Poetry Reading and Writing Unit: Fifth Grade

This 3 week reading and writing poetry unit comes with teacher and student resources for a 3 week rigorous and engaging poetry unit. Unit is available with color or black and white copies.

This 3 Week unit comes with:
-Unit plan to show daily reading and writing teaching suggestions for 3 weeks.
-Copy of a printable “Student Book” with cover, table of contents, 14 poems to study in reading and writing, and a list of key terms for students to understand.
-Additional student resources and printables to complete the unit plan
-Guiding Questions for close reading of poetry
-2 constructed responses with rubrics
-Optional Poetry Café Invite for Parents/Guests
-Poetry Café Rubric (Summative Assessment)

Overview:
Everyday there will be a poem provided for close reading. There are guided questions to help with this, and some days there are specific things to focus on (similes, imagery,etc.) There are also daily suggestions for writing workshop so students can try a variety of different formats of poems. This unit is based on the idea is that the reading lessons everyday will complement the writing lessons. Students should be reading as writers and applying the skills they study to their own poetry.

This unit plan is best taught within the frameworks of reading and writing workshops. The week at a glance shows the mini-lesson focus for each day. During work time, students are trying out the skill addressed in the mini-lesson as well as exploring other types of writing/reading. Student choice is always important in the workshop model to keep students engaged and learning authentic!

There are opportunities for assessment within this unit using the two constructed responses (with rubrics) and the summative Poetry Cafe (also with a rubric).

This unit covers the standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.2: Determine theme from key details
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.4: Determine meaning of words/phrases (including similes and metaphors)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.5: Explain how a series of stanzas fit together to provide overall structure in a poem
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.7: Analyze how visual elements contribute to the meaning/tone/beauty of a poem
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. 
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language
A) Interpret figurative language (including similes and metaphors) in context
B) Recognize and explain common idioms/adages/proverbs
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.4 : Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive
details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

This is one of my favorite ELA units with my students every year. It is a great combination of fun and rigor! Enjoy!