Introduction To Poetry Unit Study





I love language arts. Whether it's creative writing, poetry, research writing, letter writing, and of course, blog post writing, it's a form of expression that comes naturally to me. And poetry is something I've always enjoyed reading and writing. For some, writing is absolutely NOT enjoyable. In fact, a couple of my children will tell you that writing is the severest form of punishment there is and ever was, full stop.
So when I teach writing, I try to break lessons into manageable, bite-size pieces so that my non-writing kids will not be overwhelmed by it.

One way that I ease students into creative writing is through short lessons on poetry. This poetry unit is designed to make poetry fun and accessable to non-writers, new writers, and even those who love to write. Poetry is, in fact, a wonderful way to build literacy, vocabulary, and expression in writing. Understanding the different forms of poetic voice helps kids learn how to manipulate words to their benefit.
In this Unit, we will study 3 forms of poetry:
  • Acrostic
  • Haiku
  • Free Verse

Acrostic Poems

Acrostic poetry is perhaps the most accessible form of poem for beginners.
An acrostic poem is a type of poetry where the first, last or other letters in a line spell out a particular word or phrase. The most common and simple form of an acrostic poem is where the first letters of each line spell out the word or phrase. Acrostics are a good way to start practicing poetry if you’ve never done it before.

Example: AUTUMN

Abundant leaves
Unpredictable
Yummy food
Undressed trees
Moody
Nip in the air

Example: FALL

Fumble
Across
Litters of
Leaves

Example: ALISON

Aways up for a bit of fun
Loving
Inquisitive
Optimistic
Never late, ever
If you want more of a challenge, the acrostic can appear at the end of each line, or even in the middle.
Here are a few examples of famous acrostic poems for copywork or dictation.
Elizabeth byEdgar Allen Poe
Elizabeth it is in vain you say
'Love not' — thou sayest it in so sweet a way:
In vain those words from thee or L. E. L.
Zantippe's talents had enforced so well:
Ah! if that language from thy heart arise,
Breathe it less gently forth — and veil thine eyes.
Endymion, recollect, when Luna tried
To cure his love — was cured of all beside —
His folly — pride — and passion — for he died.

Georgine Augusta Keats, by John Keats
Give me your patience, sister, while I frame
Exact in capitals your golden name;
Or sue the fair Apollo and he will
Rouse from his heavy slumber and instill
Great love in me for thee and Poesy.
Imagine not that greatest mastery
And kingdom over all the Realms of verse,
Nears more to heaven in aught, than when we nurse
And surety give to love and Brotherhood.
Anthropophagi in Othello's mood;
Ulysses storm'd and his enchanted belt
Glow with the Muse, but they are never felt
Unbosom'd so and so eternal made,
Such tender incense in their laurel shade
To all the regent sisters of the Nine
As this poor offering to you, sister mine.
Kind sister! aye, this third name says you are;
Enchanted has it been the Lord knows where;
And may it taste to you like good old wine,
Take you to real happiness and give
Sons, daughters and a home like honied hive.

Assignment: Write your own acrostic poems.

  • Start with your NAME and use one descriptive word per letter.
  • Choose a season and write an acrostic using the first letters of the word using one descriptive word per letter. To increase difficulty, you can make the letters end each line, rather than begin each line.
  • Using any acrostic word you choose, write an acrostic poem using a phrase or sentence per line. This is much more difficult, so allow more time for this challenge.

Haiku

Haiku is an unrhymed verse form of Japanses origin containing seventeen syllables in three lines of five, seven, and five. Here are some things to notice about Haikus.
    • Short: Haiku are very short poems! They are written in three (or fewer) lines. Haiku can be written in the traditional pattern of 5-7-5 syllables but they do not have to be. Most haiku in English have fewer than 17 syllables.
    • One Moment In Time: Haiku generally describes one moment in time.
    • Imagery: Poems often contain words that express sensory images.
    • Seasonal References: Many poems describe a particular season.
    • Juxtaposition: The strength of a successful haiku often comes from placing one image next to another.
    • Everyday Language: Haiku generally contains common, everyday words. But remember, the best effect comes from using strong words that project an image or feeling.
    • Surprise: There is often a break or shift in the poem that creates a moment of surprise.
Let's look at some examples of Haiku poems. These are perfect for copywork.

Basho Matsuo

Here are examples of the haiku of Basho Matsuo, the first great poet of haiku in the 1600s:
An old silent pond...
A frog jumps into the pond,
splash! Silence again.

Lightning flash—
what I thought were faces
are plumes of pampas grass.

Yosa Buson

Examples of the haiku of Yosa Buson from the late 1700s:
Light of the moon
Moves west, flowers' shadows
Creep eastward.

In the moonlight,
The color and scent of the wisteria
Seems far away.

Kobayaski Issa

Here are two haiku from Kobayashi Issa, a haiku master poet from the late 1700s and early 1800s:
O snail
Climb Mount Fuji,
But slowly, slowly!

Everything I touch
with tenderness, alas,
pricks like a bramble.

I walk across sand
And find myself blistering
In the hot, hot heat

Flowers withering
beneath the weight of the sun.
Yet the weeds stand proud.

Natsume Soseki

Natsume Soseki lived from 1867 - 1916.  He was a novelist and master of the haiku. Here are a couple of examples of his poems:
Over the wintry
forest, winds howl in  rage
with no leaves to blow.

The crow has flown away:
swaying in the evening sun,
a leafless tree.  

Falling to the ground,
I watch a leaf settle down
In a bed of brown.

Ask students what they notice about the poems. What characteristics or common features do they see? List these common features on the board as the students say them. Fill in any additional features so there will be a list for later use.

Assignment:

Now it's time to write your own Haiku. Here are some helpful tips.
  • Brainstorm for ideas before writing. Think of ideas to write a poem about, then write down associative words. Try to be creative. For example, if you are writing a poem about summer, some associative words could be: hot, bright, sunny, lazy, scorching, vacation. 
  • Write. Help students choose words and ideas from the ideas mentioned. The best way to start writing Haiku is to just start writing and then edit down until you have the 7-5-7 format. This might take some time and effort, as it's not as easy at it first seems. Help your child use strong vocabulary words to express a simple thought, emotion, or idea.
  • Illustrate. Some kids find it helpful or enjoyable to draw or paint a picture to go along with their Haiku.

Free Verse

Free Verse poetry is a little harder for many kids because it has no real rules. However, because there are no real rules, it allows for lots of freedom in form and expression. These poems do not rhyme or follow any particular pattern. This can be either hard or easy, depending on your preference. I have found that it is a little easier for young writers to form free verse poetry than to struggle with meter and rhyme. But that is certainly depends on the ability and enthusiasm of each student.
The best way to begin is by choosing a theme and then brainstorming words and phrases and writing down everything that comes to mind.
Examples of free verse poetry:
Nikki Giovanni, 'Winter Poem'
once a snowflake fell
on my brow and i loved
it so much and i kissed
it and it was happy and called its cousins
and brothers and a web
of snow engulfed me then
i reached to love them all
and i squeezed them and they became
a spring rain and i stood perfectly
still and was a flower   
William Carlos Williams, 'The Red Wheelbarrow'
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens. 
Ezra Pound 'In A Station of the Metro'
The apparition              of these faces             in the crowd
Petals          on a wet, black        bough. 
Let's try it by using the theme of Winter.
  • Related words: cold, white, grey, frigid, sere, brown, snow, flakes, dark, short days, cosy, blankets, candlelight, fireplace
Example: 
outside
night rises fast, cold
indigo sky on glittering snow
the crunch of footsteps
faint song of owl
almost bedtime
but not before
dad walks through the door
bringing with him
a short, fierce blast of chill wind
I just made that one up to show that by using strong, descriptive words, to show that anyone can create a simple free verse poem. But if your child is having a hard time starting, feel free to give him or her the first line. Or perhaps, find a painting or picture online to get the creative juices flowing.

Assignment:

Choose a topic and write a brief, free-verse poem. Some topic ideas are nature, seasons, chores you hate, food you love, your pet, your favorite sports team, etc. Once you choose your topic, brainstorm a list of words and phrases related to that topic. Write your poem.
(Note to parents: free verse can be hard to write. Most kids will naturally want to write in sentence form, and that's okay to begin with.)

Wrap-Up

Other ideas to help your child write poems? Check out or purchase poetry books from your library, look online for short poems to use as read-alouds and copywork, choose poems to memorize, make mixed media art with poems-especially nature poems.
Not every child will love poetry or find it easy to write. However, familiarity with poetry helps kids improve their vocabulary and familiarity with  language in general. It is a valuable tool in any writer's kit.
Teaching Resources:
Here are some resources to include in your lessons. These are affiliate links. Clicking on them to purchase on Amazon helpfs provide this blog with a small income and costs you nothing. For my full disclosure policy, click HERE.
 
One of my favorite items to stock up on is this blank book. These are inexpensive and perfect to keep on hand for children to fill with artwork, poems, or even to write and illustrate their own story books. My kids loved them when they were young.

Here are some examples of poetry collections that are helpful for inspiration, memorization, and copywork. Also, they're just plain good.
I have taught this unit for several years at our homeschool co-op and have found it to be fun and engaging for even the most reluctant writers. I hope you will too.