Classroom Resource

Exploring Change Through Allegory and Poetry

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

6, 7, 8

Overview

Change is an inevitable part of life the challenges many young adults. Understanding and accepting change are key components in career and future planning. In this lesson, students explore the theme of change through allegory and poetry by reading an example of literary allegory and creating their own pictorial allegories. Students first define allegory and complete a pictorial allegory—or "me tree"—that displays phrases describing their interests, trails, and dreams on outlines of their hands. Next, they read and discuss a text, such as Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree or Sandy Stryker's Tonia the Tree ;that addresses change, and then review basic literary concepts as they complete a literary elements map and plot diagram. Finally, students further explore change, and what it means to them, as they write diamante poems related to the theme of change.

Content Standards

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 6

ELA21.6.3
Explain how authors use setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view to contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Setting
Plot
Characters
Theme
Conflict
Dialogue
Point of view
Prose
Poetry
Textual evidence

Knowledge

Students know:

Authors of prose and poetry use literary elements, such as setting, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view, throughout a text to develop and drive the plot.
Poetry is a genre of text that uses distinctive style and rhythm to aid in the expression of feelings, while prose is written in ordinary language.
Analysis of a text should be supported with text evidence from the writing.

Skills

Students are able to:

Identify the setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view in prose and poetry.
Explain how literary elements contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry.
Support their explanations of literary elements with textual evidence.

Understanding

Students understand that:

Prose and poetry contain common literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
Literary elements contribute to the meaning of poetry and prose.
When they analyze a text, they should include text evidence to support their claims.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 7

ELA21.7.3
Explain how the author’s choice of setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view contribute to and/or enhance the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Setting
Plot
Characters
Theme
Conflict
Dialogue
Point of view
Author's purpose
Prose
Poetry
Textual evidence

Knowledge

Students know:

Authors of prose and poetry use literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view, throughout a text to develop and/or enhance the meaning of the text.
An author's use of literary elements can indicate the author's purpose for writing the text.
Poetry is a genre of text that uses distinctive style and rhythm to aid in the expression of feelings, while prose is written in ordinary language.
Analysis of a text should be supported with text evidence from the writing.

Skills

Students are able to:

Identify the setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view in prose and poetry.
Explain how literary elements contribute to and/or enhance the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry.
Support their explanations of literary elements with textual evidence.

Understanding

Students understand that:

Prose and poetry contain common literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
Literary elements contribute to and/or enhance the meaning and purpose of poetry and prose.
When they analyze a text, they should include text evidence to support their claims.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

ELA21.8.3
Analyze how authors use key literary elements, including setting, plot, theme, characters, internal and external conflict, dialogue, and point of view, to contribute to the meaning and purpose of a text, using text evidence as support.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Literary elements
Setting
Plot
Theme
Characters
Internal conflict
External conflict
Dialogue
Points of view
Text evidence

Knowledge

Students know:

Authors of prose and poetry use literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view, throughout a text to develop and/or enhance the meaning of the text.
An author's use of literary elements can indicate the author's purpose for writing the text.
Analysis of a text should be supported with text evidence from the writing.

Skills

Students are able to:

Identify the setting, plot, characters, theme, internal and external conflict, dialogue, and point of view in literary text.
Analyze how literary elements contribute to the meaning and purpose of literary text.
Support their analysis of literary elements with textual evidence.

Understanding

Students understand that:

Prose and poetry contain common literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
Literary elements contribute to the meaning and purpose of literary text.
When they analyze a text, they should include text evidence to support their claims.

Interdisciplinary Connection(s)

Link to Resource

http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploring-change-thr…

Content Type / Source

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

ReadWriteThink

Accessibility

Text Resources: Content is organized under headings and subheadings

License

License Type

Custom

Custom License Type (URL)

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

Comments or Notes

ReadWriteThink is a free resource with links to additional resources including videos, interactives, and instructional materials.

Approved Date

2019-06-23

Curated by

raulstoncg

Exploring Change Through Allegory and Poetry

Subject Area

Grade(s)

Overview

ELA21.6.3
Explain how authors use setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view to contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.6.3

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.7.3
Explain how the author’s choice of setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view contribute to and/or enhance the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.7.3

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.8.3
Analyze how authors use key literary elements, including setting, plot, theme, characters, internal and external conflict, dialogue, and point of view, to contribute to the meaning and purpose of a text, using text evidence as support.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.8.3

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

CR Resource Type

Resource Provider

Accessibility

License Type

Custom License Type (URL)

Comments or Notes

Approved Date

Learning Resource Type

Exploring Change Through Allegory and Poetry

Subject Area

Grade(s)

Overview

ELA21.6.3 Explain how authors use setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view to contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.7.3 Explain how the author’s choice of setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view contribute to and/or enhance the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.8.3 Analyze how authors use key literary elements, including setting, plot, theme, characters, internal and external conflict, dialogue, and point of view, to contribute to the meaning and purpose of a text, using text evidence as support.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

URL (web address)

CR Resource Type

Resource Provider

Accessibility

License Type

Custom License Type (URL)

Comments or Notes

Approved Date

ELA21.6.3
Explain how authors use setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view to contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.

ELA21.7.3
Explain how the author’s choice of setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view contribute to and/or enhance the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.

ELA21.8.3
Analyze how authors use key literary elements, including setting, plot, theme, characters, internal and external conflict, dialogue, and point of view, to contribute to the meaning and purpose of a text, using text evidence as support.