What's the Buzz About Onomatopoeia?

Onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like its meaning. When the clock goes tick tock or the snake hisses, it's onomatopoeia. It is found in most beginning reading books, and is used to grab the attention of young listeners. However, it can be a useful tool for older students as well.

One way that onomatopoeia can be used is to teach students how to write with expression. This would be a great time to zoom to the local video store and grab a copy of the original “Batman” movie. In every scene in which Batman and Robin encounter a bad guy, onomatopoeia words are used to show what is happening. Another way to introduce onomatopoeia is by taking a look at comic strips. Comic strip writers often use these words to add expression so that the reader gets a true idea of the message he or she is trying to convey. Saving a comic from the local newspaper and making a copy for each student is all you need. Generate a class list of onomatopoeia words and hang them up for all to see. A follow-up lesson would be to have students create their own comic strip using the words that they have learned from the comic strip and the movie.

Once students have the general idea of onomatopoeia, they can begin to apply it to poetry. Sharing poems by writers such as Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss would give students a clear picture of how these words can bring writing to life. For more visual students, they can first draw a picture that represents the topic of their poem, and then they can use that picture to generate ideas of what sounds would be heard. Students who have a strong musical or auditory intelligence may want to hear the recorded version of Silverstein’s poems and put his or her own poem to music. Writings will begin to sizzle with expression as students explore onomatopoeia!

Onomatopoeia Lesson Plans:

Pageant of Poetry – A Center Approach

Students work in centers to discover different forms of poetry and how it relates to music. This unit contains nine different lessons. In the final project, students will create a poem. There is a rubric included to use to grade it. Additionally, there are fourteen handouts to accompany the lessons.

Poetry: A Picture of Your Feelings or No, Virginia, Poetry Doesn’t Have to Rhyme

After going on a field trip, students paint a picture and write a poem about their favorite place. The lesson is a follow-up to students being taught the different forms of poetry. It includes the original notes from those lessons. The students tie their onomatopoeia poems to visual images.

Poetry of Abraham Lincoln

Students study words used in poems written by Abraham Lincoln about his boyhood home. Although this is a language arts lesson, it provides valuable information about one of America’s great historical figures. Students will explore Lincoln’s writings, looking at his word choice and how it expressed his feelings toward his childhood. This lesson contains links to the poems along with handouts and quizzes.

Poetry Made Easy

Poetry is used to teach written expression. Students are introduced to various forms of poetry. Fourteen days worth of lesson ideas are included. Also, the lesson includes a link to all of the worksheets and rubrics that are needed.