Tiffany's plan

Name: Tiffany Pedersen
Title of planning sequence and grade level: Poetry, Prose and Appealing Poets – Grade 6
Statement of Main Purpose:
The main purpose of this unit plan is to teach poetry to the students in grade six. They will learn about the most common forms of poetry, including acrostic, cinquains, couplets, and haikus. The students will learn how to use hyperboles, similes, metaphors, and onomatopoeia in their writing. Throughout the poetry unit, students will gain experience and knowledge in reading, writing poetry, and performing poetry. Students will review, reflect, and respond to one another’s poetry with verbal and written responses that will be done via class based discussions and poetry journals.
Statement of Rationale:
The rationale for teaching poetry to grade six is that poetry is one of the oldest forms of writing and performance in our history. The poetry experience and knowledge that the grade six students will develop throughout the duration of this poetry unit will build on previous poetry and writing background knowledge and experience from earlier grades. It will challenge each students own knowledge, giving them advanced knowledge and experience suited to their grade level and expertise. This poetry unit will engage students in their own creative process, giving students the power of choice by learning about their favourite poet, favourite poems, and creating their own poetry with the skills that they will learn throughout the various poetry workshops that will be held throughout the unit. By the end of the unit, all students will have developed their own poetry portfolio which will include poetry that they have written using all the forms and figures of speech that they have learned about. Students will have interacted, engaged, created and produced a variety of poetry once this unit has been completed.

Sequence of Poetry Unit:
Introduce poetry unit by reading from a variety of children’s poetry books, such as Shel Silverstein. Have these books available in the classroom throughout the unit. The sequence is suggested to be taught switching between popular poetry forms and figures of speech: acrostic, alliteration & onomatopoeia, cinquain, hyperbole & personification, haiku, simile & metaphor, and couplet. There are a total of seven lessons that make up this unit, although it can be expanded to include more forms of poetry and greater exploration and performance of poems. Major activity would be the final performance of a poetry reading of choice using their performing skills that they have learned about and practiced throughout the unit, using their voice, pacing, gestures and facial expressions to convey meaning to their poetry audience.

Annotated Bibliography
Bosch, N. (2008). Poetry. What Rhymes with Squirrel? Online Poetry Activities. Retrieved December 4th, 2008, from http://www.adifferentplace.org/poetry.htm
This is a great website that has a variety of online poetry activities that your students can use throughout your poetry unit. This site can be a great source for teachers and provides many useful links to other poetry websites that both students and teachers can use and learn from.

De Spirt, D. (2007, March). Teaching Poetry to Children: A Poetry Lesson Plan. Retrieved December 9th, 2008, from http://classroom-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/teaching_poetry_to_children
This website contains valuable information on poetry in an article type format that teachers can understand and use before starting their poetry unit. Use as a resource for information on poem selection, reading a poem, questions to ask an audience before reading a poem and a link to more poetry activities.
Glaister, B. (2006). Teaching Ideas Showcase: Starred Ideas for Teaching Poetry. Retrieved December 9th, 2008, from http://www.uleth.ca/edu/currlab/handouts/poetry_ideas.html
Another great website is here, which was created by a curriculum lab that has a plethora of information that will be extremely useful for all teachers throughout their poetry unit. This site has information on poetry centres, how to teach poetry, poetry tools and a list of poetry books for children. You will also find links on poetry lessons online and resources to get your students ready to write poetry.
Lipson, G. (1998). Poetry Writing Handbook: Definitions, Examples, Lessons (Gr. 4-6). Dayton: Teaching and Learning Company.
The Poetry Writing Handbook is the best book resource that I have found useful for this poetry unit. It includes poetry examples, pages to copy for your students, poetry writing tips and prompts and a poetic license to give to students upon completion of their poetry unit.
Meadowbrook Press. (2004). Poetry Teachers. Retrieved December 5, 2008, from http://www.poetryteachers.com/index.html
Poetry Teacher.com is a website that can be used by teachers and students. It includes information on poetry theatre, poetry fun activities, poems, a catalogue and a book list that you may find helpful in the teaching of your poetry unit.
Millcrest Academy. (1999). Fun Poetry Activities. Retrieved December 4th, 2008, from http://www.mca.k12.nf.ca/subpro13.htm
These fun activities are just a part of what you can gain from using this website throughout your unit that includes a link to a children’s poetry website that your students can use. This website has information on poetry vocabulary, activities, devices, kinds of poetry, practice activities and information on poets.
Pro Teacher. (2008) Poetry. Pro Teacher Directory. Retrieved December 5th, 2008, from http://www.proteacher.com/070034.shtml
The directory on this website has so much information that you will definitely want to keep it as a favourite on your computer at school. There are many useful links and information on poetry ideas, centres, weekly poetry, poetry projects, poem of the day, and poetry notebooks.


Pro Teacher. (2008). Poetry is fun. Retrieved December 5th, 2008, from http://www.proteacher.org/a/32354_poetry_is_fun.html
This is an article written by a teacher on her experiences on teaching a poetry unit to her third grade class and what she has learned from it. The article doesn’t have much for activities, but it does give a teacher much to think about when starting their poetry unit.
Rivenbark, K. (2006). Poetry and Prose Prompts: A Quick Guide for Teaching Writing Style. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass
Poetry and Prose Prompts was a good resource for a teacher to get started on their poetry unit as it includes much information on poetry and how to incorporate it into your classroom. There are a few pages that are good for copying for student handouts, but best used as a motivational read and idea starter.
The League of Canadian Poets. (2008). Links for Poetry Teachers. Retrieved December 9th, 2008, from http://www.youngpoets.ca/links_for_teaching_poetry
Exactly as the title states, this website includes links for teachers to use as a resource in teaching poetry. The links vary from resources, teaching tips, lesson plans, poetry websites and curriculum ideas and suggestions.