Preface: This will be the beginning of our poetry unit



Subject/Course: English Language Arts Class

Topic: Poetry

Level: 7th-8th Grade

Lesson Duration: 50 minutes

Objective(s):

SWBAT: Make connections between poetry and the world outside of school through discussions with their classmates and then by writing their own Whatif poems.

SWBAT: Identify rhyme schemes by labeling the rhyme scheme of Shel Silverstein’s, Whatif (and if students have a good enough grasp on rhyme scheme – be able to use it in their Whatif poem).

**Classroom rules located at the end of the lesson plan.

Opening Activity: (5-10 minutes depending on how much the students have to share)

Whole class discussion: First ask students (then allow them to discuss with each other, building off of what each other says, but comment when you find it beneficial to students learning – validate their contributions): What do you know about poetry? Students are instructed to share any experiences they have had with poetry. Prior to the start of the lesson students will have written a paragraph or so about what they know about poetry and what they want to get out of the poetry unit and are encouraged to share those ideas during this time if they would like.

Explanation of Rhyme Schemes: (10-20 minutes depending on student questions, comments, etc.) Following text taken from ) **Students will have a copy of the following information on rhyme schemes. We will go over the following information as a class and do the small end rhyme/internal rhyme and abab rhyme scheme activities together as well.

Rhyme Schemes - Why Rhyme

There are many reasons why you might choose to use rhyme:

• To give pleasure. Rhyme, done well, is pleasing to the ear. It adds a musical element to the poem, and creates a feeling of "rightness," of pieces fitting together. It also makes a poem easier to memorize, since the rhyme echoes in the reader's mind afterward, like a melody.

• To deepen meaning. Rhyming two or more words draws attention to them and connects them in the reader's mind.

• To strengthen form. In many traditional forms, a regular pattern of rhymes are at the ends of the lines. This means that even if the poem is being read out loud, listeners can easily hear where the lines end, can hear the shape of the poem.

Rhyme Schemes - Internal Rhymes and End Rhymes

When the last word in a line of poetry rhymes with the last word in another line, this is called an end rhyme. Many traditional poetry forms use end rhymes.

When words in the middle of a line of poetry rhyme with each other, this is called an internal rhyme. Below is part of a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Can you find the internal rhymes and end rhymes?

The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,

The furrow followed free;

We were the first that ever burst

Into that silent sea.

(In this example, "blew"-"flew," and "first"-"burst" are internal rhymes. "Free" and "sea" are end rhymes.) This portion will not be included on the students sheets – as a class, students and teacher will work to figure out what the end and internal rhymes are.

Rhyme schemes

The pattern of rhymes in a poem is written with the letters a, b, c, d, etc. The first set of lines that rhyme at the end are marked with a. The second set are marked with b. So, in a poem with the rhyme scheme abab, the first line rhymes with the third line, and the second line rhymes with the fourth line. In a poem with the rhyme scheme abcb, the second line rhymes with the fourth line, but the first and third lines don't rhyme with each other.

Here's an example of an abab rhyme scheme from a poem by Robert Herrick:

GATHER ye rosebuds while ye may, (a)

Old Time is still a-flying: (b)

And this same flower that smiles to-day (a)

To-morrow will be dying. (b)

(The a’s and b’s will also not be included on the students copy of this text – we will work through it together just like the end and internal rhyme scheme activity)

Whatif Poem: I will read the poem aloud to the students – all students will have a copy of the poem. (2-3 minutes tops)

.

Whatif from the book "A Light in the Attic" (1981)

Last night, while I lay thinking here,

some Whatifs crawled inside my ear

and pranced and partied all night long

and sang their same old Whatif song:

Whatif I'm dumb in school?

Whatif they've closed the swimming pool?

Whatif I get beat up?

Whatif there's poison in my cup?

Whatif I start to cry?

Whatif I get sick and die?

Whatif I flunk that test?

Whatif green hair grows on my chest?

Whatif nobody likes me?

Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?

Whatif I don't grow taller?

Whatif my head starts getting smaller?

Whatif the fish won't bite?

Whatif the wind tears up my kite?

Whatif they start a war?

Whatif my parents get divorced?

Whatif the bus is late?

Whatif my teeth don't grow in straight?

Whatif I tear my pants?

Whatif I never learn to dance?

Everything seems well, and then

the nighttime Whatifs strike again!

Poetry Assignment: (Rest of class devoted to this assignment and the brainstorming – at least 20 minutes) Students instructed to identify the rhyme scheme along with the THINK PAIR SHARE.

**THINK PAIR SHARE (student led with teacher asking leading questions when necessary or having students elaborate on a point): Students will think about the connections they made within the text, then get with a partner and share those connections and then as a whole class, we’ll share our connections again. Tell them that they can share any connections – fears related to themselves and/or others, happiness, anxiety, etc. – ANY CONNECTIONS AT ALL!!!

**Make sure that students are told that their “Whatifs” MUST to be appropriate!!

Brainstorming: Students will be given time to brainstorm what their Whatif poem is going to be about. As soon as they’re done brainstorming they will start writing their poem. What they don’t finish in class will become homework.

**The assignment sheet will instruct students to label the rhyme scheme of Shel Silverstein’s poem, and the students will be given a choice to either use rhyme in their poem or just write whatever they want, as long as they show they can identify rhyme scheme in Silverstein’s poem.

**I will have written my own Whatif poem to model for students, which is attached at the end of this lesson (but does not use rhyme scheme).

*Each student’s poem will start with:

Last night, while I lay thinking here,

some Whatifs crawled inside my ear

and pranced and partied all night long

and sang their same old Whatif song:

*Each student’s poem will end with:

Everything seems well, and then

the nighttime Whatifs strike again!

My Whatif Poem:

Last night, while I lay thinking here,

some Whatifs crawled inside my ear

and pranced and partied all night long

and sang their same old Whatif song:

Whatif I don’t get all of my homework done?

Whatif I don’t have enough money to buy groceries?

Whatif I don’t do well on the MTTC?

Whatif I don’t have time to do all of my reading?

Whatif I gain weight?

Whatif someone steals my bike?

Whatif I forget my phone at home?

Whatif all I want to do is lay in bed and watch movies all day?

Whatif I get sick?

Whatif I forget to blow all of my candles out when I leave the house?

Whatif something happens to someone I love?

Whatif I never get married?

Whatif I never have kids?

Whatif I can’t find a job?

Whatif I oversleep?

Everything seems well, and then

the nighttime Whatifs strike again!

Assessment: Students work that they produce on the handout – labeling rhyme scheme on Shel Silverstein’s Poem and writing their own Whatif Poem.

Everyday Classroom Rules: Apply to teachers and students!!

Never put someone down or tell them that their ideas/comments/etc. are stupid.

Validate each others ideas

RESPECT

Patience

Everyone needs to share something

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download