Timeline

Start with either an inspiration semantic web or a SmartBoard KWL chart to come up with “what is poetry” and/or “who are poets.” Students will brainstorm ideas of what they think the topic(s) is. Teachers will start to build a working definition of poetry to be used with the class. Students will brainstorm types of poems they already know (or think they know). Compile a list of types of poems. Once you have a working list, ask if there are any they want to know more about. Students will compile a “seed list” of ideas or topics they are interested in to use in their poetry work. Using the workshop model, students will be exposed to a different poetry daily. The read aloud each day will be by a different poet with a brief discussion about the poem (to introduce analysis and voice/color of poems). The mini lesson will focus on a different poetry type. Using the projector to display samples, teachers will lead discussions about the format of the poem and its analysis. Guided practice will end with the teacher modeling how to look for samples of this type of poem on the internet. During independent time, students will use the internet to research the type of poetry, pull several samples of the type to place in their writing journal or electronic notebook. After they have compiled them, they will read the poems, analyze them, and finally reflect on the samples they have compiled as mentor texts. Share session will consist of sharing of favorite poem found and their reflection and analysis of the poem. Writing workshop will start with a sample poem displayed on the SmartBoard. The teacher will model breaking the poem down and analyzing it. Then the teacher will model how to pick a topic to write about in his or her poem. They will model picking a topic to write about, writing down ideas they want to convey about this topic, and powerful words that will express exact emotions before they try to write. Prewriting is the key to success! After they have modeled the process of being prepared to write, then as a group, you will do a shared writing sample of the specific type of poetry discussed that day. Independent practice will consist of looking at the samples they collected, making their own prewriting list, and then writing their own samples. Once they have written a few samples, they will pick one to develop and polish. The next day will be a review session with more immersion in the sample, adding to the working definition for the classroom, the KWL Chart, and/or Inspiration semantic map. Writing will consist of sharing their poem with three other students and looking for feedback and areas for revision and editing. The day will end with a personal reflection on their poem and sharing out of created work. This process will continue for the first several weeks until you have compiled knowledge of several different types of poems, the format they take, and the craft of writing them. After your study of the poems is finished, the study of poets will start. Teachers will display the list of the 500 most popular poets as according to the following website: http://www.poemhunter.com/p/t/l.asp?p=1&l=Top500 After the students have studied the list, do an informal survey using the top 25 to see how many students have heard of these poets, and if they do, name one of their poems. On page 2, note that Tupac Shukur is listed as a poet. Explain that most song lyrics can be considered forms of poetry put to a melody. This will spark interest in the concept of poet studies. Together, compile a list of “things you would want to know about a poet” to use to form research questions. Lead the discussion to include the biographical information necessary for a complete biographical essay. (birth, childhood, education, family life, work, children, etc). Once you have come up with what you would want to know, model how to turn them into research questions about a particular poet. Teachers will chose works from one poet and share samples of their work before revealing the poet. Once they are revealed, the teacher and class will co-research and fill out the biographical information on each poet. After sharing several poems by that “UNKNOWN” author, have students guess who they think the poet is and finally reveal the poet. Model doing internet research on your poet using the research template you created together about “things you would want to know about a poet”. Fill it out as you do your research modeling paraphrasing as opposed to copy and pasting! You will repeat this procedure during the reader’s workshop everyday this week using a different “unknown poet”. The independent practice will involve students doing the research on the poet of the day and compiling the information on the template. Students will finish by writing down one of the poets poems, analyzing it, and reflecting on the poem and the poet. Sharing will take place as a whole group share out of information. After a week of collecting information on different poets, the teacher will model how to turn the information into a biographical essay. Once a class sample has been created and shared, students will pick a poet to do independent research on and write their own biographical essay. Students will have several days of class time to do their research, fill out their template, write their essay, share, revise, edit, and produce a final copy for sharing with the class. Once all the poems are completed, poet study complete, and biographical essay written, students will be given a story board to start creating their own digital movie about their poetry study, the poems they have created, and the poet they studied. Students will be given a week to plan, write, and gather resources for their digital movie. Once their story board is checked and resources collected, students can start recording and building their digital movie. Students will have 2-3 days to do their project, one day for revisions, and one to two days to share and celebrate. After all have been completed, products will be assembled for a parent night to show “Poetry in Motion!”
 * Background**** Building**** : **
 * First Two Weeks:**
 * Third Week:**
 * Week 3 & 4:**** (as needed) **
 * Week 5 & 6:**** (as needed) **
 * They will have to SCRIPT exactly what will be typed on each frame and what will be recorded as narration in the digital movie.
 * They will use the internet to find pictures or clip art that will “enhance” their poems on a visual plane.
 * They must speak at least one of the poems they created to practice tone and richness of speaking voice. The other poems can be typed, but at least one must be spoken to show the power of words and voice.
 * They will find free play music to use as background music to enhance the audio plane of the presentation. http://freeplaymusic.com/ Students MUST use free share music to avoid copyright issues. (If they use an artist song, they can use NO MORE than 3 songs by the artist, no more than 30 second of each and they must have the cd they got the music from with them to show ownership.)
 * They can reproduce no more than 3 poems by a poet to show in their poet study section and they must be cited.