Creative Poetry Lesson Plan for Middle School: Figurative Language & Poem Forms

Engage your middle school students with this complete, hands-on poetry lesson plan! This 60-minute activity makes poetry accessible and fun for grades 6-7. Students will learn key poetic devices (simile, metaphor, personification) and explore poem structures like haiku, acrostic, and free verse. This Common Core aligned resource includes a poetry scavenger hunt, creative writing prompts, and differentiation tips, making it perfect for ELA teachers and homeschool educators.

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Lesson: The Poet's Creation Station

Materials Needed:

  • A notebook or journal and a favorite pen/pencil
  • A collection of 5-7 different short poems (printed out or in books). Include a mix of styles like poems by Shel Silverstein, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, and maybe a modern one found online.
  • Colored index cards or small pieces of paper
  • Markers or colored pencils
  • A small bag or box (the "Inspiration Bag")
  • 5-7 random, small objects to place in the bag (e.g., a key, a smooth stone, a leaf, a button, a rubber band, a small toy)
  • A timer (optional)

Lesson Plan Details

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this 60-minute lesson, the student will be able to:

  • Identify and explain at least three poetic devices (simile, metaphor, personification).
  • Describe the basic structure of at least three different types of poems (Acrostic, Haiku, Free Verse).
  • Write one original poem using a chosen form and incorporating at least two poetic devices.

2. Alignment with ELA Standards (Example: Common Core for Grades 6-7)

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3.D: Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Lesson Procedure (Approx. 60 minutes)

  1. Warm-Up: What is Poetry Anyway? (5 minutes)

    Start with a simple conversation. Ask the student: "When you hear the word 'poetry,' what comes to mind? Are there rules? Does it have to rhyme? What's the point of it?" Discuss their initial thoughts. Conclude by defining poetry simply: Poetry is a way of using language to express big ideas or feelings in a small amount of space, using creative and imaginative words.

  2. Activity 1: Building the Poet's Toolbox (15 minutes)

    Introduce the idea that poets have a "toolbox" of tricks they use to make their writing powerful. On three separate colored index cards, you will create "Tool Cards" together.

    • Card 1: Simile (using 'like' or 'as')
      • Definition: Comparing two different things using the words "like" or "as."
      • Example: "The sky was as dark as a velvet cloak."
      • Your Turn: Ask the student to create a simile for something in the room (e.g., "The clock ticks like a tiny hammer.").
    • Card 2: Metaphor (saying something IS something else)
      • Definition: Comparing two different things by saying one is the other. It's a more direct and powerful comparison.
      • Example: "Her smile is a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day."
      • Your Turn: Ask the student to turn their previous simile into a metaphor (e.g., "The ticking clock is a tiny hammer.").
    • Card 3: Personification (giving human qualities to objects)
      • Definition: Giving human actions, feelings, or qualities to an animal, object, or idea.
      • Example: "The wind whispered secrets through the trees."
      • Your Turn: Ask the student to give a human quality to a non-human thing (e.g., "The tired old chair groaned under my weight.").
  3. Activity 2: Poetry Scavenger Hunt (10 minutes)

    Lay out the pre-selected poems. Give the student the three "Tool Cards" you just made. Their mission is to read through the poems and find at least one example of each tool (a simile, a metaphor, and personification) in the poems. Have them highlight or underline the examples they find and identify which tool is being used. Discuss why the poet's choice was effective.

  4. Activity 3: Exploring Poem Blueprints (10 minutes)

    Explain that just like a builder uses a blueprint, a poet can use a specific form or structure for their poem. Briefly introduce three simple forms:

    • Acrostic: A poem where the first letter of each line spells out a specific word, often the subject of the poem.
      Powerful words
      On a page
      Expressing feelings
      Making you think
    • Haiku: A Japanese form of poetry with three lines. The first line has 5 syllables, the second has 7, and the third has 5. Usually about nature.
      Green grass softly sways (5)
      The summer sun warms my skin (7)
      A perfect day dawns (5)
    • Free Verse: Poetry that has no rules! It doesn't need to rhyme or have a specific rhythm or structure. It’s focused on expressing ideas and emotions naturally. Most modern poetry is free verse.
  5. Main Activity: The Inspiration Bag Poem (15 minutes)

    This is the creative application part! Present the "Inspiration Bag."

    1. Have the student reach into the bag without looking and pull out one or two of the random objects (e.g., the key and the leaf).
    2. Their task is to write a short, original poem inspired by the object(s).
    3. They must choose one of the "blueprints" to follow (Acrostic, Haiku, or Free Verse).
    4. They must use at least two of the "tools" from their Poet's Toolbox (simile, metaphor, personification).
    5. Encourage them to think creatively. What could the key unlock? Where did the leaf come from? What story can they tell? Give them quiet time to brainstorm and write in their journal.
  6. Wrap-Up: The Poet's Chair (5 minutes)

    This is a celebration of their work. Invite the student to sit in the "Poet's Chair" (any chair designated for this) and share their new poem aloud. Applaud their effort and creativity. Ask one or two positive, guiding questions:

    • "Which poetic tool was your favorite to use in your poem and why?"
    • "What part of your poem are you most proud of?"
    • "What was the most challenging part of writing it?"

4. Differentiation and Inclusivity

  • For Extra Support: Provide sentence starters for the poem ("The key is like a..."; "I found a leaf that..."). Work together to brainstorm a list of descriptive words related to their chosen object before they start writing. Focus on just one poetic device instead of two.
  • For an Extra Challenge: Encourage the student to try a rhyming form like a limerick (AABBA rhyme scheme and specific rhythm) or to write a second poem using a different form and object. Challenge them to use all three poetic devices.
  • Inclusivity: The choice of poets for the scavenger hunt should be diverse. The "Inspiration Bag" and personal writing prompts allow the student to connect the lesson to their own unique experiences and imagination.

5. Assessment

  • Formative (Informal): Listen to the student's answers during the warm-up and their creation of the tool cards. Observe their ability to find examples during the Scavenger Hunt.
  • Summative (Creative Product): The final original poem serves as the main assessment. Evaluate it based on a simple, positive checklist:
    • [ ] Did the student choose and follow a poetic form (Acrostic, Haiku, or Free Verse)?
    • [ ] Did the student include at least two poetic devices (simile, metaphor, personification)?
    • [ ] Is the poem clearly inspired by the object(s) from the bag?
    • [ ] Does the poem show creative thought and effort?