Using ChatGPT to Lesson Plan: Example Poetry Unit

Not sure what happened here, so let’s try again.

I recently heard from friends the interesting and helpful ways they were using ChatGPT to plan and/or organize their homeschools. So I gave it a try. The best document I have been able to produce is the 9th grade English plan I shared in my last post, which you can find here.

I went back and asked how long it took to create that plan, and it said that it was about 2 to 3 days. I went back and asked it to scan the timestamps, and it said that it took approximately 47.9 hours between the active messages sent and the final product. I would send it something, or review a suggestion, and then take some time to think about what I wanted to achieve before asking something else, etc.

So the process is not as instantaneous as it may seem below. Additionally, I made the executive decision to not add in the downloads it sent me or the external links, because that would take me too much time, and the point here is to show the process, not necessarily the final product. (Also, in my experience these downloads are often not exactly what I want, so I end up working on those independently. The worksheets, for example, are not what I was expecting so I will have to go back and rework on that point.)

All that being said, here is one complete planning conversation. It drew upon prior information I had fed about what I was looking for and the sorts of things I thought would work best for my student– that information is crucial to a workable plan. Start by telling it what you are trying to do and include links or lists of books you like or a description of what kinds of books you are looking for, such as a theme, etc.

Here is our complete and unedited conversation:

I said: Do you remember the poetry anthology unit you built me for English 9?

Yes, I do! Here’s a quick summary of the poetry anthology unit I built for your 9th grade English course:

Unit Theme: Poetry and Pop Culture / History Connection

You wanted a mix of classic and contemporary poetry that would appeal to a reluctant reader who enjoys history and pop culture, similar in tone to Poetry 180 but more curated.

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Categories Included:

1. Classic Poems (Whitman, Frost, Hughes, etc.)

2. Contemporary Voices (Terrance Hayes, Clint Smith, Amanda Gorman, etc.)

3. Historical Themes (wars, civil rights, major cultural moments)

4. Pop Culture and Social Commentary (identity, justice, media, etc.)

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Key Features:

• Weekly Breakdown with discussion questions, writing prompts, and performance-based options (like recitation or creative responses).

• Designed to span about 4 weeks but can be expanded.

• Aligned with your broader 9th grade English course structure that includes:

• Short story units (Flying Lessons, Sudden Fiction)

• Novels (The Outsiders, Catcher in the Rye, Of Mice and Men, Flowers for Algernon, The Giver)

• Nonfiction (Just Mercy YA, The 57 Bus, March)

• Shakespeare (As You Like It)

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Would you like me to display the full weekly breakdown again? Or do you want it exported into a Word document or integrated into the full yearlong course plan we just built?

I said: I would like teaching resources for the poems you included, please. Resources that tell how to teach about poems’ voice, tone, and imagery, etc.

Excellent—I’ll build a set of teaching resources that you can use with the poems from your 9th grade poetry unit, focusing on:

• Voice

• Tone

• Imagery

• Diction

• Structure/Form

• Theme and Historical/Pop Culture Context

This will include:

1. Mini-lessons with definitions and examples

2. Teaching strategies (discussion starters, activities)

3. Analysis questions you can use across poems

4. Scaffolded writing prompts for reluctant or developing writers

5. A printable literary devices handout to use throughout the unit

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1. Mini-Lessons by Literary Focus

Voice

• Definition: The speaker’s distinct personality or style in the poem—how they “sound” to the reader.

• Mini-Lesson:

• Read two contrasting voices: e.g., Langston Hughes’s “Mother to Son” (wise, maternal) vs. Gwendolyn Brooks’s “We Real Cool” (detached, youthful).

• Ask: What kind of person is speaking? What do we learn about them without being told directly?

Tone

• Definition: The poet’s attitude toward the subject or audience.

• Mini-Lesson:

• Provide a “tone word bank” (melancholy, defiant, hopeful, nostalgic, etc.).

• Read Clint Smith’s “When People Say ‘We Have Made It Through Worse Before’” and identify shifts in tone.

• Activity: Students rewrite a stanza in a different tone.

Imagery

• Definition: Language that appeals to the senses.

• Mini-Lesson:

• Use lines from Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est” to spotlight visual, auditory, and tactile imagery.

• Activity: Have students highlight sensory words and map them by type (sight, sound, etc.).

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2. Universal Discussion Starters

Use these with any poem from your unit:

• Who is speaking in this poem? How do you know?

• What is the tone of the poem? Does it change?

• Which lines stand out to you and why?

• What images does the poet create? What emotions do they stir?

• How is this poem connected to history, identity, or pop culture?

• What might this poem be “arguing” or pushing against?

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3. Strategies for Reluctant Readers

• Poem Annotation “Scavenger Hunts”:

• Find 1 metaphor, 1 striking image, 1 question, 1 shift in tone.

• One-Sentence Summary:

• “This poem is about _______ but also about ________.”

• Two-Voice Readings:

• Great for poems with contrast or tension (e.g., “We Real Cool”).

• Gallery Walk:

• Post poems around the room. Students circulate and leave sticky notes with tone, image, or questions.

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4. Scaffolded Writing Prompts

Entry-Level:

• Write 5 lines using one image for each of the 5 senses.

• Describe a moment of strong emotion (fear, joy, anger) using metaphor or simile.

Mid-Level:

• Choose a poem’s speaker and write a letter from them to someone else.

• Compare the voice of two poems: How are they alike or different?

Advanced:

• Write a short analytical paragraph: How does the poet use imagery and tone to convey the speaker’s message? (Use a sentence frame or model paragraph first.)

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5. Printable Literary Devices Handout

Would you like this in a printable PDF or Word file? It will include:

Would you like all of this packaged in a teaching guide PDF, or would you prefer I build a week-by-week teaching outline using these strategies and resources with specific poems?

I said: Yes please!!

Also I love we real cool! Also I won’t have a group, just the 1 student, so while I would like the ideas you posted please include alternatives for 1 student in parentheses

Great! I’ll revise and expand the poetry teaching resources to suit a one-on-one setting with your student, including alternatives for each activity. Here’s the updated teaching guide, tailored for solo instruction with “We Real Cool” as a central poem example (since you love it!):

Poetry Teaching Guide for 9th Grade (1-on-1 Instruction)

Core Literary Focus Areas

Each section includes:

• A definition + example

• A guided activity (solo version included)

• Writing/discussion prompts

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1. Voice

Definition: The speaker’s unique personality or “sound” in the poem.

Anchor Poem: “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks

Example: The poem’s clipped syntax and rebellious tone create a youthful, defiant voice.

Activity:

• Small Group: Compare the speaker in two poems.

• (Solo): Read the poem aloud twice—once neutrally, once with a dramatic “teen rebel” tone. Ask: Which reading fits better? Why?

Prompt:

• “Describe the speaker in this poem. How do they see the world?”

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2. Tone

Definition: The poet’s attitude toward the subject.

Anchor Poem: “When People Say ‘We Have Made It Through Worse Before’” by Clint Smith

Tone Shift Example: Starts reflective, grows urgent.

Activity:

• Small Group: Create a tone timeline.

• (Solo): Read and highlight where the speaker’s tone shifts. Label each section with a tone word (hopeful → angry → resolved).

Prompt:

• “Choose 3 tone words to describe this poem. Explain one using a specific line.”

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3. Imagery

Definition: Language that appeals to the senses.

Anchor Poem: “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen

Activity:

• Small Group: Group classifies images by sense.

• (Solo): Student highlights all sensory language and labels each with: [S]ight, [H]earing, [T]ouch, etc.

Prompt:

• “Which image stayed with you the longest? Why?”

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4. Diction

Definition: The poet’s word choice and how it shapes meaning.

Anchor Poem: “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” by Langston Hughes

Activity:

• Small Group: Find words that signal history or timelessness.

• (Solo): Student finds 3-5 powerful words and looks up their roots or alternate meanings.

Prompt:

• “How does the poet’s word choice shape the poem’s mood or purpose?”

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5. Structure & Form

Definition: The way a poem is arranged (lines, stanzas, punctuation, rhythm).

Anchor Poem: “We Real Cool” again

Activity:

• Small Group: Discuss line breaks and enjambment.

• (Solo): Student rewrites the poem with traditional line breaks—then compare to original. Ask: “How does the original layout change how we read it?”

Prompt:

• “Why do you think Brooks ends each line with ‘We’? How does that affect the poem’s rhythm?”

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6. Historical & Pop Culture Context

Definition: How the poem connects to cultural, historical, or current events.

Anchor Poem: “Let America Be America Again” by Langston Hughes

Activity:

• Small Group: Match stanzas to historical events.

• (Solo): Student identifies one historical event the poem references, researches briefly, and connects it in writing.

Prompt:

• “How does the speaker respond to the American Dream? Is it still relevant today?”

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Poetry Annotation “Scavenger Hunt” (Solo Version)

Student finds in any poem:

• 1 metaphor or simile

• 1 strong image

• 1 example of diction (power word)

• 1 tone word

• 1 shift in mood or structure

Use sticky notes or color coding during rereads.

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Performance & Response Options (Solo-friendly)

• Voice Recording: Read the poem aloud and reflect on how tone changes the impact.

• Two-Person Dialogue Rewrite: Rewrite the poem as a conversation (e.g., two students in “We Real Cool” talking after hours).

• Imagery Sketch: Draw or collage the imagery from a poem, then describe it in writing.

• Poetry Response Journal: Use weekly entries to explore poems emotionally and analytically.

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Printable Literary Devices Chart

I’ll format this into a clean PDF for you next, unless you’d prefer a Word doc or both.

Would you like a week-by-week lesson plan using these resources? I can organize it around 4–5 central poems (like We Real Cool, Let America Be America Again, etc.), with pacing, mini-lessons, and writing assignments.

English 9 – Poetry Unit: Voice, Tone & Identity in Verse

Duration: 4 Weeks | Student: 1-on-1 | Final Product: Personal poetry response + literary analysis paragraph

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Week 1: Voice & Structure

Focus Concepts: Voice, speaker, line breaks, rhythm

Anchor Poem: We Real Cool – Gwendolyn Brooks

Day 1

• Read aloud together (student tries two versions: dramatic and neutral).

• Discuss voice: Who’s speaking? What do we know about them?

• Activity (solo): Rewrite the poem with standard punctuation/structure and compare.

Day 2

• Mini-lesson on structure & line breaks (enjambment, emphasis).

• Annotate poem: “Where do the pauses fall? What do they mean?”

• Prompt: Write 5 lines from the speaker’s future perspective.

Day 3

• Read: Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward – Gwendolyn Brooks

• Compare voice and purpose to We Real Cool

• Writing: 1-paragraph comparison of speakers

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Week 2: Tone & Emotion

Focus Concepts: Tone, diction, mood shifts

Anchor Poem: When People Say “We Have Made It Through Worse Before” – Clint Smith

Day 1

• Read and listen to author read it aloud (YouTube).

• Highlight tone shifts; label with tone words (e.g., nostalgic → urgent)

• Discuss (solo): How does the tone affect the poem’s impact?

Day 2

• Mini-lesson on tone and diction.

• Prompt: Choose 3 powerful words from the poem. Define, then explain their emotional effect.

Day 3

• Writing: Paragraph response – How does Clint Smith use tone and diction to reflect on history and survival?

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Week 3: Imagery & Identity

Focus Concepts: Imagery, symbolism, cultural reflection

Anchor Poem: The Negro Speaks of Rivers – Langston Hughes

Day 1

• Read aloud, discuss historical context.

• Identify images of water and what they represent.

• Activity: Draw or map the poem’s imagery and label each.

Day 2

• Mini-lesson: Symbolism + cultural identity in poetry

• Poem Pairing (short excerpt): Still I Rise – Maya Angelou (focus on visual symbols: dust, air, gold)

Day 3

• Writing: Compare how Hughes and Angelou use imagery to express pride, endurance, and identity.

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Week 4: America, Belonging & the Poetic Argument

Focus Concepts: Theme, historical allusion, poetic argument

Anchor Poem: Let America Be America Again – Langston Hughes

Day 1

• Read poem in sections; summarize stanza-by-stanza.

• Annotate: Who is “America” for? Who is left out?

Day 2

• Mini-lesson on theme & poetic argument.

• Research (brief): What was happening in the U.S. when this poem was written (1930s)?

Day 3

• Final Writing Prompt: Choose 1 poem from the unit. Write a literary analysis paragraph explaining how the poet uses voice, imagery, and tone to communicate a central theme. (Use sentence frames or a model paragraph to support scaffolding.)

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Final Assignment Options

Choose one:

• Creative: Write your own 8–12 line poem that uses at least 3 devices studied (voice, tone, imagery, symbolism).

• Analytical: Expand your final paragraph into a full-page analysis using two poems.

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Would you like me to:

1. Package this into a Word doc or PDF?

2. Create printable worksheets or graphic organizers (tone chart, imagery tracker, etc.) to go with the lessons?

3. Include links to audio or video readings for student engagement?

Let me know and I’ll generate those for you!

I said: Yes, please do all 3 of those things

The full teaching guide has been packaged into a Word document, which you can download here:

Download English 9 Poetry Unit Plan

Next, I’ll generate the printable worksheets and curated audio/video resource links. Stay tuned! 

Here are your printable worksheets to accompany the poetry unit:

Download Poetry Unit Worksheets

Next, I’ll gather a list of audio/video resources for the poems used in the unit. 

here is a screenshot I took of this point in the convo:

🎧 Audio & Video Resources by Poem

1. “We Real Cool” – Gwendolyn Brooks

• Gwendolyn Brooks reading her poem:

• Morgan Freeman recitation:

• Poetry Foundation audio:

2. “When People Say ‘We Have Made It Through Worse Before’” – Clint Smith

• Clint Smith performing at The Bell House:

• Alternate performance:

3. “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” – Langston Hughes

• Langston Hughes reading his poem:

• Kevin Young’s reading:

4. “Let America Be America Again” – Langston Hughes

• Reading by Willie Perdomo:

• Reading by Adjoa Andoh:

• Spotify audio version:

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These resources should provide valuable auditory and visual experiences to complement your teaching. If you need any further assistance or additional materials, feel free to ask!

Me: Thanks! I like the different narrator options very cool.

You’re so welcome—I’m glad you like them! Having different narrators really helps a solo student hear how tone, pacing, and emphasis can totally transform a poem. It’s a great way to reinforce voice and interpretation without needing a full class.

If you ever want mini-lessons or writing prompts tailored to a specific narrator’s reading style—or want to expand into spoken word poetry or song lyrics analysis—I’d be happy to build those too. Just say the word!

——————————–end of conversation—————————————————–

And that is how that process unfolded. I hope that reading through this has been helpful to you. I will try to share other materials as I create them. Keep in mind that you are not ever going to get a perfect result. Sometimes there are “hallucinations,” which are random made up things that don’t make sense. If you look at the original booklist in my prior post, some of the books are not high school level. So you are definitely still going to have to do some work, but you can definitely work faster with the help of your new assistant.

I also think that it makes sense to share things that I create because that will make them more accessible and decrease the need for people to recreate the wheel. If that makes sense. Hopefully this is of the value that I think it is. Thanks for reading!