How are Reading, Writing and Poetry related?. What is Poetry? a type of literature that expresses ideas, feelings, or tells a story in a specific form.

How are Reading, Writing and Poetry

related?

What is Poetry?

• a type of literature that expresses ideas, feelings, or tells a story in a specific form

• Manages to say a lot with just a few carefully chosen words

• Is intended to be read aloud

Poetry is a great way for children to experiment and explore language and develop phonemic awareness (the ability to hear and manipulate individual phonemes). Most children are familiar with nursery rhymes and tongue twisters, but acrostic, shape, couplet, and haiku poems are all fantastic ways to inspire your children and to get them reading and writing.

CoupletDefinition:• A unit of verse consisting of

2 lines that usually rhyme• A couple = 2 people, 2

things, 2 of everything• May be humorous or

serious• Can be song lyrics, jokes, Dr. Seuss books, etc.

Examples:Chocolate candy is sweet and

yummyIt goes down smoothly in my

tummy!

Make that chili good and hotCook it in a Texas pot!

Complete the coupletTwinkle, twinkle ….

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,How I wonder what you are,Up above the world so high,Like a diamond in the sky

Then the traveler in the darkThanks you for your tiny spark; How could he see where to go,If you did not twinkle so?

- Mother Goose

Song Couplet

If it hadn't been for Cotton-Eye Joe I’d been married long time agoWhere did you come from where did you goWhere did you come from Cotton-Eye Joe

-Rednex

Acrostic PoetryDefinition:

• The first letters of each line form a word or message relating to the subject

• The letters of the subject written vertically

• Each line begins with a word or phrase that starts with that letter

• Does not have to rhyme• Simple, based upon one

word

Example:

Music

M y head is full of rhythmU ntil I can barely sit stillS ee me move to the beatI t does the same for othersC an you feel the magic of music?

A fast swimmer B rown-eyed girlB raveY ells for the Blue Devils

Teacher

T akes time to listenE ach student is importantA lot of patienceC ares about learningH as all the answers (or will look it

up!)E ach day a new adventureR eally organized (most of the time!)

Quatrain•Is not some strange train that is taken to “The Land of Qua.”

•“Quatr” means 4

•Has 4 lines with a rhyming pattern of

aabb, abab, aaaa, or abcd

•One of the most common forms of poetry.

Can you guess who spoke in this Quatrain?

Fee, fi, fo, fum,I smell the blood of an

Englishman,Be he alive, or be he

deadI’ll grind his bones to

make my bread.

The mean, giant ogre in “Jack and the Beanstalk”

What are Haikus?

• A 3 line poem consisting of 17 syllables.

• (5-7-5 pattern)

• 1st line = 5 syllables• 2nd line = 7 syllables• 3rd line = 5 syllables

• Ancient Japanese form of poetry

• Typically expresses a single thought, feeling or idea

• Usually has nature themes

• Does not rhyme

Raindrops

Raindrops falling downOn the windowpane making

wonderful music -Jason

Worm

At night, quietly,a worm under the moonlight

digs into a nut. -Basho

Worm

At / night,/ qui / et / ly,a / worm / un / der / the / moon /

lightdigs / in / to / a / nut.

WHY SHOULD I TEACH POETRY? memorizing and reciting poetry builds

confidence poems give children an easy way to remember a lesson or value poems inspire us poems capture emotions and ideas in phrases that are often easy to remember poems offer a chance to build connections within multiple areas of a child’s curriculum you can use poetry to teach grammar and vocabulary

8 Easy steps to teach your kids poetry:

1. Read the poem aloud2. Identify and define words that

students might not know3. Read the poem aloud again4. Summarize the poem5. Discuss the poem6. Ask students for their experiences7. Memorize the poem8. Recite the poem

Writing Tips for Kids

1. Read! 2. Write down all your ideas, quickly, before they escape! 3. Try to write as often as you can. 4. Develop a "first draft checklist".

a. Read your poem over several times quietly. b. Take out the words that don't have power, or

change them. c. Look at every word, especially the verbs (the

action words). d. Ask yourself, "Does my poem say what I want it to

say?" e. Ask, "Does it look like I want it to?" f. Does it sound right?

5. Don't worry about rhyming. 6. Read your poem out loud, to yourself or to a friend. 7. Have someone read your poem to you! 8. Don't give up until your poem is just the way you like it. 9. Put your poem away for a while, maybe even several days or weeks. 10. Share your poem with the world (friends, family, etc.).

Fun Poetry Websites

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/jack_my_poem.htm

http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/poetry/what.html

http://www.gigglepoetry.com/

http://www.poetry4kids.com/index.php

http://www.brainpopjr.com/writing/poetry/poems/grownups.weml#teachers

http://www.laughalotpoetry.com/games.htm

http://www.magneticpoetry.com/kidspoetry/playonline.cfm

http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/math/patterns/limerick/limerick_acttxt.html

http://www.rif.org/readingplanet/gamestation/poetrysplatter/

SickI cannot go to school today.Said little Peggy Ann McKay.I have the measles and the mumps,a gash, a rash and purple bumps.What’s that? What’s that you say?You say today is …Saturday?G’bye, I’m going out to play!

-Shel Silverstein