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This Writing Free Verse in the "Voice" of Cesar Chavez lesson plan also includes:
- Characteristics of Free Verse Poetry (.pdf)
- Preparing to Write a Free Verse Poem About Cesar Chavez (.pdf)
- Focusing on the Language of Your Free Verse Poem (.pdf)
- Rubric for Publishing Your Poem (.pdf)
- "A Bad Day at School" by Gabe and Dori Jones
- "Daybreak in Alabama" by Langston Hughes
- "I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman
- César E. Chávez Middle School Biography
- Activity
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Introduce middle schoolers to free verse poetry with a lesson that has young poets read two free verse poems and list the common characteristics of the form. They then read a passage from Cesar Chavez's biography and a free verse poem based on that passage and written in his voice. Individuals then adopt Chavez's voice and compose their own poems based on a passage from his biography.
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CCSS:
Designed
Concepts
Instructional Ideas
- Enlarge and mount on a classroom wall the "Characteristics of Free Verse Poetry" poster
- Project the "A Bad Day at School" poem for class discussion
Classroom Considerations
- Instructors need a copy of Cesar Chavez: A Real-Life Reader Biography by Susan Zannos
- Requires individual copies of two worksheets, the poem, passages from the Chavez biography, and the rubric
Pros
- The step-by-step plan is carefully scaffolded
Cons
- None