Focus of the Unit

Poetry; I wish I were poem

Time Frame
1-1.5 weeks
Mentor Texts
I wish I were by Tanmayi Mukundan
I wish I were your pillow by Bryan de Leon
I wish I were an Eagle by Jeanette Cooper
Common Core State Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.6
With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to
produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5
With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and
strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.
Unit Objectives
What is it that you want students to learn through this unit? Include
objectives related to genre, process, and traits. Mark those objectives with a
T for teach. What is it that you want to ensure students review through
this unit? Mark those objectives with a R for review.
Genre/Form Objective(s)
Students will write a poem about what they wish they were and why. This is
intended to be a self-reflective poetic piece. (T)
Process Objective(s)
Prewriting: students will brainstorm ideas for their poem, choosing a subject
they would like to be, students will then elaborate on 4 ideas of why they
would wish to be that subject using the graphic organizer provided. (R)
Drafting; students will use their graphic organizer to fill out the provided
poem template. (R)
Revising; students will read their work and share in a trio. Students will revise
unclear ideas through altering them. Students will also offer advice to the
other students in their poetry revising trio. (R)

Editing; students will circle words that they are uncertain about and check a
resource; teacher or their personal dictionaries. Punctuation and
capitalization will not be important for this project. (R)
Publishing; students will type up their piece. (T)

Trait Objective(s)
Traits
Ideas

Organization

Voice

Word Choice
Sentence Fluency

Conventions

Presentation

Students will focus on one idea of something that

they would like to be (T)
Students will have 4 reasons why they would like
to be that thing (T/R)
Stanzas (R)
Title (R)
Author (R)
First person point of view from their own
perspective (R)
Reflective (T)
Students will include 2 similes in their poems (R)
Students will have the template to work from (R)
Students may change the template to serve their
needs (R)
Students may or may not include conventions
within their poems (R)
Students will type up their final project (T)

8. Product
Students will be creating a self-reflective poem about what they wish they
were with at least 4 reasons why they would wish to be that thing and
include 2 similes. The final product will be typed.

9. Product Expectations
Create a rubric, checklist or recording form for what you will be looking
for when you assess the writing. Be as specific as possible.
Traits
Ideas

Organization

Voice

Word Choice
Sentence Fluency

Conventions
Presentation

Students will choose one subject to elaborate one

This subject will represent something that the
student wants to bring to the world in some way
Students will use the template given
Students may alter or add to the template how
they see fit for their poem
Poem includes a title
Poem includes author
First person perspective from the point of view of
the student
Reflective
Possibly playful, serious
Students will include 2 similes in their poems
Students will have the template to work from
Students may change the template to serve their
needs
Poems may or may not follow conventions
The final product will be typed at school
Students may add an illustration to their poem

10. Process Expectations

Create a rubric, checklist, or recording form to show what you expect
of students in terms of process.
Traits
Ideas

Organization

Voice

Word Choice
Sentence Fluency

Brainstorm multiple potential topics

Choose one idea to elaborate on
Fill out completely the graphic prewrite organizer
Students ideas will be organized in the graphic
organizer
The graphic organizer corresponds to the stanzas
that will be included in the poem
First person perspective from the point of view of
the student
Students will use 2 similes
Students will have the template to work from
Students may change the template to serve their

Conventions
Presentation

needs
Poems may or may not follow conventions
Final product is typed

Progression of the Unit

Lesson #1 Immersion in I wish I were Poetry
Lesson Objective(s):
Students will be exposed to their first I wish I were poem. They will
begin to think about why an author would wish to be a different
element.
Lesson summary:
We will read through the poem I wish I were by Tanmayi Mukundan.
Teach will talk through the first element the author wishes they were
and think aloud interpretation of why the author wishes they were a
star. We will talk about the different elements that the author wishes
that they were and why. If we have time, discuss with students or have
students write about if they would wish they were an element in the
poem. Do they have the same reasons as the author?
Review the idea of stanzas in poems. How is this poem organized?
Formative Assessment:
Listening to students share their ideas about what the author wishes
and why. Listening to student responses about if they would like to be
one of the elements in the poem and their reasoning of why.
Lesson #2 Immersion in I wish I were Poetry &
Brainstorming Potential Topics
Lesson Objective(s):
Students will be exposed to two more I wish I were poems that
elaborate on a single topic. Students will begin to think and talk about
how elaborating on one topic helps to communicate the authors
message. At the end of the lesson students will begin to brainstorm at
least 5 topics they think they might choose as the topic of their poetry.
Lesson summary:
We will read through the poem I wish I were by Tanmayi Mukundan.
We will read through the poem, I wish I were your pillow by Bryan de
Leon and the poem, I wish I were an Eagle by Jeanette Cooper. Unlike
the previous poem, this poem has a central focus around the topic of
pillow and eagle respectively. Students will discuss these poems
and similarities and differences between these poems and the last
poem that we have read. How does elaborating on one topic help
students better understand the authors message?
What are attributes of these poems students would like to include in

their own poems?

After being exposed and discussing elaborations and what the author is
trying to communicate to the audience, teacher will model with think
aloud their own example; students will brainstorm a list of at least 5
things they wish they were.
(students are used to brainstorming after discussing mentor texts)
Formative Assessment:
Listening to student discussion about what elaborating on one topic
can bring to a poem. Listening to student ideas about what types of
things these authors included about their poems that students would
like to include in their own works. Looking at students brainstorming
list.
Lesson #3 Choosing a Topic and Elaborating on Reasons Why
Lesson Objective(s):
Students will choose one of their brainstorming ideas to elaborate on;
what would they like to be, why, come up with at least 4 reasons they
would like to be that thing.
Lesson summary:
We will revisit the previous mentor texts and read through them to give
students another refresher. Teacher will model choosing one topic and
brainstorming reasons why they would like to be that thing. For guided
practice, students will help suggest additional reasons for wanting to
be a particular thing. Students will then choose 1 thing from their own
list to elaborate on. Students will then brainstorm at least 4 reasons
they would like to be that thing.
Formative Assessment:
Looking for students responses for the guided practice; who
participates, who doesnt and take note about students to check in
with. Teacher will make sure students have at least 4 ideas about why
they would like to be a certain thing.
Lesson #4 Drafting their Poems
Lesson Objective(s):
Students will begin a draft of their poem using the poetry template.
Lesson summary:
Teacher will introduce the poetry template to students. Teacher will
demonstrate writing the first 2 stanzas of the poem using their
prewrite and being sure to include why they are doing what they are

doing. They will stop after the second stanza and ask students for
additional ideas about similes that they might add. Using the teachers
prewrite, students will help the teacher write the last 2 stanzas of the
poem. Students will then turn to their own prewrite to help them fill out
the poem template.

Formative Assessment:
Teacher can read through the drafts as students are writing and talk
with students as they are writing.
Lesson #5 Revising Poetry
Lesson Objective(s):
Students will read through their poems to make sure that they have
written what they wanted to say.
Students will share poems in trios and receive feedback from their
peers. Peers will provide feedback on ideas that they would like the
author to clarify.
Lesson summary:
Teacher will read through the first 2 stanzas and model revising;
focusing on, does this make sense to me when I read it? Teacher will
ask class for suggestions to revise the last 2 stanzas. Teacher will
model making sure their poem has necessary parts; title, author, 1
subject, 4 reasons why, and 2 similes. Students will read through their
poems. They will also make sure that they have 4 reasons why they
would like to be something. The student will also have 2 similes in their
poem.
After students have had time to look at their poems and revise them
they will get into trio revising groups to share their work and gather
suggestions from their peers.
Formative Assessment:
Teacher can listen for student feedback in the trios and possibly offer
own suggestions for revision.
Lesson #6 Editing and Publishing
Lesson Objective(s):
Students will type up their finished product and check for spelling
errors.

Lesson summary:
Students will go into the computer lab and type up their poems. They
will print their poems and see if they wish to edit spelling; make those
edits and print out a final draft of their poem.
Formative Assessment:
Final product. Checking in with students about spelling.

Title:
Author:
I wish I were ______________________________
So that I could ________________________________

I would be ______________________as _______________________

With ___________________like _____________________________

If I were _________________________
I would bring _____________________________ to the world
Because _______________________________________________

Name:
Why do you wish you could be
______________________?
I wish I could be
____________________________so
that I could
___________________________________
______________________________________
___________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________

*What could you compare

____________________________ to?
______________________is like
_____________________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________

What you would wish to be?

Date:
*What is something else that you
could
compare
____________________________ to?
______________________________________
_is as
______________________________________
_________
As
______________________________________
________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________
What does
_______________________________
bring to the world?
If I were this thing I would bring
__________________________ to the
world because
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________
______________________________________
____________

*These are similes, they compare 2 things using like or as

ex. The sun is a s bright as a flashlight
The giraffe is as tall as the Spaceneedle
The butterflys wings are like colorful petals
The suns light is like the warmth of a blanket