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Create Original Poetry: Write original poems that demonstrate creativity, genre awareness, and poetic control
Assessment Strategies
Written creative works
Criteria
Write original poetry that demonstrates a distinct voice, creative risk-taking, and thematic cohesion
Apply core poetic elements, including imagery, metaphor, rhythm, line breaks, and form
Create vivid, sensory-rich language that evokes emotion and meaning
Use poetic structure (e.g., stanza, enjambment, repetition)
Control speaker, style, tone, and perspective across drafts
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Develop Core Poetic Techniques: Apply essential poetry-writing techniques to create poetry
Assessment Strategies
Written, oral, and/or self-assessment
Criteria
Use showing vs. telling strategies to evoke emotion and imagery
Employ concrete sensory details and figurative language
Develop effective line breaks, enjambment, and white space to enhance rhythm and meaning
Control pacing and tension through form, repetition, and/or variation
Integrate personal or cultural context through metaphor/simile, symbol, or voice
Describe how decisions (e.g., form, diction, syntax) impact meaning
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Develop Voice and Style: Develop a distinct poetic voice and style through written experimentation
Assessment Strategies
Written, oral, and/or self-assessment
Criteria
Experiment with poetic voice, emotional expression, and/or stream of consciousness
Explore line variation, syntax, figurative language, and tone to refine poetic style
Develop a consistent voice appropriate to speaker, theme, point of view, and/or poetic form
Develop a recognizable style through word choice, rhythm, and diction
Take risks in writing to deepen meaning, such as using theme, language, irony, or emotional complexity
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Use the Writing Process: Implement stages of the poetry writing process, from idea generation to polished final drafts
Assessment Strategies
Written, oral, graphic, and/or self-assessment
Criteria
Generate imaginative poem ideas through creative brainstorming poetic ideas (e.g., prompts, free-writing, image-based exercises)
Revise for structure, lineation, and thematic clarity
Edit for clarity, style, voice consistency, and rhythm
Proofread for mechanics, grammar, and syntax
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Peer Review and Feedback: Use and generate feedback to improve fiction drafts
Assessment Strategies
Written, oral, discussion, and/or self-assessment
Criteria
Create specific feedback that is constructive and kind
Generate/ask neutral, clarifying questions to better interpret the poem with a focus on improvement
Analyze constructive criticism, recognizing areas for revision
Demonstrate effective listening, speaking, and/or writing within peer work group
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Revise and Edit Work: Use instructor and peer feedback to finalize poetry drafts
Assessment Strategies
Written, oral, self-assessment, and/or discussion
Criteria
Revise poems by addressing imagery, line breaks, rhythm, and emotional impact
Make substantial structural changes where needed, not just surface-level edits
Edit for precision, removing redundancy and enhancing musicality
Edit tone and diction to align with the poem’s mood and meaning
Final, polished drafts show evidence of improvement from earlier versions
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Reflect on Writing Practices: Analyze your poetry-writing process and growth as a writer, setting goals for continued development
Assessment Strategies
Written reflections and/or self-assessment
Criteria
Identify strengths and areas for improvement in poetry writing
Explain how specific feedback informed revision choices
Analyze patterns in poetic style, theme, or technique
Goals address specific poetic techniques
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Contribute to Creative Communities: Collaborate with other poetry writers
Assessment Strategies
Discussion, written reflections, and/or self-assessment
Criteria
Provide written and verbal feedback during workshops
Generate comments on peers’ work
Revise your work based on feedback and be open to receiving feedback
Explain strategies for submitting poetry to campus literary journals or external venues
Show interest in the broader literary environment beyond your own work
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Analyze Published Poetry
Assessment Strategies
Written analysis, oral, and/or skill demonstration (reading)
Criteria
Study/read published poetry to examine use of theme, imagery, form, and voice
Analyze how poets build emotional complexity and maintain focus
Identify techniques such as metaphor, repetition, and enjambment
Explore how historical, cultural, and social contexts shape poetic choices
Articulate how published works influence your own creative decisions