LESSON PLAN Lesson #___5___

Format and Cooperating Teacher Feedback Form

Name: Jessica Wewers Content Area: Language Arts

Date: 3/23/2017 Grade Level: 4th

Goal(s):
CCSS.W.4.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.W.4.10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames
(a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Planning:
The previous lesson on acrostic poetry was the first exposure to poetry these students have had in school this
year. Exposure outside of class or in previous years is unknown. These students are struggling as a whole with
their writing skills, sentence structure, punctuation, spelling, etc. This can become a hindrance when trying to
write poetry. Robbie has probably studied and had exposure to poetry outside of school so hell probably excel
in this writing activity. During the last lesson he ran out of time to complete his poem and, like many of the
other students, he took his home to finish. Almost every student will probably need extra help with this activity.
The students struggled hard with the acrostic poems during the previous lesson. This might be because of the
reference folders as they were relying on them quite heavily and coming up with words they didnt even know.
This segment will not include the reference folders. Carlton, Marvin, and Enasjah could potentially derail the
rest of the students with their behaviors. Poetry can be tricky because you dont technically need proper
sentence structure to write it but the problem here is that with the poor technical writing background of the
students I dont know if it is meant to be poetically incorrect or if it is just wrong grammatically to begin with.

Objective(s):
:
Students will apply their knowledge of verse poetry to write at least one verse poem.
Students will apply their knowledge of zoo animals to write their poem(s).
Vocabulary outcomes: verse poetry, metaphor, rhyme, rhythm
Language function: Seek information

Informal: The students will answer prompting questions to cohesively create a poem
Assessment: with the whole class. Examine the participation and nonverbal communication to assess
comprehension of verse poetry.
Formal: The students will create a verse poem.

Materials Needed:

- Mentor texts: What is Red? and What is Black? by Mary ONeill

- Slideshow with mentor texts, quick check of characteristics, and directions for creating their poems:
 https://alvernoedu-
my.sharepoint.com/personal/wewersjn_alverno_edu/_layouts/15/guestaccess.aspx?docid=1d55e010dca2
b4087ac6beae3c8ef7b47&authkey=AV6-bawi9Okg5agR9lQlqSI
- Paper and pencil
- Poetry rubric (for grading)

Procedures:

(1-2 min) Introduction (Setup for the lesson will include projecting the slideshow on a screen of sorts
where all of the students can see it.) I will recap that the previous day we completed acrostic poems. To
reengage the students in the topic, I will ask them what the four characteristics of acrostic poems are. The
four characteristics are: 1) the first letter of the words match the letters of the main word, 2) You can use
one or more words/ phrases/ full sentences, 3) All of the adjectives and sentences describe the topic, and 4)
All of the words and phrases create an image for the reader. Once the students have had a chance to answer I
will restate what the four characteristics are. Then I will tell them what we will be doing today.
(20-30min) Steps for instruction
- I will begin by distinguishing between acrostic poetry and verse poetry. There are many different types
of verse poetry and it is less restricted. Verse poetry can rhyme but it is unnecessary, there is some sort
of rhythm, and you dont have to come up with specific words to fit into the poem.
- Show students the simple directions. *Side note: One of the main issues that the students were having
with the acrostic poems were not being creative enough so the emphasis this time is on being creative
with what they write about.
- Click to the next slide showing What is Red? by Mary ONeill. Read the poem aloud to the students
while they look up at the pictures that have been illustrated around the words of the poem.
- After reading, point out the rhymes, metaphors, and descriptions that she uses during the poem.
- Click to the next slide showing What is Black? by Mary ONeill. Read the poem aloud to the students
while they look up at the pictures that have been illustrated around the words of the poem. Repeat
pointing out what you did in for What is Red? but also point out how the author inserted her own
feelings into the poem. She told how the color made her feel and about what she thought of when she
thinks of the color black.
- Now with the group as a whole, come up with a poem about squirrels. I chose to mentor with squirrels
because every day the students put out nuts and seeds on the windowsill and the squirrels come up from
the tree and jump onto the windowsill. Begin the poem with the line, Everyday outside our window
and ask the students what happens when the squirrel comes to the window. Concoct with the students
the next line of the poem. Then continue on from there, guiding the students responses by asking them
to describe the squirrel (create two lines from these) and how they feel about the squirrel (end with these
 two lines). Overall it should be a six line poem to model with. Do make a point though, the students do
not need to put in their poem everything they know about their animal. They can pick and choose what
they want to include. Now send the students on their way to begin writing.
- As they are working on their poems, walk around and help individual students as they ask questions
about what to do and assist them if they are struggling.
Strategies for students requiring additional assistance: Students that need additional assistance will
receive one on one attention to help them solve their dilemma. If more than one student asks the same
question I will make an announcement to the whole class with the answer so that all of the students will be
on the same page. If Enasjah, Marvin, and Carlton become disruptive I will redirect them to focus their
energy on writing their poems.
(1 min) Closure
- When time is up I will let the students know that today was another good day of poetry and that we will
be editing and publishing the poems the next day. Then I will turn the class back over to Mrs. Goham.
 Assessment Rubric: Day 2 Verse Poetry
Personal Descriptions of Things the Advanced,
feelings about the animal animal does Proficient,
the animal Basic,
Minimal
Egypt
Braulio
James
Sharome
Joselyn
Shawn
Carlton
Breana
Melissa
Aivion
Ivianna
Samariyus
Jaeden
Jamar
Amy
Aeilani
Marvin
Treyvon
Tempasia
Buacha
Robbie
Enasjah
Tyonna
Maquan