Poetry Book Report Background Information: Poetry has been a form of writing for centuries beginning with bards and messengers who used poetry to pass along news, songs, and stories as they traveled from town to town. Today poems are used in songs, greeting cards, posters, gift books and other places. Definition: A poem is a form of writing that comes in different forms and shapes. A poem may have a rhyming pattern, a rhythm pattern, or be done in free-verse. Types of Poetry: A. Alphabet poem: a type of poetry which states a funny thought or idea using the alphabet to begin each line. B. Ballad: a poem that tells a story usually written in four-line stanzas. C. Blank Verse: a poem with unrhymed lines of 10 syllables. D. Cinquain: a poem of 5 lines. A syllable cinquain varies the number of syllables in each line (2, 4, 6, 8 and 2). A word cinquain varies the number of words in each line (1, 2, 3, 4, and 1). E. Choral poem: a poem that is read by 2 or more people as a group. F. Clerihew: a poem of two rhyming couplets that contains the name of a well-known person and is designed to be humorous. G. Concrete poem: a poem which is written in a shape or design to express the meaning or feeling of the poem. H. Couplet: a poem that contains two lines of verse that usually rhyme throughout the poem. I. Definition Poem: a poem that defines a word or idea creatively. J. Diamante: a contrast poem containing 7 lines. The lines are always written in the shape of a diamond. The beginning of the poem is the opposite in meaning to the end of the poem. K. Elegy: a poem that states the poet s sadness about the death of an important person. L. Epic poem: a poem that tells a long story about the adventures of a hero. M. Formula poem: a poem that follows a pattern (wish poem, color poem, sense poem, etc.). N. Free-verse or free-line poem: a poem with no rhyme or rhythm pattern. O. Haiku: a Japanese poem which presents a picture of nature. It is three lines in length. The first line is 5 syllables; the second line is 7 syllables; and the third line is 5 syllables.
P. Limerick: a humorous poem of 5 lines. Lines one, two, and five rhyme with each other. Lines three and four rhyme with each other. Q. List poem: a poem made from a list with a title that tells what the list is about. R. Lyric poem: a short poem that expresses a personal feeling. S. Name poem: a poem that uses the letters of a name to begin each line. T. Narrative poem: a long poem that tells a story. U. Ode: a poem written about one person or thing giving praise. V. Phrase poem: a poem that states an idea using a list of phrases. W. Quatrain: a poem of 4 lines. The first two lines may rhyme and the second set of lines may rhyme. In some, the first and third lines rhyme and the second and fourth lines rhyme. X. Sonnet: a fourteen-line poem which states a poet s personal feelings. Each line in a sonnet is 10 syllables in length with every other syllable getting stressed. Y. Tanka: a Japanese poem of 5 unrhymed lines having a total of 31 syllables 5 syllables on the first line, 7 syllables on the second line, 5 syllables on the third line, and 7 syllables on the last two lines. Z. Title-down poem: a poem in which the letters that spell the subject of the poem are used to begin each line. Poetry Terms: Stanza: a group of lines in a poem. Line of verse: a line in a poem. Syllable: a part of a word as it is spoken. Literary Tools Used: A. Alliteration: repetition of the same beginning consonant sound in words that are close together. (Tongue Twisters!) B. Clustering: grouping similar ideas or words together. C. Hink-Pink: a pair of one-syllable rhyming words which describe something or answer a question. Hinky-Pinky: a pair of two-syllable rhyming words which describe something or answer a question.
Hinkety-Pinkety: a pair of three-syllable rhyming words which describe something or answer a question. D. Hyperbole: extreme exaggeration E. Metaphor: a statement which describes a person, place, thing, idea, action or feeling stating that it is something else. For example, Her eyes are diamonds. F. Onomatopoeia: a word that sounds like its meaning. (buzz, splat, swish) G. Personification: describing an object, idea or animal as if it were a person. (The roses begin to laugh.) H. Repetition: repeating the same word or group of words over and over to emphasize an idea. I. Rhyme: words or verse that end with the same sound. J. Rhythm: the way a poem flows from one idea to the next idea. K. Simile: a statement that describes something by comparing it to something else. For example: He was sleeping like a log.
Poetry Book Report Requirements: 1. Cover: Title of the Poetry Book (underlined) Poet s name or person who compiled a group of poems together An illustration of your favorite poem in the book. Color your illustration neatly, please. Your name. 2. Topic or theme: Discuss the topic or theme of the poems found your poetry book. 3. Types of Poetry: Tell the different types of poetry found in your poetry book. 4. Copy your favorite poem: Copy the poem you liked best. Include the poem s title and poet s name. If you are doing a narrative poem, select your favorite stanza. 5. Answer questions about your favorite poem: Give the number of stanzas found in the poem Give the rhyming pattern or state if free-verse was used in the poem Give some examples of the literary tools used by the poet in the poem Give your impression of the message the poet was trying to give in the poem 6. Recommendation: Give a recommendation for reading or not reading the book of poetry. Give specific reasons for your recommendation. EARN EXTRA CREDIT! TRY WRITING YOUR RECOMMENDATION IN THE FORM OF A POEM!
Poetry Book Report Grade Sheet *Cover Book title was given and underlined (2) Author s name was given (2) A colored illustration of the favorite poem was done. (4) The student s name was included (2) Total (10) *Favorite poem The favorite poem was copied neatly and accurately. (6) The title of the poem was in quotation marks. (2) The poet s name was given. (2) The rhyming pattern used in the poem was given. (5) The number of stanzas was given. (3) Examples of literary tools used in the poem were discussed. (10) Impressions of the poet s message to the reader were given. (10) Recommendations were given. (5) Reasons for the recommendations were given. (5) Total (48) *Questions Complete sentences were used to answer questions. (10) The topic or theme of the poetry book was discussed. (10) The types of poetry included in the book were mentioned. (5) The reasons for the poem being your favorite poem were discussed. (5) Total (30) *In General Report was received on or before the due date. (4) Report contained: no spelling errors (5) (5-1) Some spelling errors (3) Many spelling errors (1) Report was neatly written or typed. (3) Bonus points were earned for writing the recommendation in poem form. *(5) Total (12) Poetry Book Report total points earned