“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
When teaching poems, it is often helpful to refresh or introduce students with technical words. “Metaphor", "alliteration", "personification", "imagery", "apostrophe", and "assonance" are a few important terms.
After you have read the poem, ask your students to do a scavenger hunt using the Storyboard Creator. Give them the list again and have them create a storyboard that depicts and explains the use of each literary element in the poem. They will have an absolute blast and gain mastery of the words.
| DESCRIPTION | EXAMPLE | |
|---|---|---|
| Personification | Giving human-like characteristics to non-human objects or abstract ideas | “He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake.” |
| Alliteration | Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words in a sentence or line | “The only other sound’s the sweep” |
| End Rhyme | Words at the end of a line that rhyme with words at the end of other lines. | “Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though;” |
| Imagery | The use of descriptive or figurative language to create vivid mental imagery that appeals to the senses | “The woods are lovely, dark and deep,” |
| Assonance | The repetition of a vowel sound | “And miles to go before I sleep.” |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows five examples of poetic language in "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening".
Grade Level 6-12
Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)
Type of Assignment Individual or Partner
Type of Activity: Figurative Language
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identification of Literary Elements | All literary elements are correctly identified. | Most literary elements are correctly identified. | Few literary elements are correctly identified. |
| Illustration | Illustrations show attention to the details of the story and demonstrate connection to the literary elements. | Illustrations demonstrate connection to the literary elements. | Illustrations show little connection to the literary elements. |
| Description of Literary Elements | Descriptions clearly explain what the literary elements do to enhance the story. | Most descriptions tell what the literary elements do to enhance the story. | Descriptions are unrelated to the literary elements. |
| Spelling and Grammar | Spelling and grammar is mostly accurate. Mistakes do not get in the way of understanding. | Spelling is very inaccurate and hinders full understanding. | Text is very difficult to understand. |
When teaching poems, it is often helpful to refresh or introduce students with technical words. “Metaphor", "alliteration", "personification", "imagery", "apostrophe", and "assonance" are a few important terms.
After you have read the poem, ask your students to do a scavenger hunt using the Storyboard Creator. Give them the list again and have them create a storyboard that depicts and explains the use of each literary element in the poem. They will have an absolute blast and gain mastery of the words.
| DESCRIPTION | EXAMPLE | |
|---|---|---|
| Personification | Giving human-like characteristics to non-human objects or abstract ideas | “He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake.” |
| Alliteration | Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words in a sentence or line | “The only other sound’s the sweep” |
| End Rhyme | Words at the end of a line that rhyme with words at the end of other lines. | “Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though;” |
| Imagery | The use of descriptive or figurative language to create vivid mental imagery that appeals to the senses | “The woods are lovely, dark and deep,” |
| Assonance | The repetition of a vowel sound | “And miles to go before I sleep.” |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows five examples of poetic language in "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening".
Grade Level 6-12
Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)
Type of Assignment Individual or Partner
Type of Activity: Figurative Language
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identification of Literary Elements | All literary elements are correctly identified. | Most literary elements are correctly identified. | Few literary elements are correctly identified. |
| Illustration | Illustrations show attention to the details of the story and demonstrate connection to the literary elements. | Illustrations demonstrate connection to the literary elements. | Illustrations show little connection to the literary elements. |
| Description of Literary Elements | Descriptions clearly explain what the literary elements do to enhance the story. | Most descriptions tell what the literary elements do to enhance the story. | Descriptions are unrelated to the literary elements. |
| Spelling and Grammar | Spelling and grammar is mostly accurate. Mistakes do not get in the way of understanding. | Spelling is very inaccurate and hinders full understanding. | Text is very difficult to understand. |
Bring your students together to share their storyboard findings and interpret literary elements as a group. This encourages critical thinking and helps everyone see different perspectives on the poem’s meaning.
Establish ground rules for the discussion by modeling active listening and encouraging positive feedback. This creates a safe space for all students to participate and feel valued.
Ask questions like, "How does the imagery make you feel?" or "Why do you think Frost used personification here?" to deepen student understanding and spark meaningful conversation.
Invite students to share personal connections to the poem’s themes or examples of similar literary elements in other texts they've read. This makes learning more relatable and memorable.
Work as a class to highlight the most interesting interpretations and review the literary elements discussed. This reinforces learning and gives everyone a sense of accomplishment.
'Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening' features several literary elements, including personification, alliteration, end rhyme, imagery, and assonance. These help create vivid scenes and emotional impact for readers.
Have students identify and illustrate examples of literary elements in the poem using a storyboard. Ask them to label each element, provide a text example, and create a visual representation for deeper understanding.
An example of personification is: “He gives his harness bells a shake / To ask if there is some mistake,” where the horse is given the human ability to question and communicate.
Imagery helps students visualize the poem's setting and mood, making abstract language more concrete and engaging for learners of all levels.
Create a scavenger hunt where students find examples of literary elements in the poem and illustrate them using scenes, characters, and items for an interactive learning experience.
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher