wirte a poem using this.
LTF
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
Building Academic Excellence
Student Samples of Phrase Poetry
The Poetry of Phrases Foundation Lesson
Wild eyes glancing every which way
Uncanny ears listening to every small squeak, Brain thinking of wondrous ways to catch its prey
the owl hunted
in the sky
on the ground
in the dark
in the hope
of catching his supper
His cloak billowing in the biting wind, his eyes dry from the frigid temperature, his boots crunching over the new snow, he marched to the battlefield
sword drawn,
muscles tensed
ears cocked
focus narrowed
with fire in his eyes.
Her beautiful wings noiselessly flapping, her eyes shining brightly,
her feathers ruffling with the light wind,
the dove slipped swiftly through the night sky
in the dark
with only the light of the moon to guide her
the ground rushing by
the clouds way up high
on the way to her loved ones.
(Michael Delong, Grade 6)
(Whit Shaw, Grade 6)
(Andrew Pansick, Grade 6)
English
Copyright © 2012 Laying the Foundation®, Inc., Dallas, TX. All rights reserved. Visit us online at www.Itftraining.org.
1
His head sweating
His mouth dry
His heart racing with every step he took,
the gladiator walked
into the arena
to the tigers
to the lions
to his adversaries
to his death.
Student Activity-The Poetry of Phrases
(Brian Cummisky, Grade 6)
His forest green cloak sticking to his fur, his sweat burning his eyes,
his sword glistening in the moonlight,
Matthias the Mouse struck
with the sword
of the warrior Martin
in the dead of night in the rain
for the love of his home.
Writing a Poem of Phrases
1. Decide on the subject.
2. Brainstorm some ideas about the subject.
3. Write phrases that include those ideas.
(Adam Genecov, Grade 6)
4. Put your phrases into the pattern you have selected and add other elements included in
the pattern.
Following is an example of a phrase poem based on To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
1. Subject the setting of To Kill a Mockingbird and how it reveals theme
2. Ideas about the subject-Maycomb, Alabama tired, old, filled with injustice, prejudice,
social castes, racial separation, and gender inequity
3. Phrases that include those ideas:
filled with ignorance
suffocating under racial prejudice divided among social castes
suffering from gender inequity
4. Poem:
Maycomb was a tired, old town
filled with ignorance
suffocating under racial prejudice
divided among social castes
suffering from gender inequity
A place where justice will never prevail.
(independent clause)
(participial phrase)
(participial phrase)
(participial phrase)
(participial phrase)
(appositive with dependent clause)
Copyright © 2012 Laying the Foundation®, Inc., Dallas, TX. All rights reserved. Visit us online at www.Itftraining.org.
2
Student Activity-The Poetry of Phrases
This poem could now be used as the basis for an essay, with each of the phrases serving as a topic for a body paragraph.
Poetry of Phrases Patterns
Using the "Phrase Toolbox" and the "Clause Toolbox" as resources, write poems that have the following grammatical structures. You may want to change the form and the appearance of the poem on the page.
Pattern #1
absolute phrase
absolute phrase
absolute phrase
independent clause
prepositional phrase
prepositional phrase
prepositional phrase
prepositional phrase
prepositional phrase
Example: (based on Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck)
His paw-like hands petting overly hard,
The dead puppy hidden in his jacket, The pretty girl half-buried in the hay, Lennie remembered to run
to the brushy pond despite his confusion in worry and fear of George's anger of lost rabbits.
Pattern #2
gerund phrase as the subject
finish the sentence with a rhyme.
gerund phrase as the subject
finish the sentence with a rhyme.
gerund phrase as the subject
finish the sentence with a rhyme.
gerund phrase as the subject
finish the sentence with a rhyme.
Copyright © 2012 Laying the Foundation®, Inc., Dallas, TX. All rights reserved. Visit us online at www.Itftraining.org.
3
Example: (based on The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton)
Remaining at large
helps us avoid a murder charge. Cutting our hair
lets us hide from strangers' stares. Quoting Robert Frost
makes us believe we're not so lost. Knowing "Nothing Gold Can Stay" reminds us to seize every day.
Pattern #3
independent clause with an appositive phrase in it
participial phrase
participial phrase
participial phrase
participial phrase
participial phrase
Example: (based on Lord of the Flies by William Golding)
Two dominant boys, Ralph and Jack, emerge as leaders
working together for a time,
organizing their groups,
maintaining the fire signal,
constructing shelters,
breaking apart to become archenemies in the end.
Pattern #4
a subordinate clause
an independent clause
an infinitive phrase and a prepositional phrase an infinitive phrase and a prepositional phrase an infinitive phrase and a prepositional phrase an infinitive phrase and a prepositional phrase
a final independent clause.
Example: (based on "Snow" by Julia Alvarez)
When Yolanda was in the fourth grade,
Sister Zoe told the children
to watch for signs of nuclear war,
to file out into the hall,
to fall to the floor,
to cover their heads with their coats.
Student Activity-The Poetry of Phrases
Sister Zoe wanted to protect her students.
Copyright © 2012 Laying the Foundation®, Inc., Dallas, TX. All rights reserved. Visit us online at www.Itftraining.org.
4
Student Activity-The Poetry of Phrases
Pattern #5
Free Style
Using your Phrase and Clause Toolboxes, create a pattern similar to the ones used in the previous activities. The following instructions were used to write the poem based on To Kill a Mockingbird used earlier in the activity.
1. Select a subject from literature or as otherwise instructed.
2. Brainstorm some ideas about the subject.
3. Write phrases that include those ideas.
4. Put your phrases into the pattern you have selected and add other elements
included in the pattern.
LTF, building academic excellence,
Laying the foundation for success,
Student samples of phrase poetry,
Expressing thoughts in a unique way.
Wild eyes glancing every which way,
Uncanny ears listening to every small squeak,
Brain thinking of wondrous ways to catch its prey,
The owl hunted in the sky, on the ground, in the dark,
In the hope of catching his supper.
His cloak billowing in the biting wind,
His eyes dry from the frigid temperature,
His boots crunching over the new snow,
He marched to the battlefield, sword drawn,
Muscles tensed, ears cocked, focus narrowed,
With fire in his eyes.
Her beautiful wings noiselessly flapping,
Her eyes shining brightly, her feathers ruffling with the light wind,
The dove slipped swiftly through the night sky,
In the dark, with only the light of the moon to guide her,
The ground rushing by, the clouds way up high,
On the way to her loved ones.
His head sweating, his mouth dry,
His heart racing with every step he took,
The gladiator walked into the arena,
To the tigers, to the lions, to his adversaries, to his death.
His forest green cloak sticking to his fur,
His sweat burning his eyes, his sword glistening in the moonlight,
Matthias the Mouse struck with the sword of the warrior Martin,
In the dead of night in the rain, for the love of his home.
Maycomb was a tired, old town,
Filled with ignorance, suffocating under racial prejudice,
Divided among social castes, suffering from gender inequity,
A place where justice will never prevail.
LTF, laying the foundation for expression,
Using phrases to paint vivid pictures,
Students explore the power of words,
Creating poetry that inspires and moves.
Copyright © 2021