7th Grade ELA- Poetry Lesson
Title: Poetry lesson using I Am A Star: Child of the Holocaust By: Inge Auerbacher
7th Grade English Language Arts
Instructional Goals/Essential Questions:
How does Inge use poetry to convey her experiences from the Holocaust?
What elements of poetry is evident in her poems? (rhyming, repetition of phrases, description, metaphors)
Students will analyze Inge's poems and write their own descriptive poetry piece.
Learning Objectives:
After reading the book I am a Star:Child of the Holocaust, students will re-read the poems in the book in order to analyze point-of-view, word choice, and descriptive language presented in each.
Anticipatory Set: Students will briefly discuss what they remember from Inge's poems from the first time they read through the book and make a chart. Teacher will remind the students that each of her poems was written in accordance to the history or specific event she was describing in the narrative parts of the book.
Instructional Procedure:
1. Teacher will write Inge's most famous poem on an anchor chart:
I AM A STAR
Only "special" children wear a star,
I am noticed from near and far.
They have placed a mark over my heart,
I'll wear it proudly from the star.
A Star's a reward, so I've been told,
This custom passed on from days of old.
I know all that the star is revealing,
But, i'll try to have a better feeling.
I am a star!
Papa told me to avoid trouble,
Come home from school on the double,
To me the star's yellow is gold,
I'll try not to act so bold.
I stand tall and proud,
My voice shouts in silence loud:
"I am a real person still,
No one can break my spirit or will!"
I am a star!
2. In whole group, the students will discuss the elements of poetry presented in the poem. The teacher will write the responses on the sides of the poem on the anchor chart.
Questions to answer:
What makes this poetry? (repetition, rhyming, stanzas)
What makes it nonfiction? (discussing the yellow star of david that was placed on Jews to differentiate them, and how the they were told it is a reward to wear it)
Reader Response Activity:
Reading and Analyzing:
3. In small groups, the students will browse the book and pick out their own poem to analyze. They will record in their notebooks the following:
~What are the elements of poetry presented in the poem?
~How is the poem nonfiction?
~Locate and record the statements in the narrative section of the chapter that Inge is specifically describing in her poem.
~Underline parts of the poem that uses descriptive language (senses, adjectives)
Independent Writing:
4. Students will recall other events or description of history from the book to write their own poems, using Inge's poems as a guide. Using information from the book, their poem should include the following: elements of poetry, nonfiction information, descriptive language.
Closure:
Students will meet in small groups to share their poems. They will decide as a group one person to share their poem in whole group.
7th Grade English Language Arts
Instructional Goals/Essential Questions:
How does Inge use poetry to convey her experiences from the Holocaust?
What elements of poetry is evident in her poems? (rhyming, repetition of phrases, description, metaphors)
Students will analyze Inge's poems and write their own descriptive poetry piece.
Learning Objectives:
After reading the book I am a Star:Child of the Holocaust, students will re-read the poems in the book in order to analyze point-of-view, word choice, and descriptive language presented in each.
Anticipatory Set: Students will briefly discuss what they remember from Inge's poems from the first time they read through the book and make a chart. Teacher will remind the students that each of her poems was written in accordance to the history or specific event she was describing in the narrative parts of the book.
Instructional Procedure:
1. Teacher will write Inge's most famous poem on an anchor chart:
I AM A STAR
Only "special" children wear a star,
I am noticed from near and far.
They have placed a mark over my heart,
I'll wear it proudly from the star.
A Star's a reward, so I've been told,
This custom passed on from days of old.
I know all that the star is revealing,
But, i'll try to have a better feeling.
I am a star!
Papa told me to avoid trouble,
Come home from school on the double,
To me the star's yellow is gold,
I'll try not to act so bold.
I stand tall and proud,
My voice shouts in silence loud:
"I am a real person still,
No one can break my spirit or will!"
I am a star!
2. In whole group, the students will discuss the elements of poetry presented in the poem. The teacher will write the responses on the sides of the poem on the anchor chart.
Questions to answer:
What makes this poetry? (repetition, rhyming, stanzas)
What makes it nonfiction? (discussing the yellow star of david that was placed on Jews to differentiate them, and how the they were told it is a reward to wear it)
Reader Response Activity:
Reading and Analyzing:
3. In small groups, the students will browse the book and pick out their own poem to analyze. They will record in their notebooks the following:
~What are the elements of poetry presented in the poem?
~How is the poem nonfiction?
~Locate and record the statements in the narrative section of the chapter that Inge is specifically describing in her poem.
~Underline parts of the poem that uses descriptive language (senses, adjectives)
Independent Writing:
4. Students will recall other events or description of history from the book to write their own poems, using Inge's poems as a guide. Using information from the book, their poem should include the following: elements of poetry, nonfiction information, descriptive language.
Closure:
Students will meet in small groups to share their poems. They will decide as a group one person to share their poem in whole group.