Find Your Poetic Voice
Class experience
US Grade 6 - 9
Every Sunday, students will have access to a video that describes and explains the week's current topic and writing assignments. Week One: This week's videos explains why the writing advice to "show, don't tell" is especially important in poetry. I will post different emotions in the classroom. The students will respond with short scenes that describe that emotion. At the end of the unit, students can post their own short poem crafted from their own chosen emotion without using the word...
4 lessons//4 Weeks
Week 1Lesson 1Writing Advice to Show Don't TellVideo lesson followed by practice writing emotions and a writing assignmentWeek 2Lesson 2I RememberVideo lesson, examples to read/listen to, and a writing assignmentWeek 3Lesson 3Epistolary (Letter) poemsVideo lesson, examples to listen to, and a writing assignmentWeek 4Lesson 4Praise poemsVideo lesson, examples to listen to, and a writing assignment
Week One: This week's videos explains why the writing advice to "show, don't tell" is especially important in poetry. I will post different emotions in the classroom. The students will respond with short scenes that describe that emotion. By the end of the lesson, students should post their own short poem crafted from their own chosen emotion without using the word anywhere in the description. I will use the description language clues to guess the emotion the poem describes. Week Two: Students will learn about "Remember" poems that use memory to create strong emotions and vivid images. Throughout the unit, I will post Remember poems for the students to read and review. The students will post their own Remember poem and receive constructive feedback from myself on the images and emotions they've created (specifically using the lessons learned in Week one). Week Three: Students will learn how to use a letter poem to express emotions of anger, frustration, or injustice. I will post letter poems for students to read for inspiration. They will post their letter poem for continued feedback. Week Four: Students will learn to write an ode to an item that they enjoy and want to praise. I will post odes for the students to read and use for inspiration. By the end of class, students will post their ode for the final round of feedback. I ask students to be brave and record themselves reading their favorite poem that they wrote this week. While it is optional to post a video in the classroom, I will encourage students to take pride in the work they've accomplished and share it in a safe environment for a positive response.
I have a Master's Degree in Writing for Children and Young Adults and recently spent time exchanging poetry with poets from my graduate school. I have always been drawn to reading and writing poems and novels-in-verse. I have poems published in the Young Adult Review Network, Proud to Be: Volume 3, The Louisville Review, and the Round Table Literary Journal. I love when my students want to learn more about poetic elements. This group is a super fun way to experiment with poetry in a safe environment and help young writers understand that they don't have to be scared of poetry. It isn't only for adults and it can be a really awesome way to express yourself.
Homework Offered
Each week students have one video to watch, daily writing activities and one weekly poetry writing assignment. There are also weekly poems to read (or watch/listen to).1 - 2 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
The more students post in the classroom, the more I'll be able to assess their understanding of the week's topic (like showing instead of telling). Students can always post questions in the classroom if they are unsure of the assignment or need help narrowing down a topic or a title.Grades Offered
Please let me know if you require a grade for this class.
I will be posting many online links for the students to read poems or listen to them as spoken word on YouTube.
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Poetry is emotional by nature and we will be focusing on emotions like sadness, grief, anger, love, etc. I will do my best to make sure all of the poetry examples are age appropriate and abide by Outschool's guidelines, but students could expect to see some raw emotions and uncensored emotional writing from the optional examples to view.
I currently teach English Composition at the collegiate level. I have a Master's degree in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults, so I teach reading and writing classes. I worked as a substitute teacher for 3 years, in all age ranges and...
Self-Paced Class
$10
weekly or $40 for all content4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks of teacher feedback
Choose your start date
1 year of access to the content
Completed by 10 learners
Ages: 11-16