1. Language Arts: Friday, February 15, 2019
Handouts: * Concrete Poetry assignment
Homework: * Write a concrete poem, due Monday, beginning of class No late work accepted: We will do a “poetry exchange” * Poem Project—Planning Sheet due this Friday * Poem Project, poem and illustration, due Feb. 22, BOC
Assignments due: * None

2. Lesson Goal: Students will learn the distinctive features of concrete poetry.
Outcomes: Be able to . . .
Learn the distinctive features of concrete poetry.
Analyze published concrete poetry.
Begin writing concrete poetry during class.
Edit and proof your concrete poetry.
Exchange rough drafts of concrete poetry for peer reviews.
Eventually present your concrete poem to the class.

3. Starter #1 Have any of you ever heard of “concrete poetry”?
It’s a way of combining poetic writing with drawing. 
Concrete poetry is a poem that is shaped to look like its subject, and the shape(s) you create are just as important to the poem’s meaning as other poetic devices (like rhyme, rhythm, etc.)
The term “concrete poetry” (also called “shape poetry” or “picture poetry”) emerged in the 1950s. But people have been playing with this type of poetry for centuries. The Greeks used shape poetry as early as the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C. (or B.C.E.)

4. Starter #2 There are three ways you can create concrete poetry. . . .
1) The poem can be shaped as an outline of the object it’s about.
2) The poem can fill the shape of the object it is about.
3) The poem can use the way the words are written to form an image.
Let’s use PDFs to show you each of these three types of concrete poetry.
Concrete Poetry, Type 1
Concrete Poetry, Type 2
Concrete Poetry, Type 3

5. Starter #2 Now it’s your turn
Starter #2 Now it’s your turn. Remember that the words and image must work together to communicate to your reader.
The words you select should have a poetic quality—they should play to our five senses, by using poetic devices. Your words should also “make sense”—don’t select a word simply because it rhymes: Have a reason for each word you use.