eLibrary Elementary Standards-Based Learning Activity
Writing Cinquain Poetry
Teacher Procedures
APPROPRIATE FOR: Language Arts, Grades 3-5
TIMELINE: Three class periods
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS ADDRESSED THROUGH THIS LESSON
NCTE and IRA:
 Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing
process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a
variety of purposes.
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Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g.,
spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language and genre to
create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
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Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and
questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data
from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to
communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries,
databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and
to create and communicate knowledge.
(source: www.ncte.org/standards/standards.shtml)
McRel Standards – Writing Level II (Grades 3-5):
Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process.
 Uses prewriting strategies to plan written work.
 Uses strategies to draft and revise work.
 Uses strategies to edit and publish written work.
 Writes narrative accounts, such as poems and stories.
Uses stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing.
 Uses descriptive language that clarifies and enhances ideas.
Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions.
 Uses nouns, verbs, adjectives in written compositions.
 Uses conventions in spelling, capitalization, punctuation in written compositions.
Gathers and uses information for research purposes
 Uses a variety of strategies to plan research.
 Uses electronic media to gather information.
 Uses strategies to gather and record information for research topics.
(source: http://mcrel.org/compendium/Standards.asp?SubjectID=7)
© 2003 ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
Permission is granted to duplicate for classroom use only.
LEARNING EXPECTATIONS/OBJECTIVES
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Students will learn about cinquain poetry.
Students will use eLibrary to gather information about an animal.
Students will learn how to use the animal information and develop a poem.
Students will use the steps of the writing process to write a cinquain poem.
MATERIALS
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Computer with printer
Printer paper
Construction paper
Scissors
Glue or transparent tape
Pens and paper for note-taking
Cardboard for book cover
Tape or string for binding book
ACTIVITY PROCESS: DIRECTIONS TO THE TEACHER
Description of Activity
Students will research an animal on eLibrary and use the information they gather to write a
cinquain poem. Students will use the pictures off of eLibrary Elementary and their own
illustrations to accompany their poem. Poems will be compiled in a class bound book.
Background Information/Scenario
What’s a cinquain poem? It is a form of poetry, written like a recipe. A cinquain is a five-line
poem. The words you choose and the form they take on paper are an important part of the
writing. Some people say they appear like diamonds on paper.
Cinquain is a French word with a root of “cinq” which means “five” – the amount of lines in a
cinquain poem. However, it is an American poetry form. Adelaide Crapsey, who was influenced
by Japanese haiku poetry, developed this poetic system and used it to communicate brief
thoughts and statements.
Example:
Lion
Golden, strong
Staring, creeping, pouncing
A hunter on the prowl
Predator
*Source: http://teams.lacoe.edu/documentation/classrooms/amy/algebra/56/activities/poetry/cinquain.html
Line 1:One word for the subject (noun)
Line 2:Two words describing subject
Line 3:Three words showing action
Line 4:Four or five words expressing feeling or
thought
Line 5:One word that means the same thing as
the first word in line 1 (describing or renaming
subject)
*
© 2003 ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
Permission is granted to duplicate for classroom use only.
lion
golden, strong
staring, creeping, pouncing
a hunter on the prowl
predator
Make available cinquain poems to students before the activity begins. For a selection of cinquain
poems, go to the end of this activity plan. Explain how capitalization works in poems – that the
first letter of the first line is usually capitalized.
Outline of Procedures – Day One
1. Students will gather pictures of an animal by doing a search on eLibrary. Try to have a different
animal for each child. To search in eLibrary Elementary:
 Go to eLibrary Elementary.
 You will start at the main search screen; if you are not on the main search screen, click
search at the top of the page.
 Type the name of animal into the search box and press start.
 Click the red picture icon at the top where the source types (maps, articles, etc) are
displayed. Pictures will then be sorted first in the list of documents.
 In the search results, click on a picture document link to view a picture or click the red
picture icon to the left of each document title.
After reviewing several pictures, students will write seven to 10 descriptions of their animal based
on their pictures. They will print out their favorite picture of their animal and save it for later in the
activity. (You may want to have students write their names on the back of the printed pictures and
hold them until the third day of the lesson so none get lost.)
2. Next, students will gather information about their animal using the topic search. They will find
five facts (for older children, seven to 10 facts). For topic search:
 Go to eLibrary Elementary.
 Click the Topics tab at the top of the page.
 Click Science
 Under Life Science, click Animals
 Click Animals by Familiar Names
 A large list of animals will appear.
 Click a specific animal to access articles, pictures and more for this animal.
After reviewing information about their animals, the students should write down their facts on the
same sheet of paper on which they wrote down their animal descriptions.
3. In the final part of day one of this lesson, students will organize their findings (facts and
descriptions) using a graphic organizer of their choice.
Outline of Procedures – Day Two
4. Using the graphic organizer, the children will plan out their cinquain poem. For a useful
worksheet to help students plan out their poem, in the topics section of eLibrary Elementary do a
search for "cinquain" and click on Cinquain Poem in the search results.
5. The students will write a rough draft of a cinquain poem, following the cinquain pattern.
6. Students will then pair up with a partner. The pair of students will help each other with the
editing process.
 Each student reads his or her poem to the other.
 Based on conversation with their partners, the students should circle words that they
might want to replace with more descriptive ones.
 Students will then go to the eLibrary Elementary Reference with their partner and will use
the thesaurus and dictionary to find ideas for replacements for some words.
 Students will check each other’s spelling and punctuation and will help to determine if
their partner followed the pattern of a cinquain poem.
© 2003 ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
Permission is granted to duplicate for classroom use only.
7. Finally, the students will each write a final version of their cinquain poem with the changes.
Outline of Procedures – Day Three
8. Students will create a page for a class animal cinquain poetry book featuring their animal.
 Students will prepare the picture of their animal selected on the first day.
 Students will cut the picture out and glue down on colored construction paper.
 Students will either write the final version of their poem underneath the picture or type up
the poem, print it, cut it out and glue it underneath the picture.
 Students will then give their finished piece of work to the teacher.
 Have two students volunteer to make the cover to the book.
Conclusion/Finished Work
The teacher compiles the poems in a bound class book. In addition, the teacher can make black
and white copies of the book for students to take home. Laminate class book if possible or put
clear contact paper over pieces of work to protect so class book stays sturdy throughout the year.
ASSESSMENT
Research
Students will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
 Did the student use eLibrary Elementary to collect information and pictures about animal?
 Did the student organize information and descriptions using graphic organizers?
Writing
Students will be assessed on whether they followed the steps of the writing process.
 Did the student use prewriting strategies to plan written poem. (e.g. graphic organizers,
plan worksheet)?
 Did the student write a first draft using the prewriting information, and did the draft follow
cinquain pattern?
 Did the student edit work based on work with partner?
 Did student use descriptive language in the poem?
 Did student use the conventions of spelling and punctuation appropriately?
OPTIONAL EXTENDED ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
1. Share poems in a class poetry reading.
2. Post poems around the school in places where people would not expect poems to be
displayed. For an example, read the following magazine article in eLibrary Elementary:
--Click the search tab
--Type in "poems written by kids"
--Click the yellow magazine tab
--Go to the magazine article entitled, "The Poetry Express Kid Poets Move Train Rides In
Washington", Time for Kids: New York, New York, Feb. 14, 1997;7.
3. Have students read each of their poems on a tape recorder as it appears in the bound book.
Use this at “listening center” for children to listen to and read along with their own voices.
4. Have children extend their research into Science. Study the habitat of the animal by using
eLibrary Elementary as well.
5. Find maps on eLibrary to map where each specific animal lives around the world. Is its habitat
only in one country, area or region? This is a good geography lesson.
© 2003 ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
Permission is granted to duplicate for classroom use only.
6. Instead of writing cinquain poems of animals, use this lesson in Math and write cinquain poems
on geometric shapes. See the following Editor’s Choice Website in eLibrary Elementary for an
example of a triangle cinquain: http://teams.lacoe.edu/documentation/classrooms/amy/algebra/56/activities/poetry/cinquain.html.
SAMPLE CINQUAIN POEMS
Acorn
Brown, hard
Hanging, falling, cracking
Snapped up quickly by a squirrel
Nut
Ocean
Blue, cold
Splashing, crashing, waving
Hearing the sound in a shell
Sea
Bubbles
Round, translucent
Floating, blowing, drifting
Lifting spirits
Pop
Worm
Long, brown
Wiggling, slithering, digging
Spiraling into the earth
Crawler
© 2003 ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
Permission is granted to duplicate for classroom use only.
Cinquain Poetry
A Language Arts Lesson
What’s a cinquain poem? It is a form of poetry, written like a recipe. A cinquain is
a five-line poem. The words you choose and the form they take on paper are an
important part of the writing. Some people say they appear like diamonds on
paper. Here’s an example of a cinquain poem:
Lion
Golden, strong
Staring, creeping, pouncing
A hunter on the prowl
Predator
Can you see why people say it’s shaped like a diamond?
Here’s the way a cinquain poem is organized:
Line 1:One word for the subject (noun)
Line 2:Two words describing subject
Line 3:Three words showing action
Line 4:Four or five words expressing
feeling or thought
Line 5:One word that means the same
thing as the first word in line 1
(describing or renaming subject)
lion
golden,strong
staring, creeping, pouncing
a hunter on the prowl
predator
*Source: eLibrary Elementary Editor’s Choice Website:
http://teams.lacoe.edu/documentation/classrooms/amy/algebra/5-6/activities/poetry/cinquain.html
Cinquain is a French word with a root of “cinq” which means “five” – the amount
of lines in a cinquain poem. However, it is an American poetry form. Adelaide
Crapsey, who was influenced by Japanese haiku poetry, developed this poetic
system and used it to communicate brief thoughts and statements.
For more background on cinquain poems, visit this eLibrary Elementary Editor’s
Choice Website: http://www.poewar.com/articles/cinquain.htm.
Here are more sample cinquain poems:
Acorn
Brown, hard
Hanging, falling, cracking
Snapped up quickly by a squirrel
Nut
© 2003 ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
Permission is granted to duplicate for classroom use only.
Ocean
Blue, cold
Splashing, crashing, waving
Hearing the sound in a shell
Sea
Bubbles
Round, translucent
Floating, blowing, drifting
Lifting spirits
Pop
Worm
Long, brown
Wiggling, slithering, digging
Spiraling into the earth
Crawler
DURING THIS ACTIVITY…
 You will learn about cinquain poetry.
 You will use eLibrary Elementary to do research, gathering pictures and
information about an animal.
 You will learn how to organize information about that animal to develop a
cinquain poem.
 You will use the steps of the writing process to write and revise a cinquain
poem.
 You will create a page with a picture of your animal and your cinquain
poem for a class book.
DAY ONE
First you will research an animal on eLibrary Elementary. You will use the
information you gather to write a cinquain poem.
1. You will gather pictures of your animal by doing a search on eLibrary
Elementary. After reviewing a few pictures, you will write down seven to 10
descriptions of your animal based on what you see in the pictures. You will print
out your favorite picture of your animal and save it for later in the activity. Write
your name on the back of your printout and don’t lose it!
To search in eLibrary Elementary:
 Go to eLibrary Elementary.
© 2003 ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
Permission is granted to duplicate for classroom use only.

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You will start at the main search screen; if you are not on the main
search screen, click the search link at the top of the page.
Type the name of animal into the search box and press start.
Click the red picture icon at the top where the source types (maps,
articles, etc) are displayed. Pictures will then be listed at the top.
Click on picture document link to view a picture or click the red picture
icon to the left of each link.
2. Next, you will gather information about your animal using the eLibrary
Elementary Topic Tree. You will find at least five facts about your animal. Write
down the facts you find about your animal on the same piece of paper as your
descriptions.
To browse information with the eLibrary Elementary Topic Tree:
 Go to eLibrary Elementary.
 Click the Topics tab at the top of the page.
 Click Science.
 Under Life Science, click Animals.
 Click Animals by Familiar Names
 A large list of animals will appear.
 Click a specific animal to access articles, pictures and more for this
animal.
3. You will organize your findings (descriptions and facts) using the graphic
organizer of your choice -- like a spider map or cluster map. This will help you
think about how to create your cinquain poem.
DAY TWO
4. Using the graphic organizer, you will plan out your cinquain poem.
5. You will write a rough draft of your cinquain poem, following the cinquain
pattern. For an example go to the following eLibrary Elementary Editor’s Choice
Website: http://www.abcteach.com/Writing/cinquain.htm
6. You will then pair up with a partner. You will help each other with the editing
process. Each of you will read your poem to the other. Check each other’s
spelling, punctuation, and whether your partner followed the pattern of a cinquain
poem. Look at word choices and discuss whether they are the best choices for
your poem. Circle words that you might want to replace with more descriptive
ones.
7. You will then go to eLibrary Elementary Reference with your partner. Use the
thesaurus and dictionary as a way to find replacements for these words.
© 2003 ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
Permission is granted to duplicate for classroom use only.
To use the eLibrary Elementary Reference:
 Go to eLibrary Elementary.
 Click Reference at the top of the page.
 Click the circle next to “Clear all sources” on the left side of the page.
 Click the box under Dictionary and the box under Thesaurus.
 Type the word you are trying to replace into the search box.
 Click START!
 Look at the different descriptions for your word. Write down some of
the ones that you like to use in your cinquain poem.
7. Now that you have new words, write a second draft with the changes.
DAY THREE
8. Take out the picture of your animal that you picked and printed on the first day.
Cut the picture out and glue it onto colored construction paper.
9. Write the final version of your cinquain poem underneath the picture or type up
the poem, print it out, cut it out and glue it underneath the picture.
10. Give your finished piece of work to teacher. Think about volunteering to
create the cover for the class book!
ASSESSMENT
Research:
You will be evaluated based on these criteria:
 Did you use big chalk Library Elementary to collect information and
pictures about your animal?
 Did you take notes on the information you found?
Writing:
You will be assessed on whether you followed the steps of the writing process.
 Did you use prewriting strategies to plan written poem (e.g. graphic
organizers)?
 Did you write a first draft using the prewriting information and did the draft
follow the cinquain pattern?
 Did you edit your poem based on work with your partner?
 Did you use descriptive language in your poem?
 Did you use the conventions of spelling and punctuation appropriately?
© 2003 ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
Permission is granted to duplicate for classroom use only.