Level: Intermediate (grades 3-6)

Student Objectives

• Write a diamante poem
• Understand that nouns, adjectives, and participles are parts of speech that have a specific function in language
• Understand and use antonyms to write poetry

Introduce the Poetry
The diamante is a seven-line poem in which the words form the shape of a diamond, or parallelogram. It uses nouns, adjectives, and participles to describe the topic, which is a noun. There is no restriction on the number of syllables, only on the number and types of words. Diamantes use contrasts and differences to show both sides of an issue or topic.

Teach the Poetry:

• Reproduce the samples page as a student handout or as a transparency page for use on an overhead projector.
• Using the samples page as a guide, point out that the first and last lines of a diamante are antonyms, or opposites of one another. The top half of the diamond to the backslash on line 4 describes the top noun, while the bottom half from the backslash on, describes the bottom noun.
• Discuss how the top and bottom words are opposite from one another in the example poems (Winter/Summer; Nonfiction/Fiction; Comedy/Tragedy). Use green colored chalk or markers to underline the second line in the Winter/Summer poem. Ask students to explain how frosty and snowy relate to winter. Then underline in green the sixth line and ask how hot and sunny relate to summer, Explain that all four words underlined in green describe the season directly above or below them. Next, underline the third and fifth lines in red. Ask what they have in common. Point out that verbs that end in -ing and are used as adjectives are called participles.
• Have students name other participles that could be used in either line 3 or line 5 (skiing, snowshoeing, golfing, hiking, vacationing, etc.). Direct students' attention to line 4. Solicit examples of other words the poet could have used in line 4 (skates, skis, scarves, gloves, scarves). Encourage students to stretch their vocabulary and use a dictionary or a thesaurus to find more words. Remind students that good poets are always searching for the word that most accurately conveys the meaning they want to express. Dictionaries and thesauruses are good tools to use to find these words.

Model Writing a Diamante

• Explain that the diamante poetry form compares and contrasts items or concepts using opposites, or antonyms. Have students suggest sets of noun opposites (war/peace, spring/fall) and list them as pairs on the board.
• Choose a pair of opposites from the list of students' suggestions.
• Write one of the words from the pair on the board, such as war or peace. Make a three-column chart below the chosen word and title the columns adjectives, participles, and nouns. Have students brainstorm adjectives, particles, and nouns that describe the word. Write the words they suggest in the appropriate columns. Follow the same procedure for the antonym.
• Write one of the words from the chosen word pair on line 1.
• Choose two adjectives from the adjectives list. Write the two adjectives below the noun.
• Choose three participles from the participles list and write them on line 3. Then choose two nouns and write them on line 4.
• Write the antonym on line 6.
• Have students look at the antonym in line 6. As a group, choose two nouns that are related to the word on line 6 and write them next to the other nouns on line 4.
• Next, choose three participles and then two adjectives and write them on lines 5 and 6.
• This form of poetry is especially well suited for partners, as each individual can focus on one of the words in the pair of antonyms. It challenges students to search for the most effective synonyms for maximum contrast.

Word Work: Parts of Speech

• Review the meaning and function of the following terms:

adjective: a word or phrase that is used to describe a noun
antonym: a word having the opposite meaning as another word
noun: a word that names a person, place, or thing
Participle: a verb form ending in -ing or -ed that is used as an adjective

• Choose one of the parts of speech listed above and have students write as many examples of the element as they can in three minutes.
• Start with a part of speech such as a noun. Name a noun such as house, then go around the room and have students name other nouns that have to do with house (door, sofa, rug, kitchen, and so on). Repeat with the other parts of speech listed above.

Poetry Practice

• Have pairs of students choose another topic from the generated list of opposite pairs on the board.
• Have them work together to create a diamante by having each student choose one of the words from the pair to create his or her half of the poem.
• Remind them that each line in a diamante poem typically begins with a small letter and that the words combine to form a diamond shape.
• Have students list adjectives, participles, and nouns for their chosen words on a piece of paper.
• As students write, encourage them to find colorful words that communicate and fit the structure of their diamante poem. Remind them that a comma is used after every word on each line of a diamante.
• Have students revise their work in order to improve understanding and flow by adding, deleting, consolidating, and rearranging words as necessary.

Using the Worksheets for Practice

• Have students compose a diamante poem using the scaffolded worksheets. There are three worksheets and a samples page.

Worksheet 1 for students who need additional support
Worksheet 2 for students who have a basic understanding of diamantes
Worksheet 3 for students who have a solid understanding of diamantes
Samples for examples of diamante poetry

Extend the activity:

• Celebrate the writing process by having students read their poetry aloud with fluency, rhythm, and expression.
• Have students share their writing with as many different audiences as possible. Poetry may be published through classroom or school-wide displays, a poetry book, a school newsletter or website, an online poetry contest, or through any other creative form of communication.
• Have the class create topical diamantes. An example would be to do a class diamante on a broad topic such as the human body. Have students choose parts of the body have very different functions (hands, feet; head, toes; eyes; ears, and so on.).