Title
Grade 5 – Spoken Word Poetry – Part 1 of 6
Student Target
Timeline: Grade 5 - January
Essential Idea: Poetry
Strand: Literary Analysis
Standard: Fiction
Language Arts Benchmarks: LA.5.2.1.1 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the
characteristics of various genres as forms with distinct characteristics and purposes.
Theatre Benchmark: TH.5.S.3.3: Evaluate a performance, using theatre terminology, and
articulate emotional responses to the whole and parts of dramatic performances.
Language Arts Student Target: I can understand the features of Spoken Word poetry.
Theatre Student Target: I can describe in detail how a dramatic performance makes me feel.
Background Information: Spoken Word is a type of performance poetry that often uses
alliterated verse to express social commentary or personal experiences. It originated from the
poetry of the Harlem Renaissance and jazz music. Traditionally it is in the first person, told from
the poet’s point of view. Because of the personal and expressive nature of this genre, Spoken
Word can transform students from reluctant, shy, unconfident readers and writers into
passionate, confident artists. It is as an instrument through which students can explore and
better understand their culture, their society, and ultimately themselves.
There are students will create their own Spoken Word poem by exploring a variety of poetic
forms as well as the techniques of Spoken Word performance. The culminating activity is a
spoken Word Performance presented by students.
Before the lesson, divide the class into cooperative learning teams of 4 to 5 students each,
grouped heterogeneously with regard to gender and proficiency levels.
Materials & Preparation
Teachers:
 Video clip of Spoken Word performance by Joshua Bennett, available at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/joshua-bennett-performs-whitehouse-poetry-jam-7-8
 Write the following words on the board or chart paper: boring, exciting, dull, exciting,
uninteresting, energetic
Students:
 Assigned turn and talk partners within cooperative learning teams of 4 to 5 students
 Link 1 - Consequences student page (1 per team)
 Link 2 – Peer Feedback Form (1 per student)
Warm-Up
Look at these words on the board. Which of these words come to mind when I say the word
“poetry?” Circle the words that students select, which most likely will be boring, dull, and
uninteresting. Now watch this video clip of a college student doing a poetry reading at the
White House. Show the clip of Joshua Bennett’s Spoken Word performance at the White
House. Is this what you were expecting to see? Why or why not? What makes this different
from the poetry you have heard before? How did this performance make you feel? Why did it
make you feel this way? Why do you think he was chosen to present at the White House?
This a type of poetry called “Spoken Word,” designed to be performed before an audience. It is
told from the poet’s point of view, and is usually about the poet’s personal experiences or
personal feelings. Turn and talk to your partner about what feelings Joshua Bennett, the poet
we just watched, expressed in his Spoken Word poem. (i.e. he regrets that he never learned
sign language so he could speak to his deaf sister). Allow several students to share with the
class.
Spoken Word began in 1920s New York when African American poets such as Langston
Hughes wanted to create their own style of poetry. They developed “jazz poetry” that had the
rhythm and sound of jazz music. Do you think Joshua Bennett’s poem had rhythm? ? Allow
several students to respond.
Lesson/Activity
We are starting a unit on Spoken Word poetry. Over the next six lessons you will learn how to
write and perform a Spoken Word poem of your own. The team you are sitting with is your
“Poet’s Circle.” You will help each other with your poetry, give feedback to each other, and even
write some poetry together.
Distribute the “Consequences” student page. We are going to do a warm-up activity called
“Consequences.” This is an old parlor game from more than 100 years ago. In this game each
person takes a turn writing one sentence without looking at what the others have written. At the
end someone reads all the lines together so that it becomes a “poem.” It might make sense, it
might not! Explain how teams fill in the student page:





Each team member writes one sentence on the line.
The sentence must include the word or phrase next to the line.
After writing, that team member folds the paper back so that the sentence is hidden from
the next writer.
The paper is passed to the next team member who repeats the process.
Keep passing the paper around the team until all lines are completed. Team members
will have more than one turn..
Give them about 15 minutes to complete the activity. Then allow a member from each
team to read the “poem” they created.
Turn and talk with your partner to compare and contrast the Spoken Word poem on the video
and the “Consequence” poems you just wrote. Allow one to two minutes, circulate to listen
to conversations, and then call together as a group. Listen to responses. (i.e. the Spoken
Word poem had a message and the Consequence poems did not; both were entertaining, etc.).
Do you think Spoken Word poets come up with their poems using the Consequence game?
(No!) An excellent Spoken Word poem take time and thought to create. Turn and talk to discuss
why this is so. Allow one to two minutes, circulate to listen to conversations, and then call
together as a group. Listen to responses. (i.e. you have to express your emotions, choose
words that support your message, include rhyming words, be certain it makes sense, etc.).
The upcoming lessons will give you the tools and the time to write an excellent Spoken Word
poem. You will learn about different styles of poetry and write examples of your own. After you
write each poem your Poet’s Circle (team) will give you feedback. Let’s look at the form you will
use to provide this feedback. Review the steps on the Peer Feedback Form.
Wrap-Up
Turn and talk to your partner about what it will take to create an excellent Spoken Word poem.
Allow one to two minutes, circulate to listen to conversations, and then call together as a
group. Share responses aloud. (i.e. careful planning, writing that is easy to understand, etc.)
Daily Assessment
Listen to turn and talk conversations to assess how well the students understand Spoken Word
poetry. Check Consequences student page to ensure contributions from all team members.
Attachments
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team page
Consequences
1. after school
2. rain
____________________________________________________________________________
3. pizza
____________________________________________________________________________
4. screamed
____________________________________________________________________________
5. melting
____________________________________________________________________________
6. sun
7. only
____________________________________________________________________________
8. forever
____________________________________________________________________________
student page
Peer Feedback Form
After carefully listening to your team member’s poem, think about the following questions. Then
answer the questions by putting a check in one of the star columns ( 3 stars represents the
highest rating)
Question
  
 

1. Could I easily identify the subject of the poem?
2. Did I understand everything in the poem?
3. Was I able to make a movie in my mind as I listened to the poem?
4. Did the poem include any poetic devices that make it more
interesting? List them in this box.
Based on your answers above, write one tip you would give the author of this poem:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Title
Grade 5 – Spoken Word Poetry – Part 2 of 6
Student Target
Timeline: Grade 5 - January
Essential Idea: Poetry
Strand: Literary Analysis
Standard: Fiction
Language Arts Benchmarks: ; LA.5.2.1.7 The student will identify and explain an author’s use
of descriptive, idiomatic, and figurative language and examine how it is used to describe people,
feelings, and objects.
Theatre Benchmark: TH.5.S.3.3: Evaluate a performance, using theatre terminology, and
articulate emotional responses to the whole and parts of dramatic performances.
Language Arts Student Target: I can demonstrate how rhymes and near rhymes help create
meaning in poetry.
Theatre Student Target: I can describe in detail how a dramatic performance makes me feel.
Background Information: To prepare students to write and perform their own Spoken Word
poem, Parts 2 – 5 of the lesson introduce a variety of poetry formats, devices, and performance
techniques. For Part 2, students are introduced to theatre performance vocabulary, then explore
rhymes and near rhymes, and finally experiment with synonym poems.
Materials & Preparation
Teachers:
 Video clip of Spoken Word performance by Joshua Bennett, available at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/joshua-bennett-performs-whitehouse-poetry-jam-7-8
 Chart paper with a t-chart; label one column “DO” and the other “DON’T”
 Access to online rhyming website such as rhymezone.com
 Rhyming Poems teacher page
Students:
 Assigned turn and talk partners within cooperative learning teams of 4 to 5 students
 Link 1 – Performance Vocabulary (1 per student)
 Link 2 – Poetic Devices student page (1 per student)
 Link 3 – Synonym Poems student page (1 per student)
 Link 4 – Peer Feedback Form, copied on both sides of the paper (1 per student)
Warm-Up
Yesterday we watched a clip of Joshua Bennett performing his Spoken Word poem “Tamara’s
Opus.” We learned that Spoken Word poetry started back in 1920s when African Americans
poets created their own unique style called “jazz poetry.” Like jazz music, the poetry had rhythm
and a free and easy style. Today we will watch that same clip again, but this time try to identify
exactly what makes this performance so powerful. Before we do that, let’s review some of the
vocabulary used in theatre that will help you describe Joshua’s performance. Review the
Performance Vocabulary student page, then show the clip of Joshua Bennett’s Spoken
Word performance at the White House. Now turn and talk to your partner to determine some
“DOs” and “DON’Ts” of a good Spoken Word performance, and use the performance
vocabulary when possible. (i.e. DO: make sure the lines build to an exciting part, use diction so
you can understand all the words, use gestures to bring attention to important lines; DON’T:
deliver lines so quickly that they are hard to understand, say all of the lines with the same
speed) Record student responses on the t-chart.
Lesson/Activity
To create a Spoken Word poem, or any poem, all you need are words. But you must choose
words that sound right and have the correct meaning, and you must arrange these words in a
meaningful way so that they express the emotions and thoughts you have in mind. Of course
the English language has plenty of words that you can choose from. There are also many
“poetic devices,” or methods of arranging words that can help you create meaningful poems.
Distribute the Poetic Devices student page. Here are some ways of arranging the words of
your poem. Today we will explore one device, rhyme. As you can read in the chart a rhyme is a
pattern of words with similar sounds, like the words “shoes” and “blues” in the example. Except
for the beginning letters, the words sound the same. There can be double rhymes in which two
syllables sound the same (arrival, survival), and even triple rhymes (scenery, greenery). There
are also “near rhymes,” when the words almost sound the same (heart and card, poem and
goin’). Demonstrate using an online rhyming website like rhymezone.com.
Turn and talk to your partner and discuss how rhymes can help a poem. (i.e. they add rhythm,
they create patterns, they emphasize certain words). Allow 1 - 2 minutes, circulate to listen
to conversations, and then call together as a group. Share responses aloud. Project the
Rhyming Poems teacher page onto a screen and read the three poems aloud, asking
students to identify the rhyming words as well as the ways the rhymes help the poems.
The last poem on this page, Silent, is an example of a synonym poem. It has just two lines. The
first line is a list of synonyms for one subject—in this case they are synonyms for the word
“silent.” The second line is a sentence describing the subject or the poet’s feelings about that
subject. Notice that the last two words of both lines rhyme, and that the poem has a rhythm.
Try it Out
Now you get to create a synonym poem of your own! Distribute the Synonym Poem student
page and model its use. Give students about 20 minutes to complete the activity. As they
complete their poem, ask them to share it with one student in their Poet’s Circle (their
team). The student who listens to the poem should complete the Peer Feedback Form,
and offer feedback to the poet (the Feedback Forms are double-sided). When everyone
has finished, ask a few students to share their synonym poem aloud.
Wrap-Up
Turn and talk to your partner to discuss how rhymes and synonyms can help a poem. Allow
one to two minutes, circulate to listen to conversations, and then call together as a
group. Share responses aloud. How was getting feedback from a teammate helpful for you?
How do you think it is possible to use rhymes and/or synonyms in a Spoken Word poem?
Daily Assessment
Listen to turn and talk conversations to assess how well the students understand Spoken Word
poetry. Check Synonym Poem student page to ensure student understands the concept.
Attachments
Date Created:
Originator:
Owner:
Last Modified:
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student page
Performance Vocabulary
build
to increase the loudness, rate, and energy of a line
comic relief
including a comic line in an otherwise serious scene
crescendo
a gradual increase in the volume of delivery
decrescendo
a gradual decrease in the volume of delivery
delivery
the way lines are said
diction
speaking clearly
emphasis
a strong force used with certain words to draw attention to them
freeze
to stop all movement, to pause
full front
performer is facing the audience
gesture
the use of hand, body and facial movement to make the actor’s
dialogue more meaningful or to make a point without dialogue
hold
to pause for laughter or applause to die down
motivation
the reason behind an actor speaking a line or making a movement
tempo
the rate or speed of the performance
run-on lines
when one line of verse runs into the next without pause
undercut
to speak with a softer tone and lower pitch than the previous line
student page
Poetic Devices
Poetic Device
Definition
Example
alliteration
repeating the first consonant
sounds in a group of words
close together
Peter Piper picked a peck of
pickled peppers.
imagery
words that appeal to the five
senses
Diamonds quivered
On the stalks of grass
As the sun's bloody rays
Peeked one last time at us
Before sinking below
It's green quilt of rolling hills.
metaphor
comparing two unlike things
without using “like” or “as”
He tried to run from the
monster but his legs turned to
rubber.
onomatopoeia
repetition
words that imitate sound
ping, buzz
repeating a word or phrase
Because I do not hope to
turn again
Because I do not hope
Because I do not hope to
turn...
rhyme
a pattern of words with similar
sounds
Went into a store to buy some
shoes,
There was a sales clerk
humming the blues.
rhythm
pattern of stressed and
unstressed syllables
One, two
Buckle my shoe,
(bold words are stressed)
simile
comparing two unlike things
using “like” or “as”
She sang like a screeching
cat being chased by a beagle.
Rhyming Poems teacher page
Oh, God of Dust and Rainbows
Langston Hughes
Oh, God of dust and rainbows, help us see
That without dust the rainbow would not be
Notice to Myself
Eve Merriam
Don’t procrastinate:
it’s time to vacate
shilly-shallying
dilly-dallying
idling sidling
ambling rambling
piddling fiddling
twiddling diddling
doodling noodling
and get right down to
non-shirk
work.
Silent
Unknown
Hushed, noiseless, soundless, still,
Standing alone on a snowy hill.
student page
Synonym Poems
Step 1. Brainstorm poem subjects and
circle the one you like best.
Tip: Adjectives work the best!
__________________
____________________
__________________
____________________
Step 2. Brainstorm a list of synonyms
for the subject you circled. You can use
the computer or a thesaurus for help.
____________ ____________ ______________
____________ ____________ ______________
Step 3. On Line A, write 3 or 4 of the synonyms from Step 2.
Step 4: On line B , write a sentence describing your subject or your feelings about it, and make
the last word rhyme with the last synonym in Line A.
A____________________________________________________________________________________
B____________________________________________________________________________________
Change the order of your synonyms in Line A, and write a new Line B that rhymes:
A____________________________________________________________________________________
B____________________________________________________________________________________
A____________________________________________________________________________________
B____________________________________________________________________________________
A____________________________________________________________________________________
B____________________________________________________________________________________
Examples
Warm
Burning, scorching, sizzling, hot
Sweating over this boiling pot.
Warm
Scorching, sizzling, hot, burning
Overheating my brain while learning.
student page
Peer Feedback Form
After carefully listening to your team member’s poem, think about the following questions. Then
answer the questions by putting a check in one of the star columns ( 3 stars represents the
highest rating)
Question
  
 

1. Could I easily identify the subject of the poem?
2. Did I understand everything in the poem?
3. Was I able to make a movie in my mind as I listened to the poem?
4. Did the poem include any poetic devices that make it more
interesting? List them in this box.
Based on your answers above, write one tip you would give the author of this poem:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Title
Grade 5 – Spoken Word Poetry – Part 3 of 6
Student Target
Timeline: Grade 5 - January
Essential Idea: Poetry
Strand: Literary Analysis
Standard: Fiction
Language Arts Benchmarks: ; LA.5.2.1.7 The student will identify and explain an author’s use
of descriptive, idiomatic, and figurative language and examine how it is used to describe people,
feelings, and objects.
Language Arts Student Target: I can demonstrate how rhythm and rhyme help create
meaning in poetry
Background Information: To prepare students to write and perform their own Spoken Word
poem, Parts 2 – 5 of the lesson introduce a variety of poetry formats, devices, and performance
techniques. For Part 3, students are introduced to theatre performance technology, then explore
rhymes and near rhymes, and finally experiment with synonym poems.
Materials & Preparation
Teachers:
 Recording of jazz song “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing” by Ella
Fitzgerald - free 30-second audio clip available at these two sites:
http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Mean-Thing-Aint-Swing/dp/B000W0TFPY
http://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-0/itdontmeanathing.htm
 Dream Boogie teacher page
 Rhythm teacher page
 Repetition teacher page
Students:
 Assigned turn and talk partners within cooperative learning teams of 4 to 5 students
 Link 1 – Poetic Devices student page from yesterday (1 per student)
 Link 2 – Peer Feedback Form, copied on both sides of the paper (1 per student)
Warm-Up
In the past two lessons we talked about Spoken Word poetry, a style of poetry that is designed
to be performed before an audience. It is told from the poet’s point of view, and is usually about
the poet’s personal experiences or personal feelings. We learned that it’s roots go back to the
1920s when African American poets created their own special style of poetry based on jazz
music. They called it “jazz poetry.” It had rhythm and a free and easy style just like jazz music.
Listen to this jazz song, “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing” by Ella Fitzgerald. Pay
attention to the rhythm or beat, the mood of the song, and the lyrics. Play a recording of the
song. Now turn and talk to your partner to discuss your impression of the rhythm, mood, and
lyrics of jazz music. (i.e. it’s upbeat, fast-paced, fun, has words and non-words, etc.) Allow one
to two minutes, circulate to listen to conversations, and then call together as a group.
Share responses aloud.
Lesson/Activity
Now take a look at this jazz poem by Langston Hughes. Project the poem and read it aloud.
Turn and talk to your partner and discuss how this jazz poem and the jazz music you heard are
alike and different. (alike: they have rhythm, are upbeat, have a loose style, etc.). Allow one to
two minutes, circulate to listen to conversations, and then call together as a group.
Share responses aloud.
Yesterday we talked about arranging your words carefully in a poem, and how poetic devices
help us do that. We looked at rhymes; but today we discuss two more poetic devices: rhythm
and repetition. Ask students to take out their Poetic Devices student page, then read the
information relating to rhythm and repetition. As you probably noticed, rhythm, or the beat,
is a very important part of jazz music and poetry. The rhythm in a poem is all about the way you
stress the beat of each syllable in a line. Some syllables get a full beat, some don’t.
Project the Rhythm teacher page. Explain that the first two poems are chants that
children say as they jump rope. The first poem gives a clue where you should stress the
syllables (bold words are stressed). Ask a student volunteer to read the Teddy Bear
poem, putting the beats in the correct place. Why is it important that jump rope chants have
rhythm? Ask a student to read the Rattlesnake poem using the correct rhythm. How did
you know where to stress the beats of the poem? Finally, ask students to look at the poem,
“Windy Nights.” Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish writer and poet. He wrote Treasure
Island and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In this poem he created a vey special rhythm. Work with
your Poet’s Circle (team) to find the rhythm, and to determine why this rhythm is so special for
this poem. (i.e. the rhythm mimics the galloping of a horse). Allow one to two minutes, listen
to conversations, then call together as a group. Have a volunteer read the poem, then
share responses.
Project the Repetition teacher page. Remind students that repetition is when a poet
repeats a word or phrase. Ask students to determine why the poet used repetition in the
poem you are about to read. Read “Windshield Wipers.” by Eve Merrian. Why did the poet
use repetition? (i.e. she is mimicking windshield wipers during a rainstorm). How many poetic
devices that we have learned are in this poem? (three: rhyme, rhythm, repetition).
Try it Out
Now you get to create a poem with rhythm. Distribute the Chant Poem student page and
model its use. Give students about 20 minutes to complete the activity. As they complete
their poems, ask them to share it with one student in their Poet’s Circle (their team). The
student who listens to the poem should complete the Peer Feedback Form, and offer
feedback to the poet (the Feedback Forms are double-sided). When everyone has
finished, ask a few students to share their synonym poem aloud.
Wrap-Up
Turn and talk to your partner to discuss how rhythm and repetition can help a poem. Allow one
to two minutes, circulate to listen to conversations, and then call together as a group.
Share responses aloud. How was getting feedback from a teammate helpful for you? How do
you think it is possible to use rhythm and/or repetition in a Spoken Word poem?
Daily Assessment
Listen to turn and talk conversations to assess how well the students understand Spoken Word
poetry. Check Chant Poem student page to ensure student understands the concept.
Attachments
Date Created:
Originator:
Owner:
Last Modified:
teacher page
Dream Boogie
Langston Hughes
Good morning, daddy!
Ain't you heard
The boogie-woogie rumble
Of a dream deferred?
Listen closely:
You'll hear their feet
Beating out and beating out a -You think
It's a happy beat?
Listen to it closely:
Ain't you heard
something underneath
like a -What did I say?
Sure,
I'm happy!
Take it away!
Hey, pop!
Re-bop!
Mop!
Y-e-a-h!
student page
Poetic Devices
Poetic Device
Definition
Example
alliteration
repeating the first consonant
sounds in a group of words
close together
Peter Piper picked a peck of
pickled peppers.
imagery
words that appeal to the five
senses
Diamonds quivered
On the stalks of grass
As the sun's bloody rays
Peeked one last time at us
Before sinking below
It's green quilt of rolling hills.
metaphor
comparing two unlike things
without using “like” or “as”
He tried to run from the
monster but his legs turned to
rubber.
onomatopoeia
repetition
words that imitate sound
ping, buzz
repeating a word or phrase
Because I do not hope to
turn again
Because I do not hope
Because I do not hope to
turn...
rhyme
a pattern of words with similar
sounds
Went into a store to buy some
shoes,
There was a sales clerk
humming the blues.
rhythm
pattern of stressed and
unstressed syllables
One, two
Buckle my shoe,
(bold words are stressed)
simile
comparing two unlike things
using “like” or “as”
She sang like a screeching
cat being chased by a beagle.
Rhythm teacher page
Teddy Bear
Author unknown
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around,
Teddy bear, Teddy bear, touch the ground,
Teddy Bear, Teddy bear, show your shoe,
Teddy bear, Teddy bear, out go you!
Rattlesnake
Author unknown
As I was walking by the lake
I met a little rattlesnake.
I gave him so much jelly cake
It made his little belly ache.
Windy Nights
Robert Louis Stevenson
Whenever the moon and stars are set,
Whenever the wind is high,
All night long in the dark and wet,
A man goes riding by.
Late in the night when the fires are out,
Why does he gallop and gallop about?
Whenever the trees are crying aloud,
And ships are tossed at sea,
By, on the highway, low and loud,
By at the gallop goes he.
By at the gallop he goes, and then
By he comes back at the gallop again.
Repetition teacher page
Windshield Wiper
Eve Merriam
fog smog
tissue paper
clear the blear
fog smog
tissue paper
clear the smear
fog more
splat splat
rubber scraper
overshoes
bumpershoot
slosh through
fog more
downpour
rubber scraper
macintosh
muddle on
slosh through
drying up drying up
sky lighter sky lighter
nearly clear nearly clear
clearing clearing veer
clear here clear
student page
Chant Poem
I used to be afraid to ride the bus,
But now I jump on board without a fuss.
Create your own chant poem like the one above. Write one syllable (or a one syllable
word) on each line. The bold lines represent the stressed beat. Using rhyme or
repetition is optional.
Example:
so
so
and
aI used to be _________
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
fraid
small
But now I
break
the
________
rules
I
________
once
obeyed
_________
I used to be _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________
But now I
________
________
_________
I used to be _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________
But now I
________
________
_________
I used to be _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________
But now I
________
________
_________
student page
Peer Feedback Form
After carefully listening to your team member’s poem, think about the following questions. Then
answer the questions by putting a check in one of the star columns ( 3 stars represents the
highest rating)
Question
  
 

1. Could I easily identify the subject of the poem?
2. Did I understand everything in the poem?
3. Was I able to make a movie in my mind as I listened to the poem?
4. Did the poem include any poetic devices that make it more
interesting? List them in this box.
Based on your answers above, write one tip you would give the author of this poem:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Title
Grade 5 – Spoken Word Poetry – Part 4 of 6
Student Target
Timeline: Grade 5 - January
Essential Idea: Poetry
Strand: Literary Analysis
Standard: Fiction
Language Arts Benchmarks: ; LA.5.2.1.7 The student will identify and explain an author’s use
of descriptive, idiomatic, and figurative language and examine how it is used to describe people,
feelings, and objects.
Theatre Benchmark: TH.5.S.3.3: Evaluate a performance, using theatre terminology, and
articulate emotional responses to the whole and parts of dramatic performances.
Language Arts Student Target: I can demonstrate how rhymes and near rhymes help create
meaning in poetry.
Theatre Student Target: I can describe in detail how a dramatic performance makes me feel.
Background Information: To prepare students to write and perform their own Spoken Word
poem, Parts 2 – 5 of the lesson introduce a variety of poetry formats, devices, and performance
techniques. For Part 4, students review theatre performance vocabulary, then explore
alliteration and onomatopoeia before writing poems using these poetic devices.
Materials & Preparation
Teachers:
 Video of student Miranda Gutierrez’s Spoken Word poem available at: http://bit.ly/nkIw8e
 “Do” and “Don’t” chart paper t-chart from Part 2 of lesson
 Alliteration teacher page
 Song of the Pop Bottles, at: http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~elbond/sec6.htm#anchor14
 The Pickety Fence, at: http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~elbond/sec6.html#anchor3
 Tamara’s Opus teacher page and answer page
Students:
 Assigned turn and talk partners within cooperative learning teams of 4 to 5 students
 Access to an online or hard copy rhyming dictionary
 Link 1 – Performance Vocabulary from part 2 of the lesson (1 per student)
 Link 2 – Poetic Device student page from part 2 (1 per student)
 Link 3 – Alliteration All About Me student page (1 per student)
 Link 4 – Peer Feedback Form, copied on both sides of the paper (1 per student)
Warm-Up
In the past few lessons we discussed Spoken Word, a style of poetry designed to be performed
before an audience. We learned that it is told from the poet’s point of view. Watch this Spoken
Word performance by a high school student, and try to determine her point of view. Also pay
attention to her performance techniques, because afterwards we will add to our “Do” and “Don’t”
t-chart. Play the two-minute video clip. Now turn and talk to your partner to discuss Miranda’s
point of view. (i.e. she wants to help the younger generation care about people more than they
do now; she wants more honesty, truthfulness, and goodness in the world, etc.) Allow one to
two minutes, circulate to listen to conversations and help students get beyond the
surface of the poem (i.e. this poem is not about her wanting to be a teacher, but about
what she wants to teach others in order to make the world a better place). Call students
together as a group and share responses aloud.
Review the Performance Vocabulary student page and the “Do” and “Don’t” t-chart from
part 2. Ask students for additions to the chart based on the performance they just viewed (i.e.
DO: use a freeze to separate parts of the poem; DON’T: keep the focal point on the audience,
etc.) Record student responses on the t-chart.
Lesson/Activity
In the past few lessons we talked about how poetic devices help us carefully arrange the words
in our poems so they sound as good as possible. We looked at rhymes, rhythm, and repetition
Now take a look at two lines from Miranda Gutierrez’s Spoken Word poem. Project the
Alliteration teacher page and read both lines. Both of these lines use a poetic device that
makes the words more pleasing to our ears. Review your Poetic Device chart and see if you can
identify which device is used in these sentences. (Alliteration: the first line has a repeating “P”
sound, the second line has a repeating hard “C” sound). Alliteration is repeating the consonant
sounds at the beginning of words placed close together. How does alliteration help this Spoken
Word poem? (i.e. it creates a sound pattern; it brings attention to certain words).
Project the poem Song of the Pop Bottles read aloud. Turn and talk to your partner to
identify which poetic devices are used in this poem. Use your Poetic Device chart for help. (i.e.
alliteration, rhyme, rhythm, repetition, and onomatopoeia). Allow one to two minutes,
circulate to listen to conversations, and then call together as a group. Share responses
aloud. Make sure to explain that onomatopoeia is when a word sounds like it’s meaning,
like “pop” in this poem.
Project the poem The Pickety Fence by David McCord and read aloud. Which poetic device
that we have not discussed is used in this poem? Use your chart for help. (onomatopoeia).
Onomatopoeia means words that imitate sounds. What is the poet telling us to do in this poem
that will create a sound? (run a stick along a picket fence). How does the onomatopoeia create
that sound? What other poetic devices are used? (i.e. rhyme, rhythm, repetition).
Project the Tamara’s Opus teacher page and explain that these are the words to the
Spoken Word poem from the video clip they saw previously. Can you identify alliteration or
onomatopoeia? (see answer sheet for examples). How does alliteration and onomatopoeia
make this poem better? (i.e. both create a rhythm, more interest, help us visualize better, etc.)
Try it Out
Now it’s time for you to create alliteration in a poem. Distribute the Alliteration All About Me
student page and model its use. Give students about 20 minutes to complete. If possible,
provide access to an online or hardcopy rhyming dictionary. As they complete their
poems, ask them to share it with one student in their Poet’s Circle (their team). The
student who listens to the poem should complete the Peer Feedback Form, and offer
feedback to the poet (the Feedback Forms are double-sided). When everyone has
finished, ask a few students to share their poem aloud.
Wrap-Up
Turn and talk to your partner to discuss how alliteration and onomatopoeia can help a poem.
Allow one to two minutes, circulate to listen to conversations, and then call together as a
group. Share responses aloud. How was getting feedback from a teammate helpful for you?
How can alliteration and onomatopoeia help a Spoken Word poem?
Daily Assessment
Listen to turn and talk conversations to assess how well the students understand Spoken Word
poetry. Check Cluttered House student page to ensure student understands the concept.
student page
Performance Vocabulary
build
to increase the loudness, rate, and energy of a line
comic relief
including a comic line in an otherwise serious scene
crescendo
a gradual increase in the volume of delivery
decrescendo
a gradual decrease in the volume of delivery
delivery
the way lines are said
diction
speaking clearly
emphasis
a strong force used with certain words to draw attention to them
focal point
the spot where a performer focuses attention
freeze
to stop all movement, to pause
full front
performer is facing the audience
gesture
the use of hand, body and facial movement to make the actor’s
dialogue more meaningful or to make a point without dialogue
hold
to pause for laughter or applause to die down
motivation
the reason behind an actor speaking a line or making a movement
tempo
the rate or speed of the performance
run-on lines
when one line of verse runs into the next without pause
Alliteration teacher page
Maybe they’ll pick up
a pencil and a paper
and write their own
poetry.
I can’t cure cancer.
student page
Poetic Devices
Poetic Device
Definition
Example
alliteration
repeating the first consonant
sounds in a group of words
close together
Peter Piper picked a peck of
pickled peppers.
imagery
words that appeal to the five
senses
Diamonds quivered
On the stalks of grass
As the sun's bloody rays
Peeked one last time at us
Before sinking below
It's green quilt of rolling hills.
metaphor
comparing two unlike things
without using “like” or “as”
He tried to run from the
monster but his legs turned to
rubber.
onomatopoeia
repetition
words that imitate sound
ping, buzz
repeating a word or phrase
Because I do not hope to
turn again
Because I do not hope
Because I do not hope to
turn...
rhyme
a pattern of words with similar
sounds
Went into a store to buy some
shoes,
There was a sales clerk
humming the blues.
rhythm
pattern of stressed and
unstressed syllables
One, two
Buckle my shoe,
(bold words are stressed)
simile
comparing two unlike things
using “like” or “as”
She sang like a screeching
cat being chased by a beagle.
teacher page
Tamara’s Opus
by Joshua Bennett
Tamara has never listened to hip-hop. Never danced to the rhythm of raindrops or fallen asleep
to a chorus of chirping crickets.
She has been deaf for as long as I’ve been alive.
And ever since the day I first turned five my father has
said:
“Joshua. Nothing is wrong with Tamara.
**God just makes some people different.**”
And at that moment those nine letters felt like hammers
swung gracefully by unholy hands to shatter my stained
glass innocence
into shards that can never be pieced back together
or do anything more than sever the ties between my sister
and I. I waited,
was patient numberless years anticipating
the second her ears
would open like lotuses and allow my sunlight senses to
seep into her insides
make her remember all of those conversations we must
have had in heaven
back when God handpicked us to be sibling souls
centuries ago.
I still remember her 20th birthday.
Readily recall my awe-struck 11-year-old eyes as I
watched deaf men and women of all ages
dance in unison to the vibration of speakers booming so
loud that I imagined angels
chastising us for disturbing their worship with such
teacher page (continued)
beautiful blasphemy.
Until you have seen
**a deaf girl dance, you know
nothing
of
passion.**
There was a barricade between us that I never
took the time to destroy, never even for a moment thought
to look up the sign for **sister**, for **family**, for
**goodbye.
I will see you again
someday.**
remember the face of your little brother.
It is only now I see
that I was never willing to put in the
extra effort to love her properly.
So as the only person in my family who is not fluent in sign
language
I’ve decided to take this time to apologize. Tamara
**I am sorry for my silence.**
For true love knows no frequency, and so I will use these
hands to speak volumes
that can never be contained within the boundaries of
sound waves I will shout
at the top of my fingertips
until digits dance and relay these mental messages
directly to your soul.
I know
that there is no poem
that can make up for all the time we have lost so please,
if you can,
**just listen.**
**Lines with asterisks represent the sentences that are also communicated through sign language.
teacher page answer sheet
underlined words = alliteration examples
bold words = onomatopoeia examples
Tamara’s Opus
by Joshua Bennett
Tamara has never listened to hip-hop. Never danced to the rhythm of raindrops or fallen asleep to a chorus of chirping crickets.
She has been deaf for as long as I’ve been alive.
And ever since the day I first turned five my father has said:
“Joshua. Nothing is wrong with
Tamara.
**God just makes some people different.**”
And at that moment those nine letters felt like hammers
swung gracefully by unholy hands to shatter my stained glass innocence
into shards that can never be pieced back together
or do anything more than sever the ties between my sister and I. I waited,
was patient
numberless years anticipating the second her ears
would open like lotuses and allow my sunlight senses to seep into her insides
make her remember all of those conversations we must have had in heaven
back when God handpicked us to be sibling souls centuries ago.
I still remember her 20th birthday.
Readily recall my awe-struck 11-year-old eyes as I watched deaf men and women of all ages
dance in unison to the vibration of speakers booming so loud that I imagined angels
chastising us for disturbing their worship with such beautiful blasphemy.
Until you have seen
**a deaf girl dance, you know
nothing
of passion.**
There was a barricade between us that I
never took the time to destroy, never even for a moment thought to look up the sign for
**sister**, for **family**, for **goodbye.
I will see you again
someday.**
remember the face of your little brother.
It is only now I see
that I was never willing to put in the extra effort to love her properly.
So as the only person in my family who is not fluent in sign language
I’ve decided to take this time to apologize. Tamara
**I am sorry for my silence.**
For true love knows no frequency, and so I will use these hands to speak volumes
that can never be contained within the boundaries of sound waves I will shout
at the top of my fingertips
until digits dance and relay these mental messages directly to your soul.
I know
that there is no poem
that can make up for all the time we have lost so please,
if you can,
**just listen.**
student page
Alliteration All About Me
On the first line write your first or last name (or even a nickname). Then fill in the
other lines using words that begin with the first letter in your name. For the fourth
line, not every word in the sentence has to begin with that letter—just use as
many as you can think of.
_______________________________________
your first or last name
________________________________________________________________
3 adjectives describing you
________________________________________________________________
3 verbs describing you that end with “ing”
________________________________________________________________
1 sentence about you
_______________________________________
repeat your name from line 1
Example
Zachary
zany, zesty, zealous
zipping, zooming, zinging
I zero in, zigzag around, or zone out.
zillionaire
student page
Peer Feedback Form
After carefully listening to your team member’s poem, think about the following questions. Then
answer the questions by putting a check in one of the star columns ( 3 stars represents the
highest rating)
Question
  
 

1. Could I easily identify the subject of the poem?
2. Did I understand everything in the poem?
3. Was I able to make a movie in my mind as I listened to the poem?
4. Did the poem include any poetic devices that make it more
interesting? List them in this box.
Based on your answers above, write one tip you would give the author of this poem:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Title
Grade 5 – Spoken Word Poetry – Part 5 of 6
Student Target
Timeline: Grade 5 - January
Essential Idea: Poetry
Strand: Literary Analysis
Standard: Fiction
Language Arts Benchmarks: ; LA.5.2.1.7 The student will identify and explain an author’s use
of descriptive, idiomatic, and figurative language and examine how it is used to describe people,
feelings, and objects.
Theatre Benchmark: TH.5.S.3.3: Evaluate a performance, using theatre terminology, and
articulate emotional responses to the whole and parts of dramatic performances.
Language Arts Student Target: I can demonstrate how rhymes and near rhymes help create
meaning in poetry.
Theatre Student Target: I can describe in detail how a dramatic performance makes me feel.
Background Information: To prepare students to write and perform their own Spoken Word
poem, Parts 2 – 5 of the lesson introduce a variety of poetry formats, devices, and performance
techniques. For Part 5, students are introduced to simile, metaphor, and imagery.
Materials & Preparation
Teachers:
 Video clip of Jamaica Osorio at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-andvideo/video/jamaica-osorio-performs-kumulipo-white-house-poetry-jam-6-8
 “Do” and “Don’t” chart paper t-chart from Part 2 of lesson
 Imagery teacher page
 T.S. Eliot teacher page
 Simile and Metaphor teacher page
 List Poem teacher page
Students:
 Assigned turn and talk partners within cooperative learning teams of 4 to 5 students
 Link 1 – Performance Vocabulary from Part 2 of the lesson (1 per student)
 Link 2 - Poetic Devices student page from yesterday (1 per student)
 Link 3 – List Poem student page
 Link 4 - Peer Feedback Form, copied on both sides of the paper (1 per student)
Warm-Up
In the past several lessons we talked about Spoken Word poetry, designed to be performed
before an audience. It is told from the poet’s point of view, and is usually about the poet’s
personal experiences or personal feelings.
Let’s watch an 18-year-old Hawaiian student, Jamaica Osorio, perform her Spoken Word poem
at the White House. Listen closely to understand her personal feelings. The title, Kumulipo
(pronounced koo-moo-LEE-poe), is the name of a Hawaiian chant that tells the story of creation
and the history of the Hawaiian royal family. Just so you are aware, she uses a few words from
the Hawaiian language, and near the end recites the Hawaiian names of her ancestors.
Play the video clip (2 minutes, 18 seconds). Now turn and talk to your partner to discuss
Jamaica Osorio’s personal feelings. What is her point? (i.e. she wants to be connected to her
Hawaiian culture, etc.) Allow one to two minutes, circulate to listen to conversations, and
then call together as a group. Share responses aloud. Ask additional questions as
needed to clarify the message, such as: Why did she recite the Hawaiian names at the end?
(to honor her relatives, connect to her culture, show us her family pride). Why do you think she
was chosen to perform at the White House?
Review the Performance Vocabulary student page and the DO and DON’T t-chart from
Part 2. Play the video clip again, asking students to identify additional DO’s and DON’Ts.
Ask students for additions to the chart based on the performance they just viewed (i.e. DO: use
diction so we understand every word; DON’T: When using decrescendo, make sure the
audience can hear the last, softest spoken words, etc.) Record responses on the t-chart.
Lesson/Activity
In past lessons we discussed how poetic devices help us carefully arrange our words in a poem
for maximum effect. Take a look at the beginning of Jamaica Osorio’s poem. Project the
imagery teacher page and read the selection aloud. In the last line here she uses another
poetic device we have not discussed yet. Use your Poetic Device student page to see if you can
identify it. (imagery)
Imagery is using words that appeal to the five senses—seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting, and
touching. How does Jamaica’s last line appeal to our senses? (i.e. We know the salty taste of
tears). Turn and talk to your partner to explain the meaning of the imagery in this last line. (i.e.
she wants to understand the struggles her ancestors have gone through, etc.). Allow one to
two minutes, circulate to listen to conversations, and then call together as a group.
Share responses aloud. Why didn’t she just say what she really meant in this line, instead of
using imagery? (i.e. the listener has to participate in her poem to understand it, which makes the
experience more meaningful for everyone, etc.).
Read aloud Joshua Bennett’s lines from the imagery teacher page. How do Joshua’s lines
appeal to our senses? (i.e. hear: hop-hop, raindrops, crickets). Why is imagery effective in this
Spoken Word poem? (i.e. it makes us realize how much his sister is missing by being deaf).
Project the selection from Preludes on the T.S. Eliot teacher page. Explain that T.S. Eliot,
born in St. Louis, Missouri, was one of the most important poets of the 20th century. Read
the excerpt from his poem. How does this selection appeal to our senses? (i.e. taste and
smell: steaks; hear: showers beating, horse stamping; feel: wind; see: lit lamps)? Why is
imagery effective in this poem? (i.e. it makes us feel like we are there, it helps us experience the
poem, etc.).
Ask students to look at their Poetic Devices student page. There are only two poetic
devices we have not discussed yet. Can you identify them? (simile, metaphor) Project the
simile and metaphor teacher page. The first selection on this page is from a poem by
Christina Rossetti, a famous poet who lived in 1800’s England. Can you determine if she uses
similes or metaphors? (similes; she uses “as” in her comparison). What other poetic devices
does she use? (alliteration, imagery, rhyme, rhythm). How does the simile help this poem? (i.e.
helps us visualize what she is talking about, etc.) Point out the next selection, taken from
Joshua Bennett’s Spoken Word poem. Where does he use a simile in this selection? (ears
open like lotuses). Why is this simile effective? (i.e. it helps us visualize what he is trying to say).
Finally, point out the last poem on the page, Dreams by Langston Hughes. Langston
Hughes uses metaphors in this poem. Can you identify them (Life is a broken-winged bird; life is
a barren field). How do we know these are metaphors? (he compares life with something else
without using “as” or “like”). Why is this simile effective? (i.e. it helps us visualize what he is
trying to say, etc.).
Try it Out
Now you get to create a poem that includes imagery, similes, and metaphors. You will be writing
a list poem, which consists of a list of items, people, places, or ideas. These were first written by
poets thousands of years ago—even the Bible has list poems. List poems often include
repetition, and sometimes rhyme. While the list may look random, it’s not—each item and the
sequence is very well planned. Usually a list poem ends with a strong, funny, or important line.
Let’s look at a example. Project the List Poem teacher page and read aloud. What is this a
list of? (what a child does on the way to school) What are some examples of imagery? (hear:
tap of a stick, whizz through the gate, slush through a puddle; see: brown penny, roly poly bug,
etc.) What is an example of a simile? (sprint like a racer). What other poetic devices are used?
(onomatopoeia: slush, tap, whizz; rhyme: 2nd and 4th lines; repetition: most lines start with “I”
followed by a verb)
Distribute the List Poem student page and explain/model its use. Give students about 20
minutes to complete the activity. As they complete their poems, ask them to share it with
one student in their Poet’s Circle (their team). The student who listens to the poem
should complete the Peer Feedback Form, and offer feedback to the poet (the Feedback
Forms are double-sided). When everyone has finished, ask a few students to share their
synonym poem aloud.
Wrap-Up
Turn and talk to your partner to discuss how imagery, similes, and metaphors can make a poem
better. Allow one to two minutes, circulate to listen to conversations, and then call
together as a group. Share responses aloud. How was getting feedback from a teammate
helpful for you? How can you use imagery, similes, and metaphors in a Spoken Word poem?
Daily Assessment
Listen to turn and talk conversations to assess how well the students understand Spoken Word
poetry. Check List Poem student page to ensure student understands the concept.
Attachments
Date Created:
Originator:
student page
Performance Vocabulary
build
to increase the loudness, rate, and energy of a line
comic relief
including a comic line in an otherwise serious scene
crescendo
a gradual increase in the volume of delivery
decrescendo
a gradual decrease in the volume of delivery
delivery
the way lines are said
diction
speaking clearly
emphasis
a strong force used with certain words to draw attention to them
focal point
the spot where a performer focuses attention
freeze
to stop all movement, to pause
full front
performer is facing the audience
gesture
the use of hand, body and facial movement to make the actor’s
dialogue more meaningful or to make a point without dialogue
hold
to pause for laughter or applause to die down
motivation
the reason behind an actor speaking a line or making a movement
tempo
the rate or speed of the performance
run-on lines
student page
when one line of verse runs into the next without pause
Poetic Devices
Poetic Device
Definition
Example
alliteration
repeating the first consonant
sounds in a group of words
close together
Peter Piper picked a peck of
pickled peppers.
imagery
words that appeal to the five
senses
Diamonds quivered
On the stalks of grass
As the sun's bloody rays
Peeked one last time at us
Before sinking below
It's green quilt of rolling hills.
metaphor
comparing two unlike things
without using “like” or “as”
He tried to run from the
monster but his legs turned to
rubber.
onomatopoeia
repetition
words that imitate sound
ping, buzz
repeating a word or phrase
Because I do not hope to
turn again
Because I do not hope
Because I do not hope to
turn...
rhyme
a pattern of words with similar
sounds
Went into a store to buy some
shoes,
There was a sales clerk
humming the blues.
rhythm
pattern of stressed and
unstressed syllables
One, two
Buckle my shoe,
(bold words are stressed)
simile
comparing two unlike things
using “like” or “as”
She sang like a screeching
cat being chased by a beagle.
Imagery teacher page
from “Kumulipo” by Jamaica Osorio
What happens to the ones forgotten,
the ones who shape my heart from their
ribcages,
I want to taste the tears in their names.
from “Tamara’s Opus” by Joshua Bennett
Tamara has never listened to hip-hop. Never danced to the rhythm of raindrops
or fallen asleep to a chorus of chirping
crickets.
teacher page
from “Preludes” by T.S. Eliot
The winter evening settles down
With smell of steaks in passageways.
Six o'clock.
The burnt-out ends of smoky days.
And now a gusty shower wraps
The grimy scraps
Of withered leaves about your feet
And newspapers from vacant lots;
The showers beat
On broken blinds and chimney-pots,
And at the corner of the street
A lonely cab-horse steams and stamps.
And then the lighting of the lamps.
simile & metaphor teacher page
selection from “Flint” by Christina Rossetti
An emerald is as green as grass,
A ruby red as blood;
A sapphire shines as blue as heaven;
A flint lies in the mud.
selection from “Tamara’s Opus” by Joshua Bennett
I waited,
was patient numberless years
anticipating the second her ears would open
like lotuses
Dreams
Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
List Poem teacher page
On the Way to School
Betsy Franco
I find a dark brown penny.
I pat a friendly cat.
I slush through murky puddles.
I stomp a berry flat.
I tap, tap, tap with a pointy stick
on a fence along the block.
I move a roly poly bug
and kick a bright white rock.
And when I hear the first bell ring
I know I might be late.
I sprint like a racer, full-speed ahead
and whizz through the front gate!
student page
List Poem
Fill in the blanks below to create a list poem. Somewhere in your poem you must include:
 one simile or metaphor
 imagery
You may also choose to include other poetic devices, such as rhythm, repetition, alliteration,
onomatopoeia, and rhythm.
Take a look inside my ______________________________________________.
choose either backpack, desk, room
________________________________________________________________
describe one item
________________________________________________________________
describe one item
________________________________________________________________
describe one item
________________________________________________________________
describe one item
________________________________________________________________
describe one item
________________________________________________________________
describe one item
________________________________________________________________
a strong ending line
student page
Peer Feedback Form
After carefully listening to your team member’s poem, think about the following questions. Then
answer the questions by putting a check in one of the star columns ( 3 stars represents the
highest rating)
Question
  
 

1. Could I easily identify the subject of the poem?
2. Did I understand everything in the poem?
3. Was I able to make a movie in my mind as I listened to the poem?
4. Did the poem include any poetic devices that make it more
interesting? List them in this box.
Based on your answers above, write one tip you would give the author of this poem:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Title
Grade 5 – Spoken Word Poetry – Part 6 of 6
Student Target
Timeline: Grade 5 - January
Essential Idea: Poetry
Strand: Literary Analysis
Standard: Fiction
Language Arts Benchmarks: ; LA.5.2.1.7 The student will identify and explain an author’s use
of descriptive, idiomatic, and figurative language and examine how it is used to describe people,
feelings, and objects.
Theatre Benchmark: TH.5.S.3.3: Use elements of dramatic and technical performance
designed to produce an emotional response in an audience;
Language Arts Student Target: I can demonstrate how rhymes and near rhymes help create
meaning in poetry.
Theatre Student Target: I can perform a Spoken Word poem that produces an emotional
response in my audience..
Background Information: Over the past 5 lesson parts students were introduced to a variety
of poetry formats, devices, and performance techniques. They also viewed and critiqued several
Spoken Word performances. In this final lesson parts, students write their own Spoken Word
poem and prepare to perform it in front of an audience.
Materials & Preparation
Teachers:
 white board or chart paper for recording student responses

Sunday Mornings teacher pages (total of 4)
 My Best Friend teacher page (total of 2)
Students:
 Assigned turn and talk partners within cooperative learning teams of 4 to 5 students
 Link 1 – Poetic Devices student page from yesterday (1 per student)
 Link 2 – Peer Feedback Form, copied on both sides of the paper (1 per student)
Warm-Up
In the past five lesson parts we talked about Spoken Word poetry, a style of poetry that is
designed to be performed before an audience. We learned that is:
 told from the poet’s point of view
 usually about the poet’s personal experiences or personal feelings
 traced back to the 1920s when African American poets created their own special style of
poetry based on jazz music, with rhythm and a free and easy style
We also explored different forms of poetry. Ask for student volunteers to describe each of
the following forms.
 synonym poem
 chant poem
 alliteration poem
 list poem
Finally, we looked at poetic devices that help us arrange the words of a poem in interesting
ways. Tell students to refer to their Poetic Devices student page from Part 2, and ask for
volunteers to explain how each device improves a poem.
Lesson/Activity
Today you are going to begin to write your own Spoken Word poem using the theme of “family.”
Let’s brainstorm the kinds of things we could write a poem about using this theme (i.e. a close
relationship with your mother, disagreements with your brother, visiting your grandmother, a
family vacation you’ll always remember, celebrating a holiday with your family, struggles your
family has experienced, etc.). Record responses on the board or on chart paper.
Follow along as I read this Spoken Word poem by Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, a poet from New
Jersey. This poem would fit into the theme of “family” since it involves his memories of his
grandfather. Try to determine his message. Project the Sunday Mornings teacher pages and
read the poem aloud. Stop occasionally to ask questions and check for understanding.
For example:
Aunt Jemima and her allies, never welcome at his table: What does he mean? (his
grandfather didn’t use store-bought condiments like Aunt Jemima syrup. He made his own.)
See you in the morning, he said. I was a mile from the house when I realized that it was a
question: What does he mean? (When his grandfather spoke the words “See you in the
morning?” he was wondering if his grandson was leaving for good.)
I sneak Mrs. Dash past them both while Aunt Jemima sits awkwardly at the table: What
does he mean? (Unlike his grandfather he uses store bought condiments, but he doesn’t feel so
good about that.)
See you in the morning, he says, and this time I know that it’s not a question: What does
he mean? (He is saying that his grandfather will always be with him in spirit.)
Turn and talk to your partner and identify the poet’s point of view. (i.e. His grandfather was a
very important part of his life and his family’s life, and the poet can still feel his grandfather’s
influence today). Allow one to two minutes, circulate to listen to conversations, and then
call together as a group. Share responses aloud.
Did you also notice any poetic devices? (i.e. alliteration: soulful sizzle of bacon, imagery: sweet
aroma of homemade maple syrup, etc.). What kinds of emotions did you feel as you listened to
this? (i.e. sadness, love, etc.). How did he make you feel those emotions? (i.e. through word
choice, etc.) Why are the ending lines important? (It is here where we learn that his grandfather
stays with him in spirit.)
Follow along as I read another Spoken Word poem, this one written by 13-year-old Crystal
Cortez. Try to determine why this poem would fit into the theme of “family” since it does not
involve a family member. Project the My Best Friend teacher page and read the poem
aloud.
Why would this poem fit into the theme of “family?” (She considers her best friend to be like
family) Did you also notice any poetic devices? (i.e. simile: she is like family.) Could Crystal
have included more poetic devices t make this Spoken Word poem even better? (yes). What
other poetic devices would have made her Spoken Word poem stronger? (i.e. alliteration,
imagery, etc.).
Try it Out
Now it’s your turn. You will use the steps of the writing process (plan, draft, revise, edit, publish)
to create your own Spoken Word poem with the theme of “family.” Here are some tips:
 when thinking of the theme “family,” begin with a very strong idea, one that makes you
emotional or involves a personal experience so memorable that you can clearly picture
in your mind
 use one of the poem forms from earlier lessons as inspiration
 or…don’t think about those styles at all and write your Spoken Word poem in a free-form
style like the poems we read today
 refer to your Poetic Device chart while writing so you remember to include poetic devices
that make your poem interesting and powerful
 remember that your poem should be designed to be spoken aloud, so carefully choose
and arrange each word to create a poem we will remember

Based on your students’ capabilities and the time you have available, determine the
amount of time/lessons required for students to complete their Spoken Word Poem. You
may choose to have the students do each step of the writing process at the same time, or
you may choose to allow students to work at their own speed. Here are some guidelines
for implementing the steps of the writing process:
Planning: Allow students adequate time to brainstorm topics under the theme of “family.” This
can be done individually, in partner pairs, or with their team. As they brainstorm, circulate to
help them choose their strongest idea.
Drafting: This step will require the most time. Students need to determine if they will
incorporate aspects of the poetic forms studied in class (synonym poems, chant poems,
alliteration poems, list poems), if they will use a free-form style the poems read in class today, or
if they will do a blend of both. This will require experimentation on their part. As they write,
circulate to determine if students are adequately developing their point of view, are including
poetic devices, and are evoking strong emotions.
Revising: Allow adequate time for students to change their writing based on continual feedback
from their teammates, using the Peer Feedback Form. They will also revise their draft based on
feedback from you and from their own critical review of their poem. Revision may involve simple
changes to vocabulary or word order, or it may involve a complete format or subject change.
Continue to provide support and encouragement as they go through this process.
Editing: Once students are satisfied with their Spoken Word poem format, vocabulary, word
arrangement, and clarity of message, they need time to check for mechanical problems—
spelling, punctuation, capitalization, verb tenses, etc. Since the rules for poetry punctuation are
different from that of prose (i.e. some lines end with no punctuation at all, some lines begin with
lower case letters, etc.) consider projecting the poems from previous lessons to model
punctuation.
Publishing: Spoken Word poems are designed to be performed before an audience, so
“publishing” in this case is the actual performance. However, once the performances are
completed you may also choose to publish them in print form, audio form, or video form. The
following guidelines explain all forms of publication for Spoken Word:
Performance Format Options
Poetry Slam – This is an informal competition in which poets read their work before an
audience, and receive scores from a panel of judges (chosen from the audience) with
the audience providing encouragement and feedback. Students are judged from 0 to 10.
These numbers are placed on cards for the judges to hold up. Another student averages
these and keep an official score card.
The poetry slam can occur in your classroom, or you may choose to involve other
classes (and parents) and hold this event in a larger space at school or in the
community.
Open Mic (pronounced “mike”) – This is a live show where audience members perform
their Spoken Word at a microphone. Those wishing to perform sign up on a list in
advance. These usually occur in coffee houses, cafes, libraries, or bookstores. If you
choose this format for your students, they can sign up on a list or simply approach the
microphone when they are ready. As with the poetry slam, you can hold the open mic
event in your own classroom, or invite others and use a larger performance space.
Performance Techniques
When students are ready to practice for their performance, refer them to the Do and
Don’t list they created over the past several lessons, as well as the Performance
Vocabulary list. You may choose to replay some of the Spoken Word performances from
previous lessons to model performance expectations.
Publishing the Poems After the Performances
Chapbook – A chapbook currently refers to a publication of 40 pages or less, usually
consisting of poetry, and bound. You can create these at school, at a local quick print
shop, or through an online publisher like Lulu.com or FastPencil.com. Consider providing
copies to the school media center/library.
Publishing a Book Online – Many companies (Scribd.com, Lulu.com, FastPencil.com)
give you the ability to upload the writing to their website where it can be downloaded for
free (or for a small cost) by anyone, anywhere.
Podcast – You can record students reading their Spoken Word and create a podcast
(digital media file) that can be posted on the web so anyone can listen. For more
information on creating a podcast and for websites that accept podcast submissions, go
to: http://www.podcasting-tools.com/how-to-podcast.htm .
Video – Once you save the performance on video, you can use video editing software
like iMovie to create a finished video that can be burned to a DVD as well as posted
online. This can be posted on the school website or to a website such as youtube.com.
Note: Before publishing this student work on any website, be sure all students involved
have parental approval to have their names, voice, and/or images appear online.
Wrap-Up
After the final performance of the Spoken Word poems, debrief/reflect with students by
asking such questions as:
Did learning about Spoken Word make you feel differently about poetry in general? Explain.
What did you enjoy most about writing Spoken Word?
What was the most challenging part of writing Spoken Word?
How did you decide which poetic form to use (.e. free-form, list poem, etc.)?
How did you decide what to write about?
What was the most challenging part of performing Spoken Word?
What would be the differences between someone reading your poem on paper or listening to
you perform it? Would they get more understanding from reading or watching? Explain.
Daily Assessment
Check Spoken Word poem from the brainstorming stage until the final draft to confirm
understanding of the concepts. Also view the performance of the poem to determine
understanding of not only the poetry concepts but of the theatre/performing concepts.
Attachments
Date Created:
Originator:
teacher page
Sunday Mornings in the Kitchen with Gan’ganny
Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
My grandfather was the king
of Sunday morning breakfast.
Up with the sun
we were teased awake by the soulful sizzle of bacon and sausages frying in the their own fat the sweet aroma of homemade maple syrup
with scrambled eggs, buttered grits, thick pancakes and biscuits so fluffy you’d almost forget the Bronx waited right outside the kitchen window.
His shockingly white hair thick and defiant always brushed neatly back grease-stained apron tied tight around his waist he patrolled the kitchen like a general at war
Aunt Jemima and her allies never welcome at his table only family secrets and the sweat dripping from his brow seasoned our meals.
He would tell stories of his childhood complete with the snow-covered hill that sloped upwards both ways where he hunted for squirrel or rabbit or deer explained how they didn’t taste much different from chicken quietly slipping one or the other onto the menu now and then to prove his point.
I drew the line at scrambled cow brains though I was always curious whether he was pulling my leg or not.
Eventually, a cake would find its way into the oven and we would be banished to the other side of the house where my grandmother ruled with an iron fist and a thick leather belt…
Years later and worlds away just after high school and her death he and I shared a two-family house in the too-green suburbs with my mother, stepfather and brother.
Sunday morning breakfasts continued with a frequent glance in the backyard where the sight of a deer would trigger recently buried memories.
I think I missed the Bronx
almost as much as he missed
his Lula Mae.
One cold night under cover of the bathroom faucet I stuffed three bags of almost everything I valued into the trunk of my car and started its asthmatic engine.
Quietly returning to shut the faucet his voice drifted down the hall – See you in the morning, he said.
I was a mile from the house
when I realized that
it was a question…
Years passed
and when he died
I arrived late for his wake
eyes and throat moist
from guilt.
Our entire family had gathered
for the first time in years
reminiscing and playing catch up
ignoring the hanging question
of who would bring us together next.
My mother and I exchanged tentative hugs
and I marveled at my brother’s growth.
Sunday mornings nowadays
find me at the stove
more ne’er-do-well prince
than philosopher king
me in charge of the eggs
Salomé handling the biscuits
Lynne frying the turkey bacon.
I sneak Mrs. Dash past them both
while Aunt Jemima sits awkwardly at the table
and espresso drips
in the automatic coffee maker.
Some days
the eggs come out just right
and I can feel his hands guiding mine
and I can hear his voice come from down the hall –
See you in the morning, he says
and this time
I know that it’s not
a question.
My Best Friend
Crystal Cortez
Friendship is when a friend
likes you for who you are and will always
be there for you. I'll tell you about
what me and my friend do to stay friends. We tell each other
everything
we tell the truth
and we are always there for one another
no matter if it's bad or good. There's one thing that we don't do
when we get in fights and we want to be friends
again,
we don't stop speaking. When we see each other
we just start talking to each other again. I like that! Me and my friend just say,
"Sorry." My friend is also special
because she's like family. She sleeps over whenever
and is nice to my family. We go lots of places,
but if no one can take us
then we have a problem. Usually my mom will take us
and hers will pick us up. Her mom and my mom are good friends. Our friendship will never end.
student page
Peer Feedback Form
After carefully listening to your team member’s poem, think about the following questions. Then
answer the questions by putting a check in one of the star columns ( 3 stars represents the
highest rating)
Question
  
 

1. Could I easily identify the subject of the poem?
2. Did I understand everything in the poem?
3. Was I able to make a movie in my mind as I listened to the poem?
4. Did the poem include any poetry devices that make it more
interesting? List them in this box.
Based on your answers above, write one tip you would give the author of this poem:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
teacher page
Additional Resources
Books
Take the Mic: The Art of Performance Poetry, Slam, and the Spoken Word (A Poetry Speaks
Experience), by Marc Kelly Smith and Joe Kraynak
Brave New Voices: The YOUTH SPEAKS Guide to Teaching Spoken Word Poetry by
Jen Weiss and Scott Herndon
The Spoken Word Revolution with Audio CD by Eleveld
Poetry Speaks Who I Am with CD: Poems of Discovery, Inspiration, Independence, and
Everything Else by Elise Paschen and Dominique Raccah
Hip Hop Speaks to Children with CD: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat (A Poetry Speaks
Experience) by Nikki Giovanni and illustrators Alicia Vergel de Dios, Damian Ward, Kristen
Balouch, Jeremy Tugeau, Michele Noiset
Websites
spokenword.org
voicesnet.com
poets.org
poetryslam.com
nationalpoetryslam.com
poetryoutloud.org