Thirteen Moons on Turtles Back

By Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London Name _________________________________________

Cinquain Poem Date _________________________

Word lists: Write words from the text selection. Write synonyms next to the words
Nouns Noun Synonyms

Verbs Verb Synonyms

Adjectives Synonyms

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Thirteen Moons on Turtles Back
By Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London Name _________________________________________

Cinquain Poem Date _________________________

Poem graphic organizer
Review: A cinquain is a shaped five-line unrhymed poem that describes a person, place, or
thing. There are two ways to write a cinquain: by syllable or by part of speech.

By Syllable By part of Speech

Each line has a set number of syllables: Each line has specific types of words. Each
Line 1 2 syllables word in lines two through five relate to the
first word on line one:
Line 2 4 syllables
a one-word subject, a noun
Line 3 6 syllables
OR two descriptive adjectives
Line 4 8 syllables
three interesting -ing action verbs
Line 5 2 syllables
a phrase
a synonym for your title, another noun

Examples
Wild voice Canine
Eerie, savage Sinewy, elusive
Howling, mourning, lifting Prowling, running, haunting
OR
Lamenting spirits serenade Nighttime caller treads silently
Wolf call Wolf

Write your own cinquain poem

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Thirteen Moons on Turtles Back
By Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London Name _________________________________________

Cinquain Poem Date _________________________

Peer Editing Considerations
Did student follow the rules for writing cinquain poems?
Does the poem capture the essence of the selected text?
Are the words vibrant and descriptive?
Check spelling.

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Thirteen Moons on Turtles Back
By Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London Name _________________________________________

Cinquain Poem Date _________________________

Reflections
1. Why did you choose the synonyms you did for your cinquain poem?
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2. What do you like most about your poem?
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3. If you could change anything about your poem, what would it be?
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4. After listening to your classmates poems, which poem did you like best and why?
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5. What will you do differently next time you write a poem?
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