Blog Posts

Tuesday, March 10

3/10/2020

Get out your Poetry Packet.

Objectives: Today I will read and draft onomatopoeia poems & personification poems.

Homework:

Finish drafting onomatopoeia and personification poems if you do not finish in class
Last day to turn in late work is Friday!

Agenda:

Share Your Poems!
- Choose at least two new poems to share with your table group
- Then, discuss: What has been your favorite type of poem to write? To read? Why?
- Any volunteers to share favorite lines/poems with the class?
Onomatopoeia Poems (page 17)
- Onomatopoeia: A type of word that sounds like what it describes
  Ex. Pop, boom, plop

Onomatopoeia Poems (page 17)
- Example: "Running Water"
  water plops into pond
  splish-splash downhill
  warbling magpies in tree
  trilling, melodic thrill
  whoosh, passing breeze
  flags flutter and flap
  frog croaks, bird whistles
  babbling bubbles from tap
- Which words in this poem sound like what they describe? Circle/underline them!
- Example: "The Rusty Spigot" by Eve Merriam

Alliteration: using the same sound at the beginning of words
Ex. the sweet sparrow sang a song
- Alliteration is not necessary for onomatopoeia poems, but it adds to the sound experience!
Now You Try!
- Choose a setting/topic.
- Close your eyes. What sounds do you hear? What do you see in your mind?
- Write down all sounds & sights.
- Then, draft a poem using at least two examples of onomatopoeia
- Your poem should be at least 5 lines long
Personification Poems (page 18)
- Personification: to give human qualities to something not human

Now You Try!
- Choose a non-human object/topic
- Brainstorm qualities using sensory language. What does it do? How does it move/not move?
- Compare those qualities to human traits (consider movement, actions, feelings)
- Use personification at least once in your poem draft.
- Your poem should be at least 8 lines
Extra Time?
- Continue drafting your onomatopoeia or personification poems.
- Finish incomplete poems from earlier in the unit.
- Work on missing work for this class.
- Read a book.

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Monday, March 9

3/9/2020

Get out your poetry packet & fill in the visual dictionary (page 4) for simile, metaphor, and anthology

Objectives: Today I will read, discuss, and draft haiku poems.

Homework:

Finish drafting haiku poems if you do not finish in class
Last day to turn in late work is Friday

Agenda:

Haiku (page 16)
- Roughly translates to "light verse" in Japanese.
- Haiku are traditionally about nature.
- 3 lines; each line contains a set number of syllables.
  - Syllable: a form of pronunciation that has one vowel sound
    1 Syllable: All
    2 Syllable: Wa-ter
    3 Syllable: Po-e-try

The haiku that we'll be discussing today have been translated from Japanese.
- Because of this, these poems do not fit the 5 syllable / 7 syllable / 5 syllable format in English
Haiku by Violet Kazue de Cristoforo
- Take 5 minutes to read & annotate the reading about Violet de Cristoforo and her haiku.
- We will use this to prepare for a discussion.
  - Δ Change in thinking
  - + Agree
  - - Disagree
  - O Important words
  - ☆ Interesting Information
  - ? Question/confusion
  - ! Important
  - ∞ Connection
Think: Take 1 minute without talking to think about group discussions.
- Brainstorm 3 qualities of a successful and positive group discussion. What should one look and sound like?
Let’s practice those qualities for a successful & positive group discussion!
- With your table groups you will:
  - Use discussion questions to analyze the haiku you read by Violet De Cristoford.
  - Practice using the discussion qualities we brainstormed as a class.
  - Reflect on how well you and your group participated in the discussion.
- Choose 3 discussion questions to answer for each haiku. Then, use the discussion and response sentence starters to consider each question.
Post Discussion
- What was easy about having a group discussion?
- What was difficult?
- What was a new or interesting idea that was discussed in your group?
Reflection
- Answer the reflection questions about your group discussion.
- This will be your exit ticket.
- When you finish, start drafting two haiku. These are homework if you do not finish them in class.

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Get out your poetry packet. Fill in the visual dictionary (page 4) for Rhyme Scheme, Synonym, and Antonym (opposite)

Objectives: Today I will read and draft simile and metaphor poems.

Homework:

Finish drafting simile & metaphor poems
Last day to turn in late work is March 13th (one week from today)

Agenda:

Introduce Poetry Anthology Project (page 26)
- Of the 14 types of poems you write in this unit, you will choose 10 poems to include in an anthology or collection.
- You can type or handwrite these poems, then bind them in a book or put them on a poster.
- Alongside each poem you choose, you’ll include a picture that represents the main idea.
- You will also write a reflective response to 3 poems explaining each one.
- As a class, read through the example format for the poem, reflection, and picture.
- With your table groups, read through the checklist and the rubric.
- What are the main differences between earning a B and a C? Between earning an A and a B?
Simile Poems (pages 12-13)
- Simile: A comparison between two or more things using the words "like" or "as"
- Today you'll practice writing a poem using one or more simile
"A Dream Deferred" (page 12)
- A very famous poem written by African American poet Langston Hughes

Discuss with your table group:
- What do you think the word “deferred” means? How do you know?
- What comparisons are being made? Why?
Metaphor Poems (pages 14-15)
- Metaphor: When something represents or symbolizes something else without literally being the same
"The Rose That Grew from Concrete" (page 14)
- Written by the rapper 2pac, and released after his death
- Start at (0:53) for the poem

Discuss with your table group:
- What do you think the rose growing from concrete might represent?

Writing Simile & Metaphor Poems (pages 12-15)

Choose an object to study or a topic to write about.
Brainstorm words, thoughts, or phrases that come to mind. List as many as you can. What can you compare your topic to?
Circle the words or phrases that best describe your topic.
Use those words to create a first draft of your poem.
Include at least 1 simile or metaphor, or make your whole poem a simile or metaphor.
After drafting, revise! Make your poems at least 10 lines

Work Time

Draft your simile & metaphor poems.
Edit/Revise any of the poems you’ve already written.
Work on missing work for this class.
Read a book!

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Thursday, March 5

3/5/2020

Get out your Poetry Packet & open it to the Visual Dictionary (page 4). Fill out your visual dictionary using pictures, definitions, or examples for the following words: line, stanza, verse, repetition

Objectives: Today I will read and draft synonym poems and diamante poems.

Homework:

Finish drafting today's poems if you do not finish in class
Last day to turn in late work is March 13th

Agenda:

Share your poems!
- Share your limericks & cinquains with your table group.
- Which type of poem have you enjoyed the most so far? Why?
- Volunteers to share their poems with the class?
Synonyms: words or phrases that mean the same thing
Synonym Poems (page 10)
- Poems that focus on the synonyms and descriptive phrases for a chosen word

Steps for writing a Synonym Poem:

Choose a word that is not a proper noun (name of a specific person/place, like Taylor Swift or Maywood Middle School).
Write the word in all capital letters for line 1. Ex. LOVE
Find 3-5 synonyms in a thesaurus.
Write the synonyms on line 2. Ex. Attachment, adoration, warmth, adore.
On line 3, write a descriptive phrase about the word. Ex. Love is so pure right down to the core.
Lines 2 and 3 should rhyme. Ex. Adore & Core

Now you try!
- Use a thesaurus (or your brain) to determine synonyms (words that mean the same thing) for your word of choice.
- Then, choose a descriptive phrase that relates to your word.
- Remember to rhyme lines 2 & 3!
Parts of Speech Review: (page 11)
- Noun: A person, place, or thing
  - Child, school, book
- Verb: An action word
  - Study, run, fly, yawn
- Adjective: A word describing a noun
  - wild, boring, orange
- Adverb: A word describing a verb, adjective, or other adverb
  - Usually ends in -ly
  - Explains how something is done
  - Quickly, carefully, very
Diamante Poems: (page 11)
- Poems shaped like diamonds that begin describing one noun and gradually describe something opposite to where you began

Now you try!
- Use the template in your packet to guide you
- Choose a noun to begin your diamante (think about things you can describe using sensory language)
- Then, determine a noun that means the opposite

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Wednesday, March 4

3/4/2020

Get out your poetry packet & open to your “Where I’m From” poem!
If you have not yet added a visual to your poem, draw one after your poem!

Objectives: Today I will read and draft limericks and cinquains.

Homework:

Finish drafting limericks and cinquains if you do not finish in class
Last day to turn in late work is Friday, March 13th

Agenda:

"Where I'm From" Poems
- Share your “Where I’m From” poem with your table group.
- What was challenging about this poem? What were your successes in writing this poem?
- Volunteers to share your favorite line(s) with the class?
Mrs. Weber's Example (Stanza 1):
- I am from gel pens,
  From Neosporin and IKEA bookshelves.
  I am from my mom’s “little broken house.”
  (ivy-covered, fire-warmed,
  learning to walk on slanted kitchen floors.)
  I am from untamed corn stalks and pea plants,
  overgrown in the garden we rarely tended.
Key Elements of a Poem

Limerick
- use rhyme scheme in a 5-line format
- A 5-line poem with rhymes in lines 1, 2, and 5, and then another rhyme in lines 3 and 4
- Example:
  What is a limerick, Mother?
  It's a form of verse, said Brother
  In which lines one and two
  Rhyme with five when it's through
  And three and four rhyme with each other.
- Now you try! Write a limerick with 5 lines and an AABBA rhyme scheme
Cinquain
- Another 5-line poem that describes a single topic
- Remember, an adjective describes a noun (person, place, or thing). Synonyms are words with the same or similar meaning.
- Examples:

A Cinquain follows this format:
- Line 1: Noun
- Line 2: Adjective, Adjective
- Line 3: -ING word, -ING word, -ING word
- Line 4: Short (~4 word) phrase describing the topic
- Line 5: Synonym

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Tuesday, March 3

3/3/2020

Objectives: Today I will...

answer the question "What is poetry?"
and write my own "Where I'm From" poem

Homework:

Finish drafting "Where I'm From" poem if you do not finish in class
Have missing work? Last day to turn in late work, retakes, make-ups, or re-dos is Friday, March 13th

Agenda:

Poetry Packet
- Read through the first page as a class.
- What important dates do you notice on the calendar?
What is Poetry?
- Volunteers to read "Carrots" and "The Valley of Unrest"?
- What is similar about these poems? What is different about these poems?
- How would YOU define poetry?
- Dictionary Definition: literary work in which special intensity is given to the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm
Why are we studying poetry?
- Read through the page "Why Study Poetry" with your table group.
- What other reasons for studying poetry can you come up with?
Preview Visual Dictionary
- Are there words that you already know?
- Draw a picture to represent figurative language and sensory language
  - Figurative language: when you use a word or phrase that does not have its normal everyday, literal meaning (some types of figurative language are metaphors and similes!)
  - Sensory language: language that connects to the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch)
"Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon
- Follow along in your packet as we listen to this poem

Now you try!
- Fill in the blanks to create your own "Where I'm From" poem
- Be thoughtful! What things and people have shaped you into the person you are now?
- Try using figurative language and sensory details.

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Monday, March 2

3/2/2020

Objectives: Today I will

share information about my essay
and respectfully listen to my peers

Homework:

Have missing work? All late work, retakes, make-ups, or re-dos from trimester two must be turned in by Friday, March 13th

Agenda:

Presentation Expectations
- Be a respectful audience member!
- Quiet, focused, not distracting/distracted
- Disrespectful audience members will lose points from their presentation score!
Introduction to Poetry
- Get your poem out on your desk!
- Gallery Walk
  - Walk around and read the poems your peers brought in
  - Put a star or a smiley face next to lines you enjoy

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Friday, February 28

2/28/2020

Get out your Presentation Rubric, the blue feedback form, and a writing utensil!

Objectives: Today I will

share information about my essay
and respectfully listen to my peers

Homework: Bring in a poem that you enjoy (from a book, magazine, online, one you’ve written…) due Monday

Agenda:

Have missing work?
- Late work, retakes, make-ups, or re-dos from Trimester 2 must be turned in by Friday, March 13th.
- No work will be accepted after March 13th.
Presentation Expectations
- Be a respectful audience!
- Disrespectful audience members will lose points on their presentation score.
- For each presentation, what is one thing you learned and one thing the presenter did well?

Daily Agenda Slideshow

February 27th, 2020

2/27/2020

Turn in your Scope quiz if you have not already. Get out your Presentation Rubric & a writing utensil!

Objectives: Today I will

share information about my essay
and respectfully listen to my peers

Homework: Bring in a poem (or poetic song) - from a book, magazine, online, one you’ve written… - to class on Monday

Agenda:

Next week we're starting our poetry unit!
- Find a poem (or poetic song) that you enjoy
- Can be from a book or a magazine or from the internet or a poem you’ve written
- Bring a copy to class on Monday! (printed or written)
Presentation Practice
- Read through the rubric again. What do you still need to practice?
- 6 minutes to practice your presentation with your table partner
Presentation Expectations
- Be a respectful audience!
- What does that look/sound like?
- Disrespectful audience members will lose points on their presentation score.
- For each presentation, what is one thing you learned and one thing the presenter did well?
When you're presenting...
- Give your rubric to Mrs. Weber and stand at the front of the room
- Tech support partner will control your Sway from the computer
- Present and say “Thank You” at the end of your presentation

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Wednesday, February 26

2/26/2020

Objectives: Today I will rehearse my presentation.

Homework:

Scope quiz if you did not finish yesterday in class (article here!)
Continue practicing your presentation (presentations tomorrow and Friday in class!)

Agenda:
Presentation Rehearsal Agenda:

If you have your Sway submitted: You and your partner will share a computer and take turns discussing what you want the other person to be in charge of for peer tech support (where you want them to scroll when). (10 min. per person)
If you do not have your Sway submitted: Brainstorm notes for your presentation. You will be in charge of creating a Sway in your own time or sharing about your topic without a Sway.

Expectations for Work Time:

Work only with your tech support partner
If you have not submitted your Sway, you will rehearse your partner’s presentation, then work independently on your own
Respect your peers’ work time!

Work Time
*Off task behavior will result in a loss of computer and rehearsal privileges*