Write a Gem of a Poem

Activity Description

Why This Is Helpful

 

Activity Description

Children write poetry with purpose in this activity. First, they learn about diamante poems—diamond-shaped poems that follow a set structure on each line. Next, they consider the idea of cause and effect and work it into the poem format. Children enjoy the chance to be creative, but they also develop critical thinking skills that are so important in the later grades.

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Why This Is Helpful

By emphasizing cause and effect, this activity blends creativity with thinking skills. It marks an important step when children can do this advanced kind of thinking, understanding that if A happens, B will happen next. Communicating cause and effect in a poem will help children see that poems can show ideas. In other words, poems are more than just pretty words strung together on the page. And writing diamante poems also requires children to choose the correct parts of speech for each line.

This activity was modified from the ReadWriteThink lesson plan “Slipping, Sliding, Tumbling: Reinforcing Cause and Effect Through Diamante Poems.”

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