Memory Poem Planning Model for Third Grade
A short teacher-model planning page that walks 3rd graders through writing a memory poem, using Nikki Giovanni's "My First Memory (of Librarians)" as an anchor and a sample beach memory filled with concrete sensory details. Students practice moving from a broad memory to specific actions and sights, building descriptive detail and planning skills before drafting their own poems.
“Create a resource from the uploaded PDF "G4_U03_AB_EditablePDF_3.5.pdf"”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use as a mini-lesson at the start of a poetry or personal narrative unit, reading the model aloud before students complete their own planning pages (about 20-25 minutes).
- Discussion question: Which detail in the beach memory helps you picture the scene most clearly, and why? Follow up with: how is "I dug a deep hole" different from just "I played"?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: pair the model with a sentence frame such as "My favorite place is ___. When I was there, I ___ and I saw ___," and let students orally rehearse before writing.
- Extension for advanced students: have them compare the sensory details in the model to Giovanni's poem and revise one line of the sample to add a sound, smell, or texture.
- Plan roughly 45 minutes total if students also draft a first memory poem from their own planning page.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free“Create a resource from the uploaded PDF "G4_U03_AB_EditablePDF_3.5.pdf"”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use as a mini-lesson at the start of a poetry or personal narrative unit, reading the model aloud before students complete their own planning pages (about 20-25 minutes).
- Discussion question: Which detail in the beach memory helps you picture the scene most clearly, and why? Follow up with: how is "I dug a deep hole" different from just "I played"?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: pair the model with a sentence frame such as "My favorite place is ___. When I was there, I ___ and I saw ___," and let students orally rehearse before writing.
- Extension for advanced students: have them compare the sensory details in the model to Giovanni's poem and revise one line of the sample to add a sound, smell, or texture.
- Plan roughly 45 minutes total if students also draft a first memory poem from their own planning page.
Memory Poem Planning Model for Third Grade
A short teacher-model planning page that walks 3rd graders through writing a memory poem, using Nikki Giovanni's "My First Memory (of Librarians)" as an anchor and a sample beach memory filled with concrete sensory details. Students practice moving from a broad memory to specific actions and sights, building descriptive detail and planning skills before drafting their own poems.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free