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What's the Deal With Nature?
Twelfth graders read the poem "Crossing the Swamp" and "Pipefish" then discuss the use of metaphor in each poem. They write a poem about how they feel about school using a nature metaphor.
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Fall Similes
Students create descriptive autumn similes and write them on fall-themed paper. They first write the autumn simile, and then arrange the plants around the border of the paper. They use natural plants which must be pressed.
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Poetry
High schoolers apply reading comprehension skills to poetry and synthesize the information to create a new piece of work.
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"Railroad Bill, A Conjure Man"
Students create questions to ask the poet, Ishmael Reed about his poetry. After the poet speaks, students are broken into groups and are to analyze a poem and report back to the class on their findings.
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A Song By Any Other Name Would Be a Poem
Students examine the poetic elements of a piece of music. They discuss favorite songs, select a song, and write a persuasive essay identifying the poetic qualities of the song lyrics.
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Who Are You?
Pupils complete self projects such as a collage, an acrostic poem, a mural, and more, to show their similarities and differences. In this similarities and differences lesson plan, students can do these projects individually or in groups.
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The Nature of Haiku Poetry
Students brainstorm elements of nature art prints and photos. They identify the syllable count of Haiku and take a nature walk. They write Haiku poems while practicing the use of simile, alliteration, metaphor, and analogy to describe...
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Imagery
Ninth graders explore poems, various poetic devices, and identify imagery used in poetry. In groups, they examine poetic devices, define them, paraphrase and summarize poetry. Students study poetry by Robert Frost as they explore...
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The Odyssey
Students write a dramatic scene based on The Odyssey and perform it for the class. In this living literature lesson, students work in small groups to discuss the way the characters look, act, and sound. They then choose scenery and...
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Life Is a Journey
Students consider the literal and figurative definitions of the word journey. In this metaphor instructional activity, students discuss life journeys and their diversity.
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A Moment in Time
Eighth graders study poems to see how punctuation, line length, rhythm and word choice can be used to create a memorable moment. They read and discuss poems by Shel Silverstein.
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I Just Want to Say
Eighth graders study poetic devices included in conversation poems and explore their eloquent messages. They read and discuss poems by Langston Hughes and Don Marquis.
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ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES: CAN'T WE ALL GET ALONG?
Students reflect and explore their feelings and reactions to a segregation experiment through poetry. They discuss acceptable behavior during the experiment and the next day write journal entries reflecting their experiences.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Responding to Emily Dickinson: Poetic Analysis
Learners explore Emily Dickinson's poem "Safe in Their Alabaster Chambers." In this Dickinson poem lesson, high schoolers analyze the poem as proof of Dickinson' awareness of her reader. Learners analyze her style and identify her...
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Poetry Book
Students study the following terms and concepts: word choice, dialect, invented words, concrete terms, abstract terms, figurative and sensory language. In cooperative groups, they select three of the terms, research them, and pick poems...
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News Poetry
Third graders select a small item in a newspaper and then dramatize it in a well-constructed poem. They share their poems with the class.
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Poetry Pot
Third graders illustrate a favorite poem with images, title, author's name and words of the poem on a clay pot.
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Christmas Poetry
Middle schoolers explore writing using literary terms. In this Christmas poetry instructional activity, students write a poem about a Christmas tree or a snowman using at least one example of each: metaphor, simile, and personification....
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Have a Ball with Poetry
Second graders brainstorm words pertaining to the senses about the beach. They write a free verse poem, using these words and adding a line about their feelings.
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You Can Do It, Mr. And Mrs. Mallard!
Students watch the video "Make Way for Ducklings" by Robert Mc Closkey. They write letters to Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and make a map for the mallards. They talk about the importance of animal habitats.
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Disease and Epidemics
Learners explore how disease and epidemics have the potential to shape communities. They examine their impact on culture and specifically the literature of the time. Students investigate how trade routes accelerated the movement of...
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Let Freedom Ring: The Life & Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Students use text and photos to visualize the delivery of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s historic "I Have A Dream" speech. They analyze Dr. King's speech for examples of imagery and allusion and create original poetry and illustrations...
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Discovering Angel Island: The Story Behind the Poems
Students watch a video, view websites, and discuss the Chinese Exclusion Act that took place on Angel Island. In this Chinese exclusion act lesson plan, students discuss the interrogations that went on and fill out worksheets bout the...
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More Choices
Fourth graders create onomatopoeia for a variety of things such as a mean dog, a crying baby or a doorbell ringing after exploring word choice as used by authors in selected books. They complete a Word Choice worksheet that is attached.