Lesson Plan
Poetry Power-Up!
Students will learn about poetry, write their own poems, and create a personalized poetry book, enhancing their creative writing and artistic expression.
This lesson nurtures imagination, improves literacy through creative writing, and provides a unique opportunity for students to express themselves and share their stories through art and words.
Audience
K-3rd Grade Students
Time
3 Days, 30 minutes per day
Approach
Through discussion, inspiration, writing, and illustration, students will bring their poetry to life.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Poetry Power-Up Slide Deck, Markers or chart paper, Construction paper (various colors) for book pages and covers, Lined paper or plain paper for drafting poems, Pencils, Crayons, colored pencils, or markers, and Staplers or hole punches and string/ribbon
Prep
Teacher Preparation
30-45 minutes
- Review the Poetry Power-Up Lesson Plan and Poetry Power-Up Slide Deck.
- Gather all necessary art supplies: construction paper, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, markers, staplers, or hole punches and string/ribbon.
- Select age-appropriate inspirational poetry videos to share with students on Day 1. (Teacher to provide video links)
- Print out extra copies of lined paper or plain paper for students to draft their poems and create their book pages.
- Consider having a few examples of simple poetry books (picture books with poems) to show students for inspiration.
- Ensure projector/whiteboard is working and ready for video playback and slide deck presentation.
Step 1
Day 1: Sparking Ideas & Crafting Lines (30 minutes)
30 minutes
1. Warm-Up & Introduction to Poetry (10 minutes)
- Display Slide 1: Poetry Power-Up! and welcome students.
- Ask students what they already know or think about poetry. Record their ideas on the whiteboard.
- Transition to Slide 2: What is Poetry? and discuss the key characteristics of poetry (words painting pictures, rhyme/no rhyme, sharing feelings).
2. Inspiration Station (10 minutes)
- Move to Slide 3: Poetry Inspiration!.
- Explain that you will watch some short, age-appropriate inspirational poetry videos. (Teacher to play selected videos).
- After each video, ask students: "What did you like about that poem? What pictures did the words create in your mind?"
3. Poetic Beginnings (10 minutes)
- Transition to Slide 4: Time to Write!.
- Brainstorm ideas for poems as a class (e.g., favorite animals, family, nature, feelings, imaginary creatures).
- Provide each student with paper and pencils.
- Guide students to begin drafting their own poems. Encourage them to focus on their ideas and not worry too much about perfection yet. Circulate to offer support and encouragement.
Step 2
Day 2: Bringing Words to Life with Art (30 minutes)
30 minutes
1. Recap & Review (5 minutes)
- Start by briefly recapping what students began on Day 1. Ask a few students to share a line or two from their drafts.
- Display Slide 5: Day 2: Illustrate Your Words!.
2. Artistic Expression (20 minutes)
- Explain that today they will illustrate their poems. Each poem will get its own page, and they should draw pictures that match their words.
- Provide construction paper (or blank paper) and art supplies (crayons, colored pencils, markers).
- Circulate, providing individual support and encouraging creativity. Remind students that their illustrations should help tell the story or feeling of their poem.
3. Organize Pages (5 minutes)
- Towards the end of the session, have students gather their poem pages and illustrations. Briefly discuss how they will organize them to prepare for binding.
Step 3
Day 3: Publishing Our Masterpieces (30 minutes)
30 minutes
1. Final Touches (15 minutes)
- Display Slide 6: Day 3: Finishing Touches!.
- Guide students to select a piece of construction paper for their book cover. They should write the title of their book and their name as the author clearly on the cover.
- Have students arrange their poem pages in order, with illustrations facing their corresponding poems.
- Assist students with stapling their books together or using a hole punch and string/ribbon to bind them.
2. Poetry Book Showcase (15 minutes)
- Transition to Slide 7: Poetry Book Showcase!.
- Invite students to share their completed poetry books with the class. Each student can read one of their favorite poems and show their illustrations.
- Celebrate their hard work and creativity! Provide positive feedback for all authors and illustrators.
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Slide Deck
Poetry Power-Up!
Get ready to write and illustrate your very own poetry book!
Welcome students and introduce the exciting three-day project. Explain that they will become poets and authors!
What is Poetry?
- Poetry uses words to paint pictures.
- It can rhyme, or it can be free!
- It helps us share our feelings and ideas.
- Poetry is all around us!
Ask students what they think poetry is. Guide them to understand it's about feelings, stories, and creativity with words.
Poetry Inspiration!
Let's watch some awesome poems to get our creative juices flowing!
(Teacher plays selected inspirational poetry videos)
Explain that they will watch some videos to get ideas. Remind them to think about what they like and what inspires them. Teacher should find age-appropriate videos beforehand.
Time to Write!
- What makes you happy?
- What do you see outside your window?
- What animals do you love?
- Let your imagination soar!
Start writing your amazing poems!
Transition from inspiration to action. Encourage students to think about topics they love: nature, animals, family, friends, dreams, etc.
Day 2: Illustrate Your Words!
Now that you have your wonderful poems, it's time to draw!
- Think about the pictures your words paint.
- Draw what your poem is about.
- Use lots of colors!
Introduce Day 2. Explain that today is about bringing their words to life visually. Remind them to illustrate what their poem is about.
Day 3: Finishing Touches!
Today we make our poetry books perfect!
- Create a beautiful cover.
- Add your name as the author.
- Make sure all your pages are in order.
- Get ready to share your masterpiece!
Introduce Day 3. Explain that they will put all the pieces together and make their books look special. Offer ideas like adding a cover, their name, etc.
Poetry Book Showcase!
It's time to share our incredible poetry books!
- Read your favorite poem aloud.
- Show off your amazing illustrations.
- Let's celebrate our poets!
Encourage students to share their work with pride. This is a celebration of their creativity.
Script
Poetry Power-Up! Script
Day 1: Sparking Ideas & Crafting Lines (30 minutes)
Warm-Up & Introduction to Poetry (10 minutes)
"Good morning, future poets and authors! Welcome to our exciting three-day journey where we're going to create something truly special: our very own poetry books!"
"Let's start by thinking about words. What do you think poetry is? Have you ever heard a poem before? What was it about?"
(Listen to student responses, write down key ideas on the whiteboard. Then, advance to Slide 2: What is Poetry?)
"Great ideas! Poetry is like painting with words. It helps us share our feelings, tell stories, and describe the world in a beautiful way. Sometimes poems rhyme, and sometimes they don't – and that's okay! It's all about expressing ourselves."
Inspiration Station (10 minutes)
"Now, to get our creative minds buzzing, we're going to watch some inspirational poetry videos! As you watch, I want you to think about what you see, what you hear, and what feelings the poems give you. What ideas pop into your head?"
(Advance to Slide 3: Poetry Inspiration!. Play 1-2 age-appropriate inspirational poetry videos. After each video, pause for discussion.)
"What did you notice in that poem? What pictures did the words create in your mind? Did it make you feel happy, curious, or something else?"
Poetic Beginnings (10 minutes)
"Fantastic! Now it's your turn to be the poets! Let's brainstorm some ideas for our poems. What makes you happy? What do you see when you look outside? What's your favorite animal? What do you like to do on a sunny day?"
(Advance to Slide 4: Time to Write!. Encourage diverse ideas. Provide students with paper and pencils.)
"Okay, everyone! Take your paper and a pencil. Don't worry about making it perfect right away. Just let your ideas flow onto the page. Write about whatever you feel inspired by. I'll be walking around to help if you get stuck or want to share an idea!"
(Circulate, offer encouragement and one-on-one support.)
"You're doing great! We'll continue writing and illustrating our poems tomorrow."
Day 2: Bringing Words to Life with Art (30 minutes)
Recap & Review (5 minutes)
"Welcome back, amazing poets! Yesterday, you started writing some truly wonderful poems. Can anyone share just one line from their poem that they're really proud of?"
(Advance to Slide 5: Day 2: Illustrate Your Words!. Allow a few students to share.)
"Wonderful! Today, we're going to bring those words to life with colorful pictures!"
Artistic Expression (20 minutes)
"Each of your poems will get its own special page, and on that page, you will draw an illustration that matches your poem. If your poem is about a soaring bird, what kind of bird will you draw? If it's about a happy dog, what will the dog be doing?"
"You have construction paper, crayons, colored pencils, and markers. Use them to create bright and beautiful pictures that show what your poem is all about! Take your time and have fun!"
(Distribute art supplies and paper. Circulate to provide support, remind students to illustrate their poem, and encourage creativity.)
Organize Pages (5 minutes)
"Alright, artists, let's start getting our pages ready. Take your poem pages and their illustrations. We'll start thinking about how to put them in order so they're ready to become a book tomorrow."
(Guide students to keep their pages together and in a safe place.)
Day 3: Publishing Our Masterpieces (30 minutes)
Final Touches (15 minutes)
"Good morning, book makers! Today is the day we finish our incredible poetry books and get ready to share them!"
(Advance to Slide 6: Day 3: Finishing Touches!)
"First, choose a piece of construction paper for your book cover. On the front, write the title of your poetry book and your name as the author. Make it colorful and eye-catching!"
"Next, carefully put your poem pages and their illustrations in the order you want them to appear in your book. Once you have them just right, bring them to me, and we'll either staple them together or use string to bind them into a real book!"
(Circulate, assist with cover creation, page ordering, and binding the books.)
Poetry Book Showcase (15 minutes)
"Look at these amazing poetry books! You are all officially published authors and illustrators!"
(Advance to Slide 7: Poetry Book Showcase!)
"Now, for the best part: sharing! Who would like to be our first poet to share their book? You can read one of your favorite poems and show us your beautiful illustrations."
(Facilitate the sharing session, ensuring everyone has a chance to share if they wish. Offer positive and specific feedback.)
"Give a huge round of applause to all our incredible poets! You have created something truly special and shown us all the power of your words and imaginations. Great job, everyone!"