Least Tern > English Class > Middle School Poetry

Poetry Study with Mrs. Mac

for Middle School

Text: Poems to Remember. Edited by Dorothy Petitt. NY, Glencoe, 1984

Terms to Know Exercises Lesson Plans for Teachers

Literary Terms -

Students will be responsible for the meaning and use of the following poetry terms. The links are provided to Mrs. Mac's Literary Terms page.  Two additional sources for definitions and examples are:
Glossary of Poetic Terms from BOB'S BYWAY
Tangarine! a glossary created as a ThinkQuest entry
University of Toronto glossary of terms

How to identify the Form of a poem

Rhyme
Near rhyme/off rhyme/internal rhyme/eye rhyme
Rhyme scheme  - students should know how to use the letters A-H to identify a rhyme scheme.

Rhythm - students should know how to mark the stressed syllables in a line of poetry and how to identify a pattern if there is one.

Stanza
Couplet
Free verse

Image
Metaphor
Simile
Personification
Hyperbole
Onomatopoeia

Mood

Concrete meaning
Abstract meaning

Fulcrum of a poem

Alliteration
Assonance
Consonance

Exercises   - Students should complete these interactive exercises in order.  Lesson Plans for teachers are available for each exercise. Each lesson plan contains both prepartion and follow-up for the exercise.

An Exercise in Form An Exercise in Word Choice An Exercise in Rhythm
A Found Poem Exercise An Exercise in Image An Exercise in Contrast
An Exercise in Story Putting It All Together (test)

Least Tern