Lesson Overview:

Students discuss and use vocabulary related to the concept of peace. They explore the places where they find peace—whether at school, with their family, or in their neighborhood, country or world. Using this vocabulary and the diamante structure, students create and illustrate their own peace poem.

Length of Lesson:

Three 45-minute sessions

Notes:

This lesson is particularly suitable for ESOL students in grades 3-4.

Instructional Objectives:

Students will:

• discuss where and how they find peace.
• use the new vocabulary in their discussion of peace.
• create a class peace poem.
• write an individual diamante poem about peace.
• appropriately illustrate the poem.
• present it to the class by means of an oral presentation.

Supplies:

• The Quilt Story by Tony Johnston and Tomie dePaola.
• The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco

Instructional Plan:

Model the creation of a diamante poem, identifying the structure and parts of speech needed to complete each line. (You may wish to display the vocabulary organizers from the previous lesson, Discovering Peace: The Quilt Story, for student use in creating the poetry.)

A diamante poem is a seven-line poem, shaped as a diamond. Lines one and seven identify the subject of the poem. Line two lists two adjectives describing the subject. Line three lists three verbs ending with "ing," which explain the subject. Line six is a sentence about the subject. Line seven uses another word for the noun in Line one. (Please refer to the Diamante Poem handout.)

As a class, write a poem about peace. Allow students to work on their own personal peace poems using the Diamante Poem handout. Encourage students to relax. Ask them to think of "feelings" as they begin to write. Walk around the room and help individual students find appropriate vocabulary for their poems, as needed.

After the poems are completed—and you check them—have students create a final copy using the computer, or by rewriting the poem in calligraphy at their desks. If computers are used, you may wish to place students in pairs or groups. They may coach each other on creating the poem on the computer. Keep the atmosphere relaxed and encourage students to walk around the room quietly and read each other's poems.

Before students illustrate the poems, review the illustrations in The Quilt Story and The Keeping Quilt, and discuss how each illustrator chose to depict words and emotions.

When the poems are completed, have students share them in an oral presentation. They can present for their peers, or for other classes in the school. Daily announcements could open each day with a peace poem, giving students recognition for their creative endeavor.

Assessment:

Assess the poems and illustrations using the Assessment Rubric handout provided.

Extensions:

Illustrated poems may be collected and put into a class poem book.

Proceed to the next lesson, Making a Quilt.

Sources:

Print:

• Anderson, Alex. Kids Start Quilting. Layfaette, CA: C and T Publishing, 2002.
• Burger, Carol. Flower Children Quilt. Birmingham, Alabama: Oxmoor House, 2000.
• Johnston Tony, and Tomie dePaola. The Quilt Story. New York: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, 1985.
• Polacco, Patrica. The Keeping Quilt. New York: Aladdin Paperworks, 1988.

Authors:

• Susan M. Toerge, ESOL Specialist
  Langley Park-McCormick Elementary
  Hyattsville, MD