Introduce middle schoolers to free verse poetry with a instructional activity that has young poets read two free verse poems and list the common characteristics of the form. They then read a passage from Cesar Chavez's biography and a free verse poem based on that passage and written in his voice. Individuals then adopt Chavez's voice and compose their own poems based on a passage from his biography.

Concepts

free verse, poetry, cesar chavez, author's voice, first-person point of view, descriptive writing, verb phrases

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Instructional Ideas

• Enlarge and mount on a classroom wall the "Characteristics of Free Verse Poetry" poster
• Project the "A Bad Day at School" poem for class discussion

Classroom Considerations

• Instructors need a copy of Cesar Chavez: A Real-Life Reader Biography by Susan Zannos
• Requires individual copies of two worksheets, the poem, passages from the Chavez biography, and the rubric

Pros

• The step-by-step plan is carefully scaffolded

Cons

• None

Common Core

CCRA.R.1 CCRA.R.2 CCRA.R.3 CCRA.R.4 CCRA.R.5 CCRA.R.6 CCRA.R.10 CCRA.W.2 CCRA.W.3 CCRA.W.5 CCRA.W.10 CCRA.L.4 CCRA.L.6