The World of…
poetry
English 7
Mrs. marcklinger
Name: _____________________________________
Period: ______
Poetry Activities: Day one
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What’s your favorite way to capture a moment in time? Writing? Drawing? Photographing?
Social networking? Texting? Talking?
Consider the following quotes on poetry. Based on these quotes and your own opinion, why
do you think people write poetry?
“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are
members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law,
business, engineering, these are all noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry,
beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
“Poetry; the best words in the best order.” – Coleridge
“Poetry cannot be defined, only experienced.” – Christopher Logue
What is your experience with poetry? Do you enjoy poetry?
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Homework:
Read Chapter One: Poetry Basics and complete the questions.
Poetry Activities: Day TWO
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Using the list of tones and moods, complete the following sentence: “I feel ________ when I….”
Continue to write more sentences with as many tones and moods as you can write about in the
allotted time.
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Homework Part One:
Read Chapter Two and complete the questions.
Homework Part Two:
Complete the senses activity.
Poetry Activities: Day THREE
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Using the five senses, identify your favorite things. For example, “My favorite thing to see is…”
“My favorite thing to smell is…” “My favorite thing to hear is…” “My favorite thing to taste
is…” “My favorite thing to touch is…”
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Homework: POEM ONE – Creating Imagery (by using the senses)
Choose a place. Any place. How do you feel about this place? _____________________________
Complete the graphic organizer below to help you brainstorm descriptions of this place using
the senses. Your descriptions should help convey your feelings about this place.
Write a poem now about your place using the five senses.
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Your poem should be between five and ten lines long.
Make sure that each of the five senses is represented.
Use the space below to brainstorm then write your poem.
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Begin by creating possible lines of description below using the graphic organizer.
Then, decide what lines will be in your poem and the order in which they will appear.
Write the final copy at the bottom of this page. Don’t forget to title it!
Title: ___________________________________
Poetry Activities: Day FOUR
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Reread the poem you wrote last night. Look over the reasons poets write poems. What were
you trying to convey in your poem; what is your purpose, besides writing a poem for English
class  ? What is the tone of your poem? In other words, how do you feel about your subject?
What is the mood? In other words, what do you want the reader to feel after reading your
poem? What words did you use that help establish this tone and mood? Should you change any
words to more clearly convey tone or create mood?
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Homework:
Read Chapter Three and complete questions.
Poetry Activities: Day FIVE
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Today we will view several pictures of the sky at sunset/sunrise. As we view the pictures, I will
play music. Record the words and emotions that come to mind when viewing the picture with
the music. After completing this activity, please answer the following question. Which
combination did you find most interesting? Explain.
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Homework:
Revise your senses poem by adding ONE sound device to one of the lines. Record the original
line and the revised line below:
Original Line: _______________________________________________________________________
Revised Line: _______________________________________________________________________
Poetry Activities: Day SIX
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How would you define a successful life? Answer this question first, then look at the list of
character traits on the bulletin board. What two character traits are most important for people
to succeed as you have defined success? Do you possess these character traits?
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Homework: Read Chapter Four and complete questions.
Poetry Activities: Day SEVEN
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We will view a slideshow of inspirational quotes. Choose one of these quotes and explain
whether or not you agree or disagree with the writer’s perspective.
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Homework:
Choose a quote and rewrite into a poem using form to help emphasize the meaning of the
quote. You may choose any quote you like; however, the quote should be at least fifteen words
long so that you have enough words to work with. Begin by explaining what you think the
quote means below. In order to use form to emphasize meaning, it is important that you write
about what you think the quote means. Once you fully understand the quote, write it as a
poem, using all the words. Choose your line breaks, spacing, line length and stanza length
carefully. Reread Chapter Four to help you understand how poets use form elements in poetry.
My quote means ___________________________________________________________________
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Use the next page to brainstorm and then write your poem version of the quote. Remember to
title your poem!
Brainstorming (if needed):
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Title: ________________________________________________
Explain the choices you made regarding form below:
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Poetry Activities: Day eight
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Share your poem with your partner. Read the complete quote, explaining first what you think it
means. Then, read your partner’s poem. Write down what you think they were trying to
emphasize using form. Share your analysis with your partner and have them explain their
decisions. Did you guess correctly?
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Activity:
Poems with specific forms are challenging to write. Can you do it? Choose TWO of the
following form poems to write. You can find examples of these poems on the next few pages.
 Acrostic
 Cinquain
 Five Senses Poem about an emotion
 Diamante
 Haiku
 Quatrain
 Metaphor Poem
 Lanterne
 Part of Speech Poem
 Circle Poem (at least ten lines)
Use the following page to brainstorm. Then, write your final draft at the bottom of the page:
BRAINSTORM POEM ONE: ________________________________ (type of poem)
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FINAL DRAFT of POEM ONE:
Use the following page to brainstorm. Then, write your final draft at the bottom of the page:
BRAINSTORM POEM TWO: ________________________________ (type of poem)
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FINAL DRAFT of POEM TWO:
Poetry Activities: Day nine
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“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best night and day to make you
everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle any human being can fight and never stop
fighting.” What does this quote mean? Do you agree or disagree?
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Homework: None
ACTIVITY:
Using the quote above, arrange the words to form TWO versions of the same quote. Each
version should use form to emphasize different words that could subtly change the tone. Present
your arrangement on your desks, along with an explanation of each version.
Poetry Activities: Day TEN
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Describe a moment in your life where you learned or realized something that changed your life
or perspective. What happened? Who do you look to in your life for support and advice? What
are some of the biggest changes you have had to deal with? Is change good or bad?
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Poetry Activities: Day ELEVEN
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Select a one line from two poems we studied yesterday and explain why you chose each line
below. Choose lines that contribute to the tone, mood and/or theme because of the poetic
devices used by the poet.
Poem:
Line:
Explanation:
Poem:
Line:
Explanation:
Poetry Activities: Day TWELVE
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Who are you? At the beginning of the year, you wrote a poem about yourself. Have you
changed? Identity is the term we use to describe who we are. What is your identity? What are
your likes and dislikes, your joys and your sorrows, your strengths and your flaws, your dreams
and your fears? Who are you?
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Poetry Activities: Day THIRTEEN
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What song did you connect or identify with the most yesterday? Explain.
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