Rationale for the Unit:
My fourth grade students love poetry, art, and theatre. However, our current curriculum only introduces them to American poetry that is dense and very challenging to comprehend. I teach at an environmental studies STEM magnet, therefore, I am always looking for ways to incorporate those themes in my curriculum. The Korean Sijo poetry spoke to me and aligned with our “nature” theme. I know my kids will love learning about the different poetry styles from two different countries/cultures. Additionally, East Asian culture and studies is lacking from our given curriculum and coursework.
Lesson plan and student graphic organizers attached.
Great lesson! I love the idea of working with poetry. I feel it is a wonderful way to bridge ancient China with our students' backgrounds. I love how you incorporated the idea of "nature" in your lesson. I might try to use some of this and tweak it for a middle school lesson. I like using graphic organizers with my students who need more support. I used a Venn Diagram in my lesson too. Thanks for the creative lesson!