Michael Wilkinson

Personification Poem Lesson Feedback

Okay, I didn't get to do my lesson with 6th graders because we had a snow day then a field trip before we left on spring break. But what I did do was an experimental grade level mixed bag. I gathered up my friends' children along with mine and did the lesson with them- two 5th graders, one 7th grader, and one sophmore.

We went for a walk in the nearby park and they chose an inanimate object to write their free verse poem about- "What am I". Of course it was a mixed bag of items which made it very fun and funny. I think the major difference was the items they chose (some more obscure) and the level of detail given was very different.

I will say this, more time was needed than I had originally allowed for. I will be doing a small poem unit with my 6th graders before school lets out for the year, and I will be doing this with them.

The feedback I got from the kids was, "That was fun." They like that the poem didn't have to rhyme, and the "guessing part" was really engaging.

Lastly, I will have more examples of personification poems to share before asking them to do their own.