Dashell Meredith-Wilson

Dr. Null

ED 623

13 February 2020

Unit Plan 2

Unit: Poetry

Middle House English Southwest Open School

Unit Start Date: March 30, 2020 Unit End Date: April 16, 2020

Unit Objective(s):

Students will:

Be able to identify and write their own limerick, haiku and cinquain poems.

Be able to identify poetic conventions used in these styles of poems.

Use these skills and knowledge to write one final time and place poem.
Essential Questions:
Why do we write poetry?
How does one write poetry?
How are poetry and songs related?
How can we use poetry for self expression?
State Standards:

Reading, Writing and Communicating. 9th/10th Grade Band

Content Area Category: 2: Reading for all Purposes

1. Analyze traditional and contemporary literary texts with scrutiny and comparison of
literary elements.
2. Understand the logical progression of ideas in increasingly complex texts.
3. Utilize context, parts of speech, grammar, and word choice to understand narrative,
argumentative, and informational texts.

Content Area Category 3: Writing and Composition

1. Write well-developed, unbiased arguments that are supported by substantive, valid
reasoning and evidence.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts using complex ideas and organizational
structures and features that are useful to audience comprehension.
Literacy:

Texts students will read:

• Koller, Jackie French. Nothing to Fear. New York, Harcourt Children’s Books, 1991.
• Lyrics from woodyguthrie.org
• Multiple online examples of haiku, cinquain and limerick poems
What students will need to write

• Multiple drafts of haiku poems with one finished and portfolio-ready

• Multiple drafts of cinquain poems with one finished and portfolio-ready
• Multiple drafts of limerick poems with one finished and portfolio-ready
• Warm up writings
• Final time and place song/poem which they have the option of turning into a song with
the history teacher

Content Vocabulary List and Definitions:

Haiku-A form of poetry derived from Japan and containing seventeen syllables, in three
lines of five, seven, and five, traditionally evoking images of the natural world.

Cinquain-A poem containing one stanza of five lines written in any type of verse and
defined by the number of syllables in each line (2-4-6-8-2).

Limerick-A humorous verse of three long and two short lines rhyming aabba,

Stanza-A group of lines forming the basic recurring metrical unit in a poem; a verse.

Verse-Writing arranged with a metrical rhythm, typically having a rhyme.

Summative Assessment:

• Unit Assessment: Final time and place song/poem

Formative Assessment:

• Writing warm-ups and pre-assessment prompts

• Haiku poems
• Cinquain poems
• Limerick poems
Week Monday
1 Objective: I can identify a
haiku poem and list how
many syllables are written
for each line as well as
compile a word wall in
relation to each season.
Warm Up: How important
is describing the setting in a
story? What about a song?
Think of some of your
favorite music. Are there
descriptions of a setting?
How does this pull you in?
-Direct instruction on
haikus. Highlight their
unique origination in Japan
with some of the Japanese
convention words they use.
-In groups, students create a
word wall for each season.
They will use these in their
haikus.
-Students are given time to
do independent research on
haiku examples and find one
that resonates with them.
Tuesday
Objective: I can write my
own haiku poems based on
the world around me.
Warm up: Go to
woodyguthrie.org and click
on the “Lyrics” tab. Choose
a song with a title that
interests you. What are
some descriptive words he
uses? How does this help
you visualize the content of
the lyrics? How is this
similar to haikus?
-Circle up: students share
the haiku they found the
day before and why they
chose it.
-Work day for final haiku
poems with worksheet.
Students must complete
one full haiku by the end of
class.
Wednesday Thursday
Objective: I can identify Reading and Reflection:
the elements that make up a Nothing to Fear
conquain poem and
distinguish it from other Prompt: How do you think
forms of poetry. the author chose the book
title? What would you title
Warm up: Think of your the book? Why?
favorite character from a
movie, book, video game, -Length should be about a
etc. What are some words half a page and five
that describe the character? sentences.
Use adjectives. Why do
you like this character?
-Direct instruction on
cinquains. Highlight
number of lines, syllables
per line, and explain there
is not a required rhyme
scheme.
-Students are given two
minutes to write down
adjectives and gerund verbs
of each teacher at SWOS.
2 Objective: I can write my Objective: I can identify Objective: I can create my Reading and Reflection:
own conquain poem based the elements that make up a own limerick poem using Nothing to Fear
on someone in the SWOS limerick poem and humor and exaggeration.
community. distinguish them from other Prompt: Overall, how did
forms of poetry. Warm Up: Go to you feel when reading the
Warm Up: Go to woodyguthrie.org and book and why did you feel
woodyguthrie.org and click Warm Up: Think of a funny choose any song from the that way?
on the “Lyrics” tab. Find a song or quote from a lyrics tab. What is the
song title with a person’s cartoon. Why do you rhyme scheme? Does the -Length should be about a
name in it. How does remember this song/quote? song follow this scheme all half a page and five
Guthrie describe this Does it rhyme? Why is it the way through? If not, sentences.
character? What words does funny? why do you think it
he use about this character? changes? Is this related to
What are some thoughts you -Direct instruction on the verses changing to
have about this character limericks. Highlight the chorus? Does the song
based on these descriptions? comical aspects, rhyme always rhyme?
scheme and syllable count
-Work day for students’ per line. -Work day for students’
portfolio-ready cinquain. portfolio-ready limerick.
They must have one finished -Students think of their Students have the option
by the end of class. Students favorite cartoon character and are encouraged write
will use the worksheet and provide crucial details about their cartoon
provided. of the character-where they character (for the comical
live, their interests and key aspect) using the notes of
events that happen to them. the prior day. Students
Students keep notes of must produce one
these details. portfolio-ready limerick.
3 Objective: I can relate the
hardships of my life to the
music of Woody Guthrie
and create an outline for
my time and place poem.
Warm Up: Think of a
challenging time in your life descriptive words for your did this type of poem help
or a challenging time for
your family in general.
Where did this happen?
Why/how did this happen?
How did you handle this
time of your life? (This is
the beginning of your time
and place poem)
-Direct instruction on Woody
Guthrie and time and place
songs/poetry. (This will be
very brief because of the
collaboration with the
history teacher).
Objective: Using the Objective: I can finish and Reading and Reflection:
previous poetry present my time and place Nothing to Fear
conventions, I can write my poem to the class.
own time and place poem Prompt: Did this story
about a personal hardship. Warm-Up: What is your remind you of anything
favorite type of poem we that has happened to you?
Warm-up: List five have learned about? How
-Length should be about a
time and place poem (think with writing your final time half a page and five
about the setting or place). and place poem? Whaat sentences.
List adjectives for you and skills/conventions from it
any other characters in did you use for your time
your poem) and place poem?
-Work day for students to -Give students the rest of
complete their final time class to finish their time
and place song/poem. and place poems.

-Give students outline of

final project and explain it.
The rest of the day is work
time.