Composing cinquain poems with basic parts of speech
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=43
A lesson plan for grades 3–5 English Language Arts
After learning about the parts of speech, students explore the cinquain poem, a type of poetry that uses nouns, verbs, and adjectives in a specific order. Students evaluate several sample cinquain poems for structure and similar characteristics. Using a graphic organizer, the teacher leads the class through the process of writing a cinquain. When students understand the process, they compose their own original poems. This lesson provides graphic organizers, sample poems, and handouts for student self-reflection.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 3
- Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
- Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
- fiction (short stories, novels, fantasies, fairy tales, fables).
- nonfiction (biographies, letters, articles, procedures and instructions, charts, maps).
- poetry (proverbs, riddles, limericks, simple poems).
- drama (skits, plays).
- Objective 2.04: Identify and interpret elements of fiction and nonfiction and support by referencing the text to determine the:
- author's purpose.
- plot.
- conflict.
- sequence.
- resolution.
- lesson and/or message.
- main idea and supporting details.
- cause and effect.
- fact and opinion.
- point of view (author and character).
- author's use of figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor, imagery).
- Objective 2.05: Draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text.
- Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
- Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
- Objective 4.09: Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., personal narrative, short report, friendly letter, directions and instructions).
Grade 4
- Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
- Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
- fiction (legends, novels, folklore, science fiction).
- nonfiction (autobiographies, informational books, diaries, journals).
- poetry (concrete, haiku).
- drama (skits, plays).
- Objective 2.04: Identify and interpret elements of fiction and nonfiction and support by referencing the text to determine the:
- plot.
- theme.
- main idea and supporting details.
- author's choice of words.
- mood.
- author's use of figurative language.
- Objective 2.05: Make inferences, draw conclusions, make generalizations, and support by referencing the text.
- Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
- Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
- Objective 4.09: Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., personal and imaginative narrative, research reports, learning logs, letters of request, letters of complaint).
Grade 5
- Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
- Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, such as:
- fiction (tall tales, myths).
- nonfiction (books of true experience, newspaper and magazine articles, schedules).
- poetry (narrative, lyric, and cinquains).
- drama (plays and skits).
- Objective 2.04: Identify elements of fiction and nonfiction and support by referencing the text to determine the:
- plot development.
- author's choice of words.
- effectiveness of figurative language (e.g., personification, flashback).
- tone.
- Objective 2.05: Evaluate inferences, conclusions, and generalizations and provide evidence by referencing the text(s).
- Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, such as:
- Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
- Objective 4.09: Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., clarification, essay, feature story, business letter).


