PART II: DESIGN FOR INSTRUCTION

Central Idea
As a part of a storyline in which the students act as 'NASA astronauts,' they will
explore the use of alliteration in poetry through writing, investigation and art.
The following essential question informs my unit goals and instruction:
1. What is alliteration and how can it be used in poetry?

Unit Goals
1. Students will learn about the definition, characteristics and structure of alliteration.
2. Students will learn how to write poetry, specifically, using alliteration.
3. Students will learn how to publish and present their writing to an audience.
These goals are based on the Oregon State Dept. of Education Standards for English
Language Arts & Literacy, Grades 2 and 3:
3.W.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development
and organization are appropriate to task and purpose.
2.W.5 With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen
writing as needed by revising and editing.
2.RL.4 Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes,
repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.
3.SL.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate
facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
As well as the Oregon State Dept. of Education Standards for The Arts, Grade 3:
AR.03.CP.03 Create, present and/or perform a work of art that demonstrates an idea,
mood or feeling.

Rationale
It is important for students to study poetry for a variety of reasons. Academically, poetry
can provide a framework within which to integrate connections between multiple areas of
curriculum. Poems can be a great tool with which to teach grammar and vocabulary and
their lyrical phrases often help students to better understand and remember the lesson or
value taught. Studying and writing poetry can also encourage students to incorporate
figures of speech into their everyday writing.
On the other hand, poetry can transcend academics. Poetry is a literary art form that helps
students to express themselves in different ways. Writing poetry helps to capture a range
of emotions that many students may struggle with expressing; it may perform as an outlet
for or release of anger, pain, or happiness. Poetry is engaging. It allows students to use all
of their senses to capture a concept, an idea or a thought. Additionally, poetry transcends

school itself. As adults, many people continue to read and write poetry out of enjoyment
and often find its rhythmic lines and meaningful messages therapeutic.
In this unit, students will study alliteration. They will learn all about the characteristics
and structure of poetry using alliteration: what it includes, as well as how it is written.
They will be writing poetry of their own using aspects of outer space of their choice as
their focus. To do this, they will be exploring and researching the moon and planets
through research in books and field trips to museums.
Unit Goal
Students will learn about
the definition,
characteristics and
structure of alliteration.

Pre-Assessment
Item/Component and
Criteria for Scoring
Alliteration:
1. What is alliteration?
2. Give an example of
alliteration.

Post-Assessment
Item/Component and
Criteria for Scoring
Alliteration:
1. What is alliteration?
2. Give an example of
alliteration.

Students will learn how to

write poetry, specifically,
using alliteration.

[See grading rubric for

scoring.]
Alliteration in Poetry:
Write your own alliteration
poem.

[See grading rubric for

scoring.]
Alliteration in Poetry:
Write your own alliteration
poem.

[See grading rubric for

scoring.]

[See grading rubric for

scoring.]

Plan for Administration:

I will give the students the pre-assessment that follows. I will administer the
assessment before I begin any work on the unit. I will let the students know that this is
simply a way for me to find out what kind of information they already know about
poetry, specifically. I will also let them know that they should not feel any stress while
completing it and proving an answer of I dont know yet is okay. I will tell them that
after we have finished our poetry unit, I will give them the same assessment again (postassessment) to see how much they have learned. Students will be asked to complete the
assessment individually so that I can collect student gains or losses in kind.
Name: KEY
Alliteration:
1. What is alliteration?
An answer scoring a 1 may include at least one of the following key points; an answer

Tromley/Astronomical Alliteration

scoring a 2 will include all of the following key points:

Alliteration is a figure of speech. It is a repetition of words with the same beginning
sound.
2. Give an example of alliteration.
An answer scoring a 2 will include, but is not limited to, something similar to the
following:
Larrys lizard likes leaping leopards.
Mikes microphone made much music.
Etc.
3. Write your own alliteration poem.
Students will receive a score of 1 point for trying- writing down what they think to be an
alliteration poem.
Students will receive a score of 2 points for correctly writing a poem that includes
alliteration.
Grading Rubric:
Points
0
1
2

Tromley/Astronomical Alliteration

Answer
No response
Partial answer
Complete answer