MAISA and the REMC Association of Michigan

Best Practices in Technology Integration

Plan

Title: Personal Poetry Books

Subjects: Language Arts

Intended Grade Levels: Later Elementary

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 Description:

The students work both in the classroom and in the computer lab to produce a Personal Poetry Book. The Unit begins with the students learning to identify poems of 5 different rhyme schemes in the classroom. Next, they classify the SPIN poetry in Amazing Writing Machine into 4 of the categories. The students then utilize the "spin" feature on Amazing Writing Machine to assist them in rewriting each type of poetry. By this time, the students are ready to compose their own poems successfully and they do so in the classroom and in the lab. Poems are printed out when they are composed using the entry level desktop publishing skills on Amazing Writing machines. Students are encourage to utilize both computer graphics and their own drawings for illustrations. 

Curriculum Benchmarks:

1. MI.ELA.6.LE.4. Reveal personal voice by explaining growth in learning and accomplishment through their selection of materials for their portfolio.
2. MI.ELA.8.LE.1. Identify and use writing mechanics that enhance and clarify understanding. Examples might include: sentence structure, paragraphing, appropriate punctuation, grammatical constructions and conventional spellings, etc.
3. MI.ELA.8.LE.2. Identify and use elements of various narrative genre and story elements to convey ideas and perspectives. Examples might include: theme, plot, conflict, and characterization in poetry, drama, historical fiction, mystery and fantasy.

Materials/Hardware/Software:

Technology Rationale:

• Technology assists the students by providing easy opportunities for editing and by providing a way to make a final product that can increase their audience. The Amazing Writing Machine offers "spin " opportunities that would be very difficult to accomplish in other ways: first by modeling appropriate patterns and rhymes and then by providing an opportunity to easily change a given verse into their "own" creation.

Activities/Procedures:

• Teacher pre-activities:
  1. The teacher needs to have poems of the 5 different types available for the students to read for the initial activity
  2. Copies of "Poetry Meter and Rhyme Schemes" and "Classifying Meter and Rhyme Schemes" need to be available for the students. (These handouts are included in this document.)
  Lesson Plans:
  1. In the classroom the teacher will introduce the 5 different meter and rhyme schemes: Haiku, Cinquain, Limerick, Couplet and Clerihew. The students will be given a copy of "Poetry Meter and Rhyme Schemes" handout. Utilizing that handout and the poetry available in the classroom, students will begin to classify the poetry into the different types.
  2. The students are given a copy of "Classifying Meter and Rhyme Schemes" and work in the lab on Amazing Writing Machine to classify the poetry in this program. A teachers version of "Classifying Meter and Rhyme Schemes" is also attached to the end of this document.

     (1) The students are directed to open up Amazing Writing Machine. Next they select spins and select poetry. The program presents them with a list of poems. They open up each type of poetry, read it and determine which type of poem it is. On the handout, "Classifying Meter and Rhyme Schemes", ,the students write the title of each poem in the appropriate category

     (2) This assignment takes about 45 minutes and is nicely done with partners.

      

  3. The students work with the poems in Amazing Writing Machine. The program has a spin feature, which allow a student to select a line of the poem. The program will offer the students several alternative lines to replace the original line with, or allow the student to type in his own line. Thus students receive a successful initial experience in writing poetry of the 5 different types.

     (1) The students are directed to open up Amazing Writing Machine. Next they select "spins" and select "poetry". The program presents them with a list of poems. The students utilize their classification paper and select one poem from each of 4 types to work with on Amazing Writing Machine. Students can handle this assignment well with a short demonstration on how to create the spins.

     (2) As the spins are completed, the student should print them out. Graphics are available to add and some options as to placement of pictures are also available. We encouraged the students to select carefully between the graphics and plan to add some of their own drawings. 

  4. The students complete original poems in the classroom of each of the 5 types. Then in the lab, they use the Journal function in Amazing Writing Machine to type them in and add illustration, if they choose to use computer graphics. Each page is printed out.
  5. Create a title page. In the lab the students create a title page with the Title of their book, their name, date, and school
  6. In the classroom, or during art, the students create a cover for their books. These covers can be laminated.
  7. The books are collated by the students and bound.

Assessment/Evaluation:

1. The handout is evaluated on one criteria: Did the student show an ability to differentiate and identify the 5 types of poetry.
2. The students' books are evaluated with the following rubric:

Follow-up Activities:

1. Share with classmates.
2. Feature these books during Young Authors' Night, Grandparents' Day or other special festivals at school.
3. Pair this upper elementary grade with a lower elementary grade and have them share their reading.

Name:

Connie Boeske, Learning Consultant Pat Andrus, Technology Aide

This idea originated from Sue Hunt, 5th grade teacher

School District:Comstock Park

School: Stoney Creek Elementary

Address: 200 Lantern NW, Comstock Park, MI 49321

cboes@remc8.k12.mi.us

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Poetry Meter and Rhyme Schemes

Rhyme is organized in patterns called rhyme schemes. In rhyme scheme, lines that rhyme are identified with the same letter. (Example A, B, B, A)

Meter is the rhythm of "pattern" of accented or unaccented syllables in the lines of the poem.

Couplet = verse composed of two lines appearing in rhymed fashion (A, A)

We wait so long for Spring.

Its a joy to hear the birds sing.

 

Clerihew = biographic poetry of light verse based upon a person's name - 4 lines. Tells about the individual, often humorous (rhymes A, A, B,B)

Line 1 - includes a person's name

Line 2 - rhymes with line 1

Line 3 & 4 rhyme with each other

 

Little Linda Lou

Put her finger in some glue,

Pulled it up to touch her nose

Now can't reach down to touch her toes

 

Limerick = light verse, 5 lines (in rhyming pattern A, A, B, B, A) humorous, witty, ironic, or nonsensical. Often used to ridicule people, actions or beliefs.

Lines 1,2,5 rhyme and are about the same number of syllables;

Lines 3 & 4 rhyme with each are and are about the same number of syllables

 

There was an old man with a beard

Who said, "It is just as I feared.

Two owls and a wren,

Four larks and a hen

Have all made their nest in my beard." Shel Silverstein

 

Haiku = Japanese poetry, nature is primary focus. Unrhymed 3 lines, 17 syllables (5, 7, 5)

My ship floats the sea

I'll drift to some distant place

Better get started! Justin Warwick

 

Cinquain = any topic not titles, first line serves as title, 5 lines 22 syllables, (2, 4, 6, 8, 2)

rainy

droplets pelting

dashing down the long street

wondering where to seek refuge

soaked

Classifying Meter and Rhyme Schemes

 

Using your notes, examine and classify the Amazing Writing Machine poem spins. Which type of poetry is not used in the Amazing Writing Machine?

 

Haiku Cinquain

 

Limerick Couplet

Clerihew

Classifying Meter and Rhyme Schemes (Answers)

 

Using your notes, examine and classify the Amazing Writing Machine poem spins. Which type of poetry is not used in the Amazing Writing Machine?

 

Haiku Cinquain

 

Bugs by the Bundle All Kinds of Feelings

 

Good Friends Good and Scary

 

Nature Love Is

 

Night Summer

 

Ocean

 

Seasons

 

Limerick Couplet

 

Books Birds of a Feather

 

By the Sea Food Fabulous Food

 

Hats The Tree For Me

 

Clerihew