Unit of Study: Poetry Writing
Grade: 4
Title: Unit 7
Length of Study: 4 weeks
Genre Description: What is poetry?
Priority Standards:
Write poems that express ideas or feelings using imagery,
figurative language, and sensory details
Essential Questions:
Mini Lesson Concepts/Topics
Lesson: Intro to Poetry Study &
Writing
Prep:
-Collect poetry books and anthologies. These
selections should cover a range of poems that will
appeal to students: funny, emotional, descriptive,

and classical.

Mini Lesson:
-Begin to explore student’s knowledge of poetry. 

On chart paper write “What is Poetry?”
-Have students talk briefly with a partner about 
what they think a poem is.
-Draw students back and read a selection of
poems to them. Read in a natural voice, show the
poems so students aware of line breaks and
spacing of poetry
-After reading guide students through a class
discussion about what poetry is.
-Clarify definitions you may have overheard and
take notes on the chart paper.
Work Period:
Supporting Standards:
Resources
Mentor Text
America’s Choice 4th Grade
Genre Study Poetry,
page 12
see sample chart on page 13
Use all types of poetry,
suggested poem titles, books of
poetry; websites are listed
throughout the unit.
Display poems around the roomperhaps having a Poem a Day
display, Lucy Calkins Curricular
Plan-page 113
-Rainbows, Head Lice and Pea
Green Tile: Poems in the Voice of
the Classroom Teacher, by Brod
Bagert
What is Poetry?
Poems are short pieces of writing
Poems are…
I wonder if …
Do poems…
Can poems…
1
Unit of Study: Poetry Writing
-Assign students to work in groups or pairs
-Direct them to browse through poems and find
one to read together. Guide their read aloud, soft
enough to hear the music of poetry.
-Students should discuss feelings, connections to
their own lives, new understandings gained
Closing:
-Ask students to return to the meeting place and
share poems they enjoyed reading in their small
group.
Lesson: Continue to introduce the
unit. Tell the students they are going to become
poets and will see and think and write differently.
Prep:
-Select six to ten poems, students can
comprehend.
Mini Lesson:
-In small groups have students read the poems. 
- From these poems, on chart paper or doc

camera, so students can see the poems, read and
discuss the poems. Create a “Guide for Reading 
Poetry” anchor chart

Work Period:

-Work in small groups again to select a poem to 
read aloud to the class.

-Instruct them to plan how they will read the
-Toes in My Nose and Other
Poems, by Sheree Fitch
-Poetry Party, by Bruce Lansky
America’s Choice 4th Grade
Genre Study Poetry,
page 14
Sample Chart page 15
Guide for Reading Poetry
Read in a natural voice
Read the poem all the way through
without stopping
Read with expression
Pause slightly at the end of the lines
Pause at the white space
Do not read too fast
Do not read too slow
-I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!
By Dr. Seuss
-Shel Sliversten
-Jack Prelutsky
-Lee Bennett HopkinsWebsites:
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~dea22/p
oets.htm
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/childr
en/
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Unit of Study: Poetry Writing
poem and to practice reading as a group.
-Tell them to be prepared to explain why they
decided to read in that way.
-Have enough poems so no poem is read by more
than two groups.
Closing:
-Groups read their poems, help them articulate
why they read the poem the way they did.
Lesson: Generating Ideas-students need
support coming up with topics. Poems can grow
out of observations, emotions, memories, images,
etc. A Curricular Plan, page 114
Prep:
-Select a variety of poems to share whole class so
not to reinforce the idea that poetry has to look
or sound a certain way
-Sourcebook
Mini Lesson: pick and choose from below what
works best for developing ideas/topics to write
about
-Combining selected poems with sourcebook
entries model how these could lead to topics to
write about
-Circle or copy a line from previous sourcebook
entries that could turn into a poem
-Look at images or go on an observation walk with
pencil and sourcebook; write what they see,
notice, make them think
-Create a chart of where to find ideas-books read
movie/TV shows, dreams, memories, something
heard, etc.
-Model the sense of being alert to the visual
details around you
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 4, 20112012/Unit Six Poetry, page 114
The Power of Poems, by
Margriet Ruurs, chapter 3
3
Unit of Study: Poetry Writing
Work Time:
-In Sourcebook have students generate ideas they
could write poems about
Closing:
-Students share some of their ideas
Lesson: Writing Activity- Inside Me
Poem
Prep:
-Your Sourcebook
-Materials to model Inside Me poem
Mini Lesson:
-Explain to the students there is more inside them
than organs and blood
-Give questions to think about…What makes you
tick? What gets you excited? What do you do
outside school? Are you passionate about sports,
music?
-Model writing an “Inside Me” poem about you,
focusing on what you like, dislike, etc. Don’t try
to be perfect, write from your heart.
-Explain their poems can rhyme or not rhyme.
-Even though a topic was suggested, they can be
free to decide what about them is important.
Work Time:
-Students work on writing a poem about
themselves
-Teacher conferences
Closing:
–Author’s Chair
-Have those students who want share their
poems
The Power of Poems, by
Margriet Ruurs, Chapter 3, page
35-37
4
Unit of Study: Poetry Writing
Lesson: Acknowledge the five senses
in poetry
Prep:
-Descriptive poems for students to study
-Materials to model poetry writing
Mini Lesson
-Tell students poems can be found everywhere.
-Tell students they will focus on how poets use
their senses to be descriptive in their writing.
-Read a descriptive poem and discuss how our
senses help us to understand a poem and we will
use that in our writing
-Model writing a poem and using your senses to
be descriptive.
Work Time:
-Weather permitting take students outside.
-Have them sit quietly and take in their
surroundings, deciding on a focus
-During this time they are taking quick notes of
their observations.
-Students may be ready to write their poem or
may need to gather seed ideas
-They may choose one thing or the whole scene
to write about
Closing
-Invite students to share their observations
-Have students give feedback
Lesson: Nature Poems
Prep: Gather a variety of poems about nature to
read to the students
Mini Lesson:
-Read nature poems to and with the students
America’s Choice 4th Grade
Genre Study Poetry,
page 31
The Power of Poems, by
Margriet Ruurs, Chapter 3, page
46-47
Suggested Poems:
“Owls in the Wood,” by MArgriet Ruurs
“The Wind was on the Withered Heath,” by J.R.R,
Tolkien
“Eons, Hours and Wind,” by Brod Bagert
Aska’s Animals, by Warabe Aska and David Day
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Unit of Study: Poetry Writing
-Have students close their eyes and recall a
special place they know, students may use ideas
from their observations during the previous
lesson.
-Have them concentrate on that place using their
senses, use as much time as necessary for
students to talk about the scenes they are
creating in their minds
-Those having trouble picturing such a place may
need nature pictures
-Model writing a poem that you have pictured in
your mind
Work Time:
-Students write a poem or poems about the place
they pictured in their head.
-Do not be concerned with spelling or grammar
rules
Closing
-Have students share the poem(s) they have
written
“Campfire Time” by Margriet Ruurs
Any other similar poems
6
Unit of Study: Poetry Writing
Lesson: Making Comparisons with
Metaphors and Simile
Lesson on metaphors and similes maybe taught
together or take two days to cover each
separately
Prep:
- copies of 4 to 6 poems with metaphors that your
students are about recognize, read and study
-find or create entry to model writing metaphor
or a simile
-chart paper and markers
Mini Lesson:
-Introduce and define both metaphors and similes
-metaphor- a comparison of two unlike things
“drowning in paperwork”
Simile-a type of metaphor that compares two things
America’s Choice 4th Grade
Genre Study Poetry,
Lesson 12-page 64-67
that are unlike by using the words “like” or “as”
“She's as fierce as a tiger” is a simile.
“She's a tiger when she's angry” is a metaphor.
See Anchor Chart in Resource Column
-Read from Skin Like Milk, Hair Like Silk
-Brainstorm metaphors and similes developing
classroom anchor charts to post.
-Read a few poems with metaphors, then have
the students re-read the poems together and ask
them to look for comparison of two things that
are not alike.
-Repeat with poems that have similes
-Model writing metaphors and similes.
Work Time:
-Students read through their entries with a
Simile & Metaphor
Anchor Chart
Suggested poems with metaphors:
“Circles” from The Place My Words Are Looking For
“October Saturday” from The Place My Words Are
Looking For
“I Am a Root” from Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea
“Tonight in the Tub” from Touch the Poem
“Words” from Laughing Tomatoes
“Child Frightened by a Thunderstorm” from Knock at a
Star
“Spill” from Knock at a Star
“Lightening Jumpshot” from In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall
“By Myself” from Honey, I Love
Suggested poems with similes:
“Seeds” from In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall
“Bath” from Water Music
“Two Stones, One River” from Water Music
“Words” from Laughing Tomatoes
“Peach” from Knock at a Star
Skin Like Milk, Hair of Silk: What Are Similes and
Metaphors?
By Brian Cleary
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Unit of Study: Poetry Writing
partner and look for places to add comparison
and where they may have already written a
metaphor or simile.
-Practice writing other comparisons
Closing:
-During author’s chair students may either read
the entry they plan to revise, tell what they are
going to revise or read their entry and revisions or
share comparisons they wrote during work time.
Give students a day or two of writing workshop
sessions to explore reading and writing poetry
and trying strategies that have been taught so far
in the unit.
Spend this time conferencing with students about
their poetry writing.
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Unit of Study: Poetry Writing
Lesson: Personification
Prep:
-Gather poems with and examples of
personification
Mini Lesson:
-Introduce students to the term personification
and tell them this is another strategy poets
sometime use to help the reader understand their
poem(s)
-Read poems to the students and then together,
noting personification as you/they read
-Create a list of personification possibilities with
the students. What kind of traits or actions can
they attribute to an animal or an object.
-Write a word or phrase on chart paper and ask
students for suggestions for personification,
-To get students to give suggestions tell them to
think of words that relate to them, especially
verbs
-Model writing a poem that has personification
Work Time:
-Students practice writing poems using
personification
Closing:
-Invite students to share what they have written,
be it a poem or examples of personification they
are going to use in their writing.
America’s Choice 4th Grade
Genre Study Poetry,
Lesson 16, pages 85-86
The Power of Poems, by
Margriet Ruurs, Chapter 3, page
78
Personification Anchor Chart
Suggested poems for personification:
There’s a Mouse in My House, by Sheree Fitch
“The Dodo,” by Peter Wesley-Smith. From: For
Laughing Out Loud, selected by Jack Prelutsky
“Morning Sun” and “Spring” from Laughing Tomatoes
Poems by Shel Silverstein
Allow students a few writing workshops to create
poetry as you conference with students.
Make sure students have a number of poems they
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Unit of Study: Poetry Writing
have been developing. The next few lessons will
be editing and publishing
Lesson: Critiquing
Prep: Student writing, access to anchor charts
Mini Lesson- Critiquing
-Explain the difference between critiquing and
editing, let students know they will critique and
then edit.
-The following questions are suggestions to use to
see how students are feeling about their writing*Is the writing going the way you wanted it?
*Are you happy with it?
*Does the poem say what you wanted it to say?
*Are your words painting the pictures you see in
your head?
-Use a poem that was developed in a previous
lesson to model critiquing a piece of poetry
-Suggestions to use to make changes
*How would this sound if….
*What if this sentence were changed around to
make it easier to rhyme with?
*Should this be a rhyming poem?
Work Time
-As the teacher works with individual students
peer conferencing can also be happening.
-The criteria for peer conferencing needs to taught
and modeled beforehand
*I like your poem because…
*What I don’t like about it is…
*You have used alliteration/metaphor/simile and
this is what I think about….
*The rhythm, the beat works/is off
-Have students thinking about which poem(s)
The Power of Poems, by
Margriet Ruurs, Chapter 4,
pages 82-84
10
Unit of Study: Poetry Writing
they would like to publish
Closing
-Have students share what changes they made
-Students could share what they critiqued during
peer conferencing
-Students could share which poem they are
considering taking to publication.
-
Lesson: Editing and Publishing
Prep:
-Student sourcebooks containing the poems they
have written during this unit.
Mini Lesson:
-Share with students that editing poetry is difficult
because poetry does not always follow the rules
of standard English.
-Discuss how poets edit with the reader in mind
and make choices about the following:
*periods/no periods
*capitalization/no capitalization
*grammar, spelling, punctuation
-Teach students to edit their poems for
consistency in the grammar rules they, as the
poet, have chosen to observe
-Editing poetry is about sound, have students read
their poems aloud several times, checking that it
reads the way they want it to sound.
Closing:
-Consider holding a performance so students can
share a poem they have written and/or a favorite
mentor poem to memorize and perform.
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 4, 20112012/Unit Six Poetry, page 121122
11
Unit of Study: Poetry Writing
Each student should have at least one
poem they take to publication, but
students could also create anthologies of
the poems they have written, illustrations
should be included.
On Demand Writing Prompts:
Common Formative Assessment Tasks: Checks for Understanding
12