Martha Meloy

Applications of Instructional Technology

Technology Integration Unit

Spring 2010
 Title of Poetry Grade 5th Grade
Unit Level
Curriculum Language Arts Time 3 weeks
Area Frame
Stage 1 – Identify Desired Results
Georgia Performance Standards:

ELA5R1 The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a warranted and
responsible explanation of a variety of literary and informational texts.
h. Responds to and analyzes the effects of sound, figurative language, and graphics
in order to uncover meaning in poetry.
i. Sound (e.g., alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyme scheme)
ii. Figurative language (e.g., personification, metaphor, simile, hyperbole)
iii. Graphics (i.e., capital letters, line length, stanzas).

ELA5R3 The student understands and acquires new vocabulary and uses it
correctly in reading and writing. The student
g. Identifies playful uses of language

ELA5W1 The student produces writing that establishes an appropriate organizational

structure, sets a context and engages the reader, maintains a coherent focus throughout, and
signals a satisfying closure. The student
a. Selects a focus, an organizational structure, and a point of view based on purpose,
genre expectations, audience, length, and format requirements.

ELA5W4 The student consistently uses a writing process to develop, revise,

and evaluate writing. The student
a. Plans and drafts independently and resourcefully.
b. Revises manuscripts to improve the meaning and focus of writing by adding,
deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and rearranging words and sentences.
c. Edits to correct errors in spelling, punctuation, etc.

ELA5W3 The student uses research and technology to support writing. The
student
a. Acknowledges information from sources.
c. Uses various reference materials (i.e., dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, electronic
information, almanac, atlas, magazines, newspapers) as aids to writing.
g. Uses a thesaurus to identify alternative word choices and meanings.

ELA5LSV2 The student listens to and views various forms of text and media in
order to gather and share information, persuade others, and express and understand
ideas.
 Understandings
Students will understand that:

Overarching Understandings
- Poetry allows us as humans to gain ideas about the world we live in.
- Poetry is a form of artful written expression.
- Poetry can convey ideas, knowledge, facts and feelings.

Topical Understanding
- Students sharing their own ideas through poetry writing is valuable in determining self-
efficacy by having their own ideas valued and supported.
- Reading poetry can create mood differences and an appreciation of other’s point of view on
varied topics.

Essential Questions
Overarching Questions: Topical Questions:

1. What is poetry? 1. Are 5th graders able to compose

2. Is poetry useful in our modern society?
3. Are certain poetic forms better than others?
4. What qualities make good poetry and or bad
poetry? Who should judge the poetry we
write?
5. Who writes good poetry?
worthwhile poetry?
2. Should curriculum topics be integrated
with poetry writing?
3. What produces better poetry: working
alone or collaboration with others?
4. What makes a poem better than another?

Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge
Students will know:
- Key Terms – poetry, rhythm, rhyme, repetition,
figurative language, similes, metaphors,
imagery, personification, alliteration, hyperbole,
limerick, concrete poems, haiku, cinquain,
acrostic
- How to create a digital story to portray ideas
and feeling associated with poetry and creativity
Skills
Students will be able to:
- produce a digital story using poetry written by
the student and accompanied by visuals
created by the students or pictures that
represent the poets (students) ideas
 Stage 2 - Evidence

Performance Task(s)

Performance Task #1 Digital Story

Goal: Your task is to create (Application Facet) a digital story using poetry you have written and pictures
that represent the ideas portrayed by the poetry.

Role: You are an aspiring poet who will present at the National Poetry Society’s Annual Conference to
display and present your work in a digital story format.

Audience: Poetry lovers of all ages will attend the National Poetry Conference including your parents.

Situation: The challenge involves creating authentic, worthwhile poetry that incorporates different styles
of poetry including a cinquain poem, haiku, acrostic, concrete poem, collaboration piece, free verse and
limerick. Your presentation should include appropriate visuals that accompany your poetry readings.

Product Performance and Purpose: You will create a digital story that will be presented at the National
Poetry Society’s Annual Conference. Your poetry will document (Interpretation Facet) how American
students view the world through the eyes of poetry. The digital story must demonstrate the qualities of
good poetry and how you analyzed (Perspective Facet) each form of poetry. You must also
demonstrate (Explanation Facet) how you were open to (Empathy Facet) another students ideas while
realizing (Self-knowledge Facet) ideas other than your own are significant in forming the collaboration
poem.

Standards and Criteria for Success: Your performance will be judged by how well you meet the criteria
established by the National Poetry Society using the provided rubric. Your digital story must document
(Interpret Facet) your ideas of a good poetry and exhibit (Application Facet) how you analyzed
(Perspective Facet) and chose to incorporate the selected poetry types. A score of 9 points out of 12 points
on the rubric is essential for persuading the National Poetry Society you completed the task successfully.

Performance Task(s) Rubric(s)

Rubric for Performance Task #1 Digital Story

0 points 1 –2 points 3 points Total
All required forms Less than 4 5 –6 required All 7 required
of poetry are required forms of forms of poetry are forms of poetry are
documented poetry are documented documented
(Interpret Facet) documented (Interpret Facet) (Interpret Facet)
(Interpret Facet)
Elements of good Minimal elements Elements of good Elements of good
poetry are of good poetry are poetry are poetry are
demonstrated demonstrated demonstrated demonstrated
(Explanation (Explanation (Explanation (Explanation
Facet) in the Facet) in the Facet) in 4 to 6 Facet) in all 7
student’s forms of student’s forms of forms of poetry. forms of poetry.
poetry. poetry.
The digital story The digital story The digital story The digital story
was creative, lacked creativity or was somewhat was very creative,
meaningful, and meaning. creative, meaningful, and
interesting (Interpretation meaningful, and interesting
(Interpretation Facet) interesting (Interpretation
Facet) (Interpretation Facet)
Facet)
The pictures used The pictures used Pictures were used The pictures used
in the Digital Story in the Digital Story in the Digital Story in the Digital Story
were relevant to were not relevant but did not convey were relevant to
the topic and to the topic. the essence of the the topic and
contributed presentation. contributed
meaning meaning
(Interpret Facet). (Interpret Facet)
Pictures can be to the overall
scanned from theme.
original artwork,
taken with a
camera or found
on the internet if
cited properly.
Total Points______________________/12

Other Evidence
(e.g. tests, quizzes, work samples, observations)
Short answer quiz on key terms - poetry, rhythm, rhyme, repetition, figurative language,
similes, metaphors, imagery, personification, alliteration, hyperbole, limerick, concrete
poems, haiku, cinquain, acrostic

Teacher Observation of students working in groups and alone on selected poetry types.

Academic Prompt for students using essential questions: Are 5th graders able to compose
worthwhile poetry? Should curriculum topics be integrated with poetry writing? What
produces better poetry: working alone or collaboration with others?

Dialogue: The teacher will dialogue with the students individually about their progress
throughout the 3-week unit on poetry especially as students begin to make the digital stories.

Journal: Students will use their journals throughout this process to reflect, document,
brainstorm, and review relevant poetry material. Specific entries are detailed in the learning
plan.

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

Peer Evaluation of Digital Stories and Educational Presentations: Students will pair
up with partners to determine if their work meets the criteria listed in the rubrics. Peer
feedback will be given to each other before the assignment is due in dialogue form as
well as written feedback from peers to improve the quality of the performance tasks.

Letter- Students will create (Application Facet) a letter to the National Poetry Society
explaining (Explanation Facet) their experience with poetry writing. They will
analyze by comparing and contrasting (Perspective Facet) the pros and cons of
working with others to from ideas for poems or working alone. Students will consider
(Empathy Facet) what they have learned about themselves and include something they
learned about poetry. Letters must include knowledge of poetry elements and types of
poems in their advertisement. It should document a student created definition of poetry and
factors that contribute to good poetry. Why poetry is relevant to young people should be
discussed.

Journal Entry – Students will reflect (Self-Knowledge Facet) about this experience and
self assess (Self-Knowledge Facet) their efforts in this process.
 Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences
Detailed Learning Experiences

Day 1
1. Academic Prompt for student’s journal using the essential questions:
What is poetry? Is poetry useful in our modern society? What qualities make good
poetry and or bad poetry? W, H
2. Students will be given a Pre Test on essential prerequisite skills and knowledge of the
unit. E-2, W
3. Introduce Unit with Vodcast on “What is Poetry”. W, H
4. Students will work in pairs determined by their type of Multiple Intelligence earlier in
the year and choose a poem or poems from the following poetry books and
anthologies for a mini presentation to the class. Students will read through many
poems and choose one or more poems that they must analyze and share with the class.
The presentation must include a copy of their poem or poems and why they chose the
poem (s). Pairs may choose how they present their poem to the class. They may act
out what the poem means to them (bodily kinesthetic), design a concept map
(logical), create a song (musical), draw a picture (spatial), or create another poem
about the poem (linguistic) E, T, Foundational Entry Point, Differentiation
Strategy – Content and Product, Interpretation Facet

Books that pairs will read to choose a poem(s) from:

• A Poet to His Beloved: The Early Love Poems of W. B. Yeats with an introduction by
Richard Eberhart
• The Random House Book of Poetry for Children selected by Jack Preslutsky
• Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes by David Roessel and Arnold Rampersad
• The Best Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis by Caroline Kennedy
• Side by Side: Poems to Read Together collected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
• More Pocket Poems selected by Bobbie Katz
• The Golden Treasury of Poetry by Louis Untermeyer
• Poems by Emily Dickinson, Three Series, Complete by Emily Dickinson
• The Everyman Anthology of Poetry for Children (Everyman's Library Children's
Classics) by Gillian Avery
• Hey, You! Poems to Skyscrapers, Mosquitoes, and Other Fun Things by Paul b.
Janeczko
• The Ice Cream Store by Dennis Lee
• Something Rich and Strange: a Treasury of Shakespeare’s Verse by Gina Pllinger
• A Visit to William Blake’s Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers by
Nancy Willard
• Dirty Laundry Pile: Poems in Different Voices by Paul Janeczko
• Where the Sidewalk Ends 30th Anniversary Edition: Poems and Drawings by Shel
Silverstein
Day 2
1. View the Vodcast on “Essential Questions and Elements of Poetry”. W, H
2. Students will get into small groups and create poster sized concept Maps to represent
one of the key vocabulary terms for the unit which include poetry, rhythm, rhyme,
repetition, figurative language, similes, metaphors, imagery, personification,
alliteration, hyperbole, limerick, concrete poems, haiku, cinquain, acrostic. They
must define the term, give an example and any other pertinent information that relates
to our poetry unit that will help with understanding. Students will present their
concept maps to the class and they will be used as references and wall art for the
three-week study of poetry. E,T
3. Informal Check for understanding on key vocabulary terms using the concept maps
that defines each term and ties the key vocabulary together as it relates to our
upcoming assignments. W, E -2

Day 3
1. View the Vodcast on “Poetry Presentation Guidelines & Types of Poetry”. W, H
2. Introduce all essential questions for the unit and rubrics for the final performance
task, which includes a digital story. All parents and the administration will be invited
to attend the culminating celebration. W, O
3. Have students visit some different poetry websites for inspiration and knowledge
about poetry. Students must list 5 important things in their journals on what was
important and worthwhile that they discovered from investigating poetry on the
Internet. Small group discussions will be held at the end of class time to promote
knowledge growth and discussion. H, E, O

http://www.slapcast.com/mp3/Jamestown/Jamestown-2009-02-04.mp3
http://www.slapcast.com/mp3/Jamestown/Jamestown-2009-06-10.m4v
http://www.poetry4kids.com/rhymes
http://www.gigglepoetry.com/
http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us/specialist/marymassie/poetry.htm

Day 4
1. Students will rethink and revisit their responses to the earlier answered essential
questions by revisiting them in their journals. What is poetry? Is poetry useful in our
modern society? What qualities make good poetry and or bad poetry? R
2. Students will complete a feelings activity to get a better understanding of poetry and
how feelings can create authenticity to poetry. E
1. Ask your students to name as many feelings as they can. To get them started,
write "sad," "mad," "happy," and a few others on the board. As your students
think of more feelings, add them to the list.
2. Ask the students to choose one feeling from the list.
3. Have the students write down their answers to one of the following questions:
-When do I feel [insert feeling]?
-Why do I feel [insert feeling]?
-How does it feel to be [insert feeling]?
 4. Students will create a simple poem based on this activity in the
student’s poetry journal.
This activity is from Poetry Teachers website.
http://www.poetryteachers.com/poetclass/lessons/feelings.html
3. Short answer quiz on key terms - poetry, rhythm, rhyme, repetition, figurative
language, similes, metaphors, imagery, personification, alliteration, hyperbole, limerick,
concrete poems, haiku, cinquain, acrostic E-2

Day 5 - 10 Creating Poetry and Visuals

Day 5 through Day 10 students will follow the same format. W, O
1. The teacher will model creating the specific poetry type for the given day. E
2. Each day students will spend 10 to 15 minutes gaining inspiration from available
sources, which include computer links, books, and dialogue with others about the
specific poetry formats for each given day. E
3. They will then use the remaining class time to create and compose the given poetry
type for the day and create visuals to coincide with their poetry presentations.
Students will be reminded of guidelines each day: T, O
• You must choose a topic related to three content areas, which include Social
Studies, Science, and Math. You will also have two free choice topics for
your presentation and one poem must be about yourself.
• You will also have choices for developing your illustrations in your digital
story that include original artwork, photographs (must follow copyright
guidelines) or Tux Paint. Over the next few days we will complete 5 different
types of poems and you’ll have the opportunity to work collaboratively on a
poem with your friends.
4. At any point students may revisit the video podcasts for poetry if needed. E, R
5. Teacher Observation of students working in groups and alone on selected poetry
types. R, E
6. Teacher Dialogue: The teacher will dialogue with the students individually about
their progress throughout the poetry-composing week. R, E

Resources available in classroom and on the Internet:

Ideas for Science poetry
http://www.k12.hi.us/~shasincl/poems_prop_cycle_weather.html
Book: Central Heating: Poems about Fire and Warmth by Marilyn Singer
Book: Star Walk by Seymour Simon

Ideas for Social Studies Poetry

The following links are related to the Civil War
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/poetry.htm
http://www.blackcatpoems.com/w/walt_whitman.html
Book: The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Book: A Visit to William Blake’s Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers by
Nancy Willard
Ideas for Math poetry
http://mathstory.com/Poems/Mathpoemspage.html
http://www.tooter4kids.com/classroom/math_poems.htm
http://www.shsu.edu/~mth_jaj/math142/poems.s05.html

Day 5 Cinquain Poem and Art work

http://teams.lacoe.edu/DOCUMENTATION/CLASSROOMS/AMY/ALGEBRA/5-
6/ACTIVITIES/POETRY/CINQUAIN.HTML
http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/davidc/6c_files/Poem%20pics/cinquaindescrip.htm

Day 6 Haiku and Art work

http://www.gigglepoetry.com/POETRYCLASS/HAIKU.HTML

Day 7 Concrete Poem and Art work

http://www.schools.pinellas.k12.fl.us/educators/tec/pravda3/concrete.html
http://www.wild-about-woods.org.uk/elearning/concretepoetry/

Day 8 Acrostic and Art work

http://home.earthlink.net/~jesmith/Acrostic1.html

Day 9 Limerick and Art work

http://www.poetry-online.org/limericks.htm

Day 10 Collaborative Poem and Art Work

1. Along with the collaborative poem students will complete Academic Prompts for
students using essential questions: Are 5th graders able to compose worthwhile poetry?
Should curriculum topics be integrated with poetry writing? What produces better
poetry: working alone or collaboration with others? R, E

Day 11 and 12
Students will work on creating storyboards for digital stories.

1. A review of the rubrics for the performance tasks will be reviewed to ensure students
are aware of what information needs to be obtained for the digital story advertisement
and the Power Point or Prezi presentations that will encompass our “Communication
and Collaboration” day. R
2. Teacher Model on how to create an efficient storyboard for effective management in
completing performance tasks on the computers. Individually, students will
storyboard plans for their digital story presentations. The teacher will coach and give
recommendations as the students work independently. E
3. Teacher Model using the LCD projector to model and review basics of creating a
digital story. E
4. Students will create their storyboards for their digital stories. Students will also begin
to organize and scan visuals so that digital story creation will flow smoothly. All
storyboards and visuals must be completed and scanned if needed as well as
 organized in the student’s individual file folders on the computer before they can
begin to work on their actual digital stories. O
5. At the end of day 12: Peer Evaluation of digital story storyboards: Students will pair
up with partners to determine if their work meets the criteria listed in the rubrics.
Peer feedback will be given to each other in dialogue form as well as written
feedback from peers to improve the quality of the performance tasks. R, E-2, T

Day 13 and 14
Students will work on creating digital stories.
1. Feedback and mini conferences are held with each student from the teacher
concerning performance task assignments. E, R
2. Students work independently on the computers completing presentations for
culminating activity. The teacher provides feedback as needed. E, T, Application
Facet
3. Journal Entry – Students will reflect (Self-Knowledge Facet) about this experience
and self assess (Self-Knowledge Facet) their efforts in this process.

Day 15
1. Final Peer assessment –Students give feedback during the working process on the
computers creating advertisements and presentations. They will view each other’s
advertisements and presentations in pairs to make any final recommendations and to
ensure all work coincides with the rubrics. Teacher also gives additional feedback for
fine tuning presentations. E-2
2. Letter- Students will create (Application Facet) a letter to the National Poetry
Society explaining (Explanation Facet) their experience with poetry writing. They
will analyze by comparing and contrasting (Perspective Facet) the pros and cons of
working with others to from ideas for poems or working alone. Students will
consider (Empathy Facet) what they have learned about themselves and include
something they learned about poetry. Letters must include knowledge of poetry
elements and types of poems in their advertisement. It should document a student
created definition of poetry and factors that contribute to good poetry. Why poetry is
relevant to young people should be discussed. E-2

Day 16 Culminating Day National Poetry Society

1. For the conclusion of the unit students will present their digital story presentations at
the “National Poetry Society Annual Conference” day. Parents and our
administrators will be invited for the fun. E, T

Further Learning Activities for Students:

1. Visit the Poetry for Kids website at http://www.poetry4kids.com/.
2. Students can check out the poetry podcasts available at
http://www.poetry4kids.com/podcast.
3. Students who are interested in learning more about poetry and or writing poetry can
investigate the topic in more detail. Students who would like to produce their own
digital stories or podcasts can do so and I will post them on the class website for
others to see.
4. Students may also research some of the famous poets and present their ideas to the
class. Famous poets can include: Shel Silverstein, Emily Dickinson, John Yeats,
Maya Angelou, Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, Percy Shelly as well as many
others. I’m sure you can find you favorite.
5. Students may read about Civil War poems by Walt Whitman and other poets of the
time period using the following web sites. Most of the sites only contain Whitman
poetry but the last sight has others.
http://members.tripod.com/~DizzyDi2/
http://www.blackcatpoems.com/w/walt_whitman.html
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/126
http://www.civilwarhome.com/poemssongs.htm

• Students can write about their favorite poems and why they chose them as
favorites
• Explain how reading the Civil War poetry made them feel.
• What did students learn from reading the Civil War poetry
• What did you learn about the time period