8th Grade Poetry Unit
Daily Outline
Day One:
Introduction to Poetry
Read “Introduction to Poetry”
(handout)
Review poetry terms
Explain poetry recitation assignment – Day 13- Each student will recite one
poem from Out of the Dust
HW: Write 5 examples of simile and 5 examples of
metaphor
Day Two:
Begin “Simile and Metaphor Poems” section
Read “How Tuesday Began” page 300
Answer questions 1-3 and 1-2 under
applying
Read “The Base Stealer” page 302
Answer questions 1 and 1 under
applying
Read “The Clouds Pass” page 304
Answer questions 1-2 and 1 under
applying
Read “I’ll Walk the Tightrope” page
305
Answer questions 1-3 under reviewing
in class
HW: Writing an Explanation page 303
Day Three:
Read “Snow Sculpture” page 307
Answer questions 1-4 in class
Read “Jukebox Showdown” page 308
Answer questions 1-4 in class
Read “California Hills in August”
page 309
Answer questions 1-4
Review metaphor and simile – test
tomorrow
Day Four:
TEST over metaphor and simile
Read “The Walrus and the Carpenter”
pages 318-319
Answer questions 1-5 and 1 in class
Read “Check” page 317
Answer questions 1-3 and 1-3 in
class
Day Five:
Watch Langston Hughes Voices and
Visions
Day Six:
Read “Still Life: Lady with Birds”
page 321
Read “Quilt” page 323
Read “Dog at Night” page 326
Read “Dandelions” page 328
Begin reading narrative poetry book Out
of the Dust
Read pages 3-23
Quiz tomorrow over pages 3-23
Day Seven:
OOTD quiz over pages 3-23
Read OOTD pages 24-59 in class –
quiz tomorrow
Day Eight:
Quiz OOTD pages 24-59
Read OOTD pages 60-84 in class
HW: Outline an expository essay on how people
would know you
Day Nine:
Turn in outline for expository essay
Quiz OOTD pages 60-84
Read OOTD pages 85-133 in class –
quiz tomorrow
Day Ten:
Quiz OOTD pages 85-133
Read OOTD pages 135-173 in class –
quiz tomorrow
HW: Write rough draft of expository essay
Day Eleven:
Turn in rough draft
Quiz OOTD pages 135-173
Read OOTD pages 174-196 in class –
quiz tomorrow
Day Twelve:
Quiz OOTD pages 174-196
Read OOTD pages 197-223
HW: Prepare to recite your poem tomorrow
Day Thirteen:
Quiz OOTD pages 197-223
Recite your poems
Day Fourteen:
Expository essay due
Read “Metaphor” and “Deified”
Metaphor writing assignment
Day Fifteen:
Begin miscellaneous poem section
Read “Caged Bird” page 312
Answer questions 3 and 4 and 1 under
applying
Read “Dreams” page 330
Answer questions 1-2
Read “Dream Variation” page 331
Answer question 1 under
Understanding and 2 under Applying
Read “Mother to Son” page 332
Answer questions 1-4
Read “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”
page 333
Answer questions 1-3 in class
Day Sixteen:
Read “My Tattoo” (handout)
Begin a narrative essay. Your
topic is to write about something you did that had long-lasting consequences.
Day Seventeen:
Complete essay must be typed.
Complete make up work
Review for test tomorrow
Day Eighteen:
Simile, metaphor, and
personification test
Write a poem that uses at least 3 of
your poetry terms