Fall Writing: Poetry and Art!

Writing is a great way to build fluency, express our feelings and emotions, and find beauty and meaning in simple things. 
Poetry allows us to appreciate the world around us, paint an image of what the author thinks, and engages our senses. 

In each lesson, learners will learn about a different type of poem, write one of their own, and create a drawing or art to accompany their writing. 
We will learn about a variety of poetic language (such as metaphors, similes, and personification) and use rhythm, repetition, alliteration, review parts of speech, and learn about the importance of choosing our words carefully. 

Each poem will be written about something found in nature. Prompts will be given, but learners will also be able to brainstorm and choose their own specific item to focus on in their poem. Poems about nature are important, as they give us a chance to express appreciation for the earth, find beauty in simple things, show gratitude, and encourage new ways of thinking. 

In this course, lessons will be on the following: 

Haiku Poetry - Learners will work on using just a few words to capture a beautiful moment and paint a picture in the reader's mind. After a lesson on what a haiku is and how to write one, learners will write one of their own using picture prompts. Learners will then create a picture to accompany their haiku. 

Cinquain Poetry - Learners will discover what cinquain poetry is. In this lesson, the basic grammatical parts of speech will be reviewed (nouns, adjectives, verbs, and synonyms) for this type of poem. Learners will write a cinquain poem of their own and create an illustration to go along with their cinquain. 

Acrostic Poetry - Learners will write an acrostic poem, where letters of a word are used to form the start of each line. Learners will draw their own masterpiece with their acrostic poem. 

Quatrain Rhyming Poetry - Learners will learn about rhyme schemes and meter in poetry, and how to apply those techniques to add depth and beauty to their quatrain poem. After their poem, learners will create an illustration to accompany their writing. 

Diamante Poetry - Learners will learn about and write a diamante poem, where they will use adjectives, -ing action verbs, and concrete nouns to describe two opposing things in nature. They will then draw a picture that shows the two opposing things in nature. 

Couplet Poetry - In this lesson, learners will learn how to write two consecutive lines to create a complete thought about an element found in nature. They will practice using quick pacing, concise language, and choosing their words carefully. They will then create illustrations to accompany their couplets. 

Color Poetry - Learners will create a color poem using their five senses to describe that color in nature. They will then create a great piece of art to go along with their poem.