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Classroom idea for poetry
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From: 4joyces_at_mchsi.com <4joyces>
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 20:08:32 +0000
When I go into schools for poetry residencies, I often find that the library has great poetry books but they aren't being read. One way I encourage "poetry finding" is a device called a Poetry Pocket. I go buy a stack of colorful envelopes at a discount paper store and stamp them with a butterfly stamp. Into each envelope goes a small copy of one of my favorite children's poems.
I tell the kids the first day that if they find a poem and copy it out for me, they can trade it for a Pocket Pocket, and I will use their poem for future Poetry Pockets. If they bring in another poem another day, I give them an additional poem they can put in their Pocket.
Some of them take this very seriously, finding all sorts of stuff--not just Jack Prelutsky but Lucille Clifton and Carl Sandburg. In my last 4th grade residency, I was swamped! I had to copy poems every night to keep up!! It was great. If we have time, the kids will read the poems they found out loud and tell why they liked them.
This dovetails nicely with a week of reading poetry out loud, writing group poems, and individual writing. For more experiences in the classroom and thoughts on the importance of teaching kids poetry, go to http://www.joycesidman.com/teachers.html.
Joyce Sidman www.joycesidman.com
Received on Mon 18 Apr 2005 03:08:32 PM CDT
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 20:08:32 +0000
When I go into schools for poetry residencies, I often find that the library has great poetry books but they aren't being read. One way I encourage "poetry finding" is a device called a Poetry Pocket. I go buy a stack of colorful envelopes at a discount paper store and stamp them with a butterfly stamp. Into each envelope goes a small copy of one of my favorite children's poems.
I tell the kids the first day that if they find a poem and copy it out for me, they can trade it for a Pocket Pocket, and I will use their poem for future Poetry Pockets. If they bring in another poem another day, I give them an additional poem they can put in their Pocket.
Some of them take this very seriously, finding all sorts of stuff--not just Jack Prelutsky but Lucille Clifton and Carl Sandburg. In my last 4th grade residency, I was swamped! I had to copy poems every night to keep up!! It was great. If we have time, the kids will read the poems they found out loud and tell why they liked them.
This dovetails nicely with a week of reading poetry out loud, writing group poems, and individual writing. For more experiences in the classroom and thoughts on the importance of teaching kids poetry, go to http://www.joycesidman.com/teachers.html.
Joyce Sidman www.joycesidman.com
Received on Mon 18 Apr 2005 03:08:32 PM CDT
