Article
Art by Raphael Lopez
Poetry,

The Cup of Ocean

The colors and the currents of the ocean come alive in a poem

By Amos Russel Wells
From the May/June 2020 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will interpret the meaning of a poem about the ocean and discuss how the poem’s sound patterns add to the meaning.

Featured Skill: Rhythm and Rhyme, Elements of Poetry,
Common Core Standards
  • Anchor Standards
    R.1, R.4, R.5, SL.1, SL.2, L.4, L.5
  • Grade 4
    R.4.1, R.4.4, R.4.5, SL.4.1, SL.4.2, L.4.4, L.4.5
  • Grade 5
    R.5.1, R.5.4, R.5.5, SL.5.1, SL.5.2, L.5.4, L.5.5
  • Grade 6
    R.6.1, R.6.4, R.6.5, SL.6.1, SL.6.2, L.6.4, L.6.5
TEKS Standards
  • Grade 4
    4.1a, c; 4.3b; 4.4a; 4.6a, d, e, f, i; 4.7g; 4.9b; 4.10c, d
  • Grade 5
    5.1a, c; 5.3b; 5.4a; 5.6a, d, e, f, i; 5.7g; 5.9b; 5.10c, d
  • Grade 6
    6.1a, c; 6.2b; 6.3a; 6.5a, d, e, f, i; 6.6g; 6.8b; 6.9c, d

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UP CLOSE:Rhythm and Rhyme

Listen for the patterns of rhythm and rhyme as you read. Think about what they add.

The Cup of Ocean 

What does the cup of ocean hold?

Glory of purple and glint of gold;

Tenderest greens and heavenly blue,

Shot with the sunlight through and through;

Wayward ripples that idly roam,

Tumbling breakers with gallant foam;

Sands and pebbles that chase and slide;

Mystic currents that softly glide;

Mighty spell of the ages old,

This does the cup of ocean hold. 

Which lines describe how the ocean looks? How it moves?

  • Watch a video of Storyworks education editor Rebecca Leon reading this poem aloud and giving you a special challenge: to find your own poem on this website and memorize it!

  • Draw or paint the ocean as it’s described in this poem. Look for the words and phrases in the poem that help you see the ocean in your mind. Use them to guide your artwork.


This poem was originally published in the May/June 2020 issue.


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Skills Activities
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Can't-Miss Teaching Extras

Invite your students to have fun listening to poetry on this Poetry for Kids podcast with veteran children’s poet Kenn Nesbitt.

In “The Cup of Ocean,” a poet explores the colors of the sea. What does science tell us about it? Share this article with your students, which explains why the ocean often looks blue.

More About the Story

Skills

fluency, text structure, descriptive language, connecting texts

Complexity Factors

Levels of Meaning

In richly descriptive language, the poem pays tribute to the ocean’s beauty and majesty. At the same time, it reduces the vast ocean to something more manageable by calling it a “cup.” 

Structure

The poem consists of five couplets. 

Language

The text includes some challenging vocabulary, such as wayward, idly, and gallant. It also uses personification and some nonstandard constructions.

Knowledge Demands 

Firsthand experience with the ocean will enhance students’ appreciation of the poem.

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

1. Preparing to Read (10 minutes)

  • Activate prior knowledge by asking students to brainstorm words they would use to describe the ocean. Prompt them to think about what it looks like and sounds like.
  • Invite a student to read aloud the Up Close box.
  • Preview the questions in small type to the left of the poem, and prompt students to keep them in mind as they read.

2. Reading the Poem (5 minutes)

Call on a volunteer to read the poem aloud for the class, or play our audio version.

3. Discussing the Poem (10 minutes)

Discuss the following questions:

  • Reread the first line. How does it prepare you for what the rest of the poem says? (text structure) The first line poses a question: “What does the cup of ocean hold?” The rest of the poem answers the question by describing the ocean.
  • Which lines describe how the ocean looks? What do these lines say about it? (descriptive language) Lines 2-4 describe how the ocean looks. They paint a picture of it as having wonderful colors lit up by the sunlight.
  • Which lines describe how the ocean moves? What does this movement seem like to you? Which words help you picture it? (descriptive language) Lines 5-8 describe how the ocean moves. Students might say that the movement seems gentle and rolling. The waves “idly roam” and “softly glide.”
  • Is the rhythm of the poem the same in each line, or does it change? How might the rhythm be like the ocean? (rhythm) The rhythm is nearly the same in each line. This could be similar to the sound of the ocean, which has a repeated rhythm of rolling or crashing waves.

4. Skill Building (30 minutes)

Both this poem and the play in this issue emphasize the beauty of the sea. Have students take a deep dive into the poem and explore this connection with our Poetry Kit.

Text-to-Speech