Poetry Unit Wrap-Up Activity 7: Formal Paper

Students could write a formal paper analyzing a poem in detail: form, content, and background.

This could be instead of or in addition to teaching a poem in a class presentation.

Alternative activity: Students could write a paper, a journal entry, or a poem about writing and reading poetry.

Poetry Unit Wrap-Up Activity 6: Teach a Poem

Have each student present a poem to the class.

After reading the poem aloud, students can discuss the following:

• Author - Who is the author? What is his or her history? When did he or she write this poem? Give additional pertinent author background information.


• Figurative Speech - metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole


• Poetic Devices - onomatopoeia, repetition, alliteration


• Rhyme Scheme - Does the poem rhyme? If so, which lines rhyme? How many lines does the poem contain? How many stanzas? Is this poem in a particular form such as a sonnet or a limerick?


• Meter - What is th meter of the poem? Iambic? Trochaic? How many syllables are accented per line?


• Analysis of the Poem - What does it mean? How is that meaning conveyed? Could there be alternate interpretations?

Poetry Unit Wrap-Up Activity 5: Poetry Mugs, Shirts, etc.

Students can create many items with their poetry and artwork:

• mugs


• coasters


• plates


• greeting cards


• t-shirts


• tote bags


• posters

Here are a few companies where kits can be purchased or where items can be designed online:

• Makit - http://www.makhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifitonline.com/


• Zazzle - http://www.zazzle.com/


• Cafepress - http://www.cafepress.com/

Office supply, photography, and department stores often offer similar services.

Poetry Unit Wrap-Up Activity 4: "Publishing"

Give your students options. Have them publish their best work by:

• submitting it to a newspaper or magazine


• reading it at a coffee house or in another public forum


• displaying it in a public place


• giving it as a gift to another person


• printing it on a shirt or a mug


• putting it on a website

Show students there are many forms of "publishing."

Poetry Unit Wrap-Up Activity 3: Class Poetry Compilation

Create a compilation book of your students' best poems. Put a copy in the library for the entire school to check out.

This could also be used as a resource to give next year's students (or another class) ideas for poems they might want to write themselves.

Poetry Unit Wrap-Up Activity 2: Literary Magazine

Publish a class literary magazine. Make a copy for each student.

If you are feeling adventurous and have a small budget, layout the magazine professionally and make copies available for sale to parents, peers, and members of the community.

Students could be involved in editing, layout, printing, and sales.

Poetry Unit Wrap-Up Activity 1: Coffee House

Have a class coffee house (or even better a school-wide coffee house) where students can read out poems written by themselves or by others.

Parents and the community could be invited to participate as audience members.