Nicole Perl’s Critical Thinking Project: UNIT PLAN

Critical Thinking & Poetry: More Than What

Title 8
Meets the Eye Grade
How can we best use poetry to extend our
Essential perceptions of the world around us? Estimated
3 Weeks
Question Unit Plan
Time

General learning outcomes:

Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to…
1. Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences.
2. Comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, print and other media texts.
4. Enhance the clarity and artistry of communication.
5. Respect, support and collaborate with others.

Specific learning outcomes:

1.1 Discover and Explore:
Express ideas and develop understanding

1.1.1 revise understanding and expression of ideas by connecting new and prior knowledge and
experiences

1.1.3 seek out and consider diverse ideas, opinions and experiences to develop and extend own
ideas, opinions and experiences

1.2 Clarify and Extend

Consider the ideas of others
1.2.1 acknowledge the value of the ideas and opinions of others in exploring and extending
personal interpretations and perspectives

Combine ideas

1.2.2 exchange ideas and opinions to clarify understanding and to broaden personal
perspectives

2.2 Respond to Texts

Experience various texts

2.2.3 expect that there is more than one interpretation for oral, print and other media texts, and
discuss other points of view
2.2.4 explain connections between own interpretation and information in texts, and infer how
texts will influence others
2.4 Create Original Text

Generate ideas

2.4.1 create oral, print and other media texts related to issues encountered in texts and in own
life

4.1 Enhance and Improve

Enhance artistry

4.1.11 experiment with figurative language, voice, sentence patterns, camera angle and music to
create an impression or mood

5.1 Respect others and Strengthen Community

Appreciate diversity

5.1.1 compare own with others' understanding of people, cultural traditions and values
portrayed in oral, print and other media texts
5.1.2 clarify and broaden perspectives and opinions, by examining the ideas of others

UNIT PLAN: Poetry

Lesson #1: I AM Poem Time Allotted: 60 mins
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions: How can we best use language to represent our own interests and passions to paint a picture
of our essence?
How can we best share information about ourselves with others?
Lesson
Objectives  Students will create a poem in a specific template that helps the teacher and other
classmates learn more about themselves.
 Students will write a unique personalized poem
 Students will decorate their poem to be the title page of their poetry portfolio project
(which will be introduced in an upcoming lesson.
Assessment I AM Poems (to be included in eventual summative poetry portfolio)
Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Decorative aspects of poems,
Partner Introductions.
Resources https://www.svsd.net/cms/lib5/PA01001234/Centricity/Domain/725/I%20Am%20Poem.pdf
Lesson  Students will brain storm a list of likes, dislikes, interests etc.
 As a class we will discuss the structure of the “I am” Poem
 We will look at some examples of I Am Poems and discuss what could make them
stronger for our own writing purposes.
 Students will utilize the template provided and answer the questions:
1. What makes you different from other eighth graders?
2. Complete this statement: I wonder…..
3. Create 2 imaginary sounds (ex. Silence pulsing in the middle of the night)
4. Create 2 imaginary sights (ex. Dolphins flying up to the sky)
5. If you were granted 3 wishes, what would you wish for?
6. What do you actually pretend to be or do at times?
7. What four items could you only imagine touching?
8. What really bothers you?
9. What makes you sad?
10. What makes you happy?
11. Complete the following statement: “I understand….” (This is something you
know to be true, such as a definition or an observable fact of life.)
12. What do you dream of doing some day?
13. For what do you hope? (ex. No homework for the rest of your life)
14. The 3 words that best describe you are:
15. Lastly, find a picture of the real you! Bring it to class!
 Students will use the template to create a rough draft of their I AM poem
 Students will have time and resources to create a good copy of poem, will bring a
picture from home to include with it.
Lesson #: 2 Who are you presentation? Time Allotted: 60 mins
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions:
Lesson
Objectives  Students will use each other’s I Am poems and interview each other in order to
introduce everyone to the class and build community.
 Students will share about themselves
 Students will learn about others
 Students will find common interests in order to begin making connections
 Students will engage in community building activities
Assessment I AM Poems (to be included in eventual summative poetry portfolio)
Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Decorative aspects of poems,
Partner Introductions.
Program  Paper, writing utensils, I am poems
Supports/
Resources
Notes  Students will have more time (depending on how much more time they need) to
complete their good copy “I Am Poems”
 The poems should be coloured, decorated, and ready to present.
 Students will be randomly assigned a partner and given 15 mins to get to know one
another. There will be a page of questions to ask in case students need prompting.
 Students will then present each other’s poem in an advertisement-style to promote
their partner as the “World’s coolest grade 8 student”.

Time Allotted: 60
Lesson #: 3 Mystery Box
min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions: How could we best sort these items into categories?
Can we find relationships between these items?
Lesson
Objectives  Students will engage in critical thinking skills in order to discover
trends with the items in the mystery box.
 Students will work together to categorize items in the mystery box.
 Students will create 4 categories in which each item must have a place
in one.

Assessment Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation
Resources  Items for mystery box
 Mystery Box
 Chart Paper & markers
Notes  Mystery Box Activity: How it relates to unit, book, and Inquiry
Question (20 mins)
 Have students make guesses about what could be in the box based on
what they can/can’t see.
 Have student pull things from box as another writes the objects down
on the board
 Have each table group categorize the items by writing them on a large
piece of paper—however they want as a group. Hand the papers in to
me. I will then take the themes that arise from the categorizations and
we will talk about them in class the next day.
 Time Allotted: 60
Lesson #:4 Intro to the senses (Stations)
min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions:
Lesson  Students will engage with each station which include working with
Objectives fundamental critical thinking skills in order to participate
 Students will participate independently and through group work
 Students will be recording their observations and thoughts throughout
the stations in order to later connect them to poetry.

Assessment Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Formative written

feedback in journals when handed in
Resources  Students will need their own journal to record their answers from their
stations
 Students will need writing utensils
Notes  As a class we will discuss the findings from the mystery box from the
previous day
 We will talk about the themes that came up
 We will discuss why we made the inferences we did and how the
categories were formed.
 Each student will need a partner to go through the stations with. Each
student will need to record their detailed thoughts in their journals.
 There will be a themed station for each sense. (More than one of each
station so that partners can rotate through the stations accordingly)
 Sight- Glasses/ goggles challenge (Swimmer/Guide game)
 Sound- Which is louder? Honey or Cement? Why? (Associations)
 Touch- Sandbox where is Waldo?
 Taste- Dark Chocolate taste test/ Graph
 Smell- What does home smell like?

Time Allotted:
Lesson #:5 Intro to Figures of speech- Skits
min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions:
Lesson  Students will review figures of speech for the purpose of enhancing
Objectives their own writing and making their own writing more powerful

Assessment Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Check-In Pop-

culture Quiz
Resources https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkz6jcnDY-o

Notes  As a class we will review all of the key figures of speech (students
should already have pre-existing knowledge in this area) we will watch
the figures of speech pop culture video and they will complete the
questions in a check-in (quiz)
 Students will be placed in groups using the popsicle stick name
method.
 Each student in the group will be given a different figure of speech
 Students will pick a scenario out of a hat to be the theme or topic of
their skit.
 The students will then work together as a group to come up with a skit
in which their lines must only use the figure of speech they were given.
 Students will be given a set amount of time to work on their skits
 Students will perform skits and class will determine which person in
each group was which figure of speech

Time Allotted:
Lesson #:6 Intro to poetry
min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions: o How can we use language to empower ourselves?
o What is the purpose of using figures of speech in our writing?
o How can we examine poetry?
o What does poetry look like?

Lesson Students will be able to:

Objectives 1. Collaborate with other students to discover the themes, subject, speaker,
content of a mixed-up mystery poem
2. Students will make inferences about the mystery poem
3. Students will begin to consider how their inferences
4. Students will begin to consider what they need to include in their final
portfolio
Assessment Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Poetry
Share ,journals/Exit Slips
Program Poetry line flashcards, tea party supplies, Questions about poem, thought
Supports/ prompts to bring to the tea party,
Resources
Notes Activity #1: Poetry Tea Party
 Students will each receive a flash card with a line from a “mystery
poem” on it on a flash card
 Without speaking to their classmates, they will need to walk around and
try to read everyone else’s cards
 Students will have brought mugs and tea bags of their choice. We will
give everyone an opportunity to fill their mug and have a seat.
 They will then have a few minutes to write down (in red journals) a few
predictions about what the poem might be about, who the speaker could
be, what the themes in the poem could be, any other additional thoughts
etc.
 They will then meet in a group of 3-4 people to discuss their findings
and make a group prediction to share with the class. The rule of the tea
party is that everyone needs to bring something to the tea party.
 After we have had our discussions with our groups, we will come
together as a class to share some predictions.
 I will then read the poem out loud to the students
 They will have an opportunity to then write down their new answers
about the poem in their red journals and we will discuss the poem
further.
 Exit Slip in Red Journals (to be handed in for feedback):
 Is there anything you are worried about for our poetry portfolio?
 What is poetry?
 Anything ideas that you think you would like to write about?
 What are 4 things you care about a lot (these could be social justice
topics, family/friends, environment, human rights, bullying,
kindness…etc.)
 List 3 types of poetry you have heard of before?


.
Time Allotted:
Lesson #:7 Intro to thinking critically & Portfolio Intro
min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions:
Lesson  Students will learn about thinking critically in order to utilize these
Objectives skills in their everyday work and in their poetry unit
 Students will collaborate to problem solve
 Students will learn about their poetry portfolio summative task

Assessment Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Decorative aspects

of poems,
Program -Computers
Supports/ -Journals
Resources
Notes Critical thinking:
Watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=0hoE8mtUS1E
 Discuss, watch again and write down what they notice in journals
Work through these brain teasers as a class: http://www.teach-
nology.com/worksheets/critical_thinking/brain/
Escape the mummy’s tomb escape room activity:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/ESCAPE-THE-MUMMYS-
TOMB-MINI-ESCAPE-ROOM-ACTIVITY-3133670
 Discuss what critical thinking means and class brainstorm
Activity: Portfolio Introduction
 What is a portfolio?
 What are some of the projects we have done so far that could be included
in the portfolio?
 Everyone should receive a black folder, these will stay here unless you
need to bring it home to work on it.
 You will have to submit a minimum # of pieces to go into the portfolio,
however you need to try all of the types we work on.
 We will also be working on a rationale to go along with the portfolio.
What is a rationale? Why have you chosen to include these particular pieces?

Lesson #:8 Language as power- Spoken Word/ Free Verse/ Insta- Time Allotted:
Poets min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions: o How can we use language to empower ourselves?
o What is free verse poetry?
Lesson
Objectives 1. Understand what spoken word poetry is
2. Think about other forms of free verse poetry
3. Write more free verse poetry
Work on their Black out Poetry & Found poetry pieces for their portfolios
Assessment Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Decorative aspects
of poems, Exit Slip, Shared work in Free Verse Challenge
Program Speakers, Computer, PowerPoint, Cut-out words & Longer paper for found
Supports/ poem, Sharpies & texts for blackout poetry
Resources
Notes Activity #1: Intro to spoken word and free verse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2jSG2dmdfs
 Dis Poetry by Benjamin Zefaniah
Paper People by Harry Baker:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z94sQNlQge0

 While we are watching these videos jot down some ideas about what
you think spoken word poetry might be? What is it?
 Do you think it is more or less powerful compared to written poetry?
Why or Why not?
Define spoken word poetry

Activity #2: Quick Free Verse Writing Challenge & Share

 No One Understands: Write about what it feels like when no one
understands or agrees with your opinion.

OR

 Take a look in your red journals, I had you write down some things you
care a lot about for an Exit Slip. Write about one of those things.
Share some of their work

Learn about both Black out and Free Verse Poems:

.
Time Allotted:
Lesson #:9 Disabled Poets and Senses
min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions:
Lesson
Objectives  Students will listen to and reflect upon poems by diverse group of
poets
 Students will reflect and think critically about how these poets utilized
a lack of or an additional or heightened sense
 Students will write their own poems for their portfolio
Assessment Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Decorative aspects
of poems,
Program ASL Poetry
Supports/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LZGYwDO-QE
Resources https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmsqXwnqIw4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Llj0Mitn0sY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMXsCZnAJpI

Colour Blindness/Blind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6jR8_t8J4o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4yqAlHttS0

ADHD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQLME_-1WD8

OCD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnKZ4pdSU-s

Mobility Disability
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psa9IpuGPNc
Notes  Students will write their own poem about how a certain sense/lack of/
something unique to them effects them
 Students can extend this into a spoken word poem/ Letter poem

Time Allotted:
Lesson #:10 Sight
min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions:
Lesson  Students will focus on the senses and how they affect our perceptions
Objectives of the world around us
 Students will think critically about sight and how it could alter their
perceptions
 Students will write their own poems
Assessment Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, poems for portfolio
Program  Journals
Supports/  Writing utensils
Resources  Images
Notes  Sight Station:
- There will be a series of 3 very different pictures and students will be
asked to describe what they see using rich language in 5 sentences per
image
-The partner will record the statements in the speaker’s journal.
-They will then switch, and the other partner will have 3 new images &
partner will record their statements.
-After this is over, the students will reflect upon why they chose the
descriptive language/sentences they did. Did context matter? If so,
how/why?
-How can we change our perceptions of the scenes using language?
Write their own poems of their choice reflecting what they have written
and discussed in regards to their sight stations.

Time Allotted:
Lesson #:11 Sound/Touch/Taste/Smell-Haiku Bookmarks Challenge
min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions: o How can we use language to empower ourselves?
o What is the purpose of using figures of speech in our writing?
o What is a Haiku?

Lesson
Objectives 1. Understand the form of a Haiku
2. Think Critically about how the senses are reflected in haikus
3. Write their own original Haiku poems
4. Use descriptive language
Create a bookmark with one of their haikus on it.
Assessment  Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Decorative aspects
of poems, Haiku Poems in journals/docs
Haiku Bookmarks
Program
Magazines to cut up, PowerPoint, Red Journals, Book mark papers, Ribbon,
Supports/
Hole punch, Pencil crayons, Markers
Resources
Notes Activity #1: What is a Haiku?
Using PowerPoint with projector. PowerPoint will be on Google Drive for the
students to access.
 Define Haiku
 5-7-5
 Subject Matter
 A traditional haiku has something to do with nature, doesn’t have to be
100% about nature but should take place in the natural physical world
not abstract. (ie. Freedom)
 Traditional haiku should include one seasonal word called a “kigo”
which places it in the season. (ex. Spring, Summer, Autumn, Icicles,
Sunflower, baseball (spring), Snow)
 Emphasize Imagery
 2 images that contrast each other and create an image
 Sights (see the scene)
 Sounds
 Feels (hot, cold, sticky, chapped) what does it feel like?
 Examples
 Structure  two-part structure
 Some kind of shift or movement from the beginning to the end
 Clear sensory image, then surprise or insight (deep personal
understanding of something) sometimes use a large dash to separate
these parts and It doesn’t add a syllable.
 Kaga no Chiyo Japan’s most famous female haiku writer (in Japanese it
followed the 5-7-5 form) (Takes place in springtime because of the
flower & dew cool enough for dew to form- takes place in a specific
place in nature in a season)
 In Kaga no Chiyo (beautiful sensory image of flower) then movement
from image to the insight about it with the simple water. (A thing is
special in a certain context, but removed from the setting It can become
meaningless and dull)
 A piece of concrete vs. A chunk of the Berlin Wall (Valuable because of
their context)

Santoka Tanseda Poem:

Feeling lonely looking for the moon SHIFT to seeing something you didn’t
expect
(The tension or movement helps the haiku become alive and dynamic)
The surprise shouldn’t be random, it should be meaningful.
Haiku should not rhyme
Should be a lens that lets you see something clearly

Activity #2: Haikubes as a class

***Tie haikus into the senses- class discussion, thinking critically tools
etc.***
 Activity #3: Haiku Bookmark Making
Remember the 3 parts:
5-7-5 syllable count
Subject set in nature & Kigo
2 part structure
“Let the world look through your eyes and feel what you feel for just one
brilliant moment”

 When you are done writing AT LEAST btwo senses haikus please write
one additional haiku about a subject of your choice.
 Once you are done writing your Haiku, please choose one you would
like to write on a bookmark.
 This could be a really nice Mother’s Day gift/Birthday gift for someone
you love, could use it for morning reading time.
 Choose a color of paper, a ribbon
Write your haiku on your bookmark and decorate (you can also type and print
it out in small font to glue on)

Time Allotted:
Lesson #:12 Poetry Tea Party
min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry o How can we use language to empower ourselves?
Questions: o What is the purpose of using figures of speech in our writing?
o How can we examine poetry?
o What does poetry look like?
Lesson Students will be able to:
Objectives  Collaborate with other students to discover the themes, subject,
speaker, content of a mixed-up mystery poem
 Students will make inferences about the mystery poem
 Students will begin to consider how their inferences
 Students will begin to consider what they need to include in their final
portfolio
Assessment Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Decorative aspects
of poems,
Program  https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/52959/eating-poetry
Supports/
Resources -Tea Party Tunes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5j7Ir8gCI8
Notes Poetry Tea Party
 Students will each receive a flash card with a line from a “mystery
poem” on it on a flash card
 Without speaking to their classmates, they will need to walk around and
try to read everyone else’s cards
 Students will have brought mugs and tea bags of their choice. We will
give everyone an opportunity to fill their mug and have a seat.
 They will then have a few minutes to write down (in red journals) a few
predictions about what the poem might be about, who the speaker could
be, what the themes in the poem could be, any other additional thoughts
etc.
 They will then meet in a group of 3-4 people to discuss their findings
and make a group prediction to share with the class. The rule of the tea
party is that everyone needs to bring something to the tea party.
 After we have had our discussions with our groups, we will come
together as a class to share some predictions.
 I will then read the poem out loud to the students
 They will have an opportunity to then write down their new answers
about the poem in their red journals and we will discuss the poem
further.

Time Allotted:
Lesson #:13: Orange you glad you have time to Ketchup
min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions:
Lesson 1. Studernts will work on the poems they need to finish
Objectives 2. Students will write and edit their Artist’s Statements
3. Students will write and edit their dedications
Students will complete a self-evaluation on the back of their rubrics

Assessment Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Decorative aspects

of poems,
Program Orange Juice, Ketchup Chips, Words for Found Poems, Book Mark Supplies,
Supports/ Long Paper, Coloring Supplies, Rubric, Flip Grid log in info
Resources
Notes Activity #1: Orange you glad that you have time to ketchup!
 Some things to consider:
 Dedication (1-2 sentences)
  Artist’s statement: Flipgrid OR typed
 Flip Grid Log-in info: URL- www.flipgrid.com/missperlspoetry
 Password: Grade8Poems
 Figures of Speech (reminder that this shouldn’t be in their journals, but
good copies in their black folders)
 Poems should be good copies as well
 Students are allowed to take a juice box and chips to share and enjoy
while they work!
 Reminder about cleaning up messes & also not to get mess on their
portfolios! Napkins!
 Reminder about taking home work to do if they need the time.
 If any students are finished, I have an additional poetry writing activity
for them to do, or they can add to their completed portfolio!

Time Allotted:
Lesson #:14 Portfolio Touch-ups & rationale
min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions:
Lesson Students will be able to:
Objectives 5. Will finish and polish their Poetry Portfolios
6. Students will write and edit their Artist’s Statements
7. Students will write and edit their dedications
Students will complete a self-evaluation on the back of their rubrics
Assessment Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Decorative aspects
of poems, Final portfolio work and rationale
Program  Computers
Supports/  Materials for completing poems
Resources
Notes  CATCH UP PERIOD!!!
 Additional poetry projects if they are complete – see me
 Research insta poets and pick one to share with class  relate to senses

.
Time Allotted:
Lesson #:15 Poetry Café & Portfolio Due
min.
Critical How can we best use poetry to extend our perceptions of the world around us?
Inquiry
Questions: o How can we use language to empower ourselves?
o What is empowerment?
o What is poetry?

Lesson Students will be able to:

Objectives 8. Will finish and polish their Poetry Portfolios
9. Students will write and edit their Artist’s Statements
10. Students will write and edit their dedications
Students will complete a self-evaluation on the back of their rubrics
-Students will share and listen to each other’s work  can share poems they
found by poets they like
-Eat snacks and celebrate their hard work

Assessment Summative- Poetry Portfolio & Rationale

Formative- Discussion, Questions/Answers, Observation, Decorative aspects
of poems, Poetry Sharing
Program Snacks, 6 Table stations, dice, marked poetry portfolios, goodbye poem for the
Supports/ class, cards, funny open mic costume
Resources
Notes Introduction:
Explain Poetry Café
Activity #1: Open Mic
 Students will choose their “menu” 1-2 poems they would like to share
 Explain open mic as a low pressure way to share poems
 Show goofy open mic costume to wear when sharing
 If you want someone else to read your poem they can
 We want to appreciate everyone’s work, it is not easy to share our own
writing so please be respectful
 Please sign up on the board once you have chosen your poem or figure
of speech
 Enjoy snacks, share, clean up mess
 I will also read a poem I wrote for the class.
 Activity #2: Poetry Café Stations
 POETRY CAFÉ TABLE 1: Roll the dice

 POETRY CAFÉ TABLE 2: I Am Poem

 POETRY CAFÉ TABLE 3: Finish up your concrete poems! (Or make a
new one!)

 POETRY CAFÉ TABLE 4: Collaborative poem!
 
 POETRY CAFÉ TABLE 6: Pocket Poems

 Students will get into groups of 4-5 people and circulate through the
table stations.
 Bring red journals to use for paper at each station.
***HAND IN PORTFOLIOS***