Lesson Plan: Poetry Using Collaboration

Teacher Name: Mrs. Harrison

Grade: 8th
Subject: English Language Arts
Time: 60 minutes
I. Content and Standards: PA.CC.RL.8. Reading Standards for Literature

RL.8.2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its

development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the
characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.8.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a
text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of
specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions
to other texts.

PA.CC.L.8. Language Standards

L.8.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning

words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly
from a range of strategies.

L.8.4 (a) Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a
word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word
or phrase.

II. Prerequisites: The student should be able to read and analyze different
forms of poetry.

III. Essential Questions: How can poetry be defined? How can one utilize life
experiences as a foundation for creative and expressive thinking? Why is the
presentation of poetry an important skill learned?
IV. Instructional Objective: Students will be able to analyze models of classic
poetry and use them to create their own personal writing style. Students will
be able to develop an enhanced perception and appreciation of poetry
through small-group collaborative construction of a writing prompt activity.

V. Instructional Procedures: Before- Do Now: Poetry Ice Breaker Survey-

Students will be come in and sit in groups of 6 to 8 students and follow the
PowerPoint agenda on the board. When students are seated in groups one
person from the group will login to kahoot.it and enter the pin shown on the
board. Each group will create a name that will be used to play the survey as a
group. Students will answer the 4 questions. As a class we will discuss the
answers to the questions. (15 mins)

During- Teacher Modeling- The teacher will read and discuss the poem
Dreams by Langston Hughes using the think aloud method. Students will
then answer questions to Hughes poem individually. When students are
finished the teacher will collect their worksheets for assessment. (15 mins)

After- Cooperative Learning- In groups students will then create a group

poem. The teacher will give each student a sheet of construction paper. Then
the teacher will give each student a 3"x5" index card with one word on it.
(Words such as rain, sky, sun, love, tree, river, blue, flower, kitten, basketball,
music etc. on them). After looking at their card each student must then write
one line about their topic.

After each group member has written a line about their topic each member
passes their card and construction paper to the person on their right. That
person will read the first line and will write a second line to continue the poem.
The line must relate to that specific poem and must continue the poem. After
each member has written their line, they will pass it again to the right.
Eventually, the poem will make it back to the owner. The owner will finish the
poem with a final line. The result is that each member has a poem about their
 topic. Each member has contributed one line to each poem. Students will
then voluntarily share their poems with the class. (24 mins)

When they are finished with their collaborative poems give students Ticket
out the Door slips to complete to share their reactions. Students will be given
the opportunity to practice the think aloud method using the poem titled, To
Christine by Susan Forde. Students will read the poem and answer critical
thinking questions for homework. (6 mins)

VI. Materials and Equipment: Projector/ smart board for visuals of poem
examples and to view Kahoot activity, index cards and construction paper to
create group poem, Mobile devices to login to kahoot activity, and Ticket Out
the Door slips for individual feedback.

VII. Assessment/Evaluation: Review student ticket out the door slip, poetry
class worksheet, and observation of classroom discussion and group work.
Homework poetry worksheet for the poem To Christine by Susan Forde.

VIII. Accommodations and Differentiation: Individualized Activities: Allow

students extra time to complete assignments/ activities. For the students who
are struggling with poem understanding, have them work with a partner.

IX. Technology: Projector, internet connection, Mobile devices.

X. Self-Assessment: Monitor students by roaming around the room, stopping

to check students understanding and answer questions. As the lesson
progresses, do the students need less help to understand and analyze the
poetry material? Are the worksheets collected in classwork and for homework
useful in evaluating how many students were able to examine and interpret
and create a poem as a small-group?