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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

The connection between poetry and music

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=808

A lesson plan for grades 3–5 English Language Arts

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In this lesson, students acquire knowledge and appreciation for beat and meter in poetry by listening to poems that are read aloud. After the teacher reads the poem, students evaluate the rhythm and line breaks by clapping their hands or tapping their feet. Then, using rhythm instruments, such as rhythm sticks, shakers, drums, and tambourines, students read and perform favorite poems for the class. Students choose poems from child-friendly poetry websites and the teacher models how to use an online line break explorer to evaluate the rhythm of the poems students have selected. After students draft original poems and work in pairs to revise their work, they perform the selected poem for the class with the accompaniment of either music or instruments.

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).
  • Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
    • Objective 4.01: Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, and expression.
    • Objective 4.03: Share written and oral products in a variety of ways (e.g., author's chair, book making, publications, discussions, presentations).
    • Objective 4.07: Compose a variety of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama selections using self-selected topics and forms (e.g., poems, simple narratives, short reports, learning logs, letters, notes, directions, 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).
  • Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
    • Objective 4.01: Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, and expression demonstrating an awareness of volume and pace.
    • Objective 4.04: Share self-selected texts from a variety of genres (e.g., poetry, letters, narratives, essays, presentations).
    • Objective 4.07: Compose fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using self-selected and assigned topics and forms (e.g., personal and imaginative narratives, research reports, diaries, journals, logs, rules, instructions).

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).
  • Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
    • Objective 4.01: Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, expression, and personal style demonstrating an awareness of volume, pace, audience, and purpose.
    • Objective 4.07: Compose a variety of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using self-selected topic and format (e.g., poetry, research reports, news articles, letters to the editor, business letters).