Smarter Balanced
Poetry
How does poetry differ from other forms of writing? Class members view two writing samples, decide which one is a poem, and then identify the criteria they used to distinguish between the two samples.
Curated OER
Learning Refrain and Verse
Instruct your young musicians on the terms verse and refrain. They listen to two songs, and point out the verse and refrain as they occur. Students then play drums when they hear the verse and the refrain. Note: Song lyrics, sheet music,...
Curated OER
Lyrics Analysis Guide
Assist your learners as they unravel the wonders of lyric analysis. This resource breaks down the analysis process by hook, verse, and chorus. Each is briefly defined and is used to look at any song's lyrics in a systematic way.
Curated OER
Poet James Whitcomb Riley: Famous in His Own Day
An engaging biography of "Hoosier" poet James Whitcomb Riley serves as a springboard for study of his unique dialect-based verse. Several activities illuminate differences between spoken vernacular and formal language. Learners record...
Curated OER
Rock N Rhythm & Rhyme
Students explore rhyming and rhythm. In this rhythm and rhyme lesson, students listen to the song, "A-Hunting We Will Go" and add new verses to the song with words that rhyme. Students use an interactive tool to create these new verses.
Curated OER
Play with Words: Rhymes & Verse
Students listen to poems and rhymes, clap out syllables, and sing along with familiar tunes. They use puppets and crafts to help recall and retell favorite poems, and craft their own poems.
Curated OER
Music Form Activities
Students identify simple music forms. In this music education lesson plan, students identify simple forms of music and the concepts of verses and refrains. This lesson plan includes two activities (one for verse and one for refrain) that...
Curated OER
Song Writing
In this music worksheet, learners identify specific tips for composing a song. They use strophic form where each verse has the same melody. Students also select a chord sequence and use cadences at the end of each phrase and modulations...
Curated OER
Friendly Patter Poetry
Students create a free from poem on the topic of friendship. They read examples of free form poetry to gather ideas. Through the use of a graphic organizer, students generate a list of friendship characteristics which is used to create...
Curated OER
Younger Generation
Students discuss the composer Aaron Copland and the lyricist Ira Gershwin and their significance in/contributions to American music of their time while singing the song "Younger Generation" in the choir setting. Emphasis is placed on...
Curated OER
Repetitive Song Form
Eighth graders discover different concepts for identifying musical structure and song form. In this Music History lesson, 8th graders compare and contrast a Red Hot Chili Peppers song to an Andrea Bocelli's song.
Curated OER
Garage Band
Fifth graders identify a pop rock music form that includes a verse, a chorus, and a bridge in ABABCBB form. They demonstrate basic skills using the "Garage Band" application. Students crate a piece of music using the garage band...
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: Cambridge History of Eng and Am Lit: Beginnings of American Verse
Describes the beginnings of American poetry, beginning with a publication in 1610. Click through the 18 sections to get the full picture. Extracted from The Cambridge History of English and American Literature.
Harvard University
The Harvard Chaucer Page: The High Style
Essay about Geoffrey Chaucer's use of the "high style" in middle English verse, characterized by an elegantly adorned diction reliant upon Latin and French borrowings.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: There Once Was...
Part 2 of this tutorial on limerick writing demonstrates the importance of form (meter and rhyme) in limerick poetry using the exemplary and amusing work of Edward Lear.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Play With Words: Rhyme & Verse
For this lesson plan, students will consider "Play with Words: Rhyme & Verse." The plan includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.
University of Pennsylvania
U Penn: Poetic Terms and Types
Click on these terms for an excellent definition of these poetic terms, some from the Oxford English Dictionary. Includes types of poetry as well as terms.
Luminarium
Luminarium: The Cavalier Poets
This site provides an indepth introduction to the Cavalier Poets. Includes links to related people and topics.
Other
Passions in Poetry: Thomas Carew 1594 1640
This site includes a short introduction to Thomas Carew and a biographical sketch of the poet. Also included are links to the text of several of Carew's poems.
Emory University
Emory University: The Limerick
This site gives a good description of limerick. Features details about the rhyme scheme and the different forms of limericks. References to the bawdy nature of this verse form.
University of Toronto (Canada)
University of Toronto: Poetry of Sir John Suckling
This site from the University of Toronto provides links to seven poems by Cavalier poet, Sir John Suckling. Biographical information is also provided.
TES Global
Blendspace: 8th Grade Poetry Unit
This thirty-three-part learning module provides a poetry unit designed for 8th graders. This blendspace provides videos, web resources, and reference sheets related to the study of eighth grade poetry content.
Other
Millcrest Academy: Rhyme Scheme
This page lists and defines many poetic terms commonly associated with rhyme and rhyme scheme. Unfortunately, there are no examples given. The list includes the following: anapestic meter, blank verse, couplet, dactylic meter, end rhyme,...
Other
Writingsongs
Provides information about composing music and songwriting. Of interest is the Tips & Information section where there are several articles of advice about songwriting.