Elements of Poetry “Poems are pattern in motion, like music but gifted with human speech.” -Leonard Nathan, Contemporary Poet

What is Poetry The art of expressing one’s thoughts in verse. Uses few words to convey its message Meant to be read aloud Arouses our emotions Uses imagery or figurative language to explain feelings and create mental pictures Suggest action or moods

How do we recognize Poetry? Can have established formal structures Pattern of Rhymes Can take the shape of irregular lines on a page. Free Verse—not written in rhyme and meter. Can vary in tone Attitude expressed by subject

Sound Devices add a musical quality to poetry Sound Devices add a musical quality to poetry. Enhances a poem’s mood and meaning Rhyme: the repetition of sounds at the ends of words (pool, rule, fool) Rhythm: the beat caused by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables (The cat sat on the mat) Repetition: the use of any element of language—sound, word, phrase, clause, or sentence—more than once. Onomatopoeia: the use of words that imitate sounds---crash, bang, hiss, splat Alliteration: is the repetition of consonant sounds in beinning of words---lovely lonely lights Taken from Pearson 6th grade Textbook

Identify the Rhyme Scheme “Ten Minutes Till The Bus” By David L. Harrison Ten whole minutes Till the bus, Scads of time, What’s the fuss? Two to dress, One to flush, Two to eat, One to brush, That leaves four To catch the bus, “Ten Minutes Till The Bus” By David L. Harrison Ten whole minutes Till the bus, Scads of time, What’s the fuss? Two to dress, One to flush, Two to eat, One to brush, That leaves four To catch the bus, A B

Figurative Language writing or speech that is not meant to be taken literally. Metaphors: describe one thing as if it were something else. They often point out a similarity between two unlike things ---The snow was a white blanket over the town. Similes: use Like or as to compare two apparently unlike things and show similarities between the two—She is as slow as a turtle. Personification: gives human qualities to something that is non human---The ocean crashed angrily during the storm. Hyperbole: is an exaggeration or overstatement used for comic effect or to increase emotion---A million bees had stung him. Taken from Pearson 6th grade Textbook

Figurative Language Activity Give students a topic (fruit, colors places, etc). Have students come up with a metaphor on that topic, then continue have them create similes, personification and hyperbole. Green

Sensory Language Writing that appeals to one or more of the five senses—sight, sounds, smell, taste, and touch. Creates word pictures, or images Poets often use these words and pictures to help the reader experience the poem. Taken from Pearson 6th grade Textbook

Sensory Language Activity Write a paragraph about a certain topic including sensory details. Could also put a BaDaBing in right here for writing.

Quick Check In use what we have talked about to fill in the chart below Example Poetic Element The honeybee buzzed by and landed on a flower Moonlight crept slowly into the boy’s room at night. The baby’s cry was a siren alerting all that it was time for dinner. The silver stars swirled in the summer sky. He was hungry as a bear after school. Answers: Onomatopoeia Personification Metaphor Alliteration simile