#4083. Popcorn Poetry

Reading/Writing, level: Elementary
Posted Thu Jan 24 12:50:10 PST 2008 by Alyson Hendrick (alysonhendrick@pickens.k12.sc.us).
Forest Acres, Easley, SC
Materials Required: popcorn popper, popcorn kernels, paper, pencils, napkins, computer, printer, popcorn bags
Activity Time: 45 mins.
Concepts Taught: adjectives

Alyson Hendrick

Popcorn Poetry

Subject/Grade Level: Language Arts/Reading- 2nd Grade

Objective
Students will describe popcorn using their five senses and construct and type a poem with the adjectives.

Standard
Writing- W2 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
2-W2.2 Begin to use writing in order to learn, entertain, and describe.

Prerequisites
Students should already be introduced to adjectives. They should also have experience using their senses.

Materials/Preparation Popcorn kernels, oil, popcorn popper, napkins, journals, pencils, popcorn bags, white lined paper, glue, computer, printer (Before the lesson, the teacher should pop the popcorn and gather all materials.)

PROCEDURES
Introduction

The teacher will begin the lesson by reviewing adjectives. The students should know that adjectives are words to describe nouns. For review, the teacher will point out several things in the classroom and ask the students to describe them by raising their hand. The teacher will stress the importance of using the five senses to describe objects.

Main Activity

*The teacher will pop the popcorn in front of the class directing them to use their senses of smelling and hearing. Then he/she will pass out the popcorn to each student on a napkin instructing them not to eat it. The students will be instructed to pull out their journals to write descriptive words about the popcorn.

*The teacher will guide the students in writing two descriptive words for each of their five senses. He/she will first write sight on the board and allow the students to come up with two descriptive words that popcorn looks like. The senses will go in order from see, hear, smell, touch, and taste should be last.

*After each student has come up with two words for each sense, the teacher will pass out white lined paper for the popcorn poem. He/she will draw an example on the board of the poem format. The students will create their poem. After all poems are created, the students will get a chance to type their poem on a word processor and then glue it on the popcorn bag. (poem example attached)

Closure

To end the lesson, the students will be given the opportunity to share their poem with the class. The teacher will review with the class some adjectives that describe popcorn and once again the importance in using the five senses to describe.

Assessment

The students will be informally assessed at the beginning of the lesson by their responses to the opening questions. They will also be assessed by the adjectives they write and the poem they produce about popcorn. Excluding the title and closing line of the poem, all of the words should be adjectives.

Adaptations

The lesson could be adapted by using a different food. The students could also write about popcorn using a different format than poetry. The teacher may want to make a class chart about adjectives describing many different types of foods.

Follow-up

To follow this lesson the students will need more practice using adjectives in their writing. For example, the students could be instructed to write in their journals describing their favorite foods, animals, etc. Emphasis should be placed on using good descriptive words to describe nouns.

Another adjective lesson could be done using animal pictures. Each student could draw their favorite animal and list adjectives to describe that animal around the picture. All of the pictures could be combined to make an animal book.

Example Poem:

Popcorn (Title)
Yellow, lumpy (See)
Crunchy, loud (Hear)
Buttery, strong (Smell)
Greasy, rough (Touch)
Salty, delicious (Taste)
Snack (Another name)