Template for writing a new poem (copy and paste to a new document to use):
I am from _______ (specific ordinary item), from _______ (product name) and _______.
I am from the _______ (home description... adjective, adjective, sensory detail).
I am from the _______ (plant, flower, natural item), the _______ (plant, flower, natural detail)
I am from _______ (family tradition) and _______ (family trait), from _______ (name of family member) and _______ (another family name) and _______ (family name).
I am from the _______ (description of family tendency) and _______ (another one).
From _______ (something you were told as a child) and _______ (another).
I am from (representation of religion, or lack of it). Further description.
I'm from _______ (place of birth and family ancestry), _______ (two food items representing your family).
From the _______ (specific family story about a specific person and detail), the _______ (another detail, and the _______ (another detail about another family member).
I am from _______ (location of family pictures, mementos, archives and several more lines indicating their worth).
C: Acrostic poems
The first word of each line in an acrostic poem spell a word.
Write an acrostic poem that spells your name, your school, your sports team, or any other word that you want. Then, write lines that describe that topic.
"Print" the poem to your Google Drive, or copy and paste it to a new document in your Drive.
D: "Just Because"
Template:
Just Because...
Just because I'm
Doesn't mean
Doesn't mean
And doesn't mean
Just because
Doesn't mean
Doesn't mean
Doesn't mean
Just because
Doesn't mean
Doesn't mean
Doesn't mean
Just because
(Question)
(Question)
(Question)
(Statement)
Example:
Just because I'm half Japanese I'm not a California roll I'm not a Sony TV or radio I'm not a Toyota or a Nissan Just because I'm half Japanese I don't like being considered one race I do like being considered a Jew I'm not a "mixed up person" Just because I'm half Japanese I do like things that you do like to do I do like and play basketball Just because I'm half Japanese What is race? Is there a thing called race? Can't you just like me because I'm me? I think so.
E: Autobiography
Poetry deals with the emotions, just as music. An autobiographical poem is personal—it reveals something about the person writing the poem. It does not have to rhyme. Below is a simple plan to write your own autobiographical poem. Just follow the steps and—before you know it—it’s done.
Remember to end the first and last lines with a period. End all other lines with a comma. All first letters of each line are capitalized.
Template:
Line 1: Write your first name.
Line 2: Write four (4) words about you,
Line 3: Write Brother or Sister of and then list your brother or sister's name, (If you don't have brothers or sisters, write no one.)
Line 4: Write Lover of and then three (3) things you love,
Line 5: Write Who feels and then three (3) things and how you feel about them,
Line 6: Write Who needs and then three (3) things you need,
Line 7: Write Who gives and then three (3) things you give others,
Line 8: Write Who fears and then three (3) things that scare you,
Line 9: Write Who would like to see and three (3) things you want to see,
Line 10: Write Resident of and then the city you live in, then your street name,
Line 11: Write your last name.
Example:
Art. Husband, teacher, poet, friend, Brother of Bob, Lover of knowledge, reading, and seventh graders, Who feels rushed, out of breath, and like he'll never catch up, Who needs a cure for allergies, beagles, and being married, Who gives help, encouragement, laughter, Who fears failure, success, mediocrity, Who would like to see successful students, better attitudes, and global sanity, Resident of Richmond Belliveau.
F: "Who Am I?"
Template:
The first line is “Who am I?”
Then skip a line and write “I am...” On the next five lines write down family relationships (see example).
Then skip a line and write “I am...” On the next four lines write down “job titles” that describe you (see example).
Then skip a line and write “I am...” On the next three lines write a word that physically describes you.
Then skip a line and write “I am...” On the next two lines write down a characteristic of yours (see example).
Then skip a line and write “I am...” And finally the word “me.”
Example:
Who Am I?
I am... Sarah's husband Barbara's son Margie's grandson Bob's brother Sean-Micheal's uncle
I am... a teacher a reader a writer a net surfer
I am... tall heavy hairy
I am... humorous curious
I am... me
--Art Belliveau
G: Additional Poems: Use these templates and generators to help you write other types of portrait poems:
Write a poem any way you want, about anything you want! No rules!
6. Submit Your Favorite Poem: Consider all of the poems you've written in the past two weeks and select the one that you like the best. This is what you will show off at the Celebration of Learning tomorrow evening. Copy and paste the link into the form below:
OPTION A: Write a mimic poem in the style of Langston Hughes’ “I, Too.” Fill in the lines below with your own words, mimicking Hughes’ style of writing.
OPTION B: Write a mimic poem in the style of Langston Hughes’ “Mother to Son.” Write a poem giving advice to a young person that you care about. It can be advice on how to deal with the struggles that you may find in life, advice on what is most important in life, or words of inspiration to lead them towards their own success. Your poem must be about fifteen lines in length. However, you do not need to write a complete sentence for each line. Look at how “Mother to Son” is written!
OPTION C: Write your own poem. On the back of this page, write a poem of at least 12 lines that discusses one of the following topics: (1) dreams, (2) America, (3) identity, (4) race, (5) liberation. Your poem does not need to rhyme, nor does it have any specific requirements. Be creative!
8. Revise & Type Your Poem:
After you have finished writing your poem, ask a teammate or two for feedback.
Type a revised version of your poem in Google Drive.
Be sure to title your poem and include your name.
Submit the link to your poem in the form below:
Click the blue Share button. Select the link at the top. Use Ctrl + C to copy it.
AIM:
1. IWBAT compare Paul Lawrence Dunbar's "Sympathy" to Maya Angelou's "Caged Bird."
2. IWBAT explain what a caged bird symbolizes in these two poems.
Tasks:
1. Quill: Complete lessons due this week, from June 2nd through June 6th
Reread the end of Chapter 21 (pp. 348-353). Then, imagine you are Percy and you must write a letter to your father, Poseidon, explaining the choice you made not to petrify Gabe. What would you say? How would you explain your choice? Would you tell your father anything else? Would you have any wishes or requests?
Homework: write final draft of Percy's letter to Poseidon
2. Quill.org: complete lessons due this week, from May 27th through May 30th
3. Learn about MAP Testing:
computerized: different than paper, easy to rush
adaptive: gets harder or easier when you answer correctly/incorrectly
taken 4 times per year: assesses progress
normative-based: compares students from different schools across the country
you will not have practiced every question/concept/skill
not standards-based (like the CST), which measures specific knowledge & skills
tips for success:
read every passage
reread (parts of) the passage when answering questions
use process of elimination
believe in yourself! (don't give up when the test gets hard)
about 42 questions, most with passages: read and reread carefully!
about 2 hours to test: usually the more careful you work, the better score you get
grade in ELA:
A: exceeded goal
B: met goal
C: made some progess towards goal
D: no progress
F: made backwards progress
rewards: there are some excellent rewards, but what is most important is the eternal glory and personal satisfaction of proving amazing growth in your reading ability
Students who read 40 minutes a day, regardless of their reading level, make much higher gains in reading growth than students who only read 15 minutes a day.
On average, students who achieved in the 98th percentile in reading ability read about 4.5 million words in a school year, whereas students in the 10th percentile read only 8,000 words.
To be an expert in something, you need to do it well for at least 10,000 hours. If students are practicing reading just over two hours a day, 365 days a year, for 13 years, they will reach mastery--which would be just in time for college.
5. The Videos & Articles:
A: Justin Tuck explains the value of reading: click here
B: Keke Palmer explains the value of reading: click here
C: Will Smith explains the two keys to life: click here
D: article: "Why Reading is the Most Important Thing You Will Ever Do": click here
