6
POETRY
Unit Overview
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Poets
write
from
the
heart.
…In
this
unit
we
focus
on
the
work
that
poets
do
in
the
world,
the
way
poets
love
the
world
through
words,
the
way
poets
sustain
us
in
hard
times,
the
way
poets
express
outrage
and
grief
and
joy.”
Lucy
Calkins,
A
Curricular
Plan
for
the
Writing
Workshop,
Grade
6,
p.175
The
6th
grade
Poetry
unit
follows
the
work
of
Lucy
Calkins
as
Essential Questions
published
in
A
Curricular
Plan
for
the
Writing
Workshop,
Grade
6
1. Where
do
poets
find
ideas
and
A
Note
Slipped
Under
the
Door
by
Nick
Flynn
and
Shirley
Mc
for
poems
and
chapbooks
Phillips.
Both
of
these
resources
have
been
made
available
to
Grade
(anthologies)?
6
teachers
of
writing.
(Awakening
the
Heart
by
Georgia
Heard
is
a
2. How
do
poets
use
revision
also
good
source
for
discussion
and
lessons
on
the
craft
of
writing
to
rethink
a
poem?
poetry.
This
text
has
been
provided
to
all
2nd‐
5th
grade
teachers
of
3. How
do
poets
use
the
writing).
features
and
craft
of
poetry
to
communicate
their
The
Common
Core
State
Standards
include
writing
anchor
standards
messages?
relating
to
arguments,
informative/explanatory
texts,
and
4. How
do
poets
use
and
“narratives
and
other
creative
texts.”
Although
this
list
includes
no
organize
chapbooks
standard
specifically
dedicated
to
writing
poetry,
the
study
of
(anthologies)
to
poetry
supports
any
kind
of
writing.
In
particular,
writing
poetry
communicate
their
message
asks
students
to
consider
closely
not
only
what
they
are
saying,
but
on
a
topic
or
theme?
also
how
they
are
saying
it.
Poetry
invites
students
to
think
more
deeply
about
meaning
and
about
how
craft
choices
give
power
to
ideas.
The
study
of
poetry
with
students
fosters:
• Deep
connections
between
reading
and
writing
as
students
write
with
mentor
poems
placed
alongside
their
own;
• Meaning
making—both
inside
their
own
writing
and
with
the
texts
they
read;
• Reading
and
writing
with
an
ear
for
appreciating
the
pace
and
rhythm
of
words;
• Deliberate
crafting
of
language
to
express
thoughts
and
feelings,
which
can
be
applied
to
other
genres;
• An
understanding
of
the
author’s
message,
and
seeing
the
intention
behind
what
poets
do
with
words;
• Development
of
academic
vocabulary
for
reading,
writing
and
thinking
about
poetry;
• Commitment
to
repeated
revision,
and
revising
as
they
go;
• Writing
volumes
(writing
many
short
poems,
and
many
drafts
of
poems).
—Calkins,
pg.
168‐171
The
sixth
grade
poetry
unit
builds
upon
the
poetry
writing
students
have
done
in
fourth
and
fifth
grade.
In
fourth
grade
students
identified
themes
and
topics
in
their
poems
to
create
anthologies.
The
fifth
grade
unit
deepened
understanding
of
how
poems
can
represent
different
points
of
view
of
an
anthology’s
theme.
In
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
1
sixth
grade,
students
continue
in
their
study
of
topic,
theme,
and
point
of
view
as
poets,
and
expand
this
learning
by
analyzing
the
work
of
one
poet
in
depth.
The
SPPS
Response
to
Literature:
Poet
Mentor
Author
Study
taught
in
the
Readers
Workshop
helps
students
understand
the
role
of
writing
mentors:
mentors
help
us
identify
who
we
are
and
what
we
are,
and
that
our
voices
are
larger
than
we
are.
.
In
selecting
poems
to
study
and
use
as
mentor
texts,
teachers
should
consider
the
poems
studied
in
the
SPPS
Response
to
Literature:
Poet
Mentor
Author
Study
as
well
as
the
Common
Core
reading
standard
in
regards
to
text
complexity,
requiring
students
to
be
able
to
read
poems
in
the
grade
6‐8
band
of
complexity.
Examples
of
poems
at
this
level
of
complexity
are
included
in
the
Appendix.
Learning Activity Summary
Students will:
• Complete
on‐demand
writing
for
assessment
at
the
beginning
and
end
of
the
unit
• Write
entries
daily
in
their
Writer’s
Notebooks:
gathering
entries,
lifting
out
seed
ideas
of
poems,
and
trying
out
forms,
techniques
and
strategies
for
writing
poems
• Co‐create
a
class
“Poets
Sometimes…”
chart
• Explore
poetry
linked
by
common
topic,
common
theme,
and
different
points
of
view
(perspective)
• Create
a
Class
Poetry
Anthology
based
on
a
theme
or
topic
from
the
Mentor
Poet
Study.
• Gather
ideas
for
a
personal
anthology
and
try
out
several
poems
to
go
with
those
topics
or
themes
• Select
and
revise
3‐5
poems
written
from
different
points
of
view,
adding
new
ones
if
needed
• Prepare
a
chapbook
(or
anthology)
for
publication,
editing,
adding
illustrations
that
deepen
the
messages
of
the
poems,
and
considering
how
the
poems
are
arranged
• Rehearse
performances
(if
doing
an
oral
recitation)
• Share,
celebrate
Appendix
•
•
•
•
Books,
web
links,
and
lists
of
suggested
poems
and
songs
Excerpts
on
reading
and
writing
poetry
with
children
from
Georgia
Heard,
Awakening
the
Heart,
For
the
Good
of
the
Earth
and
the
Sun
Poetry
samples
representing
the
Common
Core
Grade
6‐8
text
complexity
band
Examples
and
directions
for
creating
a
chapbook
(a
small
booklet
of
poems
around
a
central
topic
or
theme)
Stage I. Desired Results
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Standards
#
Benchmark
.
SPPS
Learning
Targets
Specific
to
Poetry
Primary
Also
SPPS
underlining
denotes
rigor
added
for
this
grade
toward
meeting
anchor
standard
Reading: Literature
6.4.2.2
Determine
a
theme
or
central
idea
of
a
text
and
how
it
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
•
I
can
determine
the
theme
or
central
idea
of
a
X
2
is
conveyed
through
particular
details;
provide
a
summary
of
the
text
distinct
from
personal
opinions
or
judgments.
6.4.4.4
6.4.5.5
•
Determine
the
meaning
of
words
and
phrases
as
they
are
used
in
a
text,
including
figurative
and
connotative
meanings;
analyze
the
impact
of
a
specific
word
choice
on
meaning
and
tone.
Analyze
how
a
particular
sentence,
chapter,
scene,
or
stanza
fits
into
the
overall
structure
of
a
text
and
contributes
to
the
development
of
the
theme,
setting,
or
plot.
•
•
•
•
•
poem
I
can
determine
how
the
theme
or
central
idea
is
shown
through
details
I
can
determining
what
words
and
phrases
mean
in
a
poem
I
can
identify
the
meaning
of
figurative
language
I
can
analyze
the
impact
of
word
choice
on
meaning
and
tone
I
can
analyze
how
a
line
or
stanza
fits
into
the
overall
structure
of
a
poem
I
can
analyze
how
a
line
or
stanza
contributes
to
the
theme
of
a
poem
X
X
6.4.6.6
Explain
how
an
author
develops
the
point
of
view
of
the
narrator
or
speaker
in
a
text.
•
I
can
explain
how
a
poet
develops
the
point
of
view
of
the
speaker
in
the
poem
X
6.4.7.7
Compare
and
contrast
the
experience
of
reading
a
story,
drama,
or
poem
to
listening
to
or
viewing
an
audio,
video,
or
live
version
of
the
text,
including
contrasting
what
they
“see”
and
“hear”
when
reading
the
text
to
what
they
perceive
when
they
listen
or
watch.
•
I
can
compare
and
contrast
the
experience
of
reading
a
poem
with
other
forms
or
genres
in
how
they
approach
the
same
theme
or
topic,
including
poems
by
Minnesota
American
Indians.
X
Writing
6.7.3.3
6.7.4.4
Write
narratives
and
other
creative
texts
to
develop
real
or
imagined
experiences
or
events
using
effective
technique,
relevant
descriptive
details,
and
well‐
structured
event
sequences:
a. Engage
and
orient
the
reader
by
establishing
a
context
and
introducing
a
narrator
and/or
characters;
organize
an
event
sequence
that
unfolds
naturally
and
logically.
b. Use
literary
and
narrative
techniques,
such
as
dialogue,
pacing,
rhythm
and
description,
to
develop
experiences,
events,
and/or
characters.
c. Use
a
variety
of
transition
words,
phrases,
and
clauses
to
convey
sequence
and
signal
shifts
from
one
time
frame
or
setting
to
another.
d. Use
precise
words
and
phrases,
relevant
descriptive
details,
figurative
and
sensory
language
to
convey
experiences
and
events.
e. Provide
a
conclusion
(when
appropriate
to
the
genre)
that
follows
from
the
narrated
experiences
or
events.
Produce
clear
and
coherent
writing
in
which
the
development,
organization,
and
style
are
appropriate
to
task,
purpose,
and
audience.
• I
can
develop
ideas
and
feelings
about
topics
or
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
X
themes
and
express
them
in
poetry.
I
can
organize
a
poem
so
that
ideas
unfold
naturally
and
logically
I
can
use
craft
elements
such
as
rhythm,
meter,
word
choice
and
punctuation
to
support
meaning
in
a
poem.
I
can
use
precise
words
and
phrases,
relevant
descriptive
details,
figurative
and
sensory
language
to
create
meaning
or
set
a
tone
in
my
poem
I
can
write
an
ending
that
leaves
an
image,
contains
the
poet’s
big
idea
or
makes
a
comment
on
the
poem
I
can
understand
my
writing
task
I
can
understand
the
purpose
for
my
writing
I
can
identify
the
audience
for
my
writing
I
can
develop
and
organize
my
ideas
in
a
way
that
fits
my
task,
my
purpose
and
audience
I
can
write
my
ideas
clearly
so
that
they
make
sense
I
can
write
my
ideas
in
a
style
that
fits
my
task,
purpose
and
audience
X
3
6.7.5.5
With
some
guidance
and
support
from
peers
and
adults,
use
a
writing
process
to
develop
and
strengthen
writing
as
needed
by
planning,
drafting,
revising,
editing,
rewriting,
or
trying
a
new
approach.
(Editing
for
conventions
should
demonstrate
command
of
Language
standards
1‐3
up
to
and
including
grade
6.)
• I
can
use
the
writing
process
to
develop
and
•
•
•
Language
6.11.1.1
Demonstrate
command
of
the
conventions
of
standard
English
grammar
and
usage
when
writing
or
speaking.
a. Ensure
that
pronouns
are
in
the
proper
case
(subjective,
objective,
possessive).
b. Use
intensive
pronouns
(e.g.,
myself,
ourselves).
c. Recognize
and
correct
inappropriate
shifts
in
pronoun
number
and
person.
d. Recognize
and
correct
vague
pronouns
(i.e.,
ones
with
unclear
or
ambiguous
antecedents).
e. Recognize
variations
from
standard
f. English
in
their
own
and
others'
writing
and
speaking,
and
identify
and
use
strategies
to
improve
expression
in
conventional
language.
• I
can
use
or
modify
grade
6
grammar
and
usage
Demonstrate
command
of
the
conventions
of
standard
English
capitalization,
punctuation,
and
spelling
when
writing.
a. Use
punctuation
(commas,
parentheses,
dashes)
to
set
off
nonrestrictive/parenthetical
elements.
• Spell
correctly.
• I
can
use
or
modify
grade
6
capitalization,
Use
knowledge
of
language
and
its
conventions
when
writing,
speaking,
reading,
or
listening.
1. Vary
sentence
patterns
for
meaning,
reader/listener
interest,
and
style.
2. Maintain
consistency
in
style
and
tone.
• I
can
vary
the
pattern
of
phrases
to
support
the
6.11.2.2
6.11.3.3
X
improve
my
writing:
collect
ideas,
plan,
draft,
revise,
edit,
rewrite,
and
publish
I
can
develop
and
improve
my
writing
by
trying
new
approaches
I
can
edit
my
writing
using
grade
6
language
conventions
I
can
work
with
peers
and
adults
to
improve
my
writing
X
X
X
conventions
to
support
my
purpose
and
meaning
when
writing
poetry.
punctuation,
and
spelling
conventions
to
support
my
purpose
and
meaning
when
writing
poetry.
meaning
and
style
of
my
poetry.
• I
can
keep
the
style
and
tone
consistent.
Enduring Understandings •
•
•
Poets
write
from
the
heart;
their
poems
grow
out
of
observations
or
emotions,
memories
or
images,
a
phrase
that
is
seen
or
overheard,
issues
and
concerns
important
to
the
poet.
Poets
carefully
choose
words
and
phrases
to
share
feelings,
thoughts,
and
discoveries
about
themes
or
big
ideas.
Poets
use
their
poems
to
tell
a
story,
share
a
feeling,
help
us
understand
people,
or
send
messages
about
social
issues
and
injustices
of
the
world.
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
4
•
•
•
Poets
revise
on‐the‐run,
using
many
of
the
same
revision
strategies
used
in
other
genres
to
bring
new
and
more
powerful
ideas:
starting
in
the
moment,
adding
a
detail
from
the
setting,
describing
an
image.
Poets
convey
ideas
visually‐‐‐lengths
of
lines,
stanzas
or
not,
playing
with
punctuation
and
capitalization.
Poets
make
their
messages
public,
through
chapbooks,
anthologies,
and/or
performance.
Essential Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
Where
do
poets
find
ideas
for
poems
and
anthologies?
How
do
poets
use
revision
to
rethink
a
poem?
How
do
poets
use
the
features
and
craft
of
poetry
to
communicate
their
messages?
How
do
poets
use
and
organize
anthologies
to
communicate
their
message
on
a
topic
or
theme?
Stage II. Assessment Evidence
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Performance Tasks
•
•
•
On
demand
writing
assessment
at
the
beginning
and
end
of
the
unit
Draft,
revise,
and
edit
several
poems
guided
by
mentor
texts
and
mini‐lessons
Assemble
a
poetry
chapbook
(small
booklet)
including
3‐5
pieces
of
original
work
that
connects
to
a
theme
and/or
topic
and
represents
different
points
of
view
or
reveals
what
is
important
to
the
poet
Other Evidence
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Notes
from
student
writing
conferences
Anecdotal
notes
Drafts
of
poems
Craft
try‐its
Writer’s
notebook/folders
Post‐it
notes
with
information
gathered
Student
self‐assessments
and
reflections
Resources in Support of Assessment
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
5
Learning Target Checklist
Grade 6 Poetry
Name:
Date:
I
can
title
my
poem
to
enhance
the
meaning
I
can
write
a
poem
where
the
meaning
is
clear
and
the
poem
makes
sense
I
can
use
line
breaks
and
space
on
page
to
support
meaning
I
can
use
precise
words
and
phrases
to
express
thoughts
and
feelings
I
can
use
other
craft
elements
such
as
rhythm,
meter,
similes
and
metaphors
to
express
meaning
I
can
write
an
ending
to
my
poem
that
contains
the
big
idea
or
comments
about
everything
written
before
it
I
can
use
or
modify
grade
6
grammar
and
usage
conventions
consistently
I
can
use
or
modify
grade
6
capitalization,
punctuation,
and
spelling
conventions
consistently
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
6
Product or Performance Rubric
___
No
line
breaks
or
line
breaks
are
random
___
No
attempt
to
use
space
on
page
to
support
meaning
___
Does
not
use
precise
words
and
phrases
___
Does
not
use
craft
elements
Mechanics
Organization
Beginning
__
Does
not
have
a
title
__
Meaning
of
poem(s)
may
be
vague
or
confusing
__
No
attempt
to
write
from
different
points
of
view
Craft
Content
Name:
___
Does
not
use
or
modify
grade
6
grammar
and
usage
conventions
___
Does
not
uses
or
modify
grade
6capitalization,
punctuation,
and
spelling
conventions
Grade 6 Poetry
Date:
Developing
__
Have
a
title
__
Meaning
to
most
of
poems
is
fairly
clear,
point
maybe
vague
or
a
little
confusing
__
Some
attempt
at
writing
from
different
points
of
view
___
Attempts
line
breaks
that
support
meaning
___
Attempts
to
use
space
on
page
to
support
meaning
Proficient
__
Title
reflects
the
topic
or
theme
__
Poems
have
clear
meaning,
make
sense
__
Poems
present
different
points
of
view
on
the
topic
or
theme
Exceptional
__
Title
reflects
the
theme
__
Poems
have
clear
meaning,
make
sense
__
Poems
convey
a
message
__
Poems
show
stronger
understanding
of
points
of
view
___
Line
breaks
support
meaning
___
Use
of
space
on
page
supports
meaning
___
Uses
some
precise
words
and
phrases
to
express
meaning
___
Uses
some
other
craft
elements
such
as
rhythm,
meter,
similes
and
metaphors
___
Uses
or
modifies
grade
4
grammar
and
usage
conventions,
may
be
inconsistent
___
Uses
or
modifies
grade
6
capitalization,
punctuation,
and
spelling
conventions
consistently,
may
be
inconsistent
___
Uses
precise
words
and
phrases
to
express
meaning
___
Uses
other
craft
elements
such
as
rhythm,
meter,
similes
and
metaphors
___
Uses
or
modifies
grade
6grammar
and
usage
conventions
consistently
___
Uses
or
modifies
grade
6
capitalization,
punctuation,
and
spelling
conventions
consistently
___
Line
breaks
used
with
particular
creativity
to
support
meaning
___
Use
of
space
on
page
supports
meaning
with
particular
creativity.
___
Uses
precise
words
and
phrases
to
express
meaning
with
more
creativity
___
Uses
several
other
craft
elements
such
as
rhythm,
meter,
similes
and
metaphors
___
Uses
or
modifies
grade
6
grammar
and
usage
conventions
consistently,
with
greater
effect
___
Uses
or
modifies
grade
6
capitalization,
punctuation,
and
spelling
conventions
consistently,
with
greater
effect
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
7
Product or Performance Rubric:
Organization
Content
Anthology or Chapbook
Name:
Grade 6 Poetry
Beginning
__
Has
one
or
two
poems
__
Poems
are
unrelated
__
Does
not
have
a
title
Developing
__
Has
a
topic,
most
poems
fit
__
Has
a
title
__
Includes
a
few
poems
___
Unrelated
poems
__
Poems
organized
around
the
same
theme
or
topic
Proficient
__
Has
clear
topic
or
theme
and
poems
chosen
fit
__
Title
reflects
the
topic
or
theme
__
Includes
3‐5
poems
__
Poems
present
different
points
of
view
on
the
topic
or
theme
__
Poems
are
placed
in
an
order
with
attention
to
how
one
poem
looks
or
sounds
when
next
to
the
others.
Date:
Exceptional
__
Has
clear
theme
and
poems
chosen
fit
__
Title
reflects
the
theme
__
Includes
several
poems
__Contains
mentor
poem,
poems
from
other
authors,
and/or
prose
that
fit
theme
__
Contents
are
organized
to
help
the
reader
deepen
their
understanding
of
the
poet’s
message
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
8
Poetry Anthology Partner Revision and Editing Checklist
Did
we….
Partner
1:
Partner
2:
Make
an
anthology
by
writing
and
collecting
several
poems
on
the
same
topic
or
theme,
representing
different
points
of
view?
____
yes
____
revised
it
____
yes
____
revised
it
Choose
a
title
that
reflects
the
topic
or
theme?
____
yes
____
revised
it
____
yes
____
revised
it
Write
poems
where
the
meaning
is
clear
and
makes
sense?
____
yes
____
revised
it
____
yes
____
revised
it
Use
line
breaks
and
white
space
to
support
the
meaning?
____
yes
____
revised
it
____
yes
____
revised
it
Use
a
poet’s
craft
(precise
words
and
phrases,
rhythm,
interesting
title,
endings,
meter,
similes
and
metaphors)
to
make
meaning
clear
to
the
reader?
Use
capital
letters
and
punctuation
in
way
that
supports
meaning,
the
same
way
for
the
whole
poem?
____
yes
____
revised
it
____
yes
____
revised
it
____
yes
____
edited
it
____
yes
____
edited
it
Spell
words
so
our
reader
can
understand
them?
____
yes
____
edited
it
____
yes
____
edited
it
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
9
III. Learning Plan
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mini-lesson Pacing
Revise
pacing
of
lessons
to
meet
the
needs
of
your
class.
See
“Mini‐lesson
Options
and
Notes”
below
for
more
detailed
information.
Week
1
On‐Demand
Mentor
Class
Mentor
Class
Generating
Ideas
Generating
Essential
Writing
for
Anthology:
Anthology:
Writing
for
Poems
Ideas
for
questions:
Assessment
Writing
to
a
to
a
Theme
with
Poems:
1,
3,
4
Theme
Quickwrites
Questions
and
Wonderings
Week
2
Generating
Drafting
and
Drafting
and
Drafting
and
Drafting
and
EQ:
1,
2,
3,
Poems:
Prose
Revising:
Revising:
Revising:
Using
a
Revising:
4
into
Poetry
Word
choice
Metaphors
Poetic
Form
Punctuation
Week
3
EQ:
2,
3,
4
Revision:
Titles
and
Endings
Partner
–Editing
and
Revising
Assembling
Chapbooks,
Anthologies
for
Publication
Sharing
and
Celebrating
On‐demand
Writing
for
Assessment
Before the unit begins
Teach
the
SPPS
Response
to
Literature:
Poet
Mentor
Author
Study,
Grade
6
during
the
Reader’s
Workshop.
• Have
students
identify
and
collect
2‐4
poems
they
have
read
and/or
studied
that
will
serve
as
mentor
poems
for
them
during
the
Writer’s
Workshop.
(See
Lesson
2,
Week
4
in
the
SPPS
Response
to
Literature:
Poet
Mentor
Author
Study,
Grade
6).
• Identify
2‐4
poems
from
the
Poet
Mentor
Author
Study
that
will
serve
as
mentor
poems
for
you
in
your
demonstrations.
•
Enlarge
or
duplicate
copies
of
poems
around
1
topic
or
theme
from
the
mentor
poet
studied
in
the
Reader’s
Workshop.
If
you
studied
Naomi
Shihab
Nye,
some
of
the
themes
are
emotions
(i.e.
loneliness,
The
Rider),
character
(Kindness,
Famous),
cultures
(Food,
Adios),
family
(Supple
Cord),
people,
places,
objects
and
words
(see
online
copy
of
Fuel).
Consider
posting
these
poems
on
the
wall
to
create
a
“
Class
Wall
Anthology”
for
reference
in
the
Writer’s
Workshop
mini‐lessons.
Gather
poems
to
be
used
during
the
unit
• Have
available
different
kinds
of
poetry
anthologies
as
models
for
children
in
creating
their
own.
Look
for
examples
that
are
focused
on
a
common
theme
or
topic.
(See
Appendix
for
suggestions)
• You
could
also
create
sample
folders
of
connected
poems.
Students
could
help
locate
poems
to
add
to
the
folders
as
a
Reader’s
Workshop
independent
reading
activity.
• Begin
writing
sample
poems
around
a
theme
or
topic
that
is
important
to
you
to
share
with
students
later
as
you
demonstrate
drafting
and
revision
strategies.
Create
an
environment
where
children
read,
hear,
and
speak
poetry.
• Read
and
re‐read
favorite
poems
during
the
day
(morning
meeting,
transition
times,
etc.).
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
10
See
appendix
for
suggestions
from
Georgia
Heard
on
sharing
poetry
with
children.
Help
students
understand
that
their
talk
is
already
full
of
poems.
Share
videos
and
recordings
of
poets
sharing
and
talking
about
their
poetry.
(See
Children’s
Poetry
Archive)
• Have
visitors
(students,
librarians,
etc.)
share
favorite
poems.
Pre‐determine
the
format
for
sharing
the
anthologies
at
the
end
of
the
study
and
weave
in
reference
to
this
as
the
unit
progresses.
Possibilities
include:
• Individual
anthologies
to
be
shared
at
a
celebration
or
with
another
class
• Oral
recitations
or
a
“poetry
slam”
• Video
or
audio
recordings
posted
to
the
class
website,
following
the
model
of
the
Poetry
Archive
•
•
•
Mini-lesson Options and Suggestions
Use
the
opening
on‐demand
writing
for
assessment
to
choose
among
the
following
lessons
to
fit
the
time
available
and
the
students’
prior
knowledge
for
writing
poetry.
Refer
to
the
copy
of
A
Note
Slipped
Under
the
Door
for
alternative
mini‐lesson
ideas.
Some
groups
may
need
more
support
generating
ideas
for
poems,
others
may
be
ready
for
more
sophisticated
discussions
of
craft
elements.
Throughout
the
unit,
continue
sampling
the
work
of
mentor
poets
to
help
students
internalize
how
poems
sound
and
feel,
noticing
the
message
that
the
writer
is
trying
to
convey.
References
cite
• Lucy
Calkins,
A
Curricular
Plan
for
the
Writing
Workshop,
Grade
6
(2011)
• Nick
Flynn
and
Shirley
Mc
Phillips,
A
Note
Slipped
Under
the
Door
(2000)
Week
1
Generating
Ideas
and
Poems
for
a
Personal
Chapbook
or
Anthology
Notes
on
generating
ideas
and
poems
from
Calkins
(2011,
p.
170‐171)
Learning
Targets
1.
Throughout
this
week,
continue
looking
at
poems
together
with
your
students
and
giving
them
time
to
wander
in
poetry
books
and
poem
collections.
• Use
the
poem
discussion
graphic
organizer
in
the
Appendix
if
needed
to
help
structure
conversations
between
partners.
• Select
a
variety
of
poems
to
share
so
that
you
do
not
reinforce
your
kids’
ideas
that
poetry
has
to
look
or
sound
a
certain
way.
2.
In
the
idea‐gathering
phase,
help
students
generate
lots
of
small
blurbs
and
first
tries
in
their
Writer’s
Notebooks,
all
waiting
to
become
more
well‐crafted
poems.
• They
may
look
like
story
blurbs
from
narrative
collecting
or
small
patches
of
thought
like
during
essay
writing.
• These
entries
are
initial
fodder
for
powerful
poems
and
they
will
not
arrive
in
their
final
and
perfected
form
• What’s
important
is
that
children
learn
to
generate
ideas
that
have
power
and
resonance
for
them.
• Ideas
for
poems
may
come
from
thinking
about
what
poems
do:
tell
stories,
share
feelings,
help
us
understand
people,
and
communicate
messages
about
social
issues.
3. As
students
move
outside
of
their
notebooks
to
draft
poems
more
formally:
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
11
•
•
Emphasize
free‐verse
poetry
since
rhyming
is
a
difficult
skill.
Aim
first
for
meaning
and
for
finding
a
way
to
describe
what
matters
with
words
that
will
make
the
reader
see
the
world
in
a
brand‐new
way.
Near
the
end
of
the
unit
you
may
choose
to
introduce
a
standard
poetic
form
such
as
haiku
as
a
means
to
strengthen
the
message
being
conveyed.
On‐Demand
Writing
for
Assessment
(Calkins,
2011
p.
218)
Say,
“Writers,
we
are
about
to
make
an
important
shift
in
our
writing
lives.
We
are
about
to
move
from
being
essay
writers
to
being...poets!
As
poets,
we
are
going
to
see
and
think
and
write
differently
because
poets
notice
what
other
people
miss,
poets
see
the
world
with
wide
awake
eyes.
So
when
I
walked
into
our
room
this
morning,
I
looked
with
my
poet’s
eyes
and
I
realized
that
we
have
an
emergency
right
here,
right
now
in
this
room.
We
need
poems!
And
not
just
any
poems!
We
need
the
poems
that
only
you
can
write.
So
let’s
take
today’s
writing
workshop
to
fill
our
room
with
our
poems.”
• You
may
want
to
provide
paper
choice
for
your
writers—long
and
narrow,
short
and
fat,
with
lines,
without
lines.
You
might
also
want
to
provide
colored
pencils
so
that
after
drafting,
writers
can
make
their
poems
beautiful.
• When
studying
these
on‐demand
poems,
you
will
want
to
notice,
above
all
else,
meaning—what
is
the
message
the
writer
is
trying
to
convey?
•
Homework
• Ask
students
to
read
and
talk
about
a
poem
with
a
family
member
or
friend.
o Talk
about
the
feelings
the
poem
evokes
or
about
mages
the
poem
creates.
o Use
your
conversation
to
write
an
entry
in
your
Writer’s
Notebook.
• I
can
develop
Class
Mentor
Poem
Anthology:
topic/theme/point
of
view
Notes
• In
Week
4
of
the
“SPPS
Response
to
Literature:
Poet
Mentor
Author
Study,”
students
created
a
Class
Anthology
of
poems
written
by
the
class
mentor
poet.
The
anthology
included
their
written
responses
showcasing
their
ability
as
readers
to
think
critically
about
a
poem.
In
this
project
the
same
poet
will
serve
as
a
mentor
for
students
as
writers
of
poetry.
ideas
and
feelings
about
topics
or
themes
and
express
them
in
poetry
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
Teach
• Choose
a
poem
from
the
Mentor
Poet
Author
Study
completed
in
the
Reader’s
Workshop,
or
an
anthology
that
has
a
topic,
theme,
and
point
of
view
of
interest
to
your
students
o Example:
Kindness
by
Naomi
Shihab
Nye
<http://www.panhala.net/archive/kindness.html>.
o Having
traveled
and
seen
the
violence,
hunger
and
injustice,
one
of
Nye’s
themes
in
poetry
is
that
everyone
is
worthy
of
respect
and
in
need
of
kindness;
that
simple
acts
of
kindness
carry
great
power.
• Focus
a
discussion
of
the
poem
on
topic/theme/point
of
view.
o What
does
it
mean
to
know
kindness?
o Is
the
poem
written
from
the
point
of
view
of
someone
offering
kindness,
or
a
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
12
person
wishing
for
kindness?
o What
message
does
poems
give
about
kindness?
• Model
by
drafting
a
poem
about
a
simple
act
of
kindness
in
front
of
your
students.
Have
your
mentor
poem
beside
you
as
you
write
and
think
aloud
as
you
write
your
poem.
o When
I
look
at
the
last
stanza
of
the
Naomi
Nye’s
poem
she
reminds
me
that
kindness
happens
in
the
small
moments
of
every
day.
I
think
of
when
l
experienced
kindness…and
zoom
in
on
one
small
moment.
I
see
a
busy
classroom
as
kids
come
to
school.
I
hear
everyone
talking—checking
in
with
each
other,
yet
I
feel
alone.
And
then
my
friend’s
laughter
can
be
heard‐‐‐
not
the
laughing
at
you
kind
of
laugh,
but
the
laughing
with
you‐‐‐the
kind
of
laugh
that
reaches
out
to
you
and
draws
you
into
the
group.
Kindness
I
sit
at
my
desk
alone
Checking
my
homework
Turning
pages
in
a
book
“How
was
the
game?”
“Did
you
have
fun
at
your
grandma’s”
“Look
at
this
picture
‐‐can
you
believe
it?”
My
friend
catches
my
eye
She
smiles
She
laughs
I
belong
• Challenge
students
to
write
their
own
poem
about
kindness.
o Think
about
what
makes
people
feel
better
when
kindness
is
extended
in
the
face
of
loss
or
sorrow?
o Who
are
you
in
your
imagination—yourself,
a
member
of
your
family,
an
animal?
o What
do
you
see?
What
do
you
hear?
What
do
you
touch?
What
feelings
do
you
have?
–
o Write
the
poem.
o Tell
students
not
to
worry
for
the
moment
about
the
form
of
the
poems,
to
focus
on
ideas
and
meaning.
o Have
students
share
their
poems
with
partners.
Homework
• Ask
students
to
pick
a
theme
to
try
out
from
the
Mentor
Poet
Author
Study.
• Have
them
use
their
Writer’s
Notebook
to
write
out
thoughts
and
feelings
about
the
topic
relating
to
the
theme.
Class
Mentor
Poem
Anthology:
Poetry
Quickwrites
•
Model
writing
poems
based
on
the
Mentor
Poet
Author
Study
and
one
of
the
themes
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
• I
can
develop
ideas
and
feelings
about
topics
or
13
•
•
•
•
•
o The
focus
is
on
getting
across
meaning,
not
on
a
particular
format
for
a
poem
o Think
aloud
as
you
write,
pointing
out
that
poems
o Have
line
breaks
o Zoom
in
on
small
moments
and
vivid
images
o Aren’t
required
to
rhyme
Have
sample
poems
posted
around
the
room
and
refer
to
them
as
models
in
writing
your
own
poems
o Students
drafts
may
be
posted
on
the
wall
alongside
the
mentor
poems,
creating
a
“Wall
Class
Anthology”
Set
students
to
trying
out
their
own
poems
on
one
of
the
themes
Ask
for
fast,
furious
writing
that
is
full
of
purpose,
setting
aside
one
idea
and
moving
on
to
the
next
Emphasize
the
ideas
and
getting
at
meaning
more
than
the
format
Remind
them
that
the
polishing
comes
later—for
example,
if
you
are
stuck
for
a
word,
put
in
XXX
and
move
on
themes
and
express
them
in
poetry
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
Homework
• Writers
tend
to
write
about
similar
themes.
Reread
the
entries
in
your
Writers
Notebooks.
Look
for
themes
that
you
mostly
write
about.
Mark
these
entries
with
a
sticky
note.
Finding
Poems
•
•
•
In
the
next
two
weeks,
you
are
going
to
make
a
poetry
anthology
of
your
own,
based
on
a
theme
that
you
choose.
To
help
you
think
about
a
topic,
I
am
going
to
teach
you
more
about
how
poets
come
up
with
ideas
for
their
poems.
Sometimes
poets
get
their
ideas
by
thinking
about
what
poems
do.
o Poems
often
share
feelings.
• Have
students
write
with
moments
and
memories
that
have
strong
feeling:
pride,
regret,
joy
or
loss
o Poems
help
us
understand
people.
• Teach
students
to
begin
a
poem
about
a
specific
person
important
to
them.
o Poems
often
tell
a
story.
• Have
students
reread
their
writers
notebooks
to
find
Small
Moment
stories
that
could
be
rewritten
as
a
poem
o Poems
send
messages
about
social
issues
and
injustices
of
the
world.
• Have
students
write
poems
about
issues
of
fairness,
bullying
and
belonging.
Make
a
class
chart
listing
sources
like
notebook
entries,
observations,
emotions,
memories,
images,
stories,
other
poems,
a
clever
turn
of
phrase,
a
concern
about
an
issue,
or
a
need
to
make
a
difference
o Use
some
of
the
ideas
on
our
chart
to
help
you
think
about
topics
and
themes
for
your
anthology
o Try
out
some
poems
about
some
of
them.
Another
approach
is
to
base
conversations
about
the
source
of
poems
on
Georgia
Heard’s
“5
Doors
of
Poetry”
(see
Appendix)
or
Nick
Flynn’s,
A
Note
Slipped
Under
the
Door
(images
pp.
25‐32,
eavesdropping
pp
43‐53,
and
asking
questions
pp.
111‐116)
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
• I
can
develop
ideas
and
feelings
about
topics
or
themes
and
express
them
in
poetry.
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
14
Homework
• Reread
your
Writer’s
Notebook.
Rewrite
2
entries
as
poems.
• I
can
develop
Finding
Poems—Wonderings
and
Asking
questions
(
See
pp.
110
In
A
Note
Slipped
Under
the
Door)
ideas
and
feelings
about
topics
or
themes
and
express
them
in
poetry
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
• I
can
organize
words
and
phrases
in
a
poem
in
a
way
that
supports
the
meaning
I
want
to
communicate
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
Connect
• Something
we
learned
form
Naomi
Nye
is
that
she
asks
questions
and
sometimes
thinks
about
possible
answers.
• Have
“The
Rider”
posted.
Teach
•
•
•
•
•
Today
I
am
going
to
teach
you
how
to
use
your
wonderings
and
questions
to
draft
a
poem
or
two
or
three.
In
her
poem
“The
Rider”
Naomi
begins
stanza
3
with
“
What
I
wonder
tonight…”
Think
of
your
theme
or
topic.
Write
it
at
the
top
of
your
notebook
entry.
Now
list
some
questions
or
wonderings
that
you
have‐‐‐you
don’t
need
to
know
the
answers.
Let’s
borrow
Naomi’s
line
“What
I
wonder
(today)
is…”
Now
choose
one
of
your
wonderings
and
write
about
it—you
might
describe
a
small
moment
like
Naomi
did
in
“The
Rider”
(
http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/165.html
)
Look
at
the
chart,
What
I
notice/Why
the
poet
does
it
created
in
our
SPPS
Response
to
Literature:
Poet
Mentor
Author
Study”.
o Try
taking
your
question
and
wondering
and
turn
into
a
poem.
Have
students
choose
two
more
questions
and
repeat.
•
Another
approach
is
to
teach
students
how
to
write
off
“Eavesdropping”
See
A
Note
Slipped
Under
the
Door,
p
43‐46.
Use
“Time”
by
Naomi
Shihab
Nye
as
a
mentor
text.
Homework
• In
your
Writer’s
Notebook
create
a
list
of
sayings
you
have
heard
or
seen.
• Choose
one
and
write
a
poem.
Repeat
with
two
more.
Week
2:
Drafting
Poems
and
Revising
with
Craft
Lessons
Notes
The
unit
calendar
suggests
3
days
of
mini‐lessons
about
the
craft
of
writing
poetry
(drafting
and
revising).
Teachers
may
choose
what
to
emphasize
for
these
lessons
based
on
craft
discussions
from
previous
units
and
current
student
work.
The
Craft
of
Poetry
•
•
• I
can
use
craft
Consult
Calkins
pp
172‐173
for
discussion
of
the
following
concepts,
choosing
elements
that
fit
the
needs
of
your
students.
Refer
to
the
“What
I
notice/Why
the
poet
does
it”
chart
created
in
the
SPPS
Response
to
Literature:
Poet
Mentor
Author
Study
or
co‐create
with
your
students
a
Poets
Sometimes…
including
the
following
as
students
provide
examples.
•
o Add
an
image
or
detail
o Tone
and
word
choice
(
Adios
By
Naomi
Shihab
Nye)
o Figurative
language,
in
particular
metaphors
and
similes
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
elements
such
as
rhythm,
meter,
word
choice
and
punctuation
to
support
meaning
in
a
poem.
I
can
use
precise
words
and
phrases,
relevant
descriptive
details,
figurative
and
sensory
15
o
o
o
Shape
Sounds
Imagery
Turning
Entries
into
Poems
with
Line
Breaks
and
Stanzas
(Calkins,
p.172‐173)
•
•
•
•
Tell
students
now
it
is
time
to
sort
through
their
collection
and
select
ideas
and
try‐its
to
draft
more
formally,
working
on
the
craft
of
poetry
Model
sorting
through
a
collection
of
drafts
and
finding
several
promising
starts
that
fit
a
topic
and
theme,
and
also
represent
different
points
of
view
on
the
theme.
Explain
that
poets
do
not
slap
words
on
the
page
quickly
and
say
they
are
done,
but
carefully
craft
even
the
shortest
poem,
making
changes
from
the
very
beginning,
and
continuing
to
make
changes.
o Now
I
want
to
think
about
how
to
draft
this
poem
so
it
really
gets
across
what
I
am
trying
to
say.
I’m
thinking
first
about
the
way
that
poems
look
on
a
page,
how
poets
use
line
breaks
and
space
to
support
meaning
and
tone.
Take
a
line
or
section
from
your
writers
notebook.
Ask
students
to
help
you
turn
the
section
into
a
poem
by
trying
out
line
breaks
(using
text
projected
from
a
computer
allows
for
easy
experimentation)
and
the
arrangement
of
words
on
the
paper.
(See
Calkins
2011,
p.
172‐173,
for
an
explanation
of
one
way
to
do
this.)
language
to
create
meaning
or
set
a
tone
in
my
poem
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
• I
can
organize
the
words
in
a
poem
in
a
way
that
supports
what
I
want
the
poem
to
mean
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
•
Try
it:
Students
choose
entries
from
their
notebooks
or
poems
of
their
own
to
include
in
an
anthology
and
write
them
as
poems,
or
revise
them
by
considering
line
breaks
and
stanzas.
Poetry
Toolbox:
Revision
for
Tone/Word
Choice
to
Reflect
Point
of
View
Teach
• Model
revision
for
tone,
and
word
choice
that
reflects
the
point
of
view
of
the
speaker.
Explain
that
the
“speaker”
of
the
poem,
can
reflect
the
poet,
or
another
individual.
(I.e.
a
poet
using
a
child
speaker
will
choose
different
words
than
a
poet
using
the
adult
speaker).
Read
poems
with
word
choices
that
clearly
reflect
a
point
of
view.
Add
these
examples
of
word
choice/tone/point
of
view
to
the
craft
anchor
chart.
•
Work
Time
• Students
work
with
partners
or
groups
to
help
each
other
revise
for
different
tone
and
word
choice
to
make
their
poem
clearly
reflect
the
point
of
view
of
the
selected
speaker.
Closing
• Groups
share
their
poems
with
the
class,
and
the
class
quickly
reflects
on
the
points
of
view/word
choice.
Revision
for
Rhythm,
Meter
(
Calkins,
p.172;
Flynn
and
McPhillips,
p.
88‐96)
•
Model
revision
for
rhythm,
and
meter,
by
adding
words,
removing
words,
or
substituting
words.
o Teach
students
that
it
is
helpful
to
read
poems
out
loud.
o Show
students
the
natural
stress
within
words
and
phrases,
and
how
adding
or
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
• I
can
use
craft
elements
such
as
rhythm,
meter,
word
choice,
and
punctuation
to
help
support
meaning
in
a
poem
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
• I
can
use
precise
words
and
phrases,
relevant
descriptive
details,
figurative
and
sensory
language
to
create
meaning
or
set
a
tone
in
my
poem
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
• I
can
use
craft
elements
such
as
rhythm,
meter,
word
choice,
and
punctuation
to
help
support
meaning
in
a
16
•
eliminating
an
unstressed
word
can
help
change
the
rhythm
of
a
poem.
o Have
students
clap
the
stressed
syllables
and
words
in
rhythmic
poems.
If
possible,
highlight
a
slower,
softer
rhythm,
and
also
a
more
percussive,
quicker
rhythm.
o Show
how
a
different
rhythm
can
change
the
tone
of
the
poem.
Students
might
also
revise
for
sounds
with
repetition,
alliteration
and
punctuation.
Add
to
“Poets
Sometimes…”
chart.
•
Work
time
• Students
revise
poems
for
rhythm
and
meter,
trying
to
find
rhythmic
patterns
that
fit
the
tone
of
their
poem.
Students
may
also
draft
new
poems,
trying
the
craft
suggestions.
poem
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
I
can
use
precise
words
and
phrases,
relevant
descriptive
details,
figurative
and
sensory
language
to
create
meaning
or
set
a
tone
in
my
poem
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
Drafting
and
Revising:
Metaphors
and
Similes
(Calkins,
p.
174)
•
•
•
•
•
•
• I
can
use
craft
elements
such
as
Poets
choose
simile
and
metaphor
when
they
want
to
compare
two
things
in
a
rhythm,
meter,
word
choice,
and
surprising
way.
We
can
create
images
the
same
way
have
done
other
units
of
study—
punctuation
to
by
envisioning.
In
a
poem,
a
metaphor
is
central
to
its
meaning‐‐‐an
image
that
helps
help
support
us
to
understand
the
poet’s
message.
meaning
in
a
o A
simile
uses
like
or
as
in
the
comparison:
Her
cheeks
are
like
polished
apples;
poem
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
“Float
like
a
butterfly,
sting
like
a
bee”.
poetry
by
SPPS)
o A
metaphor
is
a
comparison
referring
to
one
thing
as
another
Her
cheeks
are
• I
can
use
precise
polished
apples;
“No
man
is
an
island”.
words
and
Sometimes
a
poet
uses
a
metaphor
in
one
stanza
of
a
poem.
Let’s
look
at
“The
Rider”
phrases,
relevant
again.
Naomi
Nye
compares
not
being
lonely
to
floating
in
a
cloud
of
flowers.
descriptive
details,
figurative
and
Sometimes
the
whole
poem
is
a
metaphor.
Read
“Life
Ain’t
No
Crystal
Staircase”
by
sensory
language
Langston
Hughes
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177021
to
create
meaning
Think
of
the
themes
you
and
your
partner
have
been
writing
about.
What
could
you
or
set
a
tone
in
compare
the
feeling
of
anger
that
would
help
me
picture
it?
Joy?
Courage?
my
poem
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
Belonging?
poetry
by
SPPS)
Think
about
how
you
can
use
a
metaphor
to
provide
an
interesting
perspective
on
your
theme.
o At
the
top
of
anew
page
in
your
writers
notebook
write
_________
is
a
_______________.
o Close
your
eyes
and
picture
the
image.
o List
out
words
or
phrases
that
describe
what
you
hear,
see
or
feel.
o Draft
a
poem
outside
of
your
notebook.
Think
about
how
you
can
use
similes
and
metaphors
in
your
poems
to
provide
interesting
images
for
your
reader
that
show
a
new
perspective
of
your
theme.
Revising
by
Changing
the
Form:
Haiku
Notes
• Calkins
suggests
that
once
our
students
have
lived
with
their
entries,
drafting
and
revising
them,
we
can
invite
them
to
experiment
with
how
another
standard
form
of
poetry.
For
example,
Haiku
might
strengthen
the
message
they
are
trying
to
convey.
Teaching
forms
like
this
toward
the
end
of
the
unit
means
students
are
making
choices
for
meaning‐making,
not
just
filling
in
the
blanks.
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
• I
can
use
precise
words
and
phrases,
relevant
descriptive
details,
figurative
and
sensory
language
to
create
meaning
or
set
a
tone
in
my
poem
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
17
Teach
• Today
I
am
going
to
show
you
how
once
poets
have
lived
with
their
entries,
they
experiment
with
different
forms
of
poetry
to
help
them
strengthen
their
message.
A
haiku
is
a
kind
of
verbal
snapshot‐.
It
contains
only
17
syllables
in
lines
of
5,
7,
and
5
syllables.
poetry
by
SPPS)
• I
can
organize
the
words
in
a
poem
in
a
way
that
supports
what
I
want
the
poem
to
mean
6.7.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
old
and
new
technology‐
Haiku
•
•
You
use
computers
IPods,
mobiles,
cameras
Why
not
write
letters?
Project
and
read
a
haiku
with
students
and
have
them
count
the
syllables.
Haiku
is
written
about
a
limited
scene
or
small
moment.
Choose
a
poem
you
have
written,
or
an
entry
or
blurb
from
your
writer’s
notebook.
Picture
the
scene.
Write
down
a
clear
description.
Use
the
chart
to
help.
Details
to
Capture
(
5
senses)
Sight:_______________________________________________
Sound:______________________________________________
Touch_______________________________________________
Smell________________________________________________
Taste________________________________________________
•
•
•
•
•
•
Look
over
your
observations
and
now
use
these
to
describe
a‐‐‐in
a
single
sentence‐‐‐a
scene
or
experience.
Check
to
see
that
you
have
included
some
sensory
images.
Are
there
words
in
your
draft
that
do
not
help
create
a
clear
image?
Cross
these
out.
Now
write
your
sentence
as
a
haiku—in
3
lines.
Count
the
syllables.
Practice
working
with
the
syllables,
changing
words
to
fit
lines
of
5,
7,
5
syllables.
Partner
work:
Share
their
haikus.
Do
the
revisions
improve
the
Haiku?
Why
or
why
not?
Draft
another
haiku.
Choose
a
different
scene
or
experience,
perhaps
create
a
different
mood
with
your
choice
of
words.
Homework
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
18
• Frame
a
scene
‐‐‐‐
the
block
you
live
on,
the
kitchen
table,
where
you
sleep.
Write
another
Haiku
at
home
Poets
Edit
with
their
Readers
in
Mind
Teach
• We
have
talked
about
how
sometimes
poets
break
the
rules
of
writing
sentences
on
purpose,
because
they
want
a
their
words
to
have
a
certain
rhythm
or
effect.
Even
though
poetry
can
break
the
rules,
no
poem
breaks
all
the
rules
or
people
wouldn’t
understand
what
it
means.
When
poets
make
purposeful
choices
about
what
kinds
of
grammar,
punctuation,
and
spelling
rules
they
are
going
to
follow‐‐‐‐
choices
that
help
convey
their
message.
• Project
poems
previously
read
by
the
class
that
represent
different
approaches
to
language
conventions.
Suggestions
include:
o “The
Rider”,
by
Naomi
Nye
(
http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/165.html)
o “I,
Too”
by
Langston
Hughes
(
see
Appendix)
o “A
Poem
for
My
Librarian,
Mrs
Long”
by
Niki
Giovanni
(
see
Appendix)
• Turn
and
talk:
Students
notice
how
each
poet
used
capitalization,
punctuation,
rhyme,
and
spelling.
• Make
Conventions/Mechanics
Choices
anchor
chart.
• I
can
use
or
modify
grade
6
grammar
and
usage
conventions
to
support
my
purpose
and
meaning
when
writing
poetry
6.11.1.1
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
• I
can
vary
the
pattern
of
phrases
to
support
the
meaning
and
style
of
my
poetry
6.11.3.3
(adapted
for
poetry
by
SPPS)
Conventions/Mechanic
Choices
for
Poets
Chart
•
•
•
•
•
Nye
Capitalize
normally?
Include
punctuation?
Use
rhyme,
rhyme
scheme?
Spell
all
words
correctly?
•
•
•
•
Beginning
of
thoughts
or
sentences
Forms
sentences
No
rhyme
Regular
spelling
Hughes
•
•
•
•
Beginning
of
each
line
At
the
end
of
most
lines‐
Rarely
use
rhyme
Spell
all
words
correctly
Giovanni
•
•
•
•
Beginning
of
every
line,
and
only
some
names
for
emphasis
No
rhyming
No
punctuation
Spells
some
words
in
an
unusual
way
Model
choosing
the
convention
choices
for
one
of
your
previously
revised
poems.
o Explain
why
you
chose
to
use
the
conventions
that
way
(could
show
two
different
choices
and
have
students
notice
the
difference
in
how
the
poem
is
read/feels).
 In
this
kindness
poem,
I
chose
to
leave
out
punctuation
at
the
end
of
most
lines,
but
I
did
use
punctuation
when
I
was
writing
the
statements
I
heard
students
make.
It
helped
t
show
the
difference
from
being
alone
and
belong.
I
put
capital
letters
at
the
beginning
of
the
lines
each
time
the
action
changed.
Does
it
make
sense
to
have
ending
punctuation
sometimes
but
not
always?
Capital
letters?
How
would
my
poem
change
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
19
if
I
added
commas
and
periods?
Kindness
I
sit
at
my
desk
alone
Checking
my
homework
Turning
pages
in
a
book
“How
was
the
game?”
“Did
you
have
fun
at
your
grandma’s”
“Look
at
this
picture
‐‐can
you
believe
it?”
My
friend
catches
my
eye
She
smiles
She
laughs
I
belong
Send
off
• Students
choose
some
of
their
poems
to
rewrite
with
different
punctuation,
capital
letters
and/or
spelling.
Share
• Read
aloud
your
poem(s)
to
your
partner.
Which
version
communicates
your
message
best?
Why?
Week
3:
Revising,
editing,
publishing
and
sharing
• I
can
write
an
Revision
for
Titles,
Endings
(Calkins,
p.
174)
ending
that
leaves
• Share
poems
with
clever
titles
and
endings.
Then
suggest
another
title
or
another
an
image,
contains
ending.
the
poet’s
big
idea
• Turn
and
Talk
:
How
would
my
new
title/ending
change
the
meaning
or
tone
of
the
or
makes
a
comment
on
the
poem?
poem
6.7.3.3
• A
title
can
be
more
literal
than
the
rest
of
the
poem,
or
trick/surprise
the
reader
when
(adapted
for
the
poem
is
different
from
what
was
expected.
Model
trying
three
titles,
then
poetry
by
SPPS)
selecting
one.
(Add
notes
on
a
clever
title
on
the
Craft
Anchor
chart).
• Work
time:
Students
try
three
different
titles
for
each
poem,
then
pick.
(Option:
students
could
invite
a
peer’s
opinion
in
the
selection
of
a
title).
• Mid‐workshop
lesson
on
endings
o An
ending
can
bring
about
closure
by
referring
to
the
opening
line,
can
surprise
the
reader
by
coming
to
a
new
understanding
or
new
direction,
or
can
be
a
reflection.
Model
trying
three
different
closing
lines
for
your
poem.
o Work
time:
Students
try
three
different
ending
lines
for
each
poem,
poet
selects
the
best
ending
line.
(Add
notes
on
a
fitting
ending
to
poems
on
the
Craft
Anchor
Chart).
• Closing:
in
partners,
students
show
their
partner
which
title,
and
which
ending
line
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
20
they
picked
for
each
poem,
and
explain
why
they
picked
it.
• I
can
edit
my
Partner
Revision
and
Editing
with
a
Checklist
•
•
With
the
class,
brainstorm
a
final
checklist
of
elements
students
need
to
consider
in
order
for
their
anthologies
to
be
done.
Have
students
work
in
pairs
for
final
revision
and
editing.
“Refer
to
the
Guide
for
Revision”
in
the
Appendix.
•
I
can
develop
and
organize
my
ideas
Possible
teaching
points:
in
a
way
that
fits
my
task,
my
o Poets
choose
poems
that
that
fit
together
in
some
way,
maybe
through
purpose
and
common
themes
or
topics.
audience
o Poets
sometimes
include
a
copy
of
the
mentor
poems
used,
or
other
published
6.7.4.4
Assembling
Chapbooks
or
Anthologies
•
writing
using
grade
6
language
conventions
I
can
work
with
peers
and
adults
to
improve
my
writing
6.7.5.5
•
poems
that
fit
their
theme
Poets
decide
on
the
best
order
for
the
poems
in
their
anthologies,
thinking
about
how
one
poem
sounds
or
looks
when
next
to
others.
o Thoughtful
illustrations
that
depict
the
central
image
can
take
the
message
of
a
poem
even
deeper.
o Poets
often
read
their
work
aloud
to
be
sure
the
poems
sound
the
way
they
want.
Consider
using
flex
days
in
the
Writer’s
Workshop
Calendar
to
have
students
use
book‐making
techniques
to
create
a
chapbook.
See
the
Appendix
for
directions.
o
•
• I
can
present
a
poem,
speaking
clearly
at
an
understandable
pace
(adapted
by
SPPS)
Sharing
and
Celebration
•
Consider
including
a
performance
or
poetry
reading,
since
poems
are
meant
to
be
multisensory.
o Students
to
pick
a
poem
of
their
own
or
a
mentor
author
to
memorize
and
perform
aloud
On‐demand
Writing
for
Assessment
•
Students,
you
have
worked
hard
at
the
craft
of
poetry!
You
have
learned
a
lot
about
using
poetry
to
give
readers
a
message
about
your
thoughts
and
feelings
on
a
topic
or
theme.
Today
I
would
like
you
to
look
back
through
your
notebooks
and
ideas
and
choose
one
or
two
more
to
turn
into
poems.
Show
me
all
that
you
have
learned
about
how
poetry
is
a
special
way
to
share
ideas.
Additional Unit Options:
●
●
●
●
Use
flex
days
to
have
students
make
chapbooks
for
publishing
their
poems.
Have
a
poetry
slam—provide
students
with
opportunities
to
practice
and
perform
a
poem
for
the
celebration
Blend
poetry
and
prose
(Out
of
the
Dust
by
Karen
Hesse,
Amber
as
Brave,
Essie
was
Smart
by
Vera
B.
Williams)
Students
could
incorporate
non‐fiction
into
poetry
(Toad
by
the
Road
by
Joanna
Ryder,
Joyce
Sidman’s
Dark
Emperor
and
Other
Poems
of
the
Night.
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
21
Appendix
__________________________________________________________________________________
Resources
In
order
to
respect
copyright,
poem
texts
have
not
been
included
in
this
document.
Many
of
the
poems
listed
here
are
published
on‐line,
as
well
as
excerpts
from
some
of
the
anthologies.
To
locate
them,
copy
and
paste
the
title
into
a
web
browser
window.
Professional Resources
• A
Note
Slipped
Under
the
Door:
Teaching
Poems
We
Love
by
Nick
Flynn
• Awakening
the
Hear:
Exploring
Poetry
in
Elementary
and
Middle
School
by
Georgia
Heard
• Getting
the
Knack:
20
Poetry
Writing
Exercises
by
Stephen
Dunning
and
William
Stafford
• Teaching
10
Fabulous
Forms
of
Poetry
by
Paul
Janeczko
Web Resources
• International
Reading
Association
on‐line
student
interactives
in
support
of
writing
poetry
http://www.readwritethink.org/search/?resource
• Children’s
Poetry
Archive
http://poetryarchive.org/childrensarchive/home.do
• No
Water
River
blog,
videos
of
children’s
poets
reading
their
poems
http://www.nowaterriver.com/portfolio/poetry‐videos/
•
PoemHunter.com,
<
http://www.poemhunter.com/
>
•
FamousPoems.com
theme
collection
<
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/thematic_poems.html
>
Poetry Collections
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children:
A
Celebration
of
Poetry
With
a
Beat
Edited
by
Nikki
Giovanni
With
CD
Poetry
Speaks
to
Children
edited
by
Elise
Paschen
The
Dream
Keeper
by
Langston
Hughes
Families:
Poems
Celebrating
the
African
American
Experience
This
Same
Sky:
A
Collection
of
Poems
from
Around
the
World
Selected
by
Naomi
Shihab
Nye
Cool
Salsa:
Bilingual
Poems
on
Growing
up
Latino
in
the
United
States
The
Tree
is
Older
Than
You
Are:
A
Bilingual
Gathering
of
Poems
and
Stories
from
Mexico
Selected
by
Naomi
Shihab
Nye
Canto
Familiar
by
Gary
Soto
Wáchale:
Poetry
and
Prose
about
Growing
Up
Latino
in
America
Edited
by
Ilan
Stavans
Fearless
Fernie:
Hanging
Out
With
Fernie
and
Me
by
Gary
Soto
This
Place
I
Know:
Poems
of
Comfort,
selected
by
Georgia
Heard
Here
in
Harlem:
Poems
in
Many
Voices
by
Walter
Dean
Myers
Honey
I
Love
by
Eloise
Greenfield
Paint
Me
Like
I
Am
edited
by
Writers
Corps
Poems with Similar Themes
Death/Loss
• Irish
Wake
by
Langston
Hughes
• Missing
Mama
by
Eloise
Greenfield
(From
Families
By
Strickland
and
Strickland)
Bullying
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
22
•
•
Class
Bully
by
Nikki
Grimes
(from
My
Man
Blue)
Words
by
Bobbi
Katz
(from
Could
We
be
Friends?)
Disappointment
• Grounded
by
Nikki
Grimes
(from
My
Man
Blue)
• How
the
Coach
Told
Me
I
Didn’t
Make
the
Team
by
Gary
Soto
(from
Fearless
Fernie)
Overcoming
Adversity
• Fearless
by
Nikki
Grimes
(from
My
Man
Blue)
• One
On
One
by
Nikki
Grimes
(From
My
Man
Blue)
• White
by
Jane
Yolen
(from
Color
Me
a
Rhyme)
• From
Umi
Says
by
Mos
Def
(from
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
• Taking
Action
by
James
Berry
(From
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
• Dream
Variations
by
Langston
Hughes
(from
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
Dreams/Hope
• Dreams
by
Langston
Hughes
• The
Dream
Keeper
by
Langston
Hughes
• As
I
Grew
Older
by
Langston
Hughes
• Listen
to
the
Mustn’ts
by
Shel
Silverstein
• Hold
Fast
to
Your
Dreams
by
Louise
Driscoll
(From
This
Place
I
Know:
Poems
of
Comfort,
Selected
by
Georgia
Heard)
• Hope
is
the
Thing
with
Feathers
by
Emily
Dickinson
(From
This
Place
I
Know
Selected
by
Georgia
Heard)
• I
Am
Cherry
Alive
by
Delmore
Schwartz
(from
Poetry
Speaks
to
Children)
• Dream
Boogie
by
Langston
Hughes
(from
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
• Love
Poem
For
MY
People
by
Pedro
Pietri
(from
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
• The
Rose
that
Grew
from
Concrete
by
Tupac
Shakur
(From
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
• Doubtless
by
Steve
Ericson
by
Nikki
Grimes
(from
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
Unfairness/injustice
• I,
Too
by
Langston
Hughes
• Mother
to
Son
by
Langston
Hughes
• Merry
Go
Round
by
Langston
Hughes
• Ladies
First
by
Queen
Latifah
(from
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
• People
Equal
by
James
Berry
(from
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
Poems With Similar Topics
School
• First
Day,
New
School
by
Bobbi
Katz
(from
Could
We
Be
Friends,
Poems
for
Pals)
• Stars
by
Gary
Soto
(from
Canto
Familiar)
• Eyeglasses
by
Gary
Soto
(from
Canto
Familiar)
• My
Teacher
in
the
Market
by
Gary
Soto
(From
Canto
Familiar)
• Eraser
and
School
Clock
by
Gary
Soto
(from
Canto
Familiar)
• Questions
for
the
New
Teacher
by
Gary
Soto
(from
Fearless
Fernie)
• How
the
Coach
Told
Me
I
Didn’t
Make
the
Team
by
Gary
Soto
(from
Fearless
Fernie)
• Our
Substitute
Teacher
Named
Abraham
by
Gary
Soto
(from
Fearless
Fernie)
• How
to
Paint
a
Donkey
by
Naomi
Shihab
Nye
from
Poetry
Speaks
to
Children
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
23
•
•
Art
Class
by
X.J.
Kennedy
From
The
Principal’s
Office
by
Young
MC
(from
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
Family
• Families:
Poems
Celebrating
the
African
American
Spirit
Selected
by
Dorothy
S.
Strickland
and
Michael
R.
Strickland
• Lullaby
(for
a
Black
Mother)
by
Langston
Hughes
• My
Man
Blue
by
Nikki
Grimes
Words/Poetry
• Feelings
About
Words
by
Mary
O’Neil*
• I
Love
the
Look
of
Words
by
Maya
Angelou*
• Inside
a
Poem
by
Eve
Merriam*
• Valentine
for
Ernest
Man
by
Naomi
Shihab
Nye*
• After
English
Class
by
Jean
Little*
• Learning
English
by
Luis
Alberto
Ambroggio
(Translated
by
Lori
M.
Carlson,
from
Cool
Salsa)
• Natalia’s
Questions
by
Myriam
Moscona
(from
The
Tree
is
Older
Than
You
Are)
• Green
by
Jane
Yolen
(from
Color
Me
a
Rhyme)
Sports
• Lee
Bennett
Hopkins’s
Baseball
Collection
• Hoops
by
Robert
Burleigh*
• One
on
One
by
Nikki
Grimes
(From
My
Man
Blue)
• Allow
Me
to
Introduce
Myself
by
Charles
R.
Smith
Jr.
(from
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
Music
• I
Live
in
Music
by
Notzake
Shange*
• The
Weary
Blues
by
Langston
Hughes
• Bring
on
the
Beat
by
Rachel
Isadora
• Music
for
Fun
and
Profit
by
Gary
Soto
(From
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
• Audition
by
Hope
Anita
Smith
(from
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
Food
• Papi’s
Menudo
by
Gary
Soto
(From
Canto
Familiar)
• Tortillas
Like
Africa
by
Gary
Soto
(from
Canto
Familiar)
• Chop,
Simmer,
Season
• Jac
in
the
Bag
by
Rosaura
Sánchez
(from
Wáchale)
• Frutas
by
Ricardo
Pau‐Llosa
(from
Wáchale)
• Knoxville,
Tennessee
by
Nikki
Giovanni
(From
Poetry
Speaks
to
Children)
• From
It’s
Love
by
Jill
Scott
(From
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
Nature
• Millions
of
Snowflakes
by
Mary
McKenna
Siddals
• Color
me
a
Rhyme
by
Jane
Yolen
• Wild
Wings
by
Jane
Yolen
• Water
Music
by
Jane
Yolen
• Our
Big
Home:
An
Earth
Poem
by
Linda
Glaser
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
24
•
•
Part
Two
“Earth
and
Animals”
of
The
Tree
is
Older
than
You
Are
(Selected
by
Naomi
Shihab
Nye)
The
Peace
of
Wild
Things
by
Wendell
Berry
(From
This
Place
I
Know
Selected
by
Georgia
Heard)
Poems with different points of view:
• Letter
to
Bee
by
Emily
Dickinson
(from
Poetry
Speaks
to
Children)
• The
Quarrel
by
Maxine
Kumin
(from
Poetry
Speaks
to
Children)
• Hurt
No
Living
Thing
by
Christina
Rossetti
(from
Poetry
Speaks
to
Children)
• Our
Substitute
Teacher
Named
Abraham
by
Gary
Soto
(from
Fearless
Fernie)
• How
to
Paint
a
Donkey
by
Naomi
Shihab
Nye
from
Poetry
Speaks
to
Children
• Art
Class
by
X.J.
Kennedy
From
Poetry
Speaks
to
Children
• Allow
Me
to
Introduce
Myself
by
Charles
R.
Smith
Jr.
(from
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
• Me
by
Elizabeth
Swados
(From
Hip
Hop
Speaks
to
Children)
Possible Poems for Language Academy Students
• Hello
School!
A
Classroom
Full
of
Poems
by
Dee
Lillegard
• Wake
Up
House!
Rooms
full
of
Poems
by
Dee
Lillegard
• The
Important
Book
by
Margaret
Wise
Brown
• Caribbean
Dream
by
Rachel
Isadora
• Chop,
Simmer,
Season
by
Alexa
Brandenberg
• Millions
of
Snowflakes
by
Mary
McKenna
Siddals
• Could
We
Be
Friends?
Poems
for
Pals
by
Bobbi
Katz
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
25
“Writing Poetry: Where Does Poetry Hide”
Georgia
Heard
Excerpts
from
Awakening
the
Heart
p.
47‐56
Finding
where
poems
hide
for
us
is
part
of
the
process
of
being
a
poet
and
of
living
our
lives
as
poets.
The
sources
of
poetry
are
endless.
David
Ignaow
writes
about
keeping
this
window,
portal,
other
dimension,
or
poetry
door
open,
“the
door
between
the
poet
and
the
words,
so
that
words
can
come
through.”
What
are
these
doors?
How
can
we
help
our
students
step
inside?
I
usually
begin
by
describing
five
doors
that
will
invite
all
students
to
step
over
the
threshold.
The
Heart
Door
• Poetry
is
the
genre
of
inner
life.
• Encourage
students
to
write
poems
about
what
they
feel
is
true.
• Give
inner
images,
longings,
and
feelings
space
to
breathe.
The
Observation
Door
• Use
the
door
of
your
eyes.
• Poetry
is
about
what
we
observe,
what
we’re
amazed
by,
what
is
beautiful
in
the
world.
• Poetry
celebrates
the
world
and
we
write
with
a
longing
to
know
the
world
more
deeply
The
Concerns
About
the
World
Door
• Poems
can
be
about
what
we
read
in
the
newspaper
or
see
on
TV,
what
we
are
concerned
about.
• Poetry
is
about
telling
the
whole
truth
of
what
we
see
happening
around
us.
The
Wonder
Door
• Questions
can
be
a
lever
for
a
poem,
questions
about
the
world,
the
universe,
our
lives,
what
we
study
in
school—whatever
inspires
curiosity.
• Kids
and
poets
are
the
most
curious
humans
alive.
The
Memory
Door
• We
each
have
our
own
poet
living
in
our
minds—our
memory.
• Memories
drift
in
and
out
of
our
minds
all
day
long
whether
we
are
aware
of
them
or
not.
Infinite
Poetry
Door
• Anything
that
doesn’t
fit
the
other
doors!
Every
one
of
us
can
step
through
at
least
one
door
to
enter
the
world
of
poetry.
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
26
Crafting Poetry: Poetry Toolboxes
Georgia
Heard
Excerpts
from
Awakening
the
Heart
p.
63‐65
I
introduce
the
tools
of
poetry
not
simply
as
terms
with
definitions
but
as
vehicles
that
serve
a
more
fundamental,
deep,
and
emotional
purpose.
Introduce
craft
using
the
metaphor
of
a
toolbox.
A
carpenter,
like
a
poet,
carries
his
or
her
tools
to
every
job—nails,
hammer,
screwdriver—just
as
a
poet
carries
tools
to
the
writing
table.
I
see
not
just
one
toolbox,
but
two—which
are
equally
important
and
have
two
different
purposes
in
the
course
of
making
one
poem.
• The
Meaning
Toolbox
includes
visual
tools
that
serve
to
help
the
reader
imagine,
visualize,
and
bring
us
closer
to
the
experience
of
the
poem.
• The
Music
Toolbox
consists
of
those
tools
that
help
the
reader
experience
the
poem
through
sound,
music,
and
rhythm.
These
tools
fasten
the
poem
together
musically.
I
Meaning
II
Music
Expressing
feelings
and
Expressing
feelings
and
experiences
through
visual
experiences
through
and
sensory
tools;
revision
auditory,
musical,
and
techniques
rhythmic
tools
Image
Rhyme
Metaphor
Repetition/Patterns
Simile
Rhythm
Personification
Alliteration
Words
Words
Line‐breaks
Line‐Breaks
Beginnings/endings
Onomatopoeia
Titles
Assonance
Observation
Consonance
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
27
Guides for Revising Your Own Poem,
Peer Conferencing, and Response Groups
Georgia
Heard
Awakening
the
Heart
p.
119
1. Read
the
poem
out
loud.
2. Ask
someone
to
read
your
poem
back
to
you—it
helps
to
hear
your
poem
read
in
a
different
voice
so
you
can
listen
to
the
poem
more
objectively.
3. As
you
listen
to
your
poem
ask
yourself
some
of
these
questions:
a. Are
there
any
words
or
lines
that
sound
awkward,
that
clink
on
the
page?
b. What
words
or
lines
sound
strong,
pleasing,
“poetic,”
or
memorable?
c. Are
there
any
words
or
lines
that
sound
stale
or
clichéd?
d. Does
the
poem
make
you
feel
anything?
e. Which
words,
lines,
or
images
move
you
the
most?
f. Does
the
poem
feel
emotionally
true?
g. Are
there
any
words
or
images
that
feel
untrue?
h. Is
the
poem
clear
or
does
it
feel
confused?
i. Can
you
see
images
in
the
poem?
Are
they
clear,
powerful,
concrete,
and
vivid?
j. As
you’re
listening
do
you
see
any
other
images
in
your
mind
that
you
could
add?
k. Is
the
poem
abstract
in
any
places—does
this
strengthen
or
weaken
the
poem?
l. Does
the
poem
“explain”—rather
than
“show”?
m. Does
the
“energy”
leak
out
of
the
poem?
Does
your
mind
begin
to
wander?
n. What
words,
images,
rhythms,
or
thoughts
catch
you
by
surprise—give
you
that
ahhh!
feeling?
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
28
Selected Poetry Text Complexity Exemplars Grade Band 6-8
Common Core State Standards Appendix B
Navajo
tradition.
“Twelfth
Song
of
Thunder.”
The
Mountain
Chant:
A
Navajo
Ceremony.
(1887)
The
voice
that
beautifies
the
land!
The
voice
above,
The
voice
of
thunder
Within
the
dark
cloud
Again
and
again
it
sounds,
The
voice
that
beautifies
the
land.
The
voice
that
beautifies
the
land!
The
voice
below,
The
voice
of
the
grasshopper
Among
the
plants
Again
and
again
it
sounds,
The
voice
that
beautifies
the
land.
I,
Too
By
Langston
Hughes
(1902–1967)
I,
too,
sing
America.
I
am
the
darker
brother.
They
send
me
to
eat
in
the
kitchen
When
company
comes,
But
I
laugh,
And
eat
well,
And
grow
strong.
Tomorrow,
I’ll
be
at
the
table
When
company
comes.
Nobody’ll
dare
Say
to
me,
“Eat
in
the
kitchen,”
Then.
Besides,
They’ll
see
how
beautiful
I
am
And
be
ashamed—
I,
too,
am
America.
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
29
Giovanni,
Nikki.
“A
Poem
for
My
Librarian,
Mrs.
Long.”
Acolytes.
New
York:
William
Morrow,
2007.
(2007)
A
Poem
for
My
Librarian,
Mrs.
Long
(You
never
know
what
troubled
little
girl
needs
a
book)
At
a
time
when
there
was
not
tv
before
3:00
P.M.
And
on
Sunday
none
until
5:00
We
sat
on
the
front
porches
watching
The
jfg
sign
go
on
and
off
greeting
The
neighbors,
discussion
the
political
Situation
congratulating
the
preacher
On
his
sermon
There
was
always
the
radio
which
brought
us
Songs
from
wlac
in
nashville
and
what
we
would
now
call
Easy
listening
or
smooth
jazz
but
when
I
listened
Late
at
night
with
my
portable
(that
I
was
so
proud
of)
Tucked
under
my
pillow
I
heard
nat
king
cole
and
matt
dennis,
june
christy
and
ella
fitzgerald
And
sometimes
sarah
vaughan
sing
black
coffee
Which
I
now
drink
It
was
just
called
music
There
was
a
bookstore
uptown
on
gay
street
Which
I
visited
and
inhaled
that
wonderful
odor
Of
new
books
Even
today
I
read
hardcover
as
a
preference
paperback
only
As
a
last
resort
And
up
the
hill
on
vine
street
(The
main
black
corridor)
sat
our
carnegie
library
Mrs.
Long
always
glad
to
see
you
The
stereoscope
always
ready
to
show
you
faraway
Places
to
dream
about
Mrs.
Long
asking
what
are
you
looking
for
today
When
I
wanted
Leaves
of
Grass
or
alfred
north
whitehead
She
would
go
to
the
big
library
uptown
and
I
now
know
Hat
in
hand
to
ask
to
borrow
so
that
I
might
borrow
Probably
they
said
something
humiliating
since
southern
Whites
like
to
humiliate
southern
blacks
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
30
But
she
nonetheless
brought
the
books
Back
and
I
held
them
to
my
chest
Close
to
my
heart
And
happily
skipped
back
to
grandmother’s
house
Where
I
would
sit
on
the
front
porch
In
a
gray
glider
and
dream
of
a
world
Far
away
I
love
the
world
where
I
was
I
was
safe
and
warm
and
grandmother
gave
me
neck
kissed
When
I
was
on
my
way
to
bed
But
there
was
a
world
Somewhere
Out
there
And
Mrs.
Long
opened
that
wardrobe
But
no
lions
or
witches
scared
me
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
31
Analyzing Elements of Poetic Craft
What I notice in the poem
Line
breaks
don’t
always
match
where
periods
are.
Mixture
of
long
lines
and
short
lines.
Chooses
unusual
details.
Drifts
from
one
image
or
idea
to
another.
No
simile
or
metaphor.
Does
not
rhyme.
Strange
juxtapositions
The
title
is
taken
from
the
first
line
of
the
poem,
but
the
word
time
is
never
used
again.
Uses
bits
of
overhead
conversation
Why the poet does it
Puts
emphasis
in
certain
places.
Changes
the
pace
of
the
poem.
Long
line
mirrors
the
tumbling
river.
Short
lines
draw
attention.
Makes
a
picture
in
your
head.
Gets
your
attention.
Sounds
like
a
person
thinking.
Very
simple
but
about
big
ideas.
Sounds
like
thoughts
in
your
head.
Focus
is
on
the
ideas.
She
is
interested
in
expressing
her
thinking.
Gets
the
reader’s
attention
Our name for it
Line
breaks.
Line
breaks.
Imagery.
Thinking
out
loud.
Overheard
conversation
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
32
Chapbooks
Image
Source: University
of
South
Carolina
Rare
Book
Collection,
http://library.sc.edu/spcoll/britlit/cbooks/cbook1.html
A chapbook is a short booklet collecting of poetry, songs, and other short texts, a few pages
folded or sewn together. Historically, printers gathered collections often centering on a
specific theme, and made them for people wanting inexpensive reading materials. With easy
access to digital publishing, chapbooks are back as an art form. Consider having students
explore resources such as the following and create their own chapbooks. Paper sizes can
change depending on how much text needs to go inside.
Samples of modern chapbooks, http://www.uglyducklingpresse.org/catalog/online-reading/
Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
33
How-to for a Simple Folded Book, used by permission. Match the starting paper size to the
amount of text to be included.
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Grade 6 Poetry SPPS Writer’s Workshop January 23, 2013
34