5th Grade PBL: Central American Poetry

Messengers of Rain: And other Poems from Latin America by Claudia M. Lee, Rafael Yockteng Driving Question: What does the poetry of Central America tell you about the people, geography, customs, and cultures of these countries? Reading: - 2.0331: Read and understand different kinds of poetry like narrative poems, lyric poems, and cinquains (Good readers can read and interpret the meaning of different kinds of poetry.)
o Students will demonstrate an understanding of poetry by: Applying a strategy learned to read, comprehend, and appreciate poetry. Identifying and explaining poetry terms. Identifying and explaining techniques used by authors when writing poetry. Identifying and explaining characteristics of different types of poetry (narrative poems, lyric poems, and cinquain poems).

Writing: - 4.074 Write a variety of different types of texts including poetry, drama, and memoirs by either selecting the topic or form lyric poems, Narrative poems, cinquains - 4.071: Write a variety of different types of texts including poetry by either selecting the topic or form - 5.04: Reread own writing and determine the impact of word choice on the reader (vocabulary) Social Studies - 1.01: Describe the absolute and relative location of major landforms, bodies of water, and natural resources in the United States and other countries of North America. - 1.02: Analyze how absolute and relative location influence ways of living in the United States and other countries of North America. - 1.03: Compare and contrast the physical and cultural characteristics of regions within the United States, and other countries of North America.

- 1.06: Explain how people of the United States and other countries of North America adapt to, modify, and use their physical environment - 2.04: Compare and contrast the government of the United States with the governments of Canada, Mexico, and selected countries of Central America. - Compare and contrast the educational structure of the United States to those of Canada, Mexico, and selected countries of Central America - 2.08: Describe the different types of families and compare and contrast the role the family plays in the societal structures of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and selected countries of Central America - 3.06: Compare and contrast the roles various religious and ethnic groups have played in the development of the United States with those of Canada, Mexico, and selected countries of Central America. - 3.07: Describe art, music, and craft forms in the United States and compare them to various art forms in Canada, Mexico, and selected countries of Central America - 6.05: Compare and contrast the changes that technology has brought to the United States to its impact in Canada, Mexico, and Central America.

Activity Ideas: - Read poems from Messengers of Rain, focusing on the authors/poems which are each written by authors from Central American countries. Analyze and study the poems utilizing the poetry reading objectives. - Do an author study on the poets could be individual, in groups, or pairs: learn about the authors life and where he/she is from (all in this book are from Central American countries. o Specialist Support/Level 4 (Spanish): Work with Ms. Blair on Spanish poem - Do a country study whole class/in groups/small groups/pairs for the places each class is from. Resources: o National Geographic Kids Countries http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/

o Central America plans/resources: http://regions.mrdonn.org/centralamerica.html o Ducksters: http://www.ducksters.com/geography/centralamerica.php o Plus plenty more books in Ms. Blairs room, other websites well go from here! - After analyzing a poets style (or the style of multiple poets), write a poem in a like style. Illustrate it using a form of Central American art. o Specialist Support (Art): Ms. Walker has been working on Central American art with 5th grade. - Give each group/pair a country. Tell them they will be residents of that country for the duration of the project. They will need to research and learn about that country; its geography, daily life, culture, etc. As a final presentation you can create Central America in your classroom by arranging desks, and then they can travel around and learn about each country, reading poems (part of the Writers Celebration) and learning facts and information about the authors and countries. - Another final product: virtual poetry book/tangible poetry book including their poems and illustrations along with maps showing the countries