The ABCs of Poetry

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

This activity allows students to play with words and letters in an imaginative way. Students make the familiar strange by creating image pools of metaphor derived from a single letter in the alphabet. As a class, students look at a letter and brainstorm things that it looks like. They then flip the letter on its sides and upside down, brainstorming new images each time. Next, they brainstorm interesting words that start with that letter. They then put some of the words they brainstormed together as a poem. After creating the poem as a class, students write their own letter poems, using the same process. Students can use an online tool to publish their poems in a class book. As a group exercise, this activity builds community: everyone learns from each other. As an individual exercise, it builds confidence and allows everyone the chance to create an original chain of images. 

The updated link to the Alphabet Organizer resource can be found at https://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/alphabet-organizer. 

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

UP:ELA21.9.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

UP:ELA21.9.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.R4

Use digital and electronic tools appropriately, safely, and ethically.

UP:ELA21.9.R4

Vocabulary

  • Digital tools
  • Electronic tools
  • Appropriately
  • Safely
  • Ethically

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Digital and electronic tools must be used appropriately, safely, and ethically.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Engage in safe and ethical behavior when using digital and electronic tools.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Safe behaviors, interactions that keep you out of harm's way, are necessary when using digital and electronic tools.
  • Ethical behavior, interactions that align to one's moral code, are necessary when using digital and electronic tools.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.R5

Utilize a writing process which includes planning, revising, editing/peer-editing, and rewriting to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing for a specific purpose and audience.

UP:ELA21.9.R5

Vocabulary

  • Writing process
  • Plan
  • Revise
  • Edit
  • Peer-edit
  • Rewrite
  • Focused
  • Organized
  • Coherent
  • Purpose
  • Audience

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The writing process steps are to plan, revise, edit, and rewrite.
  • Editing can be completed by the writer or by a peer.
  • Peer-editing skills.
  • Completed writing projects should be focused, organized, and coherent, and written for a specific purpose and intended audience.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Plan, revise, edit, and rewrite to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing.
  • Compose a writing piece for a specific purpose and intended audience.
  • Engage in the peer-editing process.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Writing is a process that requires multiple drafts, edits, and versions.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.5

Analyze the impact of context and organizational structures on theme, tone, and the meaning of the work as a whole.

UP:ELA21.9.5

Vocabulary

  • Context
  • Organizational structure
  • Tone
  • Theme

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The context and organizational structure of a text will impact the theme, tone, and meaning of the work.
  • Strategies to identify the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.
  • Analyze the impact of context and organizational structure on the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • A text's context and structure can affect the tone, theme, and meaning of a work as a whole.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.14

Create and edit digital texts that are suitable in purpose and tone for their intended audience and occasion.

UP:ELA21.9.14

Vocabulary

  • Digital texts
  • Occasion
  • Audience
  • Purpose
  • Tone

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to create and edit digital texts.
  • The intended audience and occasion should be identified before selecting a purpose and tone for digital text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Create and edit a digital text for an intended audience and occasion.
  • Create and edit a digital text to achieve a particular tone and purpose.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Digital texts can be used to communicate with a variety of audiences and occasions.
  • They should modify the purpose and tone of their digital texts depending on the audience and occasion.
  • Editing is important in establishing a clear purpose and tone in writing a digital text.
  • Editing is important in appealing to a particular audience and occasion with a digital text.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

UP:ELA21.10.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

UP:ELA21.10.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.R4

Use digital and electronic tools appropriately, safely, and ethically.

UP:ELA21.10.R4

Vocabulary

  • Digital tools
  • Electronic tools
  • Appropriately
  • Safely
  • Ethically

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Digital and electronic tools must be used appropriately, safely, and ethically.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Engage in safe and ethical behavior when using digital and electronic tools.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Safe behaviors, interactions that keep you out of harm's way, are necessary when using digital and electronic tools.
  • Ethical behavior, interactions that align to one's moral code, are necessary when using digital and electronic tools.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.R5

Utilize a writing process which includes planning, revising, editing/peer-editing, and rewriting to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing for a specific purpose and audience.

UP:ELA21.10.R5

Vocabulary

  • Writing process
  • Plan
  • Revise
  • Edit
  • Peer-edit
  • Rewrite
  • Focused
  • Organized
  • Coherent
  • Purpose
  • Audience

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The writing process steps are to plan, revise, edit, and rewrite.
  • Editing can be completed by the writer or by a peer.
  • Peer-editing skills.
  • Completed writing projects should be focused, organized, and coherent, and written for a specific purpose and intended audience.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Plan, revise, edit, and rewrite to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing.
  • Compose a writing piece for a specific purpose and intended audience.
  • Engage in the peer-editing process.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Writing is a process that requires multiple drafts, edits, and versions.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.4

Interpret an author’s use of characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning in a variety of texts.

UP:ELA21.10.4

Vocabulary

  • Characterization
  • Connotation
  • Denotation
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Interpret how characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.14

Create and edit collaborative digital texts that are suitable in purpose and tone for their intended audience and occasion.

UP:ELA21.10.14

Vocabulary

  • Collaborative digital texts
  • Occasion
  • Audience
  • Purpose
  • Tone

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to create and edit digital texts.
  • Collaboration skills.
  • The intended audience and occasion should be identified before selecting a purpose and tone for digital text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Create and edit a collaborative digital text for an intended audience and occasion.
  • Create and edit a collaborative digital text to achieve a particular tone and purpose.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • They can collaborate with peers to create one final product.
  • Digital texts can be used to communicate with a variety of audiences and occasions.
  • They should modify the purpose and tone of their digital texts depending on the audience and occasion.
  • Editing is important in establishing a clear purpose and tone in writing a digital text.
  • Editing is important in appealing to a particular audience and occasion with a digital text.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

UP:ELA21.11.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

UP:ELA21.11.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.R4

Use digital and electronic tools appropriately, safely, and ethically.

UP:ELA21.11.R4

Vocabulary

  • Digital tools
  • Electronic tools
  • Appropriately
  • Safely
  • Ethically

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Digital and electronic tools must be used appropriately, safely, and ethically.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Engage in safe and ethical behavior when using digital and electronic tools.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Safe behaviors, interactions that keep you out of harm's way, are necessary when using digital and electronic tools.
  • Ethical behavior, interactions that align to one's moral code, are necessary when using digital and electronic tools.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.R5

Utilize a writing process which includes planning, revising, editing/peer-editing, and rewriting to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing for a specific purpose and audience.

UP:ELA21.11.R5

Vocabulary

  • Writing process
  • Plan
  • Revise
  • Edit
  • Peer-edit
  • Rewrite
  • Focused
  • Organized
  • Coherent
  • Purpose
  • Audience

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The writing process steps are to plan, revise, edit, and rewrite.
  • Editing can be completed by the writer or by a peer.
  • Peer-editing skills.
  • Completed writing projects should be focused, organized, and coherent, and written for a specific purpose and intended audience.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Plan, revise, edit, and rewrite to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing.
  • Compose a writing piece for a specific purpose and intended audience.
  • Engage in the peer-editing process.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Writing is a process that requires multiple drafts, edits, and versions.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.4

Analyze how an author uses characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning.

UP:ELA21.11.4

Vocabulary

  • Analyze
  • Characterization
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view
  • Create
  • Convey

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.
  • Methods to analyze characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Analyze how characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.17

Use images, sound, animation, and other modes of expression to create or enhance individual or collaborative digital and multimodal texts that are suitable in purpose and tone for their intended audience and occasion.

UP:ELA21.11.17

Vocabulary

  • Images
  • Sound
  • Animation
  • Expression
  • Collaborative
  • Digital texts
  • Multimodal texts
  • Purpose
  • Tone
  • Intended audience
  • Intended occasion

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to include images, sound, animations, and other modes of expression in digital and multimodal texts.
  • Collaboration skills.
  • The intended audience and occasion should be identified before selecting a purpose and tone for digital or multimodal texts.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Work independently or collaboratively to use images, sound, animation, and other modes of expression to create or enhance digital and multimodal texts.
  • Work independently or collaboratively to create digital or multimodal texts that are suitable in purpose and tone for their intended audience and occasion.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Digital texts can be used to communicate with a variety of audiences and occasions.
  • They should modify the purpose and tone of their digital texts depending on the audience and occasion.
  • They will frequently collaborate with others to develop digital products in school and in the workplace.
  • Images, sounds, animation, and other modes of expression can enhance digital and multimodal texts.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.19

Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

UP:ELA21.11.19

Vocabulary

  • Grammar
  • Rhetorical style
  • Fiction
  • Poetry
  • Prose
  • Nonfiction
  • Historical documents
  • Business documents
  • Informational documents
  • Workplace documents

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Methods to identify an author's particular rhetorical style.
  • Formal, standard English conventions and their usage in a variety of text genres.
  • Authors choose to use particular grammar and rhetorical style in writing to convey the meaning of the text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Interpret how an author's grammar use contributes to text's meaning in multiple genres.
  • Interpret how an author's rhetorical style contributes to the meaning of the text in multiple genres.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • An author's grammar and rhetorical style affect the meaning of different texts.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

UP:ELA21.12.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

UP:ELA21.12.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.R4

Use digital and electronic tools appropriately, safely, and ethically.

UP:ELA21.12.R4

Vocabulary

  • Digital tools
  • Electronic tools
  • Appropriately
  • Safely
  • Ethically

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Digital and electronic tools must be used appropriately, safely, and ethically.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Engage in safe and ethical behavior when using digital and electronic tools.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Safe behaviors, interactions that keep you out of harm's way, are necessary when using digital and electronic tools.
  • Ethical behavior, interactions that align to one's moral code, are necessary when using digital and electronic tools.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.R5

Utilize a writing process which includes planning, revising, editing/peer-editing, and rewriting to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing for a specific purpose and audience.

UP:ELA21.12.R5

Vocabulary

  • Writing process
  • Plan
  • Revise
  • Edit
  • Peer-edit
  • Rewrite
  • Focused
  • Organized
  • Coherent
  • Purpose
  • Audience

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The writing process steps are to plan, revise, edit, and rewrite.
  • Editing can be completed by the writer or by a peer.
  • Peer-editing skills.
  • Completed writing projects should be focused, organized, and coherent, and written for a specific purpose and intended audience.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Plan, revise, edit, and rewrite to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing.
  • Compose a writing piece for a specific purpose and intended audience.
  • Engage in the peer-editing process.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Writing is a process that requires multiple drafts, edits, and versions.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.4

Evaluate an author’s use of characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning.

UP:ELA21.12.4

Vocabulary

  • Evaluate
  • Characterization
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view
  • Create
  • Convey

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.
  • Methods to evaluate characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Evaluate how characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.17

Use images, sound, animation, and other modes of expression to create or enhance individual or collaborative digital and multimodal texts that are suitable in purpose and tone for their intended audience and occasion.

UP:ELA21.12.17

Vocabulary

  • Images
  • Sound
  • Animation
  • Expression
  • Collaborative
  • Digital texts
  • Multimodal texts
  • Purpose
  • Tone
  • Intended audience
  • Intended occasion

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to include images, sound, animations, and other modes of expression in digital and multimodal texts.
  • Collaboration skills.
  • The intended audience and occasion should be identified before selecting a purpose and tone for digital or multimodal texts.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Work independently or collaboratively to use images, sound, animation, and other modes of expression to create or enhance digital and multimodal texts.
  • Work independently or collaboratively to create digital or multimodal texts that are suitable in purpose and tone for their intended audience and occasion.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Digital texts can be used to communicate with a variety of audiences and occasions.
  • They should modify the purpose and tone of their digital texts depending on the audience and occasion.
  • They will frequently collaborate with others to develop digital products in school and in the workplace.
  • Images, sounds, animation, and other modes of expression can enhance digital and multimodal texts.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.19

Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

UP:ELA21.12.19

Vocabulary

  • Grammar
  • Rhetorical style
  • Fiction
  • Poetry
  • Prose
  • Nonfiction
  • Historical documents
  • Business documents
  • Informational documents
  • Workplace documents

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Methods to identify an author's particular rhetorical style.
  • Formal, standard English conventions and their usage in a variety of text genres.
  • Authors choose to use particular grammar and rhetorical style in writing to convey the meaning of the text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Interpret how an author's grammar use contributes to text's meaning in multiple genres.
  • Interpret how an author's rhetorical style contributes to the meaning of the text in multiple genres.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • An author's grammar and rhetorical style affect the meaning of different texts.

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

ReadWriteThink

License Type

Custom
http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/abcs-poetry-988.html

Custom License Type (URL)

http://www.readwritethink.org/util/legal.html

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

raulstoncg
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