Lesson 1- Onomatopoeia (A word that makes its own sound.
The rusty spigot
sputters,
utters
a splutter,
spatters a smattering of drops,
gashes wider;
slash,
splatters,
scatters,
spurts,
finally stops sputtering
and plash!
gushes rushes splashes
clear water dashes.
by Eve Merriam
*** Highlight or circle the examples of onomatopoeia in this poem.****
*** Create an onomatopoeia poem and illustrate it.
Lesson 2- Alliteration (Repetition of consonant sounds.)
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Angela Abigail Applewhite ate anchovies and artichokes.
Bertha Bartholomew blew big, blue bubbles.
Clever Clifford Cutter clumisily closed the closet clasps.
Dwayne Dwiddle drew a drawing of dreaded Dracula.
Elmer Elwood eluded elven elderly elephants.
Floyd Flingle flipped flat flapjacks.
Greta Gruber grabbed a group of green grapes.
Hattie Henderson hated happy healthy hippos.
Ida Ivy identified the ivory iris.
Julie Jackson juggled the juicy, jiggly jello.
Karl Kessler kept the ketchup in the kitchen.
Lila Ledbetter lugged a lot of little lemons.
Milton Mallard mailed a mangled mango.
Norris Newton never needed new noodles.
Patsy planter plucked plump, purple, plastic plums.
Quinella Quist quite quickly quelled the quarreling quartet.
Randy Rathbone wrapped a rather rare red rabbit.
Shelly Sherman shivered in a sheer, short, shirt.
Trina Tweety tripped two twittering twins under a twiggy tree.
Uri Udall usually used his unique, unusual unicycle.
Vicky Vinc viewd a very valuable vase.
Walter Whipple warily warned the weary warrior.
Xerxes Xenon expected to xerox extra x-rays.
Yolana Yvonne Yarger yodeled up yonder yesterday.
Zigmund Zane zig-zagged through the zany zoo zone.
*** These are examples of tongue twisters, which are definitely examples of alliteration.
(1) Choose three of these tongue twisters and add to them.
(2) Create three tongue twisters of your own.
(3) Headline Poems- Using a newspaper, cut out word(s) to create a poem. The poem must have one
central theme and must show at least three examples of alliteration. The poem must contain at least
25 words.
Lesson 3- Similes (A comparison using “like” or “as”- Similes usually compare
dissimilar things)
“Willow and Gingko”- Eve Merriam
The willow is like an etching,
Fine-lined against the sky.
The ginkgo is like a crude sketch,
Hardly worthy to be signed.
The willow’s music is like a soprano,
Delicate and thin.
The ginkgo’s tune is like a chorus
With everyone joining in.
The willow is sleek as a velvet-nosed calf;
The ginkgo is leathery as an old bull.
The willow’s branches are like silken thread;
The ginkgo’s like stubby rough wool.
The willow is like a nymph with streaming hair;
Wherever it grows, there is green and gold and fair.
The willow dips to the water,
Protected and precious, like the king’s favorite daughter.
The ginkgo forces its way through gray concrete;
Like a city child, it grows up in the street.
Thrust against the metal sky,
Somehow it survives and even thrives.
My eyes feast upon the willow,
But my heart goes to the ginkgo.
(1) Underline the similes in this poem.
Lesson 4- Metaphors (States that one thing is something else. It is a comparison but
DOES NOT use “like” or “as”.
(2) Complete Simile and Metaphor Worksheet
(3) Create one poem that uses both similes and metaphors. (Use two examples of each.)
Lesson 5- Personification (Gives human qualities to animals or objects.)
(1)Personify the following sentences. Change the words in parentheses to words that would describe
a human's
actions:
1.My bedroom door (opened).
2.The puppy (barked) when I left for school.
3.The leaf (fell) from the tree.
4.The flashlight (went on).
5.Hair (is) on my head.
6.The CD player (made a noise).
7.The net (moves) when the basketball goes through.
8.The player piano keys (moved up and down).
9.The space shuttle (took off).
10.The little arrow (moves) across the computer screen.
(2) Write your own original sentences that describe objects through personification.
The cartoon characters always seem to "save the day."
Mighty Mouse and Underdog are examples of the
action hero type. Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny are of the average
variety. Many are these cartoon animals have been personified. These animals
are given human traits such as the ability to speak and show
emotions such as love and anger.
(3)Students will draw their own cartoon animal and personify him/her.
(4) "Listen to the Sea"
Use to write a poem about nature. Choose a word from List A or a
different word that names something in nature.
Choose a word from List B or another word that names an action. Write
this word next to the word from List A.
List A
sun
moon
stars
sky
sea
stone
night
mountain
dawn
morning
List B
tells
shows
reminds
teaches
listens
remembers
brings
looks
dances
dreams
guides
takes
Example:
stone listens
Then expand your words into a sentence.
Lesson 6- Hyperbole (Hyperbole is a figure of speech which is an exaggeration.
Persons often use expressions such as "I nearly died laughing," "I was hopping
mad," and "I tried a thousand times." Such statements are not literally true, but
people make them to sound impressive or to emphasize something, such as a feeling,
effort, or reaction.)
Activities:
1. Students work in pairs to author a short story creating a character or characters that use(s)
hyperboles constantly.
2. The teacher will give blanket statements in class that the students will complete with their original
hyperbole. Example:
That student is so lazy that.......................... or that class was so boring (or exciting) that....................
3. Review the definition: Hyperbole simply means exaggeration.
Provide some Examples:
I could sleep for a year.
This box weighs a ton.
I've told you a million times not to exaggerate.
Your mother is so small she does chin-ups on the curb.
Share this Poem: The Hippo
A head or tail - which does he lack?
I think his forward's coming back!
He lives on carrots, leeks, and hay;
He starts to yawn - it takes all day
Some time I think I'll live that way.
Now give students directions to write a ten-line poem using hyperbole, or write ten examples of
hyperbole.
Lesson 7 "You're a Poet - Even If You Didn't Know It!"
Now you have had some experience with many types of poems, used elements of figurative language, and
you have practiced "spicing up" your writing with descriptive words. It's time for YOU to try your hand at
poetic writing.
It's time to remind you of the four (4) elements of poetry on which you'll concentrate. They are: theme,
purpose, form, and mood. The four elements will work together to make a successful poem.
CENTRAL IDEA When you select a theme, this becomes the focus of the whole poem. It is the main idea
of the piece and everything in the poem
relates to that idea and reinforces it.
PURPOSE After your theme is selected you must ask yourself three (3)
questions to guide you in the development of your theme.
1. Who is your audience and what do you
want to tell them?
2. What is your theme?
3. How can you support the theme with descriptive
elements?
MOOD Three questions will help you decide how the purpose and mood will combine to complete your
poem.
1. How do you feel about the theme?
2. Is the theme serious, funny, sad?
3. Are you explaining something?
After your purpose is defined and you recognize your feelings towards the purpose, this will determine the
tone or
mood of your poem. What effect do you want your poem
to have on the reader? How can you "flavor" or "figure" your
poem to make it spooky and suspenseful or touching and
inspiring?
FORM After the mood of the poem has been determined, decide
which poetic form you will use to BEST achieve the mood,
fulfills the purpose, and supports the theme that you've determined.
Lesson 8 THEME Hey! What's the Big Idea?
The theme is the point a writer is trying to make about a subject. Learning about theme helps you decide
what is important. The theme of the poem tells what the whole poem is about. All the words, descriptions,
figurative language, detail sentences, and scenes are all small parts that add to the reader's understanding of
what you feel about the theme. Let's try something, here are some central ideas, or THEMES. Brainstorm
some of your thoughts and feelings about the following ideas.
War Horses The Elderly
Prejudice Family Pollution
Love Violence Music
Now, you're ready to come up with the "big idea!" Name a theme and then brainstorm your ideas. You may
want to use a idea web to "capture" your thoughts.