Where Poetry Hides For Me

This month in all Indiana schools, the children in many classrooms will be taking the state test. Doing writing during that time can be difficult. For that reason, many are turning to the more relaxed, pleasure of teaching poetry.

I remember when I first taught poetry to my second graders.  I tried all the usual types: acrosstic, haiku, rhyming, you get the idea. However, when I began using the non-rhyming poems, that is when both boys and girls fell in love with poetry. That is my wish for your children. Does that mean we don't teach those other types?  Of course not.  It is just an easier way to get the children "hooked" on poetry!  Here is a lesson that I started out with.  Try it and see what your students think!

Lesson: Beginning Poetry

Materials: overhead of my: Where Poetry Hides for Me; copies of various kids’ poetry showing variety of subjects on overheads

 CONNECTION:

You have been doing a lot of writing in your room.  Today we are going to talk about a different type of writing.  It is called poetry.  I love poetry because I can say things with poetry that I can’t say any other way.  The lines are short and usually I don’t have to worry that much about punctuation.  I get ideas for poetry everywhere.
TEACHING:
Today I want to talk to you about where we get our ideas for poems that we might write.  I like to think of it as, where poetry hides.  Yes, hides!  Poetry is everywhere!  Lots of times I find poems when I am outside. It seems like nature is a place where poetry hides for me.  I can see poems on my morning walks with my dog.  I can see poems when I sit outside under a tree and watch the sky.  Poems can be in the food I eat.  Poems might be around the Christmas tree or in the rain falling in big drops.
I'mgoing to show you what I do first when I get ready to write a poem.  I go to my notebook and look at a list I have made. I call the list: Where Poetry Hides For Me.  Look at this list. (Show it and go over list.)
Maybe you don’t have a list like I do.  That is something we are going to work on today.  First, I want to show you some poems that some kids have written.  Where do you think these poems were hidden? (Go over the overheads and let children talk about the topics.)
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT:
Think for a minute where you think poetry hides for you.  Who has an idea?  (Let them turn and talk about some ideas and then share a few with the group.)
LINK:
Now when you go back to your seats, get out a paper (or notebook) and start your list like mine.  I am going to give you some time to do that and then we will share our lists.

For sharing time use the “whip share”.  Sit in circle and each child gives one idea from the page.  The others may add an idea they liked from a friend’s list.