Page 93 - SpringBoard_Writing_Workshop_Grade6_Flipbook

Writing Workshop 8 (continued)
c. Use of Language: What kinds of punctuation and capitalization does the writer use? How does the writer use imagery such as descriptive language (vivid verbs, imagery, sensory details), figurative language (metaphors, similes, personification), and sound techniques (alliteration, onomatopoeia) to communicate ideas and create tone?
The writer capitalizes the first word of every line. Some lines end with periods or commas, and others end with verbs. There is no punctuation in the middle of lines.
Vivid verbs: “hushes” “flitter-twitters” “whirs”
Alliteration: “whitely whirs” Onomatopoeia: “shushes” Personification: “laughs away from me” Simile: “white as milk or shirts”
These techniques all create the playful, wonderful tone of a snowy day by helping the reader visualize the sights and hear the sounds.
Check Your Understanding
7. Theme refers to the central idea or message of a poem. A poem’s theme
makes a comment about the subject. What is a possible theme of the poem “Cynthia in the Snow”?
Possible theme: Snow, like youth, is beautiful and fleeting.
8. Choose one line from the poem and explain how it helps you understand the poem’s tone or theme.
“And laughs away from me” gives the poem a playful tone, and also makes me think the poem is about more than just snow.
ACTIVITY 2
Writing a Poem as a Class
WRITING PROMPT: Work with the class to write a poem. Be sure to include: • Imagery: descriptive and figurative language (for example: sensory detail,
simile, personification)
• Sound techniques (for example: alliteration, onomatopoeia) • Poetic elements (for example: stanzas, line breaks)
Refer to the Scoring Guide for this writing task at the end of the workshop to help you understand where to focus your attention and efforts.
Prewriting
1. Reread “Cynthia in the Snow” and complete the chart on the next page in order to define and identify figurative language, sound techniques, and poetic elements that you can apply to your class-constructed poem.
4 SpringBoard® Writing Workshop with Grammar Activities Grade 6
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