Seasonal Poetry Using the Five Senses

Cheryl Lawrence and Pat Knight

State standard: communicate knowledge of topic, including relevant examples, facts, anecdotes, and details appropriate to the topic, audience and purpose.

Mode of writing: descriptive writing, poetry

Goal: Use the five senses in an outdoor setting to stimulate details in writing that convey a rich and innovative portrait of the season

Lesson plan:

1) Read a few poems related to the season to give the students some ideas of the form and shape of seasonal poems like they will be writing. Let them know that free verse is quite acceptable.

2) Take the class outdoors, preferably to a grassy area with trees, etc. Spend a least 5 minutes silent on your backs looking at the sky, feeling the breeze, noticing the smells, etc. Spend 5 to 10 minutes more using the 5 senses to notice the environment, smell the grass, feel the wet dirt with your toes, touch the rough bark of a tree, watch a bug walking, etc.

3) Gather together, under a tree perhaps, and make a list of the things you noticed such as the smell of leaves burning in the air, the swish of a birds wings, etc. Put the lists on tagboard.

4) Set the tagboard against the tree trunks and spend 20 - 30 minutes writing 2 or more poems or short pieces of prose.

5) Take the last few minutes to share some of the writing.

Materials / Supplies

paper
clipboards for each student
posterboards
large markers
pencils
poetry books / samples