6th Grade Literature
St. Catherine of
Poems of
(after reading “The Dog of
We have just completed reading a story about a boy and his dog who lived during the days
before the
destruction of the ancient city of
In addition, we viewed a video about this tragic event, and the efforts of modern scientists to
piece
together the life and death of the people of
This story is a work of historical fiction, that is, an imaginary story set in a historically
accurate background.
THE ASSIGNMENT:
You are to write a poem, approximately 20 lines in length, in which you take the historical facts
you find in “The Dog of Pompeii” and in the video, and use those facts as the background for
a narrative poem (story-telling poem). You should incorporate the following tools from your
poet’s toolbox:
Ø Figurative Language:
o Metaphor (comparison, something is something”)
o Similie (comparison, “something is like something”)
o Personification (give human qualities to an animal or an inanimate object)
Ø Imagery: paint word pictures using language that appeals to the five senses.
Ø Rhyme: repetition of vowel sounds at the end of lines
Ø Alliteration: repetition of consonant sounds.
Don’t forget that, since you are telling a story, you have to have include the elements of plot,
such as
o Main character (protagonist)
o An antagonist, who causes conflict with the main character
o A conflict… the protagonist wants something, or to be something, that the
antagonist somehow prevents.
o Rising action.. as the conflict intensifies
o Climax: when something happens that solves the conflict (someone wins, or loses)
o Falling action: tying up loose ends; this is often when you make the main idea,
or theme, clear.
o Resolution: the end.
After you write your first or second draft, show your poem to a classmate, parent, friend, or
sibling to get a second or third opinion. Revise it until you are happy with it.
RUBRIC NARRATIVE POEM Name__________________________ Poem Title________
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Question |
Response/ Grade (10-9 very good, 8-9
good, 7-8 fair, 6-7 poor, <6 unacceptable) |
Comment |
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Did you tell a good story? |
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Have you drawn your protagonist clearly? |
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Is the conflict clear? |
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Have you made a good plot? |
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Do you have a clear theme? |
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Did you use figurative language (metaphors, similes, etc).? |
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Did you use imagery? |
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Did you use interesting sound devices (rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, etc)? |
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Mechanical aspects correct and effective (grammar, punctuation, spelling, # lines)? |
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Did your reader enjoy your poem? |
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POETRY PERFORMANCE RUBRIC: NAME_______________________________
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ITEM |
Response/ Grade (20-19 good, 18-17, 16-15, 14-13 poor, 12 or less unacceptable) |
COMMENT |
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Project voice/ used inflection/ not monotone |
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Showed enthusiasm |
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Voice conveyed the rhythm of the poem |
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Posture good/ made eye contact |
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Spoke clearly, loud enough, slow enough |
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TOTAL |
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