Learning Parts of Speech Through Diamante Poems

Comparing and Contrasting with Parts of Speech Through Diamante Poems

4th-6th Grade Lesson Plan

A. Overview of Lesson

1. Instructional Objectives (classification):

1. Student will access prior knowledge about nouns, adjectives, and verbs and use this understanding of parts of speech to learn about gerunds.

2. Student will demonstrate comprehension of parts of speech through a word-sort activity and by composing a poem that uses them.

3. Student will practice developing vocabulary words as part of a brainstorming activity.

4. Student will illustrate their understanding of the diamante format by writing poems both individually and as a class.2. Relevant Local District Outcomes and State/National Standards:

Standard 1 - Writing: The student writes effectively for a variety of audiences, purposes, and contexts.

Benchmark 1: The student writes narrative text using the writing process.

Indicator 9: Practices selecting words that are suitable and precise, which create appropriate imagery (e.g. explicit nouns, vivid verbs, natural modifiers). (Word Choice: prewriting, drafting, revising: N,E,T,P)

Benchmark 3: The student writes technical text using the writing process.

Indicator 2: Clarifies the main idea by selecting concise, logical details that are

accurate and helpful. (Ideas and Content: prewriting, drafting, revising: N,E,T,P)3. Assessment/Evaluation with criteria for mastery:1. During class discussions (especially the creation of the class poem), anecdotal notes and observation can be used to monitor understanding of spelling patterns, parts of speech, and vocabulary.

2. Use the word-sort activity to assess student comprehension of gerunds.

3. Check final versions of the students' poems for application of new learning of parts of speech, diamante structure, and spelling patterns.

4. Materials:

1. Copy of Diamante Poem Format overhead.

2. Copies of Diamante Brainstorm overhead.

3. Copies of Word Sort Chart worksheets.

4. Copies of Diamante poem template worksheet.

5. Sample Diamante poems on overheads.

6. Copies of Diamante Brainstorm worksheet.

5. Adaptations:

Gearing Down: Allow students to work with partners.

Gearing Up: Allow students to create more than one poem if they have enough time.

6. Integration within or across subjects:

Lesson integrates reading, and language arts.

7. References/Resources Used:

www.readwritethink.org

B. Beginning the Lesson

8. Introduction:

a. Anticipatory Set:

Read several sample diamante poems to class from overheads. Ask students to discover the pattern of these poems using the following questions:

What do you notice about the shape of the poems?

What are these poems about? How do they start? How do they end?

What do you notice about the number of words in each line?

Do the poems use nouns? Adjectives? Verbs? Gerunds?

Among the things you want to discuss are the following:

The poem is shaped like a diamond, giving it the name diamante poetry.

Diamante poems can be about one thing or they can compare and contrast two opposite things.

The number of words varies by line.

Different parts of speech make up the different lines. Lines 1 and 7 are nouns. Lines 2 and 6 are adjectives. Lines 3 and 5 are gerunds.

Line 4 is a transitional line that moves from the first part of the poem to the second. It can either be four nouns or a thought that has at least five words.

The words in the poem all relate to the first and last lines of the poem, which serve as a title and conclusion. Sometimes the same word is used, sometimes two words that are synonyms, and sometimes two words that are opposites.

b. Communication of Objectives:

Tell students that today they are going to create their own diamante poem about the two main characters from the story Number The Stars. (Or any other topic you have chosen for this activity)

C. Main Body of the Lesson

*9. Guided Practice

*a. Input:

Distribute the Diamante Format handout and review.

Review the parts of speech noun and adjective, asking students for definitions and examples of both that you list on the overhead

*b. Modeling:

Tell the class you will now compose a poem together. Ask students what they think the topic should be. You might choose something seasonal, an upcoming event, or something you have read about or studied recently. Make sure that the topic is meaningful to students.

Working as a class, use the Diamante Brainstorm overhead or chart you have created to come up with appropriate words that are related to the topic you have chosen. List more words than the poem will require.

Model the choice of the most descriptive and appropriate words from the list by encouraging a class discussion about which words should be used and why. Discuss the order in which they should be placed to create a class diamante poem. Ask students what they think the transition should be from the beginning of the poem to the conclusion. Encourage students to experiment with different word choice and order and make note of the change in mood, tempo, and rhythm.

Review spelling patterns necessary for correct spelling of gerunds.*10. Check for Understanding:

Ask students if they have any questions about what they have learned so far.11. Independent Practice/Assignment:

Pass out the Diamante Brainstorm handout and ask students to create word lists for their poem. Remind them of the process you used during the class brainstorming session to think of words for the class diamante poem. Tell them that having more words than they need for their final poem will allow them to choose the words that will best describe their topic.

Have students use their word list to write a diamante poem using the Diamante Template handout. Students should print their poems when they are complete. If your students' skills vary widely, having them work in pairs may insure success.

D. Concluding the Lesson

12. Closure, Wrap-up:

Ask student volunteers to share their poems with the class. If they are comfortable asking for comments, allow time for class responses.

Collect student poems and hang them up in the classroom.