Unit Overview

Introduction

What can poems do?

Poems paint pictures.

Poems make us feel things.

Poems make music out of words.

What makes a poem a poem? How do literary devices enhance the meaning of poems? How can context clues be used to figure out the meaning of difficult words in poems? Where do ideas come from? How do poets play with words until they get just the right image, feeling, or sound? These are important questions that will be visited throughout this poetry unit.

Why think about these important questions and learning targets?

Developing skills is like becoming an all-star athlete. All-star athletes don’t start out as professionals. They think about their performance, get guidance from their coach and teammates, and set goals for improving. The same is true for becoming a skilled reader, writer, speaker, and listener. We all have areas of strength and areas for growth, and we are all responsible for practicing, getting guidance, setting goals, and improving.

Creative Thinking

In this module, you will read and listen to many poems to learn about:

• how to read a poem
• what makes a poem
• characteristics of poems (structure and features)
• what close readers do
• how you can find evidence in a poem to support your ideas
• how context clues can help to understand difficult words
• how authors use language to make poems come to life

You will use your creativity to write poems using a variety of structures and using some specific features, including language that can be used help to create powerful word pictures. You will be writing poems that follow specific patterns and you will be writing poems that allow for more freedom.

Creative thinking involves the generation of new ideas and concepts that are built on combinations of existing experiences and learning. Throughout the 4.1 and 4.2, as you read and examine poems, you will think about where poets get their ideas and learn what tools and forms poets use to develop their ideas. Then you will build from their ideas and tools to create some poems of your own. 

 By reading and writing poetry, you will develop creative thinking competencies, including:

Novelty and value:

• I can get new ideas or build on other people’s ideas, to create new things within the constraints of a form, a problem, or materials.

• I can develop a body of creative work over time in an area I’m interested in or passionate about. 

Generating ideas:

• I deliberately learn a lot about something so that I am able to generate new ideas or ideas just pop into my head.

Developing ideas:

• I can usually make my ideas work within the constraints of a given form, problem, and materials if I keep playing with them. 

• I build the skills I need to make my ideas work, and usually succeed, even if it takes a few tries. 

Reading Projects

Critical Thinking

In the last part of this unit (4.3), you will explore the impact poetic forms can have on the world. 

• You will write and perform a spoken word poem, applying your creative and critical thinking competencies, aw well as communication skills.
• You will also write a five-paragraph essay that demonstrates critical thinking skills. How convincing can you be?

You will use and build your Critical Thinking Competencies.

Critical thinking involves making judgments based on reasoning, considering and analyzing options, and drawing conclusions.Throughout 4.3, as you determine whether or not poetry can help to change the world, you will develop critical thinking competencies, including the skills in 4.3 of this unit:

Analyze and critique:

• I can analyze evidence from different perspectives 

Question and investigate:

• I can ask open-ended questions and gather information 

Develop and design:

• I can make choices that will help me create my intended impact on an audience or situation