These lesson plans, created by Kansas Poet Laureate, Jonathan Holden, provide the opportunity for serious students of poetry to practice and learn many of the basic fundamentals utilized in writing successful contemporary poetry.  Many of the plans insist that students reach for and demonstrate a higher level of thinking in successfully completing a given assignment.  Most of the plans are suitable for use in the high school class room, especially grades 11 & 12. All plans are appropriate for college level study. It is suggested that high school teachers as well as college teachers utilizing these plans first familiarize their students with specific literary terms and usages related to poetry. A list of such words, often referred to in these plans, as well as several thought provoking poetry related questions, can be found by clicking on the Getting Started link.

View Poetry Lessons       Select & Click Below   ▪ Getting Started ▪ Poem of Instruction ▪ Sound & Sense ▪ Storytelling  ▪ Indirection ▪ Language ▪ Persona ▪ Sonnet ▪ Mosaic

  NOTE: Lesson plans are NOT yet available for download 

 

▪  Getting Started

Grades: All levels

Objective: Define and become familiar with specific literary terms associated with poetry. Discussion questions related to poetry are also provided.

 

▪ Poem of Instruction  

Grades: 5-12 > College Level

Objective: Write a free verse poem utilizing the skill of providing instructions/directions.

 

▪ Sound & Sense

Grades:  9-12 > College Level

Objective: Write a free verse poem utilizing prosody - sound and sense.

 

▪ Storytelling

Grades: 11,12 > College Level

Objective: Write a free verse poem that tells a story about a specific, real person.

 

▪ Images & Indirection

Grades:  9-12 > College Level

Objective: Write a free verse poem containing imagery and elements of emotion utilizing concrete words.

 

▪ The Language of Poetry

Grades: 11,12 > College Level
Objective: Write a free verse poem that is metaphorical in meaning and delivers a message of wisdom.

 

▪ Persona

Grades: 11,12 > College Level

Objective:  Write a free verse poem from the perspective of the first-person ("I") persona that provides specific "insights" and properly utilizes irony.

 

▪ Sonnet

Grades: 11,12 > College Level

Objective: Write a sonnet that provides an extended metaphor.

 

▪ The Mosaic Format

Grades: 11,12 > College Level

Objective: Write a poem in the mosaic format, one poem made of multiple smaller poems, that together provide one overall metaphor.

 

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