Writing Unit

Objectives:

The learner will recognize haiku, cinquain, and diamante poems.
The learner will create class examples of each type of poem.
The learner will create personal portfolio of types of poems.
The learner will write a descriptive paragraph with at least 5 sensory details.

Materials needed:

Paper/pencil
Computer and word processing program
Drawing paper, colored pencils, markers
Editing Checklist
Grading Rubric for Descriptive Paragraph

Length of time:7 class days--45 minutes each day maybe longer for Author's Chair.

Procedure:

The teacher will

The students will

Day 1

Introduce types of poems--haiku, cinquain, and diamante--all on the same subject

Listen to the poems being read aloud.Discuss how each poem created an image or photograph in their minds.

Lead class in think aloud to write 3 types of poems on the same subject.

Participate in the think aloud to create poems that use a minimal number of words to describe something well.

Day 2

Give students a suggested list of topics and encourage them to come up with their own idea of something they want to describe.

Choose a topic on which to write 2 samples of a haiku, cinquain, and diamante poems.

Day 2-3

Give students time to write their poems artistically with drawings for their poetry portfolio.

Use drawing paper, colored pencils, and markers to creatively present poems for portfolio.

Day 4

Have students plan an outline of a descriptive paragraph.Make sure students list at least 5 sensory details to include in paragraph.

Organize their descriptions from their poems into an outline for a descriptive paragraph.

Day 5

Make computers available for students to word process their descriptive paragraphs.

Use a computer to word process their paragraph.

Day 6

Pair students for revising using grading rubric and editing using checklist.Allow students to use computers to do this.

Help another student revise his/her paper and get feedback on his/her own paper.

Day 7

Have an Author's Chair time for all students to share piece with the class.

Participate in Author's Chair to share their descriptive paragraph

Assessment: Click here for the grading criteria for this unit.

Poetry Portfolio
Writing Plan for Descriptive Paragraph
Participation in Revising/Editing
Final Draft of Descriptive Paragraph

Notes: This activity would be ideal in a classroom with 4 or 5 computers.However, it could be managed with one or by using a lab setting.In a lab, all students would have access to a computer to produce their individual portfolios and access to work in pairs to do the revising and editing steps.

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The teacher will	The students will
Day 1 Introduce types of poems--haiku, cinquain, and diamante--all on the same subject	Listen to the poems being read aloud.Discuss how each poem created an image or photograph in their minds.
Lead class in think aloud to write 3 types of poems on the same subject.	Participate in the think aloud to create poems that use a minimal number of words to describe something well.
Day 2 Give students a suggested list of topics and encourage them to come up with their own idea of something they want to describe.	Choose a topic on which to write 2 samples of a haiku, cinquain, and diamante poems.
Day 2-3 Give students time to write their poems artistically with drawings for their poetry portfolio.	Use drawing paper, colored pencils, and markers to creatively present poems for portfolio.
Day 4 Have students plan an outline of a descriptive paragraph.Make sure students list at least 5 sensory details to include in paragraph.	Organize their descriptions from their poems into an outline for a descriptive paragraph.
Day 5 Make computers available for students to word process their descriptive paragraphs.	Use a computer to word process their paragraph.
Day 6 Pair students for revising using grading rubric and editing using checklist.Allow students to use computers to do this.	Help another student revise his/her paper and get feedback on his/her own paper.
Day 7 Have an Author's Chair time for all students to share piece with the class.	Participate in Author's Chair to share their descriptive paragraph