Welcome to the National Poetry Month Themed Packet.

I have taught second grade through

fifth grade for eight years in Charlotte, NC, specializing in personalized learning and focusing on
planning for my teams in literacy. I am always excited when April comes around so we could
focus on poetry.

I taught poetry it in each grade level, so I am familiar with what is expected in each. The focus in
teaching poetry is similar at grade levels in elementary school; conceptual fluency builds from
year to year via more complex texts. Some of the most important concepts that should be taught
in elementary poetry are the following:

● Elements of Poetry
● Theme
● Author’s purpose
● Close reading of poetry
● Imagery
● Vocabulary
● Interpreting the text for personal meaning

This themed packet was created for National Poetry Month. It can often be difficult to get
students excited about poetry. Poetry involves imagery, complicated analogies, and language
structures students are not as familiar with. It is important to give students a lot of choice in
learning about poetry and learning to appreciate it. The pathway created through this packet will
enable student choice, while the other two activities can be used to teach the understanding
how to read poetry. Poetry can be a lot of fun to teach using poems students find humorous,
thought-provoking and interesting. My main tip for teaching poetry is to incorporate music/song
lyrics, and give students choices of lots of different styles of poetry. This themed packet uses a
personalized learning pathway to teach difficult vocabulary, repetition and its importance, and
elements of poetry.
Phrase/Meaning Chart for Poetry 3

Poetry Close Reading Graphic Organizer 4

Repetition in Poetry 5
Repetition in Poetry- Answer key 6

Elements of Poetry Pathway Instructions 7

Elements of Poetry Pathway 8
Elements of Poetry Quiz 9
Elements of Poetry Quiz- Answer Key 10

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In poetry, we often find phrases that are worded in ways that are sometimes complicated or
confusing. It is important to isolate those phrases and make sure we understand them to
understand the meaning of the poem.

Example:
(From the poem “Who Has Seen the Wind” by Christina Rossetti)
Phrase Meaning

“But when the leaves bend down their heads;
The wind is passing by.”
The leaves do not have heads.
They do fold over because of the wind.
We can not see wind but can see the effects
of the wind.
This line gives me a picture of what that looks
like:
(Student may draw a picture of the leaves
and wind blowing by.)

Name of Poem:_______________________

Phrase Meaning
It is important to read a poem at least three times. Each time we read we better understand the
poetry. Use the following graphic organizer to help guide your close reading of poetry.

First Read
Important words: Rhyming pattern:

Questions I have: Important phrase and what I think it means:

Second Read
An important character or setting: Images I had while reading:

Questions I still have: How this poem makes me feel:

Third Read
Why I think the author wrote this poem: Three words to describe the poem:

One sentence summary: Illustration for poem:

This activity should be used with the poem “Dive” by Shel Silverstein.

Authors often use repetition in poetry to give a certain meaning to the text. Complete the
following activity with the poem “Dive.”

Phrase repeated: “You’ve made sure that…”

Why did the author repeat this at the beginning of so many lines in the poem?

Does the character jump off the diving board at the end? Why or why not?

How do you think the character was feeling during the poem? Why?

Read another poem you have and look for repetition. Why do you think authors include
repetition in poetry? What about in song lyrics?
This activity should be used with the poem “Dive” by Shel Silverstein.

Authors often use repetition in poetry to give a certain meaning to the text. Complete the
following activity with the poem “Dive.”

Phrase repeated: “You’ve made sure that…”

Why did the author repeat this at the beginning of so many lines in the poem?

Possible responses: The author is showing how nervous the person is about diving. They show
how much the character did to be safe so maybe he is scared.

Does the character jump off the diving board at the end? Why or why not?

No. He is too scared even though he was so prepared.

How do you think the character was feeling during the poem? Why?

The character is so afraid! He did as many things to make sure he could do it safely but he still
did not jump off the diving board.

Read another poem you have and look for repetition. Why do you think authors include
repetition in poetry? What about in song lyrics?

Teacher should review responses based on poetry selected.

Below is an elements of poetry pathway. This is a personalized learning tool that allows
students to extend their understanding of the elements of poetry. This is an extension and
should not be used to introduce the topic – it should continue their learning based on previous
exposure to the topic. Please edit and use as an example if needed to fit the needs of your
classroom.

Steps for using the pathway:

1. Teach the students how to use the pathway first. Explain each step exclusively.
2. Meet and confer with students as they complete each task and as they work.
3. Students should complete the first strategy they choose. They should meet with the
teacher to determine if they should move on to the quiz.
4. Students will take the quiz. They must score 80% or higher to demonstrate mastery.
5. If the students DO NOT demonstrate mastery, they should go back and choose a
different strategy to complete. The students will then take either the same quiz or an
alternate teacher-created quiz. This repeats until mastery is achieved. If the student is
unable to do so after completing all three strategies, the teacher will need to meet
individually with that student.
6. If the student DOES demonstrate mastery on the quiz, they may then move on to any of
the three extension activities they would like to do.
Type of strategy Strategy one: Video Strategy Two: Strategy Three:
(Visual-Spatial) Reading Partner work
(Verbal-Linguistic) (Interpersonal)

Activity Watch and listen to Read the following: Using the website
this video about the http://mrsrosenthal.w below create guided
____ Teacher has elements of poetry (at eebly.com/uploads/2/ notes individually and
reviewed and least three times): 4/0/9/24098384/five_ then swap with your
approved work. https://www.youtube. key_elements_of_po partner to fill in each
com/watch?v=5ssQB etry.pdf other’s notes. If you
rFOkGU choose you can also
(Read at least two create a quiz to give
times- make notes on each other based on
the article.) the website’s
information.
Write about each Choose two
element and find examples from the http://english310.wee
examples in your five elements of bly.com/elements-of-
poetry collection. poetry and create a poetry.html
Highlight and label poster that includes
those examples. an explanation and
example of each.

____ Scored 80% or Quiz Quiz Quiz

higher on quiz

Extension activity Write a song about Create a Google Write a poem about
the elements of Slides presentation any topic that
poetry. Make sure to about the element of includes all the
include all of the poetry. Make sure to elements of poetry
elements you learned include all the you learned about in
about! Put it to music. elements you learned your slideshare.
You are welcome to about in your video. Highlight and level
perform it for the Prepare to present if each element. If time
class! able to! permits copy this onto
a poster and
illustrate.
Complete the following quiz after completing the strategy you have chosen on your pathway.
Bring to your teacher to determine if you can move on to an extension activity.

1. What is the element of imagery?

2. Which of the following is an example of a metaphor?

a. The lion was like a river roaring.
b. I was as quiet as a mouse.
c. The girl was as pretty as a sunrise.
d. The boy was a tornado coming through the room.

3. Write an example of a A-B-A-B rhyme scheme.

4. What are the “paragraphs” of a poem called?

5. What is the element of poetry that is the repetition of the beginning of words’ sounds?
Complete the following quiz after completing the strategy you have chosen on your pathway.
Bring to your teacher to determine if you can move on to an extension activity.

3. What is the element of imagery?

Language that appeals to reader’s 5 senses (hearing, sight, taste, touch, and smell)

4. Which of the following is an example of a metaphor?

a. The lion was like a river roaring.
b. I was as quiet as a mouse.
c. The girl was as pretty as a sunrise.
d. The boy was a tornado coming through the room.

3. Write an example of an A-B-A-B rhyme scheme.

Teacher determines based on student’s response.

4. What are the “paragraphs” of a poem called?

Stanzas

5. What is the element of poetry that is the repetition of the beginning of words’ sounds?

Alliteration