teaching poetry

Teaching Poetry

Introducing Poetry

Throughout your study of poetry, have lots of poetry books available for students to read during SSR, or to explore for the first 10 minutes or last 10 minutes of the reading lesson to find examples of skills taught to share with the class.As students listen to, read and discuss poetry, lead them to understand that a poem:

Can be about anything

Can use few words

Has a unique form and shape

May or may not have rhythm and a beat

Often ends with a punch

Has a title

May use invented spelling

Let's us get to know the poet

Is easy to create

May be serious or humorous

Usually expresses important personal feelings

Activity: Discuss how poems are different from stories or informational text. Read aloud examples of each and compare and contrast them on a double-bubble map.

Activity: Allow students to form cooperative groups to select and read aloud poetry for the class. Poetry Theatre: http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetrytheater.aspx has great resources for this activity! Students can then share what they liked about the poems and how they are different from stories or informational text.Activity: These are EASY ways for students to create poems and get them into the spirit of learning about poetry.

These can be done as a class or individually, illustrated and shared.

Instant All About Me Poem: http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/allaboutmepoem.htmInstant Hello Spring poem: http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/HelloSpring.htm

Poetry Form

Power Point Slides to use for discussion:

Meter: refers to how the feet are put together to form lines of poetry. The combinations of long and short syllables give poetry a musical feel.

Rhythm: the pattern of long and short syllables in a poetic line. In modern poetry, some words receive greater vocal emphasis than others.

Activity: Use the poem Smelly People, or any poem with rhythm, rhyme, lines, stanzas, and a rhyme scheme to identify them. Allow students to search for more poems in poetry books and answer the same questions of the poem they find and share it with the class, in a small group or with a partner. Smelly People

Uncle Oswald smells of tobacco.Aunt Agatha smells of rope.Cousin Darren smells of airplane glue.Cousin Tracey smells of soap.

My mum smells of garlic and cabbage.My dad smells of cups of tea.My baby sister smells of sick.and my brother of scabby knee.

Our classroom smells of stinky socks.Our teacher smells of Old Spice.I wonder what I smell of?I'll just have a sniff... hmmm... quite nice

Read the poem above to answer the questions below.

1. How many lines are in this poem? ________________________________

2. How many stanzas in this poem? _______________________________

3. Does this poem have rhythm? ___________________________________ How can you tell? _____________________________________________

4. Does this poem have rhyme? ___________________________________ How can you tell? _____________________________________________

5. Can you identify the rhyme scheme of this poem? ____________________

____________________________________________________________

Rhythm Activity: Compare the two poems below as a class. Compare and contrast them using s double-bubble map. Students should be led to discover that while the poems are about the same subject, one has rhythm and the other does not. Let students browse poetry books with a partner to find other poems with good rhythm to share with the class.

First Train Passing

The train makes a clickity-clack noiseon the trackYou can see ducks and geese from the windowand they fly up when the train goes byI can see a big, heavy suitcaseon the rack. It doesn't look very safe.The train is going into a tunneland when it does, everything goes dark

Second Train Passing

Clickity-clack, clickity-clackDucklings and geese, fly from the trackBig heavy case, rocks on the rackTunnel ahead, everything's blackClickity-clack, quickity quackClickity-clack, rickety-rackClickity-clack, blickity-blackClickity-clackity trickity-track

Figurative LanguagePower Point Slides to use for discussion:

Similes: figures of speech that compares two unlike things, using the words like or as. "His feet were as big as boats."

Alliteration: the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words."Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

Metaphor: a figure of speech that compares two unlike things directly, without the use of like or as."Her hair is silk."

Personification: assigning human qualities to non-human things."The tropical storm slept for two days."

Onomatopoeia: words that imitate sounds."Boom. Gurgle. Plink."

Simile and Metaphor Activity:

1. After a discussion of the definitions of similes and metaphors, read or display the introductory poem. (see link)2. Have the students identify the similes and metaphors and what is being compared.3. Have the students change the similes to metaphors and the metaphors to similes. 4. Use the list of sample similes and metaphors and have the students identify each.5. As a class, choose a person from TV or an era in history and write several similes and metaphors to describe the person.6. Have each student choose a different person write similes and metaphors to describe that person. Tell the students to base their comparisons on facts

Introductory poem with examples of similes and metaphors and practice activity sheet.Simile and Metaphor Activity:

Read this poem as an example. Then, as a class, brainstorm ideas forAs Happy as.. As excited as. As Surprised as. As angry as. Or another emotion. After generating a class list of ideas, allow students to generate their own simile poem. Later, use the same method to create a metaphor poem using Sad is Happy is Excited is etc.As Sad As...

I'm as sad as an odd sockwith no one to wear itas sad as a birthdaywith no one to share itas sad as a teddywith no one to care for it

as sad as a fireworkwith no one to light itas sad as a strawberrywith no one to bite itas sad as a grey daywith no sun to lighten it

as sad as a bonfirewith no one to poke itas sad as a puppywith no one to stroke itas sad as a promisewhen somebody broke it.Alliteration Activity: Read the poem Fall aloud with students. Discuss the use of alliteration in the poem. Allow students to work in cooperative groups to generate a 4 line poem about a season or month of their choice using alliteration technique similar to the example poem.FallWindy, winding walking waysStreets snaking, singing swaysDescending deeper, darker daysMigrating, meandering, misty maze

Limerick PoetryLooking at Limericks- PowerPoint presentation: http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/english/bridgend/limericks.pptLimericks: whimsical poems with five lines. Lines one, two, and five rhyme with each other and lines three and four rhyme with each other. Rhyme pattern: AABBAA flea and a fly in a flueWere caught, so what could they do?Said the fly, "Let us flee.""Let us fly," said the flea.So they flew through a flaw in the flue.

Edward Lear made Limericks popular over a hundred years ago. They have five lines and they rhyme. The first line usually begins: There was a young (or an old) man (or woman or boy or girl) of Somewhere. You then think of a rhyme for the place and that gives you the idea for the last line.

There was a young man of BengalWho was asked to a fancy dress ballHe murmured: I'll risk itI'll go as a biscuitBut the dog ate him up in the hall

Activity: Use the limerick templates below to help students create limericks of their own, in partners, or in small groups to share.Limerick Templates A & BTemplate - A:

There once was a ______________ from __________________.

All the while s/he hoped _______________________________.

So s/he _______________________________.

And _________________________________.

That ___________________ from ___________________.

Template - B:

I once met a _________________ from ___________________.

Every day s/he _______________________________________.

But whenever s/he ______________________.

The _________________________________.

That strange ___________________ from __________Online Activities:Instant Limerick Creator: http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/limerick.htmThe Limerick Factory: http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/math/patterns/limerick/limerick_acttxt.htmlInteractive Rhyme Creator: http://www.rhymezone.com/

Acrostic PoetryAcrostic: poetry in which the first letter of each line, when read vertically, spell out a word. The word is usually the subject of the poem. VanillaAs I eat it on my brownieNot doubting it's sweetIce cream is a tasty treatLots of lingering tasteLasting to the endAlways my favorite!

Acrostics are simple poems based upon a single word. Choose a word - football, baseball, Christmas, autumn, school, thunder, animals, giraffe, orchestra, gymnastics, aliens, ghosts, or any other. Write the word down the left hand side and then try to find other words or phrases, beginning with those letters,that match.Teacher

T akes time to listen

E ach student is important

A lot of patience

C ares about learning

H as all the answers (or will look it up!)

E ach day a new advnture

R eallyl organized (mose of the time!)Activity: After sharing the poem teacher with your students, allow them to work in partners or small groups to create a poem for student Compare the poems and discuss how different ideas were generated about the same topic.

Activity: Allow students to create an acrostic poem for the topic of their choice on a flip book. Fold a piece of construction paper in half, cut the number of flaps to match the number of letters, write each letter on the outside flap, and the word or phrase on the inside flap.Online Activity: Interactive Acrostic Poem Creator: http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/acrostic/Diamante Poetry

Diamonte poems: diamond-shaped poems of seven lines that are written using parts of speech. The Diamonte is a form similar to the Cinquain. Line 1: Noun or subjectLine 2: Two AdjectivesLine 3: Three 'ing' wordsLine 4: Four words about the subjectLine 5: Three 'ing wordsLine 6: Two adjectivesLine 7: Synonym for the subjectHomeSafe, caringLoving, sharing, talkingFriendship, food, car, travelsLiving, loving, enjoyingJoyous, adventurousFamily

Diamond poems, also called diamantes, are a fun exercise to include in your poetry unit or do anytime! They can be used to integrate poetry into almost any teaching theme -- for example, students might write weather diamond poems, My Community diamond poems, or favorite sports diamond poems. The diamond poem format could be a tool students use to express feelings about math too -- their love of math or their fear of it.

The diamond poem's format is simple, but it challenges students to expand their vocabulary and learn about the parts of speech. Explain to students that diamond poems are seven-line poems that take on the shape of a diamond because of the way they are created. For purposes of this lesson, the first line and the last line of the poem are the same word: Line 1 of a diamond poem is the poem's subject; it is usually a single word -- a noun.

Line 2 is made up of two adjectives, which describe the subject in Line 1. (How does it look or feel? How does it make you feel?)

Line 3 is made up of three participles -- verbs that end in the -ing suffix -- that convey actions related to the subject of the poem.

Line 4 has four nouns related to the subject of the poem in Line 1.

Line 5 comprises three more participles.

Line 6 is made up of two more adjectives.

Line 7 is the subject (as in Line 1) repeated.

Example

tornadoforceful, powerfulwhipping, churning, whirlingthunderstorm, whirlwind, funnel, cyclone, destroying, wrecking, killingviolent, uncontrollabletornado

Activity: After sharing the example poem Tornado, as a class, brainstorm other weather words that would be a good topic for an acrostic poem. Ask students to work with partners or in small groups to create a diamante poem for another type of weather word they choose from the list. Share poems and compare the various ideas generated for poems of the same topic.

Activity: See some sample diamond poems written by third graders.

After looking at these or other examples, allow students to work independently to create a diamante porm about the topic of their choice and illustrate their poem. Allow students an opportunity to share their poems in small groups. Students pick out their favorite part of each poem shared.Online Activity:

Interactive Diamante Poem Creator: http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/diamante/

Shape PoemsShape Poems (concrete poems): poem that form a visible picture on the page. The shape usually reflects the subject of the poem.Trees blossoming in the springClouds above give rainFruit will come soonNature is at workwhiletreesstandstill

Click here for Activity ideas, probing questions, and examples of shape poems:http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/0876281137_333_336.pdfOnline Activity:Interactive Shape poem creator: http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/shape/

HaikuHaiku: an ancient Japanese form with no rhyme. Haiku often deal with nature. This type of poetry has three lines with a fixed number of syllables:Line 1= 5 syllablesLine 2= 7 syllables Line 3= 5 syllablesThe dying plant bendsAnd drips its dew to the ground It falls like a tear

Haiku-poems can describe almost anything, but you seldom find themes which are too complicated for recognition and understanding. Some of the most thrilling Haiku-poems describe daily situations in a way that gives the reader a brand new experience of a well-known situation.

Haiku-poems consist of respectively 5, 7 and 5 syllables in three units. To write haiku

1. First, get a picture in your mind of a thing or a person that made you angry or sad or happy or glad - "Or maybe you think ... A blanket wrapped around you ... By someone you Love" - can be made into haiku. 2. Write down your image using 10 to 15 words. Then put it into the 5-7-5 form.

3. Try to make others see your picture or idea.

4. An illustration of what you are trying to express might helpHaiku (1)

The old bicycleleaning against the lamp postWill it fall over?

Haiku (2)

When I write haikuI always seem to have onesyllable left o

verHaiku Examples:

http://www.schenectady.k12.ny.us/users/title3/Future%20Grant%20Projects/Projects/Projects/haikulesson_files/frame.htmActivity: After viewing the above link, allow students to go outside your school and take pictures of nature. Allow them to work in small groups to create Haiku poems about their pictures.Examples of other kids who have written Haiku Poems:

http://homepage2.nifty.com/haiku-eg/gardEA4.htmActivity: After looking at these examples, or other examples of Haiku poems, allow students to create a Haiku poem independently about the topic of their choice.

Cinquain PoetryCinquain: a form consisting of five lines. Each has a required number of syllables, and a specific topic. Line 1:Title (noun)- 2 syllablesLine 2: Description- 4 syllables Line 3: Action- 6 syllablesLine 4: Feeling (phrase)- 8 syllablesLine 5: Title (synonym for the title)- 2 syllablesFlowersPretty, fragrantWaiting, watching, weedingEnjoying all the while they growGardens

Click here to see more examples of Cinquain poems and example formats:

http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/davidc/6c_files/Poem%20pics/cinquaindescrip.htmPanic at Midnight

It's darkI'm surroundedby strange shapes and shadowsThere's someone coming up the stairsIt's.... Mom!Activity: What emotion does Panic at Midnight show? Brainstorm other emotions. Work with a partner to write a Cinquain that will show an emotion from the brainstormed list. Share poems with the class and have studens guess the emotion in the poem. Activity:Interview a friend and write a Friendship Cinquain: http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?id=14397&external=http://home.att.net/~teaching/langarts/friendsh.pdf&original=http://www.proteacher.com/070034.shtml&title=Friendship%20Cinquains Online Activity:

Interactive Cinquian Creator: http://www.planning.org/kidsandcommunity/picture_town/default.htm

Free Verse Poetry

Free Verse: poetry without rules of form, rhyme, rhythm, or meter. What do the oceans do at night?Do they tease and tickle the bottom of boats?Do they ripple away in fright?Or are the beaches like coats That keep them still and quietAnd once the day breaks and it's breakfast timeDo the oceans wish for some other diet than fish?

A Snowy Day

A snowy day is whiteA snowy day is snowmen and snow angelsA snowy day is sleddingA snowy day is coldWinter

It is winter.It is winter.Ice and snow.Ice and snow.Not in Pasadena.Not in Pasadena.It's just cold.Wet and cold.

Cold Wear your coat, hat, glovesand scarf. See your breath. My teeth shiver. Listen to the wind blow. The cold smells like frozen snow. Activity: After reading the above examples of free verse poems, allow students to compare and contrast them and discuss what makes free verse poems different. Discuss what makes them poems and not stories? (Written in lines- not paragraphs, creative language, some rhythm, short) Allow students to work in partners or small groups to use one of the three poems as a model to write a free verse poem about spring or summer. Share poems with the class.Pancake

Our class made a pancakewith finely-ground flourand cheese and tomatoeswrapped in it.It had a crinkly edgewith lots of little holesfor the steam to escape.Then Billy knocked the whole lot overbut our teacher rescued itThen we cooked it under a flameand put it in the fridge for later.It was a real work of art.It was our milled, filled, frilled, drilled, spilled, grilled, chilled, skilled pancakeActivity: Read the poem Pancake aloud to students. What makes this a poem and not a story? (Written in lines- not paragraphs, creative language, some rhythm, short) Make or eat a special snack in your classroom, and have students write a free-verse poem about it. Share poems with the class and discuss how different ideas were generated about the same topic.

Other Poetry LinksTry these websites for additional poetry resources. Youll find lesson plans, poetry libraries, and more!This site is a part of Scholastics Teach Now division. Includes lesson plans, thematic poems, and more!http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/k_2theme/poetry.htm Youll find LOADS of poems, ideas for writing poetry, and more here!

http://www.poetryteachers.com/ Lesson plans, additional links, and an interactive Magnetic Poetry Board you wont want to miss can be found on this site!

http://www.readwritethink.org/calendar/calendar_day.asp?id=478 AWESOME lessons and activities for older students!!

http://www.nea.org/webresources/poetry0604.html Poetry Calendar Activity

http://www.theteachersguide.com/poetrymonth.htmReading Poetry:

Interactive Poetry and Comprehension Questions:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/english/activities/poetry.shtmlPoetry Rubric:

http://www.really-fine.com/Poetry-Rubrics.html

Resources:

NewsHour Extra Poetry Site:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june00/poetryboxformexamples.html

The Poetry Zone: HOW TO WRITE POEMS(and how to be a brilliant poet!)by Roger Stevenshttp://www.poetryzone.ndirect.co.uk/howto.htmPoetry at PPST.com:

http://languagearts.pppst.com/poetry.htmlRead a Book, Write a Poem

http://www.mrsmcgowan.com/winterpoems/poems.htmForms of Poetry for Children:

http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/poeform.htmThe Teachers Guide.com

http://www.theteachersguide.com/poetrymonth.htm

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