2 weeks of thinking done for you. This unit is appropriate for grades 9 and 10

Looking for a meaningful and effective way to teach poetry? This unit is a fun way to learn and experiment with figurative language. It uses a mixture of contemporary songs and traditional poetry to teach students about themes and to help them learn the various forms of poetry. The creative, hands-on activities also focus on the importance of having a voice and using it properly. I use this with my grade 9 students to expose them to poetic language and different types of poetry, but also to get them thinking of theme in terms of being courageous and standing up for what you believe. All poem deal with similar themes to help students understand that poetry gives us a voice. Our words have power. They have the power to heal, and they have the power to hurt, which means that we have a choice to make.
The unit covers subjects such as bullying, courage, standing up for yourself and others, standing up for one’s convictions and discovering what is important to students. You will have some very thought-provoking discussions with students.
This unit uses poetry to help students have a better understanding of themselves and to stand up for things they believe in.

The files are in PDF format and are zipped for convenience.

-1 set of « I HAVE, Who has? » cards to help students remember figurative language in a fun way. (1 set of instructions for the game)

-A comprehensive teacher guide with 11 complete and detailed lessons (no prep required) – (8 pages) – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO TEACH THIS UNIT HAS BEEN DONE FOR YOU

-A student package that contains ALL notes, poems, and handouts students will need for the unit (18 pages)

-An end unit evaluation (with detailed evaluation rubrics and step by step instructions for students – one for the written component and one for the oral component). The end unit evaluation is in Word format along with the evaluation rubric for easy modifications. The final unit evaluation is a written poem and poetry reading, where students’ voices can be heard.

-A detailed Answer Key with notes, annotated poems, and answers to questions and activities. (8 pages)

Poems studied include:
– Song lyrics – Jessie J’s “Domino” (Goal: review figurative language and analyze messages found in popular media.)
– Jonathan Reed’s “The Lost Generation”
– Selena Matis’ “Ability”
– Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”
– Robert Hayden’s “ Those Winter Sundays”
– Song lyrics “True Colors”
– Emily Dickenson’s “Hope is the Thing with Feathers”
– Rudyard Kipling’s “If”
– Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Woman”
– There are also video links added to the unit to enhance learning in the classroom

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