ReadWorks.org
Lesson 1: What’s the Main Idea?
http://www.readworks.org/lessons/grade5/words-wings-treasury-africanamerican-poetry-and-art/lesson-1
Words with Wings: A Treasury of African-American Poetry and Art
Learning Goal: Explain the main idea of a poem.
Duration: Approximately 2 Days (35-40 minutes for each class)
Necessary Materials: Provided: Main Idea Chart 1, Main Idea Chart 2, Main Idea Mania Worksheet
(Student Packet, page 6). Not Provided: Chart paper, markers, Words With Wings, selected by Belinda
Rochelle

Before the Lesson
Read the poems and complete the Student Packet Worksheets for “Auction Street,” “Incident,”
“John, Who Is Poor,” and “Your World.”

Activation & Motivation
Bring in a copy of your favorite book or movie to show to the class. Briefly tell students what the
book or movie is about. Then, ask students to share their favorite book or movie with the class and
describe what the book or movie is about.

Teacher Modeling
will explain that the books or movies we have just discussed all have a main idea. I will explain
that just like books or movies have a main idea, poems also have a main idea. I will define a
poem’s main idea as what the poem is about. To fully understand a poem, a reader must first
figure out its main idea. I will explain that to find the main idea of a poem, a reader must read
through the entire poem first. I will read aloud “John, Who is Poor” to identify the poem’s main
idea. Note: You may want to write the poem on chart paper or the board before the lesson so
students can refer to the lines of the poem.
First, I will think about the subject of the poem—who or what the poem is about. Sometimes, a
poem’s title gives readers a clue about the poem’s subject, but a title may or may not tell who or
what the subject of the poem is about. Good readers read the whole poem, with their title clue in
mind, before determining the main idea. For example, the title “John, Who is Poor” tells me that
the poem has something to do with a person named John who may be poor. But it doesn’t tell me
the exact main idea. The title could be a metaphor for something else, like someone who is rich. I
will explain that good readers consider a title when trying to figure out the main idea, but also read
the whole poem to determine the main idea. After reading the poem, I will identify who or what
the poem is about. The first line of the poem mentions little children and a boy named John. As I
continue to read, I get a better picture of John. So far, I can tell the subject of the poem is a little
boy named John. I will write this information on Main Idea Chart 1.
Next, I will find out what happens to the subject of the poem. I will underline words or phrases
that describe the action. The first stanza of the poem gives me information, such as John is lonely
and alone because his mother works all day and his father is dead. The next stanza tells me that
John is hungry and poor. I will write all of this information on Main Idea Chart 1.
Using information I’ve identified about the subject of the poem (including what happens to the
subject and what it is like), I can draw a conclusion about the poem’s main idea. I can conclude
that the main idea of “John, Who is Poor” is there are children who are poor and hungry. I will
write this on Main Idea Chart 1.

Think Check
Ask: "How can I figure out the main idea of a poem?" Students should respond that you should
look at the title, and then read the poem aloud to find who or what the poem is about. Next,
students can look for information about what happens or the actions of the subject. Finally,
students can use information about the subject and the action to draw a conclusion about the
poem’s main idea.

Guided Practice
will identify the main idea of “Primer” on Main Idea Chart 2. Note: See Main Idea Chart 2 for
specific examples. You may want to write the poem on chart paper or the board before the lesson
so students can refer to the lines of the poem.
We will first look at the title for clues about the poem’s main idea. Ask: "Does the title “Primer”
give us a clue about the subject of the poem?" (Encourage students to brainstorm about
information the title might give.) Next, we will read the poem together and look for information
about the poem’s subject. We will answer the question: Who or what is the poem about? We will
answer this question on Main Idea Chart 2. We will then look for information that tells us about
the action of the poem. We will answer the question: What is happening in the poem? We will
write this down on Main Idea Chart 2. Finally, we will use information about the poem’s subject
and the action to draw a conclusion about the main idea. We will write the main idea on our Main
Idea Chart 2.

Independent Practice
will read “Human Family” and write information about the poem’s title on the Main Idea Mania
Worksheet in your Student Packet. (See page 6 in the Student Packet.) You will then read the
poem aloud to identify the subject and the action of the poem. You will record this on your Main
Idea Mania Worksheet. You will draw a conclusion about the poem’s main idea and record it on
the Main Idea Mania Worksheet.

Reflective Practice
will come together to share our findings about the main idea of the poem.
Build Student Vocabulary toil
Tier 2 Word: toil
Contextualize the word
as it is used in the story
Explain the meaning
student-friendly
definition)
Students repeat the word
Teacher gives examples
of the word in other
contexts
Students provide
examples
“Oh, little children, be good to John! / Who lives so lone and alone. / Whose
Mama must hurry to toil all day. / Whose Papa is dead and done.”
To toil means to work hard. In the poem, when the speaker says that John’s
Mama hurries to toil all day, the speaker means that she works hard for long
hours.
Say the word toil with me: toil
I toiled all day on Saturday to unpack boxes after we moved. I was exhausted
afterward! My friend is toiling to finish her homework on time because she spent
her whole weekend watching TV.
How do you think you would feel if you had to toil all day? Why? Start by
saying, “If I had to toil all day, I would feel ______________________ because
____________________________.”
Students repeat the word
What word are we talking about? toil
again.
Additional Vocabulary
propel, throb, abide, immense, incident
Words
Lesson 2: The Tone of a Poem
http://www.readworks.org/lessons/grade5/words-wings-treasury-africanamerican-poetry-and-art/lesson-2
Words with Wings: A Treasury of African-American Poetry and Art
Learning Goal: Describe the emotion or tone of a poem.
Duration: Approximately 2 Days (35-40 minutes for each class)
Necessary Materials: Provided: Voice Teacher Example Chart 1, Voice Teacher Example Chart 2, Voice
Worksheet (Student Packet, page 10). Not Provided: Chart paper, markers, Words With Wings selected by
Belinda Rochelle

Before the Lesson
Read the poems and complete the Student Packet Worksheets for “Women,” “Those Winter
Sundays,” “Listen Children,” and “Fifth Grade Autobiography.”

Activation & Motivation
Show students two works of art from Words with Wings: “Thankful Poor” by Henry Ossawa
Tanner and “Celebration” by Charles Searles. Ask students: "When you look at each piece of
artwork, how does it make you feel?" Encourage discussion among the class. Ask: "What is it
about the paintings that make you feel this way? (Color, subjects, etc.) How do your feelings differ
about each work of art?"

Teacher Modeling
will explain that just like art conveys a strong emotion, so does poetry. While art uses colors,
shades, and the subject to evoke a feeling, poetry uses words and language to evoke a feeling. I
will define the tone or voice of a poem as the mood that influences a reader’s emotional response
to a poem. Tone sets the stage for how the reader feels while reading. I will explain that in order to
describe the tone or voice of a poem, good readers look at the words and phrases the poet uses.
I will read aloud the poem “Incident.” NOTE: In the poem, “Incident” the word “nigger” is used.
If you feel your class is not ready for this content, you may replace this poem with “Auction
Street.” After I’ve read the poem once, I will immediately write down any emotions I felt while
reading the poem on Voice Chart 1. After reading the poem, I’m sad for the child who remembers
this incident. Another part of me feels angry because this incident happened. I will write angry and
sad on my chart. Note: See the Voice Teacher Example Chart 1 for specific examples.
Next, I will go back and underline words or phrases that led me to feel sad or angry. The first two
lines in the first stanza of the poem actually makes me feel happy and hopeful. But the next two
lines start to make me uneasy. I feel uneasy that a Baltimorean is looking at the child. The last two
lines of that stanza make me shocked, upset, sad, and angry because this child calls the narrator a
“Nigger.” The poet likely used this word to provoke a strong emotion from the reader because the
word is associated with strong and negative feelings. The final stanza of the poem also makes me
feel sad, because the child, even though he stayed in Baltimore for eight months, only remembers
this degrading incident. The poet purposely closes the poem with this statement so that readers can
feel an emotion about the “incident.”
Now I can draw a conclusion about the overall tone or voice of the poem. The overall emotion is
anger and sadness, and the words and phrases I have underlined have driven me to that
emotion. Poems are meant to be read aloud, so I will read “Incident” aloud using a sad tone, since
I now know that this is how the poet wants the work to be read. (Engage students in an informal
discussion about how reading the poem with an opposite tone would make the poem feel very
different, perhaps even changing the meaning of the poem. For example, if “Incident” was read in
a cheerful voice, it would make the poem seem odd or wrong. Voice is important in properly
understanding the poem.)

Think Check
Ask: "How can I figure out the emotion or tone of a poem?" Students should respond that you can
look for words or phrases that are meant to elicit an emotional response from the reader. You can
make notes about how you feel as you reread the poem, and then use the notes to draw a
conclusion about the overall feeling from the poem. Finally, you can read the poem aloud using
the tone and emotion that was felt from the poem.

Guided Practice
will identify the tone of the poem “Night” by E. Ethelbert Miller. Note: You may want to write the
poem on chart paper or the board before the lesson so students can refer to the lines of the poem.
We will read the poem aloud once through. Next, we will immediately write down our initial
reaction to the poem. We will write these feelings on Voice Chart 2. Note: See the Voice Teacher
Example Chart 2 for reference. We will write down the words and phrases that evoke feelings in
us. We will draw a conclusion about how the poem makes us feel and what words or phrases in
the poem make us feel this way. We will reread aloud “Night” with the specific tone we have
identified.

Independent Practice
will read “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden. You will use your Voice Worksheet in your
Student Packet to write your feelings about the poem. (See page 10 in the Student Packet.) You
will then go back and identify the words and phrases that support your thinking.

Reflective Practice
will come together to share our findings about the tone of the poem. We will reread “Those Winter
Sundays” aloud with the tone we have identified.
Build Student Vocabulary ache
Tier 2 Word: ache
Contextualize the word as “Then with cracked hands that ached / from labor in the weekday weather made
it is used in the story
/ banked fires blaze."
Explain the meaning
student-friendly
definition)
Students repeat the word
Teacher gives examples
of the word in other
contexts
Students provide
examples
Students repeat the word
again.
Additional Vocabulary
Words
An ache is a dull pain that lasts for a long time. In the poem, when the speaker
says that his father’s hands ache, he means that his hands have been hurting for
a long time.
Say the word ache with me: ache
My mom always complains that we make her head ache when we talk loudly at
the dinner table. I ran twenty miles yesterday, and now my legs ache.
Can you give an example of something that might make you ache? Start by
saying, “Something that might make me ache is
_____________________________.”
What word are we talking about? ache
indifferent, ashamed, bulge, generation, luminous
Lesson 3: A Poem’s Theme
http://www.readworks.org/lessons/grade5/words-wings-treasury-africanamerican-poetry-and-art/lesson-3
Words with Wings: A Treasury of African-American Poetry and Art
Learning Goal: Identify a theme in a poem.
Duration: Approximately 2 Days (40-45 minutes for each class)
Necessary Materials: Provided: Example Theme Chart 1, Example Theme Chart 2, Theme Worksheet
(Student Packet, page 14). Not Provided: Two songs that have the same theme, but are different types of
music; MP3, CD, or cassette player; chart paper, markers, Words With Wings selected by Belinda Rochelle

Before the Lesson
Read the poems and complete the Student Packet Worksheets for “Little Brown Baby,” “We
Alone” “Rhapsody,” and “Aunt Sue’s Stories.

Activation & Motivation
Play two songs for the class that have the same theme but are different types of music. For
example, you might choose a rap song about love and a country song about love.

Teacher Modeling
will explain that just like songs have themes (for example, that it is better to be happy and alone,
than unhappily in love), so do poems. The theme of a poem is the poet’s message to the readers. I
can find the theme of a poem by examining its main idea and voice. For example, if a song’s main
idea is about a person who just broke up with his love and the voice or tone is excited and joyful, I
could conclude that a theme of the song is that we might be happier being alone than in a
relationship. Finding a poem’s theme works the same way. By figuring out what the poem is about
(Main Idea) and how the author feels about the subject of the poem (Voice), readers can figure out
the theme, or message in the poem. Note: You may want to discuss as you go through the poem
the difference between main idea and theme as students often confuse these concepts. Main idea is
the big idea in a text that tells what it is mostly about, while theme is the message that an author is
trying to share with the reader. Usually a theme can be applied to other texts, but the main idea is
very specific to the text.
I will read aloud the poem “Listen Children,” and will look for clues about the main idea of the
poem. (Model the steps used in Lesson 1 to identify the main idea.) I think the main idea of this
poem is that African Americans have never hated being Black and have supported each other as a
community. I will write this on Theme Chart 1. Note: You may want to write the poem on chart
paper or the board before the lesson so students can refer to the lines of the poem. See Example
Theme Chart 1 for specific examples.
I will identify the poem’s voice. The poet says “listen children” which makes me feel like the tone
is caring, like a mother. The line “We have always loved each other,” is positive. I can say that
this poem has a positive and supportive voice. I will reread the poem aloud in a caring voice in
order to think about what the author wants to tell the reader about the main idea.
Gathering the information about the poem’s main idea and voice can help to identify the message
or theme. I think the author’s message is that African Americans should know that they are loved
by their community and should, in turn, love themselves and each other.

Think Check
Ask: "How can I identify the theme in a poem?" Students should answer that you can identify the
theme by first identifying the main idea and voice to gather information. Then you can use
information about the poem’s main idea and voice to draw a conclusion about the poem’s theme.

Guided Practice
will identify the theme of “This Morning” by Lucille Clifton. We will first identify the main idea
of the poem. (Read the poem aloud and encourage your class to brainstorm about the poem’s main
idea.) We could say that the poem’s main idea is an African American girl who notices herself in
school. We will record the main idea on Theme Chart 2. Note: You may want to write the poem on
chart paper or the board before the lesson so students can refer to the lines of the poem. See
Example Theme Chart 2 for specific examples.
We will then look for words, phrases or images that tell us about the voice of the poem. The voice
is a self-confident tone. We will reread the poem aloud using the voice we have identified in order
to get a deeper understanding of the poem. (Encourage students to think aloud to identify
information.) We will record the voice on Theme Chart 2.
Finally, we will use the information we have gathered about the main idea and the voice to
determine the theme. We might say that the message or theme of “This Morning” is that “Black is
beautiful” or “accept yourself and be proud,” etc. Encourage students to provide their opinions
about this question and write varying themes on Theme Chart 2.

Independent Practice
will read and analyze the poem “Legacies” by Nikki Giovanni. You will identify the poem’s main
idea and voice, recording this information on the Theme Worksheet in your Student Packet. (See
page 14 in the Student Packet.) You will then read the poem aloud in the voice you have
identified. Finally, you will write down the poem’s theme on your Theme Worksheet and you will
prepare to share your theme.

Reflective Practice
will each share the theme we have identified for “Legacies.” We will write differing themes on the
chart paper or the board. We will discuss the question: "Is the theme relevant for our lives
today?" We will discuss what themes the different poems in the collection have in common.
Build Student Vocabulary sorrow
Tier 2 Word: sorrow
Contextualize the word
as it is used in the
story
Explain the meaning
student-friendly
definition)
Students repeat the
word
Teacher gives
examples of the word
in other contexts
Students provide
examples
Students repeat the
word again.
Additional Vocabulary
“And black slaves / Singing sorrow songs on the banks of a mighty river / Mingle
themselves softly / In the flow of old Aunt Sue’s voice, / Mingle themselves softly
/ In the dark shadows that cross and recross / Aunt Sue’s stories.”
The word sorrow means sadness, unhappiness, and distress. The slaves in the
poem are singing sorrow songs which mean they are singing sad songs about being
unhappy.
Say the word sorrow with me: sorrow
We were filled with sorrow when our grandfather died. When my teacher told us
that he was retiring at the end of the year, I expressed my sorrow by writing him a
card about how much I would miss him.
Can you give an example of something that might make you feel sorrow? Start by
saying, “I would feel sorrow if ____________________________.”
What word are we talking about? sorrow
mingle, devalue, revolution, rare, dewy
Words
Lesson 4: Author’s Purpose
http://www.readworks.org/lessons/grade5/words-wings-treasury-africanamerican-poetry-and-art/lesson-4
Words with Wings: A Treasury of African-American Poetry and Art
Learning Goal: Identify the author’s purpose in a poem.
Duration: Approximately 2 Days (35-40 minutes for each class)
Necessary Materials: Provided: Author’s Purpose Strips, Example PIES Chart 1, Example PIES Chart 2,
PIES Chart Worksheet (Student Packet, 18 page). Not Provided: Scissors, chart paper, markers, Words
With Wings selected by Belinda Rochelle

Before the Lesson
Read the poems and complete the Student Packet Worksheets for “Primer,” “How Poems are
Made,” “This Morning,” and “Night.”

Activation & Motivation
Ask four student volunteers to stand in the front of the room and share something with the class in
30 seconds or less based on the Author’s Purpose Strip that they receive. The Author’s Purpose
Strips will tell one student to tell a joke, the second student to teach something, the third student to
convince the class to do their homework, and the fourth to share something that happened to them
today. After the exercise, have the students in the class explain what each presenter’s purpose was.

Teacher Modeling
will explain that each of the students shared information with us. I will also explain that the
students had a purpose for their presentation. (Think aloud some reasons why the student would
share this particular information: to persuade me to do something, to inform, to entertain, or to
share something). Poets also have a purpose for writing their poems.
I will define author’s purpose as the reason why an author has written a text. There are four
reasons why a poet might write a poem. These reasons can be identified using a PIES Chart. I will
draw a PIES Chart on chart paper or the board. I will label each section of my pie with the
following: “P for Persuade” (the poet wants to persuade the reader); “I for Inform” (the poet wants
to inform the reader); “E for Entertain” (the poet wants to entertain the reader); and “S for Share”
(the poet wants to share something with the reader). Note: Use the Example PIES Chart 1 for
reference and specific examples. You may want to write the poem on chart paper or the board
before the lesson so students can refer to the lines of the poem.
I will identify the Author’s Purpose in the poem “Women” by Alice Walker. I will silently read
the poem first to identify the tone of the poem. I can identify the poem as having a reflective, but
strong tone, so I will reread the poem using this tone.
I will use a PIES Chart to identify the Author’s Purpose in “Women.” For each part of the chart, I
will write text that may correspond with the author’s purpose. I will read the poem aloud and think
aloud "Is this poem meant to Persuade? I don’t see any words that are meant to persuade, so I
don’t think the author’s purpose is to persuade." Now I’ll move onto the “I” for Inform. I think
that the author gives information about what women of the past did (i.e. battered down doors,
ironed starched white shirts, etc.) In this section of the pie, I will write “Author gives examples of
actions women took.” Next, I will move to the “E” for Entertain. I will say "Is this poem
entertaining? I don’t think it’s meant to entertain." Next I will move to the “S” for Share. I will
say, "Does the author share an experience? I don’t think the author wants to share something with
the reader. By looking at my chart, I can say that the author wants to inform me about the
struggles of women in the past."

Think Check
Ask: "How can I identify the author’s purpose in a poem?" Students should answer that you
should identify the tone of the poem first and then read the poem using that tone/voice. Then, you
should look at the words and phrases to figure out if the author wants to Persuade, Inform,
Entertain, or Share.

Guided Practice
will read “Fifth Grade Autobiography” silently. We will identify the tone and read it aloud using
the tone. Then, we will make a PIES Chart on chart paper or the board. We will examine the poem
to see if the poet meant to Persuade, Inform, Entertain, or Share. We will look for words, phrases
or ideas for the parts of the Chart. Note: Go through each section of the chart, asking students if
they can find text for each letter. Especially focus on the “S” for Share with the following step.
You may want to write the poem on chart paper or the board before the lesson so students can
refer to the lines of the poem. Use the Example PIES Chart 2 for reference and specific examples.
Move through each section of the chart, questioning students about evidence for each purpose in
the poem.
After reading the poem aloud, we can determine together that the author is sharing a personal
experience with us-- going fishing with her grandfather, remembering her grandparents, and
remembering an experience with her brother. We can conclude that the author’s purpose for “Fifth
Grade Autobiography” is to share a personal experience with the reader.

Independent Practice
will read “Aunt Sue’s Stories” by Langston Hughes. After you read the poem, you will address
each letter of the PIES chart. You will examine the poem’s words and phrases to identify the
author’s purpose. You will fill in the part of the PIES Chart Worksheet that you believe identifies
the author’s purpose. (See page 18 in the Student Packet.) You will answer the question: How do
you know whether the author wants to Persuade, Entertain, Inform, or Share?

Reflective Practice
will share our PIES Chart Worksheet with the class. We will discuss the author’s purpose of “Aunt
Sue’s Stories.” We will share our opinion about why the poet would want to write the poem.
Build Student Vocabulary retort
Tier 2 Word: retort
Contextualize the
word as it is used in
the story
Explain the meaning
student-friendly
definition)
Students repeat the
word
“I knew my body was no big deal / but never thought to retort: who’s / calling who
skinny?”
A retort is a quick, sharp insult, or a quick answer that gives the opposite argument.
In the poem, a group of skinny sisters are teasing the speaker by calling her “Mrs.
Stringbean.” The speaker made a retort by saying, “Who’s calling who skinny?”
Say the word retort with me: retort
I have trouble thinking of good retorts after people make fun of me – I only think of
Teacher gives
replies after they’ve already walked away. When my friend insisted that George
examples of the word
Washington wasn’t a very important President, I retorted that she clearly needed to
in other contexts
study her history books!
Students provide
What do you retort, when someone insults you?? Start by saying, “If someone
examples
insults me, I would retort ______________________________.”
Students repeat the
What word are we talking about? retort
word again.
Additional
scrape, gradually, upbeat, discredited
Vocabulary Words
Lesson 5: Figurative Language
http://www.readworks.org/lessons/grade5/words-wings-treasury-africanamerican-poetry-and-art/lesson-5
Words with Wings: A Treasury of African-American Poetry and Art
Learning Goal: Classify various types of figurative language found in a poem.
Duration: Approximately 2 Days (35-40 minutes for each class)
Necessary Materials: Provided: Figurative Language Strips, “The Final Deployment”, Figurative
Language Identifier, Example Figurative Language Chart 1, Example Figurative Language Chart 2,
Figurative Language Worksheet (Student Packet, page 22). Not Provided: Scissors, chart paper, markers,
Words With Wings selected by Belinda Rochelle

Before the Lesson
Read the poems and complete the Student Packet Worksheets for “Growing Up,” “Legacies,” “My
People,” and “Human Family.”

Activation & Motivation
Divide the class into five groups and give each group one Figurative Language Strip. Hand out
one copy of the poem “The Final Deployment” to each group and read it aloud. Have students read
the definition and example on their Figurative Language Strip. Instruct each group to find at least
one example of the type of Figurative Language on their strip. Ask groups to write a word or
phrase from the poem that matches the type of figurative language they were assigned. When
students have finished, ask the class to come together and read the poem aloud. Each group will
read the sentence that corresponds with their Figurative Language Strip.

Teacher Modeling
will explain that poems often include figurative language, which we learned in our Genre Lesson
is an Element of Poetry. I will define figurative language as language enriched by words that
provide detailed images and figures of speech. I will explain that figurative language in poetry is
often used to add to a poem’s meaning and to enhance the images in the poem. As we saw in our
previous activity, one poem can display numerous figurative language elements in it.
I will hand out the Figurative Language Identifier to familiarize ourselves with the various types
of figurative language that could be used in a poem. I will use the handout to describe each type of
figurative language and give an example of each. I will write them as categories on chart paper or
the board. Note: Hand out the Figurative Language Identifier to students. As you go through each
example on the handout, replicate the handout on chart paper or the board.
I will read “Auction Street” aloud. Then, I will go back and identify the figurative language used
in the poem. I will look for language that enhances imagery or meaning in the poem. Once I
identify a phrase or line, I will classify it into the type of figurative language in which it belongs.
For example, I see that the line “the beat throbbing up through our shoes,” shows personification
because it gives a human characteristic (throbbing) to a non-human thing (the beat). (I will have
prewritten this phrase on an index card or sticky note, and I will tape it under the appropriate
category of Figurative Language—Personification on the chart.
I will continue to identify examples of figurative language in “Auction Street” and classify them
with prepared index cards by type of Figurative Language. Note: Refer to Example Figurative
Language Chart 1 to walk students through identifying the various types of figurative language
used in the poem and for examples to write on the index cards.

Think Check
Ask: "How can I classify various types of figurative language in a poem?" Students should answer
that you should read the poem fully and then analyze each phrase, sentence, or stanza to identify
language that enhances the meaning or images in a poem. Students can use the Figurative
Language Identifier to figure out which type of figurative language is used in the poem.

Guided Practice
will identify and classify the various types of figurative language used in the poem “How Poems
Are Made.” We will divide our class into three groups. Each group will receive index cards on
which to write phrases or examples from the poem that portray figurative language. On chart paper
or the board, we will create a chart listing the five types of figurative language we have discussed:
alliteration, simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole.
One person from each group will come up to the chart paper or board and tape their index cards
under the type of figurative language that matches the examples/phrases from the poem. Another
person from the group will explain why this example/phrase belongs under this category of
figurative language. Note: See Example Figurative Language Chart 2 for how to set up the
chart. Each group will receive one point for correctly classifying and categorizing the types of
figurative language in the poem. The team with the most points will win a poetic prize of teacher’s
choice.

Independent Practice
will read “Rhapsody” and identify and classify figurative language used in the poem. You may use
your Figurative Language Identifier as you complete your Figurative Language Worksheet. (See
page 22 in the Student Packet.) On your Figurative Language Worksheet, you will record phrases
from the poem that are examples of figurative language, and you will place them in the proper
column. You will prepare to share your findings with the class.

Reflective Practice
will discuss the types of figurative language we have found in “Rhapsody.” We will engage in a
brief discussion around the question, "How do the different kinds of figurative language enhance
the meaning of a poem?"
Build Student Vocabulary obvious
Tier 2 Word: obvious
Contextualize the
“I note the obvious differences / between each sort and type, / but we are more
word as it is used in
alike, my friends, / than we are unalike.”
the story
Obvious means clear and easy for anyone to see or understand. When the speaker of
Explain the meaning
the poem says that she notes obvious differences between different people she
student-friendly
means that she notes the differences are easiest to see – people’s hair or skin color,
definition)
for example.
Students repeat the
Say the word obvious with me: obvious
word
Teacher gives
The answer to today’s pop quiz was obvious – it was really clear and easy to
examples of the word understand. It was obvious to everyone that Maya was really upset about her
in other contexts
grandmother because her eyes were red and she kept her head down in class.
Students provide
Can you give an example of a question that has an answer that is obvious? Start by
examples
saying, “An obvious question is ________________________.”
Students repeat the
What word are we talking about? obvious
word again.
Additional Vocabulary
encouraged, dependent, thrive, bemuse, declare
Words