Next-generation lessons for today's student writers

These 20 high-energy projectable lessons for grades 4-8 harness the brevity and potency of poetry for teaching the intricate skills behind writing well in any subject. The 100 poems--set against vivid full-color photographs and graphics on more than 500 slides--serve as a springboard for activities in which students read, discuss, and write to meet the literacy objectives of the Common Core:

• Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and meanings
• Interpret words and phrases
• Analyze the structure of texts
• Produce clear and coherent writing
• Present information, findings, and supporting evidence