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Poetry Portfolio

Learning Module

Abstract

This writing module was designed for 5th graders to learn about and compose different types of poetry. At the end of the unit, students will have a peer reviewed poetry portfolio to demonstrate their learning during the course of this module.

Keywords

Poetry, writing, 5th, diamante, ballad, couplet, quatrain, limerick, acrostic, haiku

In my 5 years teaching English Language Arts, I’ve found poetry to be something students either hate or love. Some love the freedom that poetry allows, without the limitation of sentence structure, creativity can flow. For others, the rhyming and rules of some forms of poetry cause confusion and anxiety.

The purpose of this poetry unit is to provide students the vocabulary to produce and understand poetry. Furthermore, students will learn a few types of poetry and their specific rules. Finally, to determine their understanding of content covered students will be making a poetry portfolio throughout this unit. Studies show that portfolio based assessments can yield positive academic outcomes and enhance collaborative relationships within a classroom (Tiwari & Tang, 2003). Additionally, this unit utilized peer assessment to enhance student outcomes. Prior to the final submission of the students’ poetry portfolio, a peer will review their portfolio and give them constructive feedback. In research from Topping (2009), peer assessment was shown to produce assessment feedback of equal reliability and validity to that of a teacher’s feedback to a student.

This unit is intended to be used in a 5th grade classroom. This poetry unit focuses more on poetry composition than analysis. Below are the learning objectives that students will be working towards for each lesson. Additionally, the Common Core learning standards this unit was meant to address (Common Core State Standards Initiative, n.d.). 

Objectives 

Lesson 1: I can identify the number of lines and stanzas in a poem. I can determine a poem’s rhyme scheme.

Lesson 2: I can write a couplet poem.

Lesson 3: : I can write a quatrain poem.

Lesson 4: I can write a haiku poem.

Lesson 5: I can write a limerick poem.

Lesson 6: I can write a diamante poem.

Lesson 7: I can write an acrostic poem.

Lesson 8: I can write a ballad poem.

Lesson 9: I can assemble my poetry portfolio.

Lesson 10: I can give my classmates feedback on their poetry portfolio.

Focus Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.5

Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Lesson 1

For Students

Learning Objectives: I can identify the number of lines and stanzas in a poem.

I can determine a poem’s rhyme scheme.

Lesson Vocabulary

Line: A group of words in a row in a poem

Stanza: A group of lines in a poem

Rhyme Scheme: The rhyming pattern of the last word in each line of a poem

Poetry is unique compared to other forms of writing like narrative, creative, persuasive, and informational. Poetry allows a writer to express their creativity without the typical constraints of other forms of writing. Poetry does take a different form than other writing. Watch the video below to learn more about the important terminology used in the world of poetry.

Media embedded February 27, 2022

Video 1: Miss H. in Fifth. (2020a, April 16). Stanzas, lines, and rhyme schemes [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSzT5FCzdIc

Many poems have rhymes, but it's important to note that not all poems have to rhyme . We can evaluate a poem's rhyme scheme by looking at the last word in each line of a poem. The video below demonstrates how to determine a poem’s rhyme scheme.
 

Media embedded February 27, 2022

Video 2: Spiess, A. (2020, April 17). Rhyming scheme [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcGIAQw8ekM&t=39s

Comment: Do you prefer poetry with or without a rhyme scheme? Explain your thinking.

Make an Update: Find a poem on the internet and add it to the top of your update. In your update state how many lines and stanzas your poem has. Additionally, determine the rhyme scheme of your poem, if any.

For Teacher

Duration: 30 minutes

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to identify the number of lines and stanzas in a poem.

Students will be able to determine a poem’s rhyme scheme.

Teaching Tips

  • Start a poster with poem terminology in your classroom for students to use as a resource.

  • Model for students how to find a poem’s rhyme scheme in order to enhance their understanding.

  • To further lesson objectives, students can work in partners or small groups to determine a new poem's rhyme scheme and numbers of lines and stanzas.

  • Comment on a few students' updates to give them feedback on their progress toward lesson learning objectives.

Lesson 2

For Students

Learning Objectives: I can write a couplet poem.

Lesson Vocabulary:

Syllables: Sound parts

Couplet: A two line poem that rhymes

Today we will learn our first type of poem, a couplet! Couplets are short, simple, rhyming poems. Let’s learn more about them in this video:

Media embedded February 27, 2022

Video 3: DuBois, J. (2020, May 22). Couplet poetry [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZTJmYc3nBs

As stated in the video, a couplet is a two line poem whose lines rhyme and consist of about the same amount of syllables. Below is an example of a couplet:

Figure 1: EdZone Publishing. (2018, September 17). How to write poetry for kids. First Grade Mom. https://firstgrademom.com/first-grade-writing-printables/how-to-write-poetry-for-kids/

Comment: Comment on two other classmate's couplet poem updates. Give them feedback on how they followed the couplet style of poem writing. Also you can give them compliments or ask questions about their poem.

Make an update: Write your own couplet and post it as an update. Be sure to follow the rules and format discussed in today’s lesson!

For Teacher

Duration: 30 minutes

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to write a couplet poem.

Teaching Tips

  • Model how to write a couplet for students.
  • Allow students access to a physical copy of a rhyming dictionary or a digital rhyming dictionary to help them with their rhyme scheme.
  • Give students 10-15 minutes after the lesson to compose and post their poem, as well as comment on their classmates.
  • Comment on students' updates to highlight great examples of this style of poetry.

Lesson 3

For Students

Learning Objectives: I can write a quatrain poem.

Lesson Vocabulary:

Quatrain: A four line poem with an AABB, ABAB, or ABCB rhyme scheme.

The next type of poem we will review is a quatrain. This is a 4 line poem that has a few different choices of rhyme scheme, watch the video below to learn more!

Media embedded February 27, 2022

Video 4: Ashley A. (2020, May 5). Quatrain poems [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dUTSBap2Iw

Below is an example of a quatrain poem. Can you figure out which of the 3 rhyme schemes the author used?

Figure 2: Rodgers, D. (n.d.). Your feet [Illustration]. ClassroomPoems.Com. https://www.classroompoems.com/funny-simile-poems.html

Comment: Comment on two other classmates' couplet poem updates. Give them feedback on how they followed the quatrain style of poem writing. Also comment what rhyme scheme you think they used.

Make an update: Write your own quatrain and post it as an update. Be sure to follow the rules and format discussed in today’s lesson!

For Teacher

Duration: 30 minutes

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to write a quatrain poem.

Teaching Tips

  • Model how to write a quatrain for students.
  • Allow students access to a physical copy of a rhyming dictionary or a digital rhyming dictionary to help them with their rhyme scheme.
  • Give students 10-15 minutes after the lesson to compose and post their poem, as well as comment on their classmates.

  • Comment on students' updates to highlight great examples of this style of poetry.

Lesson 4

For Students

Learning Objectives: I can write a haiku poem.

Lesson Vocabulary:

Haiku: A three line poem that does not rhyme, but follows a 5,7,5 syllable pattern.

The next poem we will review is the Haiku. This type of poem does not need to rhyme, but the number of syllables are important for this style of poem. Watch the video below to learn more!

Media embedded February 27, 2022

Video 5: Miss H. in Fifth. (2020b, April 28). Haiku poetry [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqVZuf5_5aU

Haiku poems often involve nature. Check out an example of haiku poetry about nature below. Try clapping out the syllables to see the 5,7,5 pattern!

Figure 3: Brock, D. (2017, December 8). A rainbow [Photograph]. Valley Haiku. https://www.valleyhaiku.org/examples-of-haiku-poems-learn-the-form-nature-and-evolution-of-haiku-poetry/

Comment: Comment on two other classmate's haiku poem updates. Give them feedback on how they followed the haiku style of poem writing. Also you can give them compliments or ask questions about their poem.

Make an update: Write your own haiku and post it as an update. Be sure to follow the rules and format discussed in today’s lesson!

For Teacher

Duration: 30 minutes

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to write a haiku poem.

Teaching Tips

  • Model how to write a haiku for students.
  • Give students 10-15 minutes after the lesson to compose and post their poem, as well as comment on their classmates.

  • Comment on students' updates to highlight great examples of this style of poetry.

Lesson 5

For Students

Learning Objectives: I can write a limerick poem.

Lesson Vocabulary:

Limerick: A five line poem with an AABBA rhyme scheme

Now for a poem that the jokesters will love! Limericks are rhyming poems that often have a silly or light hearted tone. Let’s learn more about limericks by watching this video.

Media embedded February 27, 2022

Video 6: Homeschool Pop. (2018, July 1). Limerick poems for kids | classroom poetry video [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy65TkCadfU

Here’s a funny limerick, pay attention to the AABBA pattern.

Figure 4: Lear, E. (n.d.). Edward lear limericks about owls [Cartoon]. The Barn Owl Trust. https://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/owl-facts-for-kids/the-owl-and-the-pussycat/edward-lear-limericks-owls/

Comment: Comment on two other classmate's limerick poem updates. Give them feedback on how they followed the limerick style of poem writing. Also you can give them compliments or ask questions about their poem.

Make an update: Write your own limerick and post it as an update. Be sure to follow the rules and format discussed in today’s lesson!

For Teacher

Duration: 30 minutes

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to write a limerick poem.

Teaching Tips

  • Model how to write a limerick for students.
  • Allow students access to a physical copy of a rhyming dictionary or a digital rhyming dictionary to help them with their rhyme scheme.
  • Give students 10-15 minutes after the lesson to compose and post their poem, as well as comment on their classmates.

  • Comment on students' updates to highlight great examples of this style of poetry.

Lesson 6

For Students

Learning Objectives: I can write a diamante poem.

Lesson Vocabulary:

Diamante: A seven line non rhyming poem that makes a diamond shape.

Noun: A person place or thing

Adjective: A describing word

Verb: An action word

For today’s poem, knowing your parts of speech will be key! Review the lesson vocabulary for a refresher on the parts of speech we will use for diamante poetry. Let’s learn more in this video below!

Media embedded February 27, 2022

Video 7: Dunlap, P. (2020, April 14). Diamante poem [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suhRr_LHdkY

A diamante poem always starts with a noun and ends with a noun that is its opposite. Throughout the diamante, the adjectives and verbs should discuss the noun that they are closest to at the top or bottom line of the poem.

Figure 5: Vazquez, R. (n.d.). Diamante poem [Illustration]. B.R.E.A.K. http://break2012.weebly.com/diamante-poem.html

Notice how the poem transitions from fire to ice, complete opposites. Think of two opposite nouns you’d like to write a diamante poem about!

Comment: Comment on two other classmate's diamante poem updates. Give them feedback on how they followed the diamante style of poem writing. Also you can give them compliments or ask questions about their poem.

Make an update: Write your own diamante and post it as an update. Be sure to follow the rules and format discussed in today’s lesson!

For Teacher

Duration: 30 minutes

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to write a diamante poem.

Teaching Tips

  • Reviewing the term synonym and antonym prior to this lesson would be beneficial.
  • Model how to write a limerick for students.
  • Give students 10-15 minutes after the lesson to compose and post their poem, as well as comment on their classmates.
  • A thesaurus would be a good resource to provide students when they are searching for similar words for this style of poetry.

  • Comment on students' updates to highlight great examples of this style of poetry.

Lesson 7

For Students

Learning Objectives: I can write an acrostic poem.

Lesson Vocabulary:

Acrostic: A poem in which the first letter of each line spells out a word

The next type of poem has no rules as far as rhyming and length! The cool thing about an acrostic poem is that the first letter of each line spells out a word when read vertically. Watch the video below to learn more about acrostic poems!

Media embedded February 27, 2022

Video 8: readlearngrow14. (2020, April 16). How to write acrostic poems [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gVOeA7aqM0

Check out this example of an acrostic poem below:

Figure 6: Chaudhuri, D. (2020, August 30). How to write an acrostic poem [Illustration]. Wikihow. https://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Acrostic-Poem

Comment: Comment on two other classmate's acrostic poem updates. Give them feedback on how they followed the diamante style of poem writing. Also you can give them compliments or ask questions about their poem.

Make an update: Write your own acrostic and post it as an update. Be sure to follow the rules and format discussed in today’s lesson!

For Teacher

Duration: 30 minutes

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to write an acrostic poem.

Teaching Tips

  • Model how to write an acrostic poem for students.
  • Give students 10-15 minutes after the lesson to compose and post their poem, as well as comment on their classmates.

  • Comment on students' updates to highlight great examples of this style of poetry.

Lesson 8

For Students

Learning Objectives: I can write a ballad poem.

Lesson Vocabulary:

Ballad: A poem that tells a story in a 4 line repeating ABCB pattern

The last type of poem we will learn about may be the most challenging one yet. This type of poem tells a story and should have a beginning, middle, and end. Like all good stories, make sure your poem has a clear problem and solution. Let’s watch this video about ballad poems to learn more!

Media embedded February 27, 2022

 

Video 9: Mrs Roberts’ Resources. (2020, October 10). What is a ballad? | poetry [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbE2NT1wao4

Below is an example of a ballad poem. Notice how this form of poetry tells a story.

Figure 7: Dean Myers, W. (2016, May 1). Love that boy [Illustration]. The Literary Maven. https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2016/04/National-Poetry-Month-middle-school-high-school.html

Comment: Comment on two other classmate's ballad poem updates. Give them feedback on how they followed the diamante style of poem writing. Also you can give them compliments or ask questions about their poem.

Make an update: Write your own ballad and post it as an update. Be sure to follow the rules and format discussed in today’s lesson!

For Teacher

Duration: 60 minutes

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to write a ballad poem.

Teaching Tips

  • Model how to write a ballad for students.
  • Allow students access to a physical copy of a rhyming dictionary or a digital rhyming dictionary to help them with their rhyme scheme.
  • Give students 20- 45 minutes after the lesson to compose and post their poem, as well as comment on their classmates.

  • Comment on students' updates to highlight great examples of this style of poetry.

Lesson 9

For Students

Learning Objectives: I can assemble my poetry portfolio.

Lesson Vocabulary:

Portfolio: A collection of work

Over the course of this unit you have written many poems. To wrap up our poetry study, we will compile these poems into a portfolio. In order to get your poems portfolio ready the following steps must be completed:

  1. Copy all your posted poetry into a new document (your teacher will give you more information on where your portfolio should be created)
  2. Put each poem on its own page with a title
  3. Add a picture from Google Images that goes along with each poem
  4. Review the comments from your classmates on each poem, make necessary corrections as suggested by your peers.

For Teacher

Duration: 60 minutes

Learning Objectives: Students will assemble their poetry portfolio.

Teaching Tips

  • Decide how you want student portfolios created, I recommend using Google Docs as it is free and relatively simple to use.
  • Review with students how to copy paste.
  • Review with students how to add pictures into a Google Doc or whatever platform you are using to complie poetry.
  • Please Note: There is no update or comment prompt for this lesson in order to allow students time to create their portfo.

Lesson 10

For Students

Learning Objectives: I can give my classmates feedback on their poetry portfolio.

Today is the final step of our poetry portfolio, a classmate will be reviewing your portfolio to give you feedback. Using the rubric your teacher will grade you with, assess your classmates' work. I recommend opening the lesson for each poetry type to determine if student followed the necessary requirements.

Below is the rubric:

Poetry Portfolio Rubric

After filling out the rubric for a partner, get together and explain the ratings you gave one another for each poem. Then, make the necessary changes to improve your poems before the teacher grades your portfolio.

After submitting your portfolio, use the link below to evaluate your learning during this poetry module: https://forms.gle/Npo2ZFeG9Hms4xV36

 

For Teacher

Duration: 60 minutes

Learning Objectives: Students will give a classmate feedback on their portfolio.

Teaching Tips

  • Strategically pair students together who you think can be productive for this lesson.
  • Review the rubric as a class prior to starting the lesson.
  • Consider setting norms for peer reviewing as a class to keep conversations productive and positive.
  • At the end of this lesson, students should submit their portfolios to you for final grading.

After Module

After students have finished creating their poetry portfolios, I recommend the following:

  1. Use the rubric to grade students’ portfolios.
    Poetry Portfolio Rubric

     

  2. Consider having students share their poetry in one of the following ways: Having a poetry slam, a gallery walk, digitally compiling students poetry. Students can give feedback to their peers during this process again by leaving post its on student work if they are physically displayed. Additionally, in a poetry slam setting students could give compliments or ask questions after each poem is read.

References

Ashley A. (2020, May 5). Quatrain poems [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dUTSBap2Iw

Brock, D. (2017, December 8). A rainbow [Photograph]. Valley Haiku. https://www.valleyhaiku.org/examples-of-haiku-poems-learn-the-form-nature-and-evolution-of-haiku-poetry/

Chaudhuri, D. (2020, August 30). How to write an acrostic poem [Illustration]. Wikihow. https://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Acrostic-Poem

Common Core State Standards Initiative. (n.d.). English language arts standards | common core state standards initiative. Common Core. http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/

Dean Myers, W. (2016, May 1). Love that boy [Illustration]. The Literary Maven. https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2016/04/National-Poetry-Month-middle-school-high-school.html

DuBois, J. (2020, May 22). Couplet poetry [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZTJmYc3nBs

Dunlap, P. (2020, April 14). Diamante poem [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suhRr_LHdkY

EdZone Publishing. (2018, September 17). How to write poetry for kids. First Grade Mom. https://firstgrademom.com/first-grade-writing-printables/how-to-write-poetry-for-kids/

Homeschool Pop. (2018, July 1). Limerick poems for kids | classroom poetry video [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy65TkCadfU

Lear, E. (n.d.). Edward lear limericks about owls [Cartoon]. The Barn Owl Trust. https://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/owl-facts-for-kids/the-owl-and-the-pussycat/edward-lear-limericks-owls/

Miss H. in Fifth. (2020a, April 16). Stanzas, lines, and rhyme schemes [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSzT5FCzdIc

Miss H. in Fifth. (2020b, April 28). Haiku poetry [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqVZuf5_5aU

Mrs Roberts’ Resources. (2020, October 10). What is a ballad? | poetry [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbE2NT1wao4

readlearngrow14. (2020, April 16). How to write acrostic poems [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gVOeA7aqM0

Rodgers, D. (n.d.). Your feet [Illustration]. ClassroomPoems.Com. https://www.classroompoems.com/funny-simile-poems.html

Spiess, A. (2020, April 17). Rhyming scheme [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcGIAQw8ekM&t=39s

Tiwari, A., & Tang, C. (2003). From process to outcome: The effect of portfolio assessment on student learning. Nurse Education Today, 23(4), 269–277. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0260-6917(03)00012-1

Topping, K. J. (2009). Peer assessment. Theory Into Practice, 48(1), 20–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405840802577569

Vazquez, R. (n.d.). Diamante poem [Illustration]. B.R.E.A.K. http://break2012.weebly.com/diamante-poem.html