Writing Poetry Using Famous Poems as Mentor Texts Self Paced (Grades 6-12: 9 Weeks)

Composition Part 1 : 

Writing Poetry Using Famous Poems as Mentor Texts 

Length Class  (9 Weeks)

Syllabus

Instructor: Weber 

Summary: Have you ever wondered what makes a great poem, well, great? Do you wish you could write powerful lines that grab people’s attention? Perhaps you love writing poetry, but need some fresh inspiration. No matter what your poetry background, this writing class is for you! In this semester-long Composition class, we will study famous poems from past and present with the goal of emulating them in our own writing. At the end of this writing lab, you will be able to recognize and explain elements of a great poem. In addition, you will have applied this knowledge to your own writing: you will finish with at least 8 powerful poems of your own! 

Topics Covered: 

Writing with sensory detail 

Editing poems for word choice, length, and impact

Strong Beginnings and Endings in Poetry 

Using detail to drive narrative (aka “Show, don’t tell”) 

Writing For My People Poems (Based on the poetry of Margaret Walker) 

Writing Where I’m From Poems (Based on the poetry of George Ella Lyon)

Writing Shakespearean Sonnet (Based on Sonnet 130, by William Shakespeare) 

Writing Extended Metaphor Poems (Based on Mary Oliver, Robert Frost, and Langston Hughes)

Writing My Name Poems (Based on the poetry of Sandra Cisneros) 

Writing Memoir Poems (Based on the poetry of Gary Soto)

Writing Tritina Poems 

Writing Haiku Poems