creating partner poems inspired by literature and song, then writing original poems about new topics
This lesson was built for WritingFix after being proposed by Nevada teacher TemocaDixon at an AT&T-sponsored in-service class for teachers.
The intended "mentor text" to be used when teaching this on-line lesson is The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Before writing, students should listen to and discuss the writing style of this book's author, especially from pages 124-128 of the book.
If you are a Washoe County teacher, click here to search for this book at the county library.
Teacher Instructions & Lesson Resources:
Pre-step…before sharing the published model:Have students listen to the song, “Two Lovers” by Mary Wells which shares the opposite character traits of what sounds like two different men both of whom she loves. The end of the song reveals the “Two Lovers” as actually being one in the same person. Discuss the character traits described in the song that build the image of her two lovers.
Step one (sharing the published model): Students will read and discuss the idea development and voice used in three excerpts about the character, Mr. Hyde:
From chapter 1, where the text starts, He is not easy to describe..., ending with ...and yet I really can name nothing out of the way.
From chapter 2: Mr. Utterson stepped out and touched him on the shoulder…, ending with ...he had unlocked the door and disappeared into the house.
From chapter 4, starting with He had in his hand a heavy cane..., ending with ...the maid fainted.
Then, students will read and discuss the idea development and voice used in two excerpts about the character, Dr. Jekyll:
From chapter 3, where the text starts To this rule..., ending with This is a matter I thought we had agreed to drop.
From chapter 6, starting with, Now that that evil influence..., and ending with ...and the knowledge is more than he can bear.
Students will use the first page of the graphic organizer to record the characterization examples from the excerpts they read/hear. Your class can discuss the character traits and share the examples of showing verses telling about the character in the author’s writing.
In small groups or pairs, have students compose a poem for two voices for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Before writing, you can show students examples of published poems for two voices from Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman.
Step two (introducing student models of writing):In small groups, have your students read and respond to any or all of the student models that come with this lesson. The groups should certainly talk about the idea development, since that's the focus of this writing assignment, but you might prompt your students to talk about each model's voice as well.
We're looking for student samples for all grade levels for this prompt! Help us get some, and we'll send you a free resource for your classroom! Contact us at publish@writingfix.com for details.
Step three (thinking and pre-writing):The Interactive Button Game on the Student Instructions Page is designed to get your students thinking about different voices that might exist inside one person's head, or two voices that might have contrasing views.
Students will use the second page of the graphic organizer to record the characterization ideas for a dual-personality character or for two contrasting voices they will invent for their original poems.
Once students have brainstormed voice elements and ideas, they are to begin drafting a poem that celebrates two voices. Their poems should show the character(s) and let us hear the voices inside his/her head.
Step four (revising with specific trait language): To promote response and revision to rough draft writing, attach WritingFix's Revision and Response Post-Its to your students' drafts. Make sure the students rank their use of the trait-specific skills on the Post-Its, which means they'll only have one "1" and one "5." Have them commit to ideas for revision based on their Post-It rankings. For more ideas on WritingFix's Revision & Response Post-Its, click here.
Step five (editing for conventions): After students apply their revision ideas to their drafts and re-write neatly, require them to find an editor. If you've established a "Community of Editors" among your students, have each student exchange his/her paper with multiple peers. With yellow high-lighters in hand, each peer reads for and highlights suspected errors for just one item from the Editing Post-it. The "Community of Editors" idea is just one of dozens and dozens of inspiring ideas that is talked about in detail in the Northern Nevada Writing Project's Going Deep with 6 Trait Language Workbook for Teachers.
Step six (publishing for the portfolio): When they are finished revising and have second drafts, invite your students to come back to this piece once more during an upcoming writer's workshop block. Their stories might become a longer story, a more detailed piece, or the beginning of a series of pieces about the story they started here. Students will probably enjoy creating an illustration for this story as they get ready to publish it for their portfolios.
Interested in publishing student work on-line? We invite student writers to post final drafts of their original at WritingFix's Community of Student Writers. This is a safe-to-use blog for students and teachers. No writing is posted until it is approved by the moderator. Contact us at publish@writingfix.com if you have questions about getting your students published.
Learn more about author Robert Louis Steveson
by clicking here.
Pre-step…before sharing the published model:
