Levels 3-4

“Wild

Soul”

Poetic Writing

Poetic Writing Levels: 3-4

ELA CONTEXT: Environmental: Exploring the natural world

THEME: Interdependence in the Natural World

TIMELINE: 4 – 6 weeks

“A poet’s job is to explode the moment. That means we take something small and we make it big in a poem. We pay attention with all our senses. We let feelings come and go. So really to write a poem is to be in a state of mindfulness and I like to think the reverse is also true

to be in a state of mindfulness is to live a poem.” Irene Latham, Dictionary for a Better World Mindfulness, page 62.

ELA OUTCOMES CROSS CURRICULAR OUTCOMESELA 3 Comprehend and Respond CR3.1Comprehend and respond to a variety of grade-level texts (including contemporary and traditional visual, oral, written, and multimedia) that address identity, community and social responsibility. Compose and Create CC3.4Write to communicate ideas, information, and experiences pertaining to a topic by creating easy-to-follow writing (including a short report, a procedure, a letter, a story, a short script, and a poem) with a clear purpose, correct paragraph structure, and interesting detail.ELA 4Comprehend and Respond CR4.1Comprehend and respond to a variety of grade-level texts (including contemporary and traditional visual, oral, written, and multimedia texts) that address identity, community, and social responsibility and support response with evidence from text and from own experiences.such as displays and drawings.Compose and Create CC4.3Speak to present and express a range of ideas and information in formal and informal speaking situations (including giving oral explanations, delivering brief reports or speeches, demonstrating and describing procedures) for differing audiences and purposes.

Science 3Life Science: Plant Growth and Changes PL3.2Analyze the interdependence among plants, individuals, society, and the environment.

Science 4Life Science: Habitats and Communities HC4.1Investigate the interdependence of plants and animals, including humans, within habitats and communities.

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

Understand that poetry is a unique way to convey feelings, ideas and images in writing by carefully selecting and arranging words in distinctive ways.

People and the natural world are connected and interdependent. It is important for people to respect and protect our biodiversity.

What is poetry and how is it different than other forms of writing?

What forms can poetry take? How does poetry create feelings? How can we use poetic language and sensory imagery to

communicate meaning?

Students will know: Students will do:

how to observe the world and get ideas for poems. how to write different styles of poetry. how the forms and structures of poetry (such as punctuation,

spacing, line breaks) differ from ordinary language. how to convey feelings and images with poetry

listen to a wide variety of poems. read and annotate poetry. write original poems. share their poetry with a wider audience, orally and in

written form.

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

FINAL PRODUCT: FORMATIVE:

Each student will create a book of 4 to 5 poems using a variety of poetic forms about various subjects from nature.

Celebration: Poetry Café sharing with a larger audience. Poetry Theatre - Share poems created for group and/or enter

Polar Expressions.

Quick writes and notebook work: visible thinking routines in response to mentor texts, relevant video content, peer to peer conversations, observations

Conferring and revision process for final poems.

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

THE LEARNING PLAN

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FROM F&P CONTINUA DOCUMENTS:

Understanding the Genre: Understand poetry as a unique way to communicate about and describe feelings, sensory images, ideas or stories Understand the importance of specific word choice in poetry Understand that poems take a variety of visual shapes on a page Understand the way print and space works in poems Understand the purpose of white space and line breaks Understand that a poem can be created from other kinds of texts Understand that poems may look and sound different from one another and do not have to rhyme Understand the difference between ordinary language and poetic language

Continued from Levels 1 & 2:

Closely observe the world (animals, objects, people) to get ideas for poems Closely observe to select topics or content and write with detail Write about what is known and remembered Write poems that convey feelings or images Use language to describe how something looks, smells, tastes, feels or sounds (create sensory imagery) Place words on a page to look like a poem Notice and use line breaks and white space when writing poetry Write poems from other kinds of texts (story, informational text) Sometimes borrow specific words or phrases from other writers and make them into a poem

New in Level 3

Use poetic language to communicate meaning Remove extra words to clarify meaning and make the writing more powerful Borrow a word, phrase, or a sentence from another writer; use memorable words or phrases; use language from other texts Write a variety of poems

New in Level 4

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

Write a poetic text in response to another poem reflecting the same style, topic, mood or voice Write a poetic text in response to prose texts, either narrative or informational Use repetition, refrain, rhythm and other poetic techniques

Additional from Narrative elements: Write with a unique perspective; state information in a unique or surprising way Show through language instead of telling; use examples to make meaning clear to readers Borrow a word, phrase, or a sentence from another writer; use memorable words or phrases; use language from other texts

MENTOR TEXTS (suggested):

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

MENTOR TEXTS (Listed in order): National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry: More than 200 poems with Photographs that Float, Zoom, and Bloom! Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox by Danielle Daniel Hi, Koo! By Jon J Muth Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys by Bob Raczka If It Rains Pancakes: Haiku and Lantern Poems by Brian P. ClearyA Strange Place to Call Home: The World’s Most Dangerous Habitats & Animals That Call Them Home by Marilyn Singer National Geographic: Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs that Squeak, Soar and Roar! Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems by Bob Raczka Silver Seeds: A Book of Nature Poems by Dan Brewer, Paul Paolilli and Steve JohnsonFalling Up by Shel Silverstein Poem For Every Night of The Year by Allie Esiri The Beauty of the Beast: Poems from the Animal Kingdom Editor Jack Prelutsky It’s Raining Pigs Noodles by Jack Prelutsky The Cuckoo’s Haiku: And Other Birding Poems by Micheal J. Rosen I Wondered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth Animals Animals by Eric Carle Animal Poems by Valerie Worth

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

Goodnight Songs: A Celebration of the Seasons by Margaret Wise Brown Forest Has a Song by Amy Ludwig Van Derwater Poetry and Animals: Blurring the Boundaries with the Human by Onno Oerlemans I Could Chew on This: And Other Poems by Dogs by Francesco Marciuliano I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats by Francesco MarciulianoAnimal Ark: Celebrating Our Wild World in Poetry and Pictures by Deanna Nikaido, Kwame Alexander, and Mary Rand Hess Peacock and Other Poems by Valerie Worth Hailstones and Hailbut Bones by Mary O’NeillyFirefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems Editor Paul Janeczko The Maine Coon’s Haiku: And Other Poems for Cat Lovers Poetry Speaks to Children by Dominique Raccah and Paula Zinngrabe WendlandI Am the Seed That Grew the Tree: A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year by F. Waters Don’t Bump The Glump by Shel Silverstein

RESOURCES:Edutopia article “Every Student Can Be a Poet: 5 poetry activities for students in grades 3 to 12 (a good resource for quick writes): Every Student can be a poet Project Zero Introduction to Visible thinking routines video Visible Thinking Project Zero introductory video Thinking Dispositions professional learning video: Thinking Dispositions Thinking routines toolbox: https://pz.harvard.edu/thinking-routines Thinking with images visible thinking routine: http://www.pz.harvard.edu/resources/thinking-with-images Poetry in voice website (excellent website with many lesson plans created by poets at all levels: Poetry in Voice LSKY curriculum Connections Nature Poetry writers workshop plan with pics and prompts, nature poetry and sensory word lists for independent activities on Curriculum Connections LSKY Curriculum Connections Writers workshop pages Shel Silverstein activities on Shel Silverstein.com celebrate poetry month: Silverstein poetry month activities Teacher Resource for Cinquan: https://www.twinkl.ca/teaching-wiki/cinquain Shape of poetry: https://youtu.be/0Zc0tBtotrM

CROSS-CURRICULAR RESOURCES:“50 Wacky Things Animals Do” by Tricia Martineau Wagner“Animals by the Numbers – a Book of Animal Infographics” by Steve JenkinsTomatosphere: Science experiment program easily infused for the grade three curriculum component. http://tomatosphere.letstalkscience.ca National Geographic Kids: lots of resources for plants and animal information. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

STUDY & WRITE

The activities below provide examples of texts, discussion questions and possible short writing tasks, quick writes and notebook work suggestions that can be used to teach the essential elements of the genre. The lessons can be delivered as whole group or small group instruction, or remotely, and ideally the lessons include interactive discussions, thinking routines, and passage study instructional strategies, as well as opportunities for thinking and writing independently in response to a variety of text forms (or other media such as video or images) within the genre and theme of the unit. Quick writes can be added throughout the unit to enhance thinking, writing fluency and synthesis of the content.

1. Introducing the Theme & Genre:

Text Essential Element

Discussion questions

Writing about Reading Tasks

Quick Writes or notebook work

A relevant text to introduce the theme of interdependence of people and nature.Here is a possibility: Bill Ny the Science Guy Biodiversity

Introducing the cross curricular theme of interdependence.

What is biodiversity? How are people and the natural world connected and interdependent? Why is it important for people to respect and protect our biodiversity?

Write about something that you learned from the video and list at least three questions that you have about biodiversity.

Where I find poetry Heart Map video with Georgia Heard Heart mapping activity. Think about what you love most about nature and place it in the center of your heart map. Use your senses to map your feelings and observations. (prompts below) Think also about biodiversity and make connections between people and the natural world.

Nature walk When you go for a walk bring paper to draw and make notes on creating a heart map/mind map.

Introducing poetic writing

Closely observe the world (animals, objects, people) to get ideas for poems

Observe closely and make notes about what you observe with your senses. What do you see, feel, hear and smell? What is something that you have observed

KWL chart “What is Poetry?” List some ideas you have for poems that you will write about something in nature.

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

that you can write about? What form will your writing take?

How to write a poem in 10 minutes with Simon Mole: Write a poem

Other possibilities What is poetry video

What is poetry schmoop videoElements of Poetry

Understand poetry as a unique way to communicate about and describe feelings sensory images, ideas or stories

Understand the difference between ordinary language and poetic language

What is poetry? How is poetry different than other forms of writing?Why do poems use rhythm and rhyme?

Read a poem to look for and analyze elements of poetry

Follow the prompts on the video to write your first poem.

Silverstein poems

Six animations of stories and poems by Shel Silverstein

“Where the Sidewalk Ends”(Poems about animals/plants)

Silverstein Youtube

Understand poetry as a unique way to communicate about and describe feelings sensory images, ideas or stories.

Understand the difference between ordinary language and poetic language

What do you imagine as you listen to the poems? What feelings does Silverstein create? How does he create feelings and images in your mind? What do you notice about the words and language that Silverstein uses? How are his poems different than ordinary language?

Write about the Shel Silverstein poem that you liked the best and why you like it.

Write about what you are learning about poetry. Draw what comes into your mind.

Lists some of the ways that poetry is different than ordinary language.

First attempt at writing your own poem by “imitating” S. Silverstein (same or similar title/topic, your own words)

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

Nature Haiku Understand that poems take a variety of visual shapes on a page

What is the structure of a Haiku? How does the number of words and the way the poem looks on the page contribute to the images and feelings that Haiku creates? Why do you think Haiku poems are mostly about nature?

Make a list of things in nature that you could write a Haiku (or any type of poem) about.

Write a nature haiku

Acrostic Poem

How to Write an Acrostic Poem

Examples of Acrostic Poems

Empathy acrostic in Dictionary for a Better World on Epic booksDictionary for a better world

Understand that poems take a variety of visual shapes on a page

Understand that poems may look and sound different from one another and do not have to rhyme

Understand the importance of specific word choice in poetry

What do you notice about the structure of an acrostic poem? How is the poem organized? What do you notice about words in this type of a poem?

How are acrostic and haiku poems same and how are they different?

Write an acrostic poem about an object from nature (animal, plant, etc.)

Cinquain Poem

Teacher resource for Cinquain: What is a

Understand that poems take a variety of visual shapes on a page

What do you notice about the structure of a cinquain poem? How is the poem organized?

How are acrostic and cinquain poems the same and how are they different?

Write a cinquain poem about something in nature (it can be the same object in nature you were writing an acrostic poem about).

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

cinquain twinkl.ca Understand that poems may look and sound different from one another and do not have to rhyme

Understand the importance of specific word choice in poetry

What do you notice about words in this type of a poem?

Free Verse Poetry

Favourite Word

Free Verse Poems (Examples)

Slam Poetry for Kids (YouTube Playlist)

Understand that poems take a variety of visual shapes on a page Understand that poems may look and sound different from one another and do not have to rhyme

Place words on a page to look like a poemNotice and use line breaks and white space when writing poetry

What do you notice about the words in these poems? Rhythm? Shape? Rhyme?

What is your favourite word? Write a poem about it.

Word-scramble poetry and/orBlackout Poetry

https://www.edutopia.org/article/every-student-can-be-poet

Shape poetry: https://youtu.be/0Zc0tBtotrM

Understand the way print and space works in poems

Understand the purpose of white space and line

Why is space/ style so important in poetry writing?

What is the purpose/ how does spacing and

Quick write what you saw as important/ different between the two resources (video and book).

Write your own poem using spacing as a focus in your writing.

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

breaks

Place words on a page to look like a poemNotice and use line breaks and white space when writing poetry

style give meaning in poetry?

Understand that a poem can be created from other kinds of texts

Write poems from other kinds of texts (story, informational text)

Sometimes borrow specific words or phrases from other writers and make them into a poem

After listening to the stories and visualizing/seeing the pictures. How can you take this information and create a poem?

Why is this an important part of poetry writing?

What picture/story/information inspired you? What did it inspire or remind you of?

Based on the writings or a picture, write either a cinquain or free verse poem. Use your ideas from the write about reading activity.

Youtube video:Poetry read aloud Don't Bump the Glump

Poems can have strange and made up words. They are fun and whimsical.Have you heard of a Bloath, a Glump or a Glub Toothed Sline?

VisualizationWhat pictures does your brain see when you read or hear these poems. Why do you think Shel Silverstein made up new words? How do they change how you make sense of the poem?

What strange or weird creature can you create and write about?Write a list of strange or weird creatures you can write a poem about.Pink Is for Blobfish

Shel Silverstein poetry month activitiesPage 6 and Page 10

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

Ted Talk by Melissa KovacsMelissa Kovacs Ted Talk

Understand poetry as a unique way to communicate about and describe feelings, sensory images, ideas or stories

What makes a poem a poem?Is poetry art? Why? Why not?Are songs poems?

Summarize what you now know about poems. Could Create a KWL chart adding what you learned, an ongoing writing piece.

Mind map “Poetry Is Art”

2. Making Connections and Developing the Writing

Text Essential Element Discussion questions Writing about Reading Tasks

Quick Writes or notebook work

Shel Silverstein writes about some strange creatures and uses made up words to create his rhymes.

Borrow a word, phrase, or a sentence from another writer; use memorable words or phrases; use language from other texts (Level 3)

How can we use inspiration from other writings to write a poem?

How can you use memorable wording or phrases in your own writing?

Can you find a real word to rhyme with “Orange”?

Listen/read a poem, and then annotate as a class some of the important words/phrases.

Use the same poem and work sample from the writing about reading. Use the words/ phrases to write your own poem.

Sharing our thoughts and feelings when reading poetry.

Ms Caffet reading Shel Silverstein poems

Write about what is known and remembered

Write poems that convey feelings or imagesUse language to describe how something looks,

Why are feelings important in writing poetry?

What are some uses of images in poetry?

Select a topic and a form for your nature poetry and think about the feelings and images you will write about. Draw and write phrases to capture your feelings.

Visible thinking routine to help you draft your original poem (s) …See, Think Wonder, or Explanation game, Zoom in, Colour Symbol Image: Colour Symbol Image

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

smells, tastes, feels or sounds (create sensory imagery)

Closely observe to select topics or content and write with detail

How can certain language convey feelings in poetry?

Introduce Level 4 skills to students while conferring if they are ready…for example… repetition, refrain, rhythm, style, mood & voice

CREATE: Select pieces from your notebook work and begin to develop poetic writing. Each student’s final collection of poems could be published digitally or in chapter book or another form. Co-construct the audience and purpose of the poetry with your students. Discuss: Do you want to share your poetry with a larger audience? Why or why not? Why do others read poetry? Who will read your poetry? If you are going to share with a larger audience who will you share it with? Peers? Provide workshop time to work on evolving poems. Include teacher modelling of the drafting and revision processes and provide feed forward comments while conferring. “Look fors” for strength-based feed forward comments are included below.

Conferring for revision and editing process: Confer with each student individually and continue to add comments and track changes in their evolving drafts in google docs. Clarify the audience and purpose they are writing for when conferring. Students can pull from their writing tasks and quick writes in tables 1 and 2 above, as they draft their poetry.

3. Final Pieces

Text Essential Element Discussion questions Writing Process Quick Writes or notebook work

Refer to mentor texts as needed.

Write a variety of poems How can you share your writing with a larger

Select the poems you have written that you would like

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

Mrs. Caffet Theatre Tea Poetry Readings

Poetry in Voice RecitationsWatch students from across Canada (gr 6-12) recite poetry: Recitation Poetry in voice

Three types of poems that could be written.Ms Caffet final tea party examples Create Poetry Theatre for the class.Ms Caffet poetry reading

Writing your own choice of poetry that appeals to you.

audience?

Would you like to become published in a book?

to publish or use all of things you have been learning about poetry to create a new original poem about your connection to the natural world.

Confer with your teacher to revise and edit your writing.

Open a poetry café to share your final poems. Scholastic article outlining how to set up a poetry café Open a poetry cafe to celebrate student writing

Use poetic language to communicate meaning

Remove extra words to clarify meaning and make the writing more powerful

What is your message? How are you using poetic language to communicate meaning?

Are there words you could remove to make the writing more powerful?

Consider sensory imagery, descriptive words to enhance your meaning. Use figurative language, such as simile or metaphor to add voice to your work.

Think about the final form your poetry will take and complete your editing and publishing processes.

Rehearse

Poetry Look Fors for teachers to use for formative assessment (co-construct look fors with students and edit to align with your final pieces

Look Fors Strengths Possibilities for GrowthFocusThe poem has a focus

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

There is an overarching feeling or message

The imagery/language in the poem ties the piece together and aligns with the focus

The shape of the text aligns with the form and focus of the poem

StructureThe poem has a form and structure

The poem engages the reader

The structure supports the message or theme of the poem

ElaborationPoetic language (e.g. interesting/unique comparisons and descriptions, simile, metaphor) is used to support the focus and enhance meaning

ConventionsThe writer demonstrates control of conventions, spelling, punctuation

Heart Mapping – What memories are stored in your heart?

Use words and simple sketches to map your thinking:

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

Think about what you love most about nature…place it in the center of your heart map. Why do you love it the most?

Use your senses to describe and map how you feel when you are enjoying nature.

What really fascinates you about nature? What do you wonder?

Think of powerful words to describe how nature “moves”

What places have been important to you?

What are some things that you will never forget?

What are you grateful for?

What small natural things or objects are important to you?

What are some “facts” about nature that you know?

Where I find poetry Heart Map video with Georgia Heard

See also handout : Heart mapping Writing From the Heart Georgia Heard

Additional videos also available online

Polar Expression Publishing Writing Contest

The mentor texts below feature young Canadian Poets from across Canada. Several of our Living Sky School Division students are published in these books and your students can be published too. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 have an opportunity to enter a poetry/short story competition. If the student’s writing is selected their works are published in a book that comes out each year. I believe 12 Medstead Central School students are published within these three books. Braden Moore won second place for his poem Cross Country in “Wonder”. This is a national contest that goes out in October /November.Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020

Balancing Act Upon a Star

Wonder

Find out how: Website: http://www.polarexpressions.ca/Contest dates and rules: http://www.polarexpressions.ca/StudentContests.htmlOnline entry form: http://www.polarexpressions.ca/SubmitEntryOnline.htmlMail entry form: http://www.polarexpressions.ca/EntryForms/StudentEntryForm2019-2020withinformation.pdf

Tanja Bodanec-Kolbas, Shannon Caffet & Caroline May, Living Sky School Division, June 2020