This Lesson's Title:

Prose Poetry

imitating Sandra Cisneros' style by cleverly and subtly using poetic elements in descriptions that fit into paragraphs

This lesson was created by Northern Nevada Writing Project Consultant Kelly McCafferty.

The ideal "mentor text" that can be used when teaching this on-line lesson is the chapter book The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Before writing, students should listen to and discuss the writing style of this book's author, especially from the vignette entitled "The Four Skinny Trees"

Click here to view this book at Amazon.com.

If you are a Washoe County teacher, click here to search for this book at the county library.

Three-Sentence Overview of this Lesson:

Inspired by the vignettes of Sandra Cisneros, students will write about a familiar thing from their lives. Students will use the style of prose poetry to describe something familiar around their home, school or neighborhood. The final product will appear in prose but will read like poetry as the students use common poetic techniques in their writing. Teachers: click here to read the entire lesson plan.

6-Trait Overview for this Lesson:

The focus trait in this assignment is word choice; the writer’s goal is to take risks with poetic language. In choosing thoughtful and descriptive words, the writing (and their chosen object) will come alive for the reader. The support trait in this assignment is voice because the writer will capture through figurative language a sense of who they are and where they are from.