Molloy College

Division of Education

Student: Danielle Valente Professor Moroney

Course: EDU 527 01 Date: July 25, 2018
Grade: 2 Topic: Seeing With Poet’s Eyes
Content Area: English Language Arts

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES
After reading Zoe Ryder White’s Poem Pencil Sharpener and class discussion about how poet’s

use their imagination and create their writing pieces in a unique way, students will look at

objects set up throughout the classroom and record/describe what they notice about each object,

using at least 3 out of 4 describing words for each object.

NYS-CCLS / +NYS STANDARDS AND INDICATORS

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL. 2.4
Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, and repeated lines)
supply rhythm add meaning in a story, poem, or song.
Indicator: This will be evident when students listen to the poem Pencil Sharpener and Ceiling

and are able to describe the objects set up around the room, using poetic language.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories and poetry, in the
grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiency, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the
range.
Indicator: This will be evident when students are able to comprehend different poetic writing

pieces such as Pencil Sharpener and Ceiling as well as other poems read throughout the year.
 ISTE STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS
Knowledge Constructor- Curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and
methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or
conclusions.
Indicator 3a: Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and

other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.

Creative Communicator - Communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or

using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.
Indicator 6a: Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired

objectives of their creation or communication.

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
 Enlarged copy of Poems: Pencil Sharpener and Ceiling
 Clipboards
 Pencil sharpener to show students
 Poetry paper
 Poetry folder
 Objects to examine around the classroom (pine-cones, rocks, shells, leaves)
 Vocabulary worksheet for English Language Learners
 ABCYA.com (wordclouds)

MOTIVATION
The teacher will hold up a pencil sharpener and share with the students that all they might see is

a gray box that acts as a machine to sharpen pencils. The teacher will then read Zoe Ryder

White’s Poem Pencil Sharpener, emphasizing how Zoe sees the pencil sharpener in a fresh new

way, giving the students a deepened perspective on how they see objects.
 DEVELOPMEMNTAL PROCEDURES

1. The teacher will begin the lesson by holding up an ordinary pencil sharpener, sharing

with the students that it looks like a plain gray box that is just a machine.

2. The teacher will then read Zoe Ryder White’s poem Pencil Sharpener, emphasizing how

the pencil sharpener is looked at and described in a fresh new way, using poet’s eyes. (Do

you see the difference in how I described this pencil sharpener as an ordinary

mechanical box, and how through poet’s eyes, she was able to describe the pencil

sharpener beautifully and creatively?)

3. Students will begin to look at the ceiling in a “fresh new way.” They will turn and talk

with their partner about what they see with their “poet’s eyes.” (Remember how Zoe

described the pencil sharpener, saying that there are hundreds of bees inside the pencil

sharpener buzzing and buzzing around. Let’s be creative and think about that ceiling in a

different way.)

4. The teacher will then read aloud, Ceiling by Zoe Ryder White. (Let’s see how the poet

talks about the ceiling in a different way than you might have.)

5. The teacher will show the students their new poetry folders containing clipboards and

poetry paper.

6. The students will examine objects set up around the classroom at different poetry

stations, and use their knowledge about poetry and how poets describe objects, recording

what they notice about each object.

 7. The teacher will remind students to slow down as they are observing each object. (Boys

and girls, you should be asking yourselves, “How can I describe this object?,” “What

does it remind me of?,” “How can I describe it in a different way?”)

8. Students will return to their seats with their poetry folders and clipboards out. The teacher

will tell one student at a time in each group to share with their tablemates one object that

they described.

9. The teacher will go around to each group to listen and discuss how the students described

these items using their poet eyes.

10. The teacher will be handed an exit ticket with a picture of an object and ask the students

to go ahead and describe it as best they can using the knowledge gained about poetry and

their poet’s eyes.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Direct Instruction
Indicator: This will be evident when the teacher provides the students with information

about how poets look at objects in fresh new ways by reading Zoe Ryder White’s poems and

having the students then describe the ceiling in a fresh new way using their perspective through

poet’s eyes.

Cooperative Learning
Indicator: This will be evident when students share and listen with their tablemates about

an object they described using their poet eyes to see how each peer can look at the same object

but describe it differently.

 ADAPTATIONS
 For the student struggling with fine motor skills the objects will be a large size for them

to be able to pick up easier in order for them to describe it better.

 English language learners will be given a vocabulary sheet with their native language and

English translation containing the words of the objects that they will be describing as well

as additional adjectives for help describing the objects.

 For the student using an iPad as an assistive technology device, vocabulary words,

adjectives will be programmed into the device for easier accessibility and to be read out

loud using “Text Readers.” There will also be visual representations of each object that

are enlarged for the student.

DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION
Struggling Students will receive guidance by the teacher. During the class discussion and reading

of the poems, the teacher will respond slowly, speak clearly, and ask questions carefully to the

whole class. Struggling students will be able to sit closer to the teacher, as well as have guided

worksheets making it clear of the directions and what is expected. The worksheet will have a

bigger space for writing describing words as well as have a visual image of each object on the

page for them to refer back to at a later point to finish describing the object if there is not enough

time at each station. They will have access to their writers workshop journals which has a list of

adjectives to help them describe the objects.

Average Students will receive guidance and prompting by the teacher when they need help, or

additional aiding during a lesson, or activity. Each student will receive a worksheet which has a

space for each object to be described, but there will be no image on the page. These students will
be expected to participate in the group discussions, and be able to make connections with their

classmates on the topics discussed.

Advanced Students will be asked to follow directions by the teacher and guide struggling

students if needed. Once each object is described, these students will have an option listed on the

back of their worksheet to make their own poem using each item that they described during the

poetry stations. These students will be able to make connections and use poetic language to

create their own poem.

ASSESSMENT
The worksheets that the students complete in class at the poetry stations will be informally

assessed by the teacher in their poetry folders to see if the students gained an understanding for

describing objects in a creative and unique way using “poet’s eyes.”

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
The students will complete a homework assignment following the lesson in class about

describing objects using their poet’s eyes, where they will pick three items at home and describe

them using descriptive words.This is practice for them starting to write as poets and later will be

edited for final publishing in their poetry folders and journals.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES: DIRECT TEACHER INTERVENTION AND ACADEMIC

ENRICHMENT
Direct Teacher Intervention: For the students having trouble with grasping the concept of

describing items in a creative way, the teacher will have the student pick an object that they like,

and describe it with the student, listing many describing words and what they like about the
object. The teacher will show the student how any object can be described in a fun way and be

made into a poem.

Academic Enrichment: For further practice describing objects and understanding how that is

aplied to creating poems, the students will complete an All About Me Word Cloud , describing

themselves using as many adjectives as possible, which will then be used to create a poem about

themselves following the lesson on line breaks, stanzas and the formatting of poems.
 REFERENCES

White, Z. R. (n.d.). Ceiling. Retrieved from https://poemsinyourpocket.wordpress.com/tag/zoe-

ryder-white/

White, Z. R. (n.d.). Pencil Sharpener. Retrieved from

https://poemsinyourpocket.wordpress.com/tag/zoe-ryder-white/

Word Clouds. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.abcya.com/word_clouds.htm