Topic: Free Verse Poetry

Goal: 

• Students will understand the basic elements of free verse poetry and use them to write their own short poem.

Essential questions: 

• What makes free verse poetry different from other types of poetry?

• How do poets use tools like simile, personification, and onomatopoeia to make writing more powerful?

• How can I use free verse to express my own thoughts and feelings?

Standards: 

• RL.7.2 – Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary.

• RL.7.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds on a verse or stanza.

• RL.7.5 – Analyze how a poem’s form or structure (e.g., stanza, verse, free verse) contributes to its meaning.

For the fair, you will write your own original poem on the theme of courage. Please follow these guidelines:

• Your poem must have at least 3 stanzas, and each stanza should have 4 lines.

• Your poem must include rhyme (the end words in your lines should follow a pattern, like ABAB or AABB).

• Your poem should also include these literary devices:

-Personification (giving human qualities to something non-human).

-Simile (a comparison using like or as).

-Onomatopoeia (a word that imitates a sound, like buzz, bang, splash).

• Be creative and show how courage can look, feel, or sound in different situations.

• Make sure your poem has a clear flow and rhythm.

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How can writing a free verse poem help you express your own thoughts and feelings in a creative way?