Lesson Plan: The Poet as a Time Traveler
Using Tenses to Shape Free Verse Poetry
Materials Needed:
- A notebook or journal for Sarah
- A favorite pen or pencil
- A copy of the poem "The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams (provided below)
- The "Tense Trio" worksheet/activity (provided below)
- Optional: A small, interesting object from around the house (e.g., a single key, a feather, a seashell, a faded photograph)
Lesson Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, Sarah will be able to:
- Identify the dominant verb tense (past, present, future) in a free verse poem.
- Explain how changing the tense of a poem can alter its mood and meaning.
- Apply this understanding by writing three original short poems about the same subject, each in a different tense.
Lesson Activities & Procedure:
Part 1: The Warm-Up - Your Personal Time Machine (5 minutes)
Hello, Sarah! Today, we're not just poets; we're time travelers. The tenses we use in our writing—past, present, and future—are the controls on our time machine. Let's warm up our controls.
In your notebook, quickly jot down an answer to these two questions:
- The Past: What is one small, happy memory you have from this week? (e.g., "I ate a delicious apple," "The sun felt warm.")
- The Future: What is one thing you will do or hope to do tomorrow? (e.g., "I will read my book," "I will go for a walk.")
Great! You just used past and future tense to travel in time with your words.
Part 2: The Poet's Toolkit - Tense & Mood (10 minutes)
In free verse poetry, poets choose their tense very carefully. It's not just about grammar; it's about creating a feeling for the reader. Think of it like this:
- Present Tense (is, are, watch, see): This makes the poem feel immediate, like it's happening right now. It pulls the reader into the moment. It is urgent and active.
- Past Tense (was, were, watched, saw): This makes the poem feel like a memory, a story, or a reflection. It creates a sense of distance, nostalgia, or quiet observation.
- Future Tense (will be, will watch, will see): This makes the poem feel full of hope, possibility, dread, or prophecy. It sets the reader up for what is to come.
Let's look at an example. Here is a very famous, very short free verse poem by William Carlos Williams.
The Red Wheelbarrow
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
Discussion: Read the poem aloud. What tense do you see? (Hint: look at the verb "depends"). It's in the present tense. Why do you think he did that? It makes us feel like we are standing there with him, looking at this simple scene right now. It makes the ordinary feel important and immediate.
What if he wrote, "so much depended upon a red wheelbarrow"? How would that change the feeling? (It would turn it into a memory, making us wonder *why* it was so important in the past.)
Part 3: Homework/Main Activity - The Tense Trio (20-30 minutes)
Now it's your turn to be the time-traveling poet! This is your main creative work for today. You will write three very short free verse poems about the exact same subject, but you will use a different tense for each one to create a completely different feeling.
Worksheet: The Tense Trio
Your Subject: Choose one simple object. You can use the interesting object you found earlier (the key, the feather) or choose one of these ideas:
- a streetlight
- a cracked coffee mug
- a single dandelion
- an old pair of shoes
Your Mission: Write three short free verse poems (3-6 lines each is perfect) about your chosen subject.
Poem 1: The Past Tense Poem
Goal: Write about your object's history or a memory associated with it. Use past tense verbs (like was, sat, held, carried, gleamed).
Prompt Question: What story could this object tell if it could speak of its past?
(Write your past tense poem here)
Poem 2: The Present Tense Poem
Goal: Describe the object exactly as it is right now. Use your senses. Use present tense verbs (like is, sits, holds, carries, gleams).
Prompt Question: What do you see, feel, or notice about this object in this very moment?
(Write your present tense poem here)
Poem 3: The Future Tense Poem
Goal: Imagine the object's future. What will happen to it? What will it do or see? Use future tense verbs (like will be, will sit, will hold, will carry, will gleam).
Prompt Question: What does the future hold for this object?
(Write your future tense poem here)
Part 4: Reflection & Sharing (5 minutes)
Once you've written your three poems, read them all aloud. Notice how different they feel, even though they are about the same thing.
Choose your favorite poem of the three. Be ready to share:
- Which poem is your favorite and why?
- How did using that specific tense (past, present, or future) help you create the mood you wanted?
Extension Idea (Optional Challenge):
Try writing a slightly longer free verse poem where you deliberately switch tenses. For example, you could start in the past tense to describe a memory, and then switch to the present tense to describe how that memory makes you feel right now. This is an advanced technique that shows great control!