)
Skills
What skills will students acquire as a result of this unit? List the skills
and/or behaviours that students will be able to exhibit as a result of their
work in this unit. These will come from the indicators.
Students will be able to…
• Reading- fluency, deciphering, decoding
• Critically analyze
• Interpretation skills
• Creative Thinking
• Writing- sentence structure, rhyming, word choice, grammar
• Collaboration
 Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Task
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate the desired understandings, knowledge, and skills? (describes the learning activity in
“story” form. Typically, the P.T. describes a scenario or situation that requires students to apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate their understanding
in a real life situation. Describe your performance task scenario below)
By what criteria will performances of understanding be judged?
GRASPS Elements of the Performance Task
G – Goal G- Students should have a basic understanding of multiple forms of poetry, and should be able to express their
What should students accomplish by ideas through writing and imagery.
completing this task? R- Students will be taking an active role in their learning as they will be acting as the writer, editor, illustrator
R – Role and publisher of their final product.
What role (perspective) will your students A- Their poems should be relevant to all ages and anyone willing to read/hear or look at their finished work. This
be taking? could be parents, grandparents, peers, educators, siblings, etc.
A – Audience S- The challenge to students is to use the format of different poems that we’ve studied, and to express their
Who is the relevant audience?
own interest, emotions and ideas through said formats.
P- Students will be creating their own book of poetry in the form of a portfolio. Their portfolio will have a title
S – Situation
page, table of contents, 9 poems, their author bio and a back summary page.
The context or challenge provided to the
student.
P – Product, Performance
What product/performance will the student
create?
S – Standards & Criteria for Success
See below
Create the rubric for the Performance Task

Other Evidence Student Self-Assessment

Through what other evidence (work samples, observations, quizzes, tests, How will students reflect upon or self-assess their learning?
journals or other means) will students demonstrate achievement of the
desired results? Formative and summative assessments used throughout
the unit to arrive at the outcomes.
Lesson 1: Diagnostic assessment as this is an introductory lesson. • Throughout lessons 7-10 students will self-assess their writing pieces
Assessment of learning will be done through a KWL chart and edit and revise their work.
Lesson 2: Diagnostic assessment as it stems from the introductory lesson. • In lesson 12 students will self-assess their own work and choose the
Assessment as learning- brainstorming web piece they feel is the strongest
Lesson 3: Formative assessment, assessment of learning- exit cards and • Students will assess what they know, what to know and learned
written responses to poems throughout the unit on their KWL chart
Lesson 4: Formative assessment, assessment of learning- tongue twisters,
activity.
Lesson 5&6: Formative assessment, assessment of learning using a rubric-
open response questions relating to poems.
Lesson 7-10: Formative assessment, assessment for learning- students will
be able to practice writing different forms of poetry
Lesson 11: Summative assessment, assessment of learning using writing
rubric- final poetry books/portfolios
Lesson 12: Anecdotal notes, this lesson is more of a celebration
Culminating Task Rubric
Final Poetry Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
Assessment

Organization Poems demonstrates a high
degree of organization and
always follows structural rules of
that poem type.
Poems demonstrates a
considerable degree of
organization and often follows
structural rules of that poem
type.
Poems demonstrates some Poems demonstrates a limited
degree of organization and degree of organization and
sometimes follows structural rarely follows structural rules of
rules of that poem type. that poem type.

Creativity Poems are display creatively and Poems are display creatively Poems are somewhat displayed Poems display lacks creativity
show exceptional visual and show accomplished visual creatively and show developing and show beginning visual
planning. planning. visual planning. planning.

Students were always able to Students were often able to Students were sometimes able to Students were rarely able to
Knowledge apply the structure rules of the apply the structure rules of the apply the structure rules of the apply the structure rules of the
and poem and their own ideas to poem and their own ideas to poem and their own ideas to poem and their own ideas to
Application complete their own draft. complete their own draft complete their own draft complete their own draft

Language and Students use of language Students use of language Students use of language Students use of language
Writing demonstrates exceptional demonstrates accomplished demonstrates developing demonstrates beginning
vocabulary and advanced vocabulary and skilled writing vocabulary and basic writing vocabulary and limited writing
writing skills. skills. skills. skills.

Stage 3 – Learning Plan

What teaching and learning experiences will you use to:
• achieve the desired results identified in Stage 1?
• equip students to complete the assessment tasks identified in Stage 2?
Where are your students headed? Where have they been? How will you make sure the students know where they are going?
What experiences do the learners bring to the unit? How have the interests of the learners been ascertained? Have the learners been
part of the pre-planning in any way? What individual needs do you anticipate will need to be addressed?
Learning environment: Where can this learning best occur? How can the physical environment be arranged to enhance learning?
• Students will bring many different lived experiences that will not only foster discussion regarding different interpretations of poems but will also be
applied to their writing.
• The interest of the students have been considered as none of the written poetry assignments have a set topic and thus students can apply their
interests to the topic of their poems. Students are also given choice in the majority of assessments (ex. multiple poems, songs, etc) when analyzing
poems.
• Individual needs that may need to be considered would be the accommodations or modifications. For example: students who require help with writing
(such as a scribe) can use their chrome book to complete all tasks, poems can be printed out and added to the student’s portfolio, Oral discussions can
be transcribed for specific students or the class and be posted online, printed copies of each poem can be given to students who require it
• This learning would best occur in the classroom to start so that there was access to the projector/smartboard, however, when students are writing, the
best environment would be wherever they feel comfortable writing (outside, alternative seating, etc.)
• The physical arrangement could be arranged into groups, or into a big U formation so all students can see each other and whoever is speaking.
How will you engage students at the beginning of the unit? (motivational set)
• Students will start by filling out their KWL chart which will allow them to play an active role in the unit as we will decide what we know and want to
know.
• To engage students off the bat, I will introduce a pop culture element (hip hip/rap) and show students that poetry and popular music have a lot of
common features.
• The first two lessons are also very hands-on before we get into reading and analyzing poetry, which should help reluctant learners engage become
more active in their learning.

What events will help students experience and explore the enduring understandings and essential questions in the unit? How will you
equip them with needed skills and knowledge?
# Lesson Lesson Activities CCCs Resources
Title
1 Introduction Shakespeare vs. Hip Hop Quiz- students will participate in a quiz that has them guessing whether the Drama • PowerPoint
to Poetry line is from a Hip Hop song or from a Shakespeare play. • Copy of:
“Unfolding Bud” group poem analysis- students will analyze this poem as a group • “Unfolding
“The Tyger” 4 corners drama activity- have 4 different pictures of a Tigers in each corner of the room, Bud” and
while the teacher reads the poem allowed students will be asked to gravitate towards whichever “The Tyger”
picture they feel best represents to poem (will show different people see poems differently) • Tiger photos
2 Rhythm, Lecture based discussion of the terms Rhythm, Rhyme and Beat mean in regard to poetry and class Music • PowerPoint
Rhyme and discussion. • “Engineers”
Beat Introduce poem/song “Engineers”, read it through as a class, put students into groups of 4-5 and will poem/song
have to create rhythm and beat within the poem using body percussion.
Students will begin a rough copy of their own rhythmical poem similar to “Engineers” where they will
choose their own profession and create a new poem following the same structure
3 Author vs Brief, whole class discussion on the difference between the author and the speaker. Provide different • “Whatif” and
Speaker examples from songs and texts and will have to decipher which of the four points of view it is. “How Not to
Students will then read through the poem “Whatif” by Shel Silverstein and we will work as a class to Dry Dishes”
determine who the author is, who the speaker is, describing the speaker and the texts purpose. poems
Students will the individually read through the poem “How Not to Dry Dishes” by Shel Silverstein and
will work through the same questions as above as an exit card.
4 Literary We will then have a short lecture-based discussion on key terms such as metaphor, simile, alliteration, • PowerPoint
Devices onomatopoeia and repetition. Students will be shown examples of several pop songs that demonstrate • Pop song
the use of metaphor, simile, alliteration, onomatopoeia and repetition. Students will then start today’s examples
writing task which will be writing their own tongue twisters.
5 Analyzing Students will choose a partner or work individually, and a song from the provided 4, and they will Music • Songs
Songs perform a close reading of the song. Students will be provided a question worksheet which will be • Student
handed in at the end of the class. worksheet
6 Reading Students will be performing a close reading of one of the selected 4 poems and will be answering • 4 selected
Poetry critical analysis questions. Their response will be handed in at the end of the class for assessment poems
7 Writing We will start by exploring each type of poem we will be analyzing that day, looking at what it is, its • PowerPoint
Poetry- form/style, and an example of each type. As a class we will then write the poem type together. • Blank paper
Haiku & Students will be given time to start brainstorming and writing a rough draft of their poems. Students or workbook
Cinquain should be able to get a rough draft of each poem done and will be given time during the culminating
period (lesson 11) to finalize all drafts to add to their portfolios.
8 Writing We will start by exploring each type of poem we will be analyzing that day, looking at what it is, its • PowerPoint
Poetry- form/style, and an example of each type. As a class we will then write the poem type together. • Blank paper
Alphabet & Students will be given time to start brainstorming and writing a rough draft of their poems. Students or workbook
 Acrostic should be able to get a rough draft of each poem done and will be given time during the culminating
period (lesson 11) to finalize all drafts to add to their portfolios.
9 Writing We will start by exploring each type of poem we will be analyzing that day, looking at what it is, its Visual • PowerPoint
Poetry- form/style, and an example of each type. Students will be given time to start brainstorming and writing Arts • Blank paper
Found and a rough draft of their poems. Students should be able to get a rough draft of each poem done and will • Magazines
Blackout be given time during the culminating period (lesson 11) to finalize all drafts to add to their portfolios. • Blackout text
blocks
10 Writing We will start by exploring each type of poem we will be analyzing that day, looking at what it is, its • PowerPoint
Poetry- I am form/style, and an example of each type. As a class we will then write the poem type together. • Blank paper
and List Students will be given time to start brainstorming and writing a rough draft of their poems. Students or workbook
should be able to get a rough draft of each poem done and will be given time during the culminating • “I am”
period (lesson 11) to finalize all drafts to add to their portfolios. template
11 Culminating Students will be given work periods where they can work to finish incomplete drafts and to create their Visual • Blank paper
Task final product with visuals to accompany each poem (poetry book). Students can be reminded that they Arts • Art supplies
need one poem of each type (8 types total) plus their tongue twister (9 items total).
12 Poetry Cafe Students will participate in a poetry café (set classroom up like a café and bring in snacks if possible) Drama • Snacks
where each student will choose one or more of their poems to read aloud. • Café music

Assess and Reflect (Stage 4)

Considerations Comments
Required Areas of Study:
Is there alignment between outcomes, performance
assessment and learning experiences?

Adaptive Dimension: For struggling students:

Have I made purposeful adjustments to the curriculum
content (not outcomes), instructional practices, and/or
the learning environment to meet the learning needs and
diversities of all my students?

For students who need a challenge:

Instructional Approaches:
Do I use a variety of teacher directed and student
centered instructional approaches?

Resource Based Learning:

Do the students have access to various resources on an
ongoing basis?

FNM/I Content and Perspectives/Gender

Equity/Multicultural Education:
Have I nurtured and promoted diversity while honoring
each child’s identity?

From: Wiggins, Grant and J. McTighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (pbk)