1. Onomatopoeia
Kapow!

2. What is Onomatopoeia?
Onomatopoeia is the literary device that relies on words that imitate the sound that they name. They're sound effect words or noise words. Writers choose these words as a way of conveying the sound of the things that they are describing and emphasizing something about the scene that they're describing. Examples of onomatopoeia are boom, meow, crash, sizzle, crunch and buzz.

3. Why is it such a weird word?
This word gets its meaning from Greek Roots
ónoma meaning “name”
poi meaning “to make”
Extra tidbit: this is also the same root for the word poet

4. For the rest of the period we will be:
identifying examples of Onomatopoeia in poems
exploring how the use of Onomatopoeia adds to a writer's message
exploring how Onomatopoeia can be created and used in our own poetry

5. Turn to your table groups and practice saying the following words as dramatically as you can.
Buzz
Crack
Sizzle
Zip

6. Why is onomatopoeia so awesome?
Or….what is the benefit of using onomatopoeia in our writing?

7. Putting Onomatopoeia into context
Look at the poem, “The Bells” by Edgar Allen Poe and follow along with me as I read the poem.
Right off the bat, what are some of the words that could be considered Onomatopoeia? Highlight them.
Even though they may not be what we would traditionally think of as Onomatopoeia, what are other words take on the “sound of their name” within this poem? Highlight these as well.
How did Poe create that effect?

8. A Dramatic Reading
As a table, you will be preparing and presenting a dramatic reading of your section of the poem.
Read through your section as a table
Make sure you all agree on which words are Onomatopoeia and highlight them.
Plan out who will say each line – each person needs to have a part even if it is a single word
Think about other sound effects that you could include in addition to the words – drumming, clapping etc.
Rehearse reading the lines with emphasis on the onomatopoeia words
We will present each section to the class in five minutes

9. Effects of Onomatopoeia
How did the second dramatic reading of the poem, which emphasized onomatopoeia, enhance the poem?

10. Creating original Onomatopoeia
Listen to the following sounds
Using your knowledge of the sounds within the English Language, do your best to create a word for each sound you hear – write this down in the Poems section of your poetry notebook. NOTE: you may not write down simple words like buzz – get creative!
Sound #1
Sound #2
Sound #3
Sound #4
Sound #5
Sound #6

11. Homework
Using these sounds for inspiration, or others that you might hear around school, the city or your house, write a poem using at least three onomatopoeia words to enhance the poem.