Grades 1–3
PoetrySparksStudents will practice writing with onomatopoeia words and create a poem that describes the sound of their feelings.
This social-emotional learning writing prompt comes from Feeling Words & Healing Words: A Poetry Journey. You can access the full writing unit here.
Start by introducing students to a ginormous word: Onomatopoeia. It means a word that sounds like a word, or “sound effect” words.
After reviewing the example onomatopoeia words on the “What do Feelings Sound Like?” handout, ask students to jot down at least four more onomatopoeias in the space provided on the handout. Review words together and start a class list.
Next, students will write a poem that shows how each feeling sounds. Students may use the poem template provided on the handout or write their own. After they finish, students will choose three more feelings and write sentences (or another poem!) with onomatopoeia words to describe them.
In small groups or as a class, have students share their favorite line from their poem.
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