How to Use This Worksheet
Read the poem through twice before you start annotating. The first read is for gist - what is the poem about? The second is for sound - read it aloud if you can. Then work through the five SMILE sections in order. Each section has a prompt and a space for your notes.
S - Structure
Look at the shape of the poem on the page. What do you notice?
Prompts
- • How many stanzas? Are they regular or irregular?
- • Is there a rhyme scheme? Does it stay the same or change?
- • Is there a turning point (volta)?
- • Is the poem written in a specific form (sonnet, ballad, free verse)?
- • How does the poem end? Is there a sense of resolution or unease?
M - Meaning
What is the poem actually about? Go beyond surface summary to the writer's main message.
Prompts
- • Who is speaking? To whom?
- • What is the subject of the poem?
- • What is the main theme (power, love, loss, nature, identity)?
- • What is the writer's attitude to the subject?
- • What do you think the writer wants the reader to feel?
I - Imagery
Pick the two or three most striking images. What do they make you picture?
Prompts
- • Metaphors or similes?
- • Personification?
- • Visual, auditory, or tactile images?
- • Is there a recurring image (motif)?
- • What's the effect of each image on the reader?
L - Language
Zoom in on word choices. Look at verbs, adjectives, and any unusual or repeated language.
Prompts
- • Find two powerful verbs. Why are they chosen?
- • Find an unusual or striking adjective.
- • Is there any repetition? What is the effect?
- • Is the language formal, colloquial, or archaic?
- • Are there any sound devices (alliteration, sibilance, onomatopoeia)?
E - Effect
Pull it all together. What is the overall effect of the poem on the reader?
Prompts
- • How does the poem make you feel?
- • What ideas does it leave you thinking about?
- • What is the writer ultimately saying?
- • Write a one-sentence thesis that captures the poem's message.
Differentiation Ideas
Support
- • Focus on only three letters of SMILE to start with
- • Provide a pre-annotated model of a similar poem
- • Use a glossary of poetic terms
- • Work in pairs to discuss before writing
Stretch
- • Add a sixth letter: C (Context) at the end
- • Link the poem to another anthology poem with a shared theme
- • Challenge to use three Tier 3 terms (e.g. enjambment)
- • Write a full analytical paragraph after annotation
Use in Classroom - Tips
- Colour-code: Assign a colour to each SMILE letter so students can see the balance of their annotations.
- Gallery walk: After annotating, pin up students' work and let them circulate to steal ideas.
- Re-use, re-use: Pair the worksheet with every new anthology poem to build fluency with the framework.