Poetry from prose
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=49
A lesson plan for grades 3–5 English Language Arts
Students compose found and parallel poems based on a descriptive passage they have chosen from a piece of literature they are reading. First, students work in small groups to brainstorm a list of words and phrases about a common object. Then students arrange their words from most to least descriptive and choose the three most descriptive ones to share with the class. After the class uses these phrases and words to develop a working definition for descriptive words, the teacher demonstrates how to find a descriptive passage in literature. Once the teacher explains the concept of a found poem, students work in groups to construct their own original poems using descriptive passages they located for homework. After sharing their poems with the class, students work together to create parallel poems from their found poem. This lesson suggests several extension activities and provides links to web resources. Readwritethink provides sample found poems, instructions and a checklist for writing, and a link to an online interactive tool.
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 2.04: 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 2.04: Identify and interpret elements of fiction and nonfiction and support by referencing the text to determine the:
- 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 2.04: 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 2.04: Identify and interpret elements of fiction and nonfiction and support by referencing the text to determine the:
- 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 2.04: 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 2.04: Identify elements of fiction and nonfiction and support by referencing the text to determine the:
- 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).
