elements of poetry

A Complete Teaching Unit

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Credits
 What’s in this unit?

Thank you for your purchase!

In this unit, you will find the following items

to help you teach the elements of poetry to your
students:

 Unit Teaching Plan

 Teaching Powerpoint
 Task Cards & Answer Sheet
 Interactive Notebook Foldable and Bubble Map
 Anchor Chart Materials
 Original poem for read and respond
 Vocabulary cards
 Focus Wall cards
 Compare and Contrast Activity Sheet
 Elements of Poetry Word Search & Answer Key
 Elements of Poetry Anchor Chart
For my poetry unit, I print out each bubble for this bubble map on one page. I cut out the bubbles and then glue
them down onto a piece of poster board to create a large anchor chart. Once I create this, I laminate it and keep
it handy throughout the year so I can add notes to it, write examples for each poem directly onto it, etc.

Laminating anchor charts saves me such a huge amount of time from year to year! Of course, there are several
that I create with the students during our lessons, but for ones like these it is such a time-saver not to have to
re-create it each year!I print the anchor chart sheet out, and then shrink it on our copier to 75%. This is the
perfect size to glue down into our ELA interactive notebooks.

Elements of Drama Vocabulary Focus Wall

I create a focus wall for my ELA units, which feature vocabulary cards for each new concept. I have included
two different sets of cards. First are the wide vocabulary cards which simply feature each term. The second set
contains both the vocabulary word and the definition. I have used both for different purposes.

Interactive Notebook Foldable

Two different foldable versions are included. One provides the vocabulary word and the
student must define it under the flap. The second one provides the definition under the
flap, and the student must write the correct term on the outside of the flap. Example
pictures are included in the unit.
 Elements of Poetry unit teaching plan
Common Core Standards for Poetry – Grades 3-5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a text (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their
actions contribute to the sequence of events
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.5 Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using
terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details
in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.5 Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural
elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions,
dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.6 Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including
the difference between first- and third-person narrations.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how
characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic;
summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3 Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama,
drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.5 Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall
structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.

Please use this teaching plan as a general overview of the unit, and a possible
scope and sequence for using all of the resources. I typically teach this unit
in one week (5 days), but it can certainly be expanded to two weeks.

Day 1: Essential Question: What is a poem?

• Introduce POETRY genre – Tell students that today you will begin exploring the poetry
genre. A poem is a collection of words written to inspire ideas, imagination, or emotion.
Most students are familiar with nursery rhymes, which are a great way to introduce
poetry for students who may be unfamiliar with it. I never emphasize poems that
rhyme at the beginning of my unit; I focus more instead on using descriptive language
to really capture my thoughts. Give students a blank piece of paper. Brainstorm
strong emotions, such as love, hate, anger, joy, frustration, embarrassment, fear, etc.
Now guide students to come up with one concept that they can connect to one
emotion. For example, for the emotion “fear”, I selected “thunderstorms” as my topic
to connect it to. Once my blank paper, I will create a circle map (large circle with a
smaller circle in the middle). In the middle circle, I will write “thunderstorm,” and inside
the larger circle, I will write words that come to mind when I think of fear and a
thunderstorm. I might write: bold lightning, strong winds, black skies, pouring rain, etc.
Select a few students to share. Ask students to visualize what they are sharing.
Connect these visualizations to the emotions that a poet is trying to create when
 he/she writes a poem. If time permits, allow students to use their brainstorming
paper to create their own poem.

There are several great short web videos on poetry. I like to show a clip or two each
day featuring poets reading aloud their poetry or animation of poetry that students
will enjoy. A quick Google search results in thousands of returns. Just be sure to
preview them first! My favorite website for poems to use with my students is The
Poem Farm. http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/ I have found these poems to be
highly engaging while still high quality. My students are able to understand and analyze
Amy’s poems much easier than some others we have attempted. I love the way her
site is organized as well. Choose a few of the poems to read with your class at
various times throughout the day.

Day 2: Essential Question: What are the elements of poetry?

Special note: If poetry is new to your students or they struggle with understanding it, you
may wish to teach one element per day, which is fine! These plans assume that students are
familiar with poetry and are ready for more of a challenge.

• Begin with a fun poem to engage students (if you don’t have a good collection of kid’s
poetry, google “silly poems for kids” and choose one. Inform students that today you
will be digging deeper into poetry, exploring what makes a poem a good one.
• Use the Elements of Poetry teaching Powerpoint to introduce (or review) the
elements of poetry. Read and discuss each of the slides, focusing on the poem on
each slide. As a class, discuss the element as well as the poem.
• Proceed through the Powerpoint as your class is ready.
• After you have completed the Powerpoint, place vocabulary cards on Focus Wall,
Word Wall, pocket chart, white board, etc., so that you can easily review words as well
as provide a visual reference for students.
• Conclude with 2-3 more poems, and ask students questions about the elements of
poetry that they have just learned.

Day 3: Essential Question: What are the elements of poetry?

• Use the vocabulary cards from yesterday’s lesson to review new words.
• Display anchor chart featuring the bubble map that contains the elements of poetry
already cut out, glued down, and laminated (if you plan to re-use).
• Provide students with copies of poetry books (ask your school librarian to check out
several different ones to you for this unit!). You may wish for students to work in
small groups or in partners for this.
• Allow students the opportunity to explore the poetry books and read through several
poems using close reading procedures.
 • Once students have finished exploring, select one poem to use with the whole group (I
like to use my document camera to project this on the board, but you could provide
each student with a copy as well).
• Read the poem with the class and discuss it. Using the large anchor map you created,
discuss the elements of poetry that can be observed in the poem.
• Give students a copy of the elements of poetry bubble map to glue down into their
interactive notebooks. My students love to color each of the bubbles a different
color, which is fine as long as the text is still readable. Once students have glued this
down, have them use the bubble map anchor chart to reread some of the poems that
they found previously in their poetry books.
• Remind students to refer back to this bubble map when reading a poetry in order to
search for the different elements of poetry.

Day 4: Essential question: How do good readers analyze poems?

• Use the Elements of Drama teaching Powerpoint to review the elements of drama.
• Give students the interactive notebook 8 flap foldable to complete and glue down.
There are two versions: One has the terms written on the front, so students will need
to define the term inside. The other version has the definitions inside, so they will need
to write the term on the outside. Use whichever version seems most appropriate for
your students.
• Once students finish their foldables, give them a copy of “Back In Time” which is a
read and respond activity sheet for a poem. They will do a close reading of the poem
(or you can do this whole group). At the bottom of the page, students will follow the
directions to search and identify the elements of poetry located within the poem.
They will then read and respond to some questions regarding the poem. Discuss as a
class, or allow students to check their papers using the Answer Key. You can also use
this as an assessment.

Day 5: Essential question: How do I compare and contrast different poems?

{I like to do the following activities in centers, but you could certainly extend this unit
several more days and complete one activity each day.}
• Center One: Compare and Contrast – Technology Center using
Chromebooks/iPads/Computers – allow students to choose two poems to read
and analyze. They will then compare and contrast the two different poems
using the Venn Diagram sheet included. Guide students in making connections
between the different poems. (You may want to model this with your whole
group first).
• Center Two: Task Cards – Students will complete the Elements of Poetry task
cards. They may then use the Answer Key to check their answers.
• Center Three: Creative Writing - Students will write their own poems.
 • Center Four: Reader’s Theater - Students will read a variety of Reader’s
Theater poems, and then choose one to perform. Reader’s Theater texts in can
be found in abundance online if you do not have many for your classroom. My
students enjoy the ones found at
http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetrytheater.aspx
• Early Finishers: Students who finish their center before it is time to rotate can
complete the Elements of Drama Word Search.
• Other center ideas include: magnetic poetry, magazine poetry, black out poetry
using discarded library books/magazines/newspapers, puppets, listening to
songs/poetry in the listening center.

For some classes, I have held a “coffee house poetry night” event during which students
read 2 poems – an original that they have written, and one they have attempted to
memorize. They love doing this, especially if they have an audience!
elements of poetry

Created by:
 ELEMENTS OF poetry
A poem is a collection of words
written to inspire ideas,
I Wonder
imagination, or emotion.
I wonder how
the world would be
If I could see
the way you see?
Would I love it less
or hate it more?
Could I go back to the way
I was before?

© Christie Dalton, 2016

 ELEMENTS OF poetry
The theme of a poem is a truth,
My People
lesson, or message
You are my people.

You know me.

You see me.
about life.
You hear me.
You surround me.

You don’t laugh at me.

You don’t gossip about me.
You don’t leave me.
You don’t judge me.

You always listen.

You always wait.
You always trust.
You always stay.

You are my people.

© Christie Dalton, 2016 Possible themes: Acceptance, friendship. tolerance
 ELEMENTS OF poetry
The mood is the feeling a poet
is trying to convey.

Mood: spooky, frightening, dangerous

 ELEMENTS OF poetry
Rhythm is the beat, sound,
and feel of a poem.
A Little Seed
A little seed for me to sow.
A little earth to make it grow.
A little hole
A little pat
A little wish and that is that.
A little sun
A little shower
And in a while, a little flower.

- Anonymous

If you put this poem to music, what beat would you choose?
 ELEMENTS OF POETRY
A line is a single row of words
in a poem.
in a poem.
I eat peas with honey

I eat peas with honey;

I’ve done it all my life.
It makes the peas taste funny,
But it keeps them on the knife!

- Anonymous

This poem has four lines.

 ELEMENTS OF POETRY
The meter of a poem is the number
and style of accented
syllables in a line. It is written in a
repeated pattern.
Hickory Dickory Dock

Hickory Dickory Dock,

The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down!
Hickory Dickory Dock.

- Traditional Nursery Rhyme

Can you clap the pattern of the
accented syllables?
 ELEMENTS OF POETRY
Rhyme describes words that
have the same ending sounds.

The Man Who Wasn’t There

As I was going up the stair

I met a man who wasn’t there.
He wasn’t there again today –
Oh, how I wish he’d go away.

- Anonymous

In this poem, stair/there rhyme, and today/away rhyme.

 ELEMENTS OF POETRY
A stanza is a group of lines
in a poem.
A Happy Child

My house is red - a little house

A happy child am I.
I laugh and play the whole day long,
I hardly ever cry.

I have a tree, a green, green tree,

To shade me from the sun;
And under it I often sit,
When all my play is done.

- Anonymous

There are two stanzas in this poem.

 ELEMENTS OF POETRY
A poet is the author of a poem.

Anyone can
be a poet!
 ELEMENTS OF poetry
Thank you!
All photographs are used under commercial rights
license or under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.
All poems are © by Christie Dalton or
authored by an anonymous source
 1 2
In a poem, what
What is a group of
describes the feeling
lines in a poem called?
that the poet is trying
to convey?

3 4
What term describes What is the
the beat, sound, and author of a
feel of a poem? poem called?
 5 6
What is a single row What describes
of words in a poem words that have the
called? same ending sounds?

7 8
In a poem, what
What is the truth,
describes the number
lesson, or message
and style of accented
about life in a poem?
syllables in a line?
Elements of Poetry Task Cards Elements of Poetry Task Cards
Recording Sheet Recording Sheet
Name ___________________________ Date ______________ Name ___________________________ Date ______________
Write your answer to each card in the boxes below. Write your answer to each card in the boxes below.

1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
6 6
7 7
8 8
Elements of Poetry Task Cards Elements of Poetry Task Cards
Answer Key Answer Key

1 mood 1 mood
2 stanza 2 stanza
3 rhythm 3 rhythm
4 poet 4 poet
5 line 5 line
6 rhyme 6 rhyme
7 meter 7 meter
8 theme 8 theme
Directions for Interactive Notebook Foldables
Although these examples are from my Elements of Drama unit (I haven’t gotten to poetry yet this
year!), I am including them here so that you can see the difference between the two types of
foldables and how we assemble them. We do one or the other depending on the level of support
students need.
Option 1 Option 2
Interactive Notebook template – Option 1: Use this for students who can copy/record
vocabulary definitions. This is the outside view. Students will fold along the center,
vertical line.

line
mood
theme

rhythm
poet

meter
rhyme
stanza
(they read the definition and record the vocab term on the outer flap). This is the inside view.
Interactive Notebook template – Option 2: Use this for students who need more scaffolding

a truth,
a group of
lesson, or
lines in a poem
message
about life
the feeling words that
the poet is have the
trying same ending
to convey sounds
Students will fold in along the dottedvertical lines.

the beat,
the author of
sound, and feel
a poem
of a poem

the number
a single row and style of
of words accented
in a poem syllables in a line
 THEME
MOOD Theme is a truth,
Mood is the feeling lesson, or message RHYTHM
about life. Rhythm is the beat,
the poet is trying
sound, and feel
to convey.
of a poem.
Elements of

LINE
POETRY METER
A poem is a collection of Meter is the number
A line is a single row
words written to inspire ideas, and style of accented
of words
imagination, or emotion. syllables in a line.
in a poem.

RHYME
STANZA Rhyme describes
A stanza is a group of words that have the
lines in a poem. same ending sounds.
Elements of
POETRY
A poem is a collection of
words written to inspire ideas,
imagination, or emotion.
THEME
Theme is a truth,
lesson, or message
about life.
RHYTHM
Rhythm is the beat,
sound, and feel
of a poem.
METER
Meter is the number
and style of accented
syllables in a line.
RHYME
Rhyme describes
words that have the
same ending sounds.
 LINE
A line is a single row
of words in a poem.
STANZA
A stanza is a group
of lines in a poem.
 MOOD
The mood is the feeling the
poet is trying to convey.
 Mood Theme
Mood is the feeling Theme is a truth,
the poet is trying lesson, or message
to convey. about life.

Rhythm Meter
Rhythm is the beat, Meter is the number
sound, and feel of a and style of accented
poem. syllables in a line.
 Rhyme Stanza
Rhyme describes
A stanza is a group
words that have the
of lines in a poem.
same ending sounds.

Line Poet
A line is a single row A poet is the
of words in a poem. author of a poem.
Name ________________________________________ Date ______________________________________

Back in Time
by Christie Dalton

I must go back to my childhood days,

To the days of dolls and first grade plays,
To the Sunday dinners, the country drives,
To see life through a little one’s eyes.
I must go back to my childhood time,
To bedtime stories and books that rhyme,
To Grandma's house, her old grapevines,
To walk in the woods and smell the pines.
I must go back to my childhood age,
To when my best friend was a dog named Page,
To be a little, curly-headed girl,
To look and see a whole new world.

Read and respond:

o Circle the title of the poem in BLUE.
o Underline the third line in GREEN.
o Circle the entire second stanza in PURPLE.
o Circle two words in the third stanza that rhyme in RED.
o Circle the name of the poet in BROWN.
How would you describe the mood of the poem?___________________________________
Which words helped you describe the mood? _____________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
What do you think is the theme of the poem? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is the evidence for your answer? ______________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Name ________________________________________ Date ______________________________________

Back in Time
ANSWER KEY
by Christie Dalton

I must go back to my childhood days,

To the days of dolls and first grade plays,
To the Sunday dinners, the country drives,
To see life through a little one’s eyes.
I must go back to my childhood time,
To bedtime stories and books that rhyme,
To Grandma's house, her old grapevines,
To walk in the woods and smell the pines.
I must go back to my childhood age,
To when my best friend was a dog named Page,
To be a little, curly-headed girl,
To look and see a whole new world.

Read and respond:

o Circle the title of the poem in BLUE.
o Underline the third line in GREEN.
o Circle the entire second stanza in PURPLE.
o Circle two words in the third stanza that rhyme in RED.
o Circle the name of the poet in BROWN.
How would you describe the mood of the poem? Wishful, nostalgic, happy
Which words helped you describe the mood? “I must go back”, “my childhood age”
What do you think is the theme of the poem? Possible: Enjoy your childhood because
one day you will look back and miss it!
What is the evidence for your answer? The poet repeats “I must go back” to
younger years several times. She describes happy memories and wants to
see the world once again from a child’s point of view.
ELEMENTS OF poetry
theme

mood
 line

rhythm

poet
meter

rhyme

stanza
Name ___________________________ Date _______________

compare and contrast

poem #1: ________________________ poem #2: ________________________

ccss ela rl 4.5

 Elements of Poetry Word Search
m o o d c m a b d p
e m n p g e f c a o
s f r q h t e d z e
t u g r i e j t y t
s v w i h r k h x w
t y z x j y l e u v
a d c b a k m m t y
n e f g h i l e r s
z j r h y t h m q p
a k l i n e g s n o
Word Bank
rhythm line stanza mood
theme rhyme meter poet
 Elements of Poetry Word Search
m o o d c m a b d p
e m n p g e f c a o
s f r q h t e d z e
t u g r i e j t y t
s v w i h r k h x w
t y z x j y l e u v
a d c b a k m m t y
n e f g h i l e r s
z j r h y t h m q p
a k l i n e g s n o
Word Bank
rhythm line stanza mood
theme rhyme meter poet