Immersed in Verse: A Poetry Study

Teacher Resources

Poetry Study

Before students can begin analyzing and creating poetry, they must have a clear vision of what poetry looks like. Students and teachers must spend time reading and getting to know the different forms of poetry. Immerse student with poems of all kinds. Read them aloud, have a variety of poetry books and poems. Provide for differentiation at every level: interest, choice, ability. Create criteria charts and examples for the different kinds of poetry that you study. Draw students attention to the unique characteristics of poetry such as rhyme, rhythm, line breaks, meters, and so on. The direct instruction of key terms helps establish a common vocabulary that will facilitate discussions of poetry throughout this study.

Poetry Resources Poets.org http://www.gigglepoetry.com/ The link More Than Words provides an opportunity/ structure for the students to make inferences about poetry. See Colorin Colorado for more tips on reading poetry with ELLs. http://www.missspott.com/figurativelanguage.html http://www.tooter4kids.com/forms_of_poetry.htm http://www.poemsforchildren.org/ The Children’s Poetry Archive

Mentor Texts: Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel

Silverstein Love That Dog By Sharon Creech Out of the Dust By Karen Hesse I Never Saw Another Butterfly by Hana

Volavkova Yo! Yes! by Chris Raschka Speak to Me by Karen English and Amy

June Bates Marvelous Math: a book of poems by Lee

Bennett Hopkins Wonderful Words selected by Lee Bennett

Hopkins Spectacular Science by Lee Bennett

Hopkins Turtle In July by Marilyn Singer Pirates by David Harrison (Bluebonnet Book

2010) Haiku Hike by written and illustrated by

fourth-grade students of St. Mary's Catholic School in Mansfield, Massachusetts (Scholastic, 2005)

Poetry in the TEKS Third Grade Fourth Grade Fifth Grade

Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Poetry. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of poetry and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. 6(A) describe the characteristics of various forms of poetry and how they create imagery (e.g.,narrative poetry, lyrical poetry, humorous poetry, free verse).

4(A) explain how the structural elements of poetry (e.g., rhyme, meter, stanzas, line breaks) relate to form (e.g., lyrical poetry, free verse).

(5) analyze how poets use sound effects (e.g., alliteration, internal rhyme, onomatopoeia, rhyme scheme) to reinforce meaning in poems.

SEs that were tested and/or dual coded on the Reading STAAR Release tests F19 (D) Reading Comprehension Skills F19 (D) - make inferences about text and use textual evidence to support understanding

Reading Comprehension Skills - make inferences about text and use textual evidence to support understanding

2(B) Reading/Beginning Reading/Strategies - ask relevant questions, seek clarification, and locate facts and details about stories and other texts and support answers wit evidence from text

F19 (F) Reading/Comprehension Skills – make connections (e.g., thematic links, author analysis) between literary and informational texts with similar ideas & provide text evidence

(5) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Theme and Genre - Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about theme and genre in different cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding

Additional SEs that may be tested and/or dual coded with poetry Reporting Category 1• Reading/Vocabulary Development –

4 A,B,C

: Reporting Category 1• Reading/Vocabulary Development –

:

2 A, B, E • Reading/Comprehension of Literary

Text/Literary Nonfiction – 7A

Reporting Category 1• Reading/Vocabulary Development –

:

2 A, B, E • Reading/Comprehension of Literary

Text/Theme and Genre – 3, 3A • Reading/Comprehension Skills – 19F

Reporting Category 2• Reading/Comprehension of Literary

Text/Sensory Language – 10, 10A

:

• Reading/ Media Literacy – 16 • Reading/Comprehension Skills – 19E

Reporting Category 2• Reading/Comprehension of Literary

Text/Theme and Genre – 3, 3A, B

:

• Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Sensory Language – 8, 8A

• Reading/ Media Literacy – 14 • Reading/Comprehension Skills – 19E

Reporting Category 2• Reading/Comprehension of Literary

Text/Theme and Genre – 3C

:

• Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Sensory Language – 8, 8A

• Reading/ Media Literacy – 14 • Reading/Comprehension Skills – 19D,

19E

Reading Poetry Aloud (For Teachers)

Fountas and Pinnell say: When you read new poems, avoid long introductions. Simply read the piece aloud without analyzing it or introducing vocabulary. Read it again, ask for comments, or invite partners to talk with each other. You can ruin poetry by focusing too much attention on what must be learned (Graves 1992). Model the reading of poetry so students can learn to read it for themselves. The following tips will help you read poetry aloud successfully: Read it yourself first and consider the meaning, language, rhythm, and other features of

the poem that you will highlight for your listeners. Convey the meaning of the poem with your voice.

Allow students to hear the poem first before they see it projected or on paper.

Tell them the title and the poet but avoid long, elaborate introductions.

Read in a natural voice, letting your tone convey the mood.

Don’t emphasize the beat; let language provide the rhythm.

Enunciate each word and syllable clearly because each word is important.

Slow down from your normal pace of reading so listeners can savor the words.

Use your voice as a tool; whisper or elongate words as appropriate.

Read the poem several times.

Encourage students to reflect on a poem, but invite a short discussion rather than a long

analysis. Avoid activity extensions of every poem—a few quick comments, a partner share, or a

quick sketch are efficient, enjoyable options.

Responding to Poetry Encourage students to reflect on a poem after reading it aloud together. Short discussions following a poem can be an enjoyable way to highlight word choice and poetic techniques, without getting into long definitions. Allow for open-ended responses, where children can practice the vocabulary of poetry. They may struggle at first, but soon they will talk about the feelings, the tone or mood, the word choice, what the author was trying to convey, etc. Try one of these open-ended questions to get kids talking. Use only one or two questions at a time and let your students build on each other’s comments. What does the poem say to you? How did the poem make you feel? What did the poem make you think about? What did you think about the poem? What did you notice? Were there any words or phrases you especially liked? Does the poem remind you of anything in your life? What do you think the poet was thinking? Who’s talking in the poem? What did you notice about the way the author wrote the poem? By using open-ended questions, you encourage students to express their response in words. You can also have students talk in pairs or small groups about poems, or jot down some thoughts or sketches in their writer’s notebook before or after sharing.

~ from Fountas and Pinnell

The Vocabulary of Poetry - Bilingual (English/Spanish)

From Fountas and Pinnell’s Guiding Readers and Writers, Grades 3-6 As you introduce your students to different types of poetry, gradually introduce the vocabulary of poetry. Rhyme – Two or more words which match in the same last sound (bat, cat, sat). Rima- es el uso de palabras cuyas terminaciones tienen sonidos idénticos o similares (casa, masa, tasa).

Rhythm – The beat or cadence of poetry. A fast rhythm indicates action, excitement, tension, or suspense. A slow rhythm suggests peacefulness, fullness, harmony, and comfort. Often, a change in rhythm signals a change in action or a change in meaning. Ritmo – la repetición regular de silabas acentuadas y no acentuadas dentro de cada verso. Un ritmo rápido indica acción, emoción, tensión o suspenso. Un ritmo lento sugiere tranquilidad, plenitud, harmonía y comodidad. A menudo, un cambio en ritmo señala un cambio de acción o de significado.

Meter – A rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. Métrica-Es el patrón de sílabas acentuadas y sílabas no acentuadas.

Pattern of Rhyme or Rhyme Scheme– (illustrated in the following poem) Excerpt from “Our House” by Dorothy Brown Thompson Our house is small— a The lawn and all a Can scarcely hold the flowers, b Yet every bit, c The whole of it, c Is precious, for it’s ours! b

Patrón de rima o Esquema de Rima– (ilustrado en el siguiente poema) Alla en la fuente From Arroz con leche by Lulu Delacre Allá en la fuente a había un chorrito; b se hacía grandote, a se hacía chiquito; b estaba de mal humor, c pobre chorrito b tenía calor. c

Alliteration – A repetition of consonant sounds, such as “the smooth, skaterly glide and sudden swerve.” (Robert Burleigh, 1997, “Hoops”) Aliteración- Es la repetición de sonidos, especialmente los consonánticos, por ejemplo “Rosas rojas relucen en mi jardín”. Consonance – Repeats the consonant sounds in the final position, such as a “tight, swift, fist.” Rima Consonante- Es la repetición de sonidos consonánticos finales idénticos en una serie de palabras, por ejemplo “valientes, hormigas, cuates”. Assonance – The repetition of vowel sounds, as in the way a person can “bruise and abuse shoes.” (Douglas Florian, 1999, “Shoes”) Rima Asonante- Se produce cuando solo coinciden las vocales de las últimas palabras, a partir de la vocal acentuada, como “Llego al prado. Y corro…corro. No me molesta, porque es otoño

”.

Onomatopoeia – The use of words that imitate the sound of what they represent. Onomatopeya-Palabras como cataplum y clic que imitan el sonido que nombran. Meaning and Emotion – The language of poetry compresses meaning in just a few words. This compact expression intensifies emotion; every word may convey a powerful message. Significado y emoción – El lenguaje de la poesía comprime el significado en solo unas pocas palabras. Esta expresión compacta intensifica la emoción; cada palabra puede transmitir un mensaje impactante. Metaphor – A direct comparison of two unlike things. “All the world’s a stage, and we are merely players.” (William Shakespeare) Metáfora- Compara dos cosas distintas sin usar como. “La cerca es un guardia amigable.” Simile – A comparison of unlike objects using the words like or as. “She is as beautiful as a sunrise.” Símil- Compara dos cosas distintas con como. “La cerca se veía como una sonrisa repleta de dientes.” Personification – Language that gives human characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, or concepts. Personificación- Hace que algo que no es humano lo parezca. “La cerca sonreía con dientes blancos y brillantes.”

Stanza — In poetry, each line of words is placed within a stanza

Estrofa — En la poesía, cada

, a group of lines that convey an idea.

verso de palabras forma parte de una estrofa

, un grupo de líneas que comunican una idea.

White space – Indicates that the writer wants the reader to pause or be silent for a second. Espacio blanco– Indica que el escritor quiere que el lector pause o guarde silencio por un segundo. Line Break – The place where the poet chooses to end a line, often used to indicate rhythm or to represent meaning. Encabalgamientos –El sitio donde el poeta elige terminar una línea, a menudo para indicar ritmo o representar significado.

The Forms of Poetry “The best way to expose students to new forms is to read examples to them. Only after you have experienced poetry can you begin to write it for yourself. Avoid beginning with formulaic poetry. A lasting love for reading and writing poetry will come from rich experiences with free verse prior to the study of other forms.” (Fountas and Pinnell) Note: These are not the only forms of poetry, but they are the most common forms that young children will encounter. Free Verse – Poetry that does not rhyme and has no regular rhythm. In free verse, the poet creates the rules, drawing on his intuitive sense of how the poem should look, sound, and express meaning. Verso libre – Poesía que no rima y no tiene ritmo regular. En verso libre, el poeta crea las reglas, utilizando su sentido intuitivo de cómo el poema se debe ver, sonar y expresar significado. Lyric Poetry – Personal and descriptive poetry; it helps the reader feel through the senses. Lyric poetry showcases melodic language that conveys a sense of song. Poesía lírica – Poesía personal y descriptiva; ayuda al lector a sentir a través de los sentidos. La poesía lirica exhibe lenguaje melódico que comunica un sentido de canto. Narrative Poetry – Tells a story or a sequence of events. Poemas narrativos – Cuenta una historia o secuencia de eventos. Limericks – Humorous poems that are structured in five lines. The first and second lines rhyme, as do the third and fourth. The fifth line yields a surprise ending or humorous statement and rhymes with the first two lines. Limerik– Poema humoristico de cinco lineas. El primer verso y el segundo verso riman, igual que el tercero y el cuarto. La quinta línea aporta un final sorprendente o una oración graciosa y rima con las primeras dos líneas. Cinquain – The form of this poem is built on the number of syllables. The five lines of the cinquain have, respectively, two, four, six, eight, and two syllables.

Quintilla –La forma de este poema está construida a base del número de sílabas. Tiene una determinada cantidad de sílabas en cada verso: dos, cuatro, seis, ocho, y dos. Concrete Poems – Dramatically represent meaning not only by the way words sound but how they look. The print of the poem itself takes shape as a collage or picture that conveys meaning. Caligrama – Representa dramáticamente el significado no solo por la manera que suenan las palabras sino también por su apariencia. La manera en que se imprime el poema toma forma como un collage o imagen que transmite el significado. Found Poems – Pieces of writing that were not intended as poems but appear in the environment for us to discover. You can find “poems” in newspaper ads, on signs, or in the written and oral language your students use. Poemas encontrados– Se refiere a piezas de escritura que no fueron escritos como poemas pero que aparecen en el ambiente para que los descubramos. Pueden encontrar “poemas” en anuncios de periódico, letreros o en el lenguaje oral o escrito utilizado por sus estudiantes. Haiku – A style of poetry that originated in Japan. It uses simple language, contains no rhyme, and rarely includes metaphor. A haiku has three lines. The first and third lines are the same length and the middle one is a little longer. Frequently, a haiku has a syllable structure of five, seven, and five. Haiku – Es un estilo de poesía que se originó en Japón. Utiliza lenguaje sencillo, no contiene rima y casi nunca incluye metáfora. Los poemas haiku se escriben en tres versos. Por lo general, el primer y el tercer verso tienen cinco sílabas y el segundo tiene siete sílabas List Poem – This poem may be rhymed or unrhymed, short or long. It may list objects, a series of events, specific characteristics, or any other set of items. Poema en lista – Este poema puede rimar o no rimar, ser corto o largo. Puede incluir objetos, una serie de acontecimientos, características específicas o cualquier otra serie de artículos.

Four Elements to Make a Successful Poem 1. Central Idea (Theme) This is the focus of the poem. It is the main idea of the piece and everything in the poem relates to that idea and reinforces it.

2. Purpose - Who is your audience and what do you want to tell them? - What is your theme? - How can you support your theme with poetic elements?

The most common purposes are to persuade, to entertain, and to inform. To help writers determine their purpose, have them use their theme and write one prose paragraph as if they were trying to persuade their reader about their theme. Then have writers write another paragraph as if they were trying to entertain the reader about their theme. Finally, have writers write a prose paragraph as if they were trying to inform the reader. This activity will help them decide what they want to tell their audience about their topic. (Example: Theme of ‘A dog makes a good pet.’ Write one paragraph to persuade someone to love dogs as much as you do. Write another paragraph to entertain the reader about a special dog in your life, and the funny way he looks, the crazy things he does, etc. Write another paragraph to describe dogs in general.)

3. Mood Purpose and mood will combine to complete the poem.

- How do you feel about the theme? - Is the theme serious, funny, sad? - Are you explaining something? - What effect do you want your poem to have on the reader? - How can you ‘flavor’ or ‘figure’ your poem to make it

spooky/suspenseful or touching/inspiring?

4. Form Which poetic form will you use to best achieve the mood, fulfills the

purpose, and supports the theme you’ve determined?

~ adapted from http://volweb.utk.edu/school/bedford/harrisms/lesson14.htm

Poetry Reading Strategies

Preview the poem by reading the title and paying attention to the poem’s form: shape on the page, stanzas, number of lines and ending punctuation.

Read poem aloud several times to hear rhyme, rhythm, and the overall sound of the poem. This makes it easier to understand the poem.

Visualize the images by paying close attention to strong verbs, and comparisons in poem. Do the images remind you of anything? Let the comparisons paint a picture in your head.

Clarify words and phrases by allowing yourself to find the meaning of words or phrases that stand out, are repeated, or you do not understand the meaning. Use dictionary, context clues, teacher or peer.

Evaluate the poem’s theme by asking what message is the poet trying to send or help you understand? Does it relate to your life in any way?

Rereading a Poem

Every poem is worthy of a second reading or more. Here’s why: With the first reading of a poem, a or reader gains An overview of rhythm, rhyme, subject and theme Familiarity with tone, style and mood A general, broad impression of the poem

With the second and subsequent readings, a reader can Experience heightened enjoyment Focus on the specifics of the rhyme scheme Listen for appealing, intriguing, or unusual words Listen for the use of imagery and figurative language Savor the sounds of words, phrases, and repetition Increase understanding, make inferences and derive

deeper meaning Commit certain words and phrases to memory Practice reading skills Improve fluency (and thus comprehension)

Examples of Poetry Questions on STAAR

Question Stems for Poetry from STAAR Release tests • The poet includes this line most

likely to show that …(6, 19D) • What is the main message in the

poem? (5, 19D) • Lines 11 through 16 are

included in the poem because they…(6, 19D)

• Which word best describes the feeling that the poet creates in this poem? (6, 19D)

• The poet titled this poem “XXX” most likely because…(6, 19D)

• The reader can tell that the poem is written in ____ form because …(4A)

• Which poetic structure is found in the poem? (4A)

• The paragraph above the title of the poem is included to… (4, 19D)

• What is one difference between the poem and the selection? (19F)

• Both the poem and the selection express the importance of…(19F)

There were no release items for poetry; however the same questions as those in 3rd grade apply, as well as the ones in 4th grade, with the exception of the 1st two bullets.

Possible Question Stems • What form of poetry is this

poem? (6) • What images in your mind were

created by reading this poem? (6)

• Which line or lines created this image for you? (6)

• Which words in this poem made you feel like you could almost (smell, hear, see) __? (10A)

• How did you feel when you read ____? (10A)

• What is the best summary of this poem? (19E)

• The same questions as 3rd above apply.

• What do the characters in __ and __ have in common? (7A)

• What is one similarity between the events in the poem and the selection? (7A)

• What was the message in this poem?(3A)

• Which line from the poem has an example of a simile/metaphor? (8A)

• The picture(s) in the poem show…(14)

• What is the best summary of this poem?(19E)

• What do the lessons/themes in __ and __ have in common? (3A)

• A theme found in both the poem and the selection is…(3A)

• The historical context of this poem is important because…(3C)

• The phrase “__” is important because…(8A)

• Which line in the poem told the reader that ____was afraid? (19D)

• What is the best summary of this poem? (19E)

Lessons

More than Words

Share the following poems with the whole class/ group (with a projector or on chart paper/ poster). Have a volunteer read it aloud, you read it aloud, then have another volunteer read it aloud. (Hearing a poem read by a variety of voices helps students to tap into the thoughts and voice of the poet.)

1. As students listen, have them think about what images, sounds, smells, and feelings (both physical and mental) come into their minds.

2. Have students also think about how the poet shaped the poem on paper and how that affects the poem.

Once you have shared the poems, students listening carefully, have the students use these questions/statements to analyze one or two of the poems.

1. What pictures come into your mind as you hear the poem?

2. Describe some of the sounds you might hear if you were “in” the poem.

3. What might a character in the poem smell during the events?

4. How does the poem make you feel? What emotions does it make you feel (e.g. frustration, fear, excitement, loneliness, silliness, etc.)? What physical things might you feel (e.g. temperatures, textures, etc.)?

5. How did the structure of the poem (form of poem, such as haiku; rhyme pattern, stanzas, meter, etc.) affect understanding of these things?

For each answer, have them explain what part(s) of the poem helped them to “see, hear, smell, and feel” these things.

TEKS: 4.4A; F19D

Splish Splash Splosh

Splittering, pattering, Wittering, nattering, Tumbling, bumbling, Rain comes thundering, Splish splash splosh, Crashing, splashing, Gurgling, plunging, Down from the clouds In one big rush, Storm clouds bellowing Running over everything, Crashes of thunder Bring down more, Tittering, bittering, Flittering, scuttering, Rain comes shuddering, Everyone soaking, Splish splash splosh. Used with permission by: Tony on the Moon http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tonyonthemoon/Index.html

Suddenly

Suddenly now I hear a cow, The song of summer In my eyes, The smell of hay A dawning day, Where squirrels scratch And chickens hatch, Beneath A summer sun, Dancing bats Summer hats, A crow’s long nose A tree’s new leaves, Boxing hares New deck chairs, The dancing hours Of chocolate flowers, Reflect A summer sun. Used with permission by: Tony on the Moon http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tonyonthemoon/Index.html

Dreams

Midnight, Fear and mystery shrouded all in shadow, Sunlight eclipsed by the moon. The black wolf’s shadow, Like onyx, Unchanging, Solitary, Changes into a snake, Bringer of death and chaos. A dragon takes flight, Illuminating the forest in shadowfire. Snake, wolf, and dragon merge and create, An embodiment of shadow, Me, Keeper of the shadow land. Used with permission by: Crystal 5th grade student- Austin ISD

Friends… or Not

No invitation? But I thought we were best friends forever! An all day party? Pizza A movie Swimming in the neighborhood pool But I thought we were best friends forever! Still nothing in the mail, Mom? Are you sure? But I thought we were best friends forever! Joe’s invited? and Mary? and Stephen? But I thought we were best friends forever! What, Mom? Mail? For me? Are you sure? I was mixed up with your mail? Since Monday? No joke? Invited Can’t wait I need to get a gift I guess we Really are best friends. Anonymous

Understanding Line Break By Paul B. Janeczko

Another aspect of free verse that young writers need to learn about is line break. At first, much of students’ free verse will look like prose. They will ask, “How do we know where to end the line?” Unlike rhyming poetry, there really is no rule for line break. There is only this bit of advice: Words that belong together, that somehow make sense together, should be placed together on a line. That might mean six words or a dozen words or only one word. That might mean a complete sentence or a phrase.

While poets have many reasons for breaking lines the way they do, there are a few reasons that seem most prominent: It is logical to break after a sentence or phrase. You might want to emphasize a word or phrase by putting it at the end of

a line. Line breaks can be used in place of punctuation. A line break in an unexpected place can help create surprise or humor or

irony in a poem. Line breaks may be part of the organic shape of a poem.

Knowing where to break lines takes practice. Read and write free verse with your students, and continually ask them why they think the poet has placed words where he or she has.

Line Break Practice

To introduce line break, take a free verse poem and rewrite it to look like prose. Do not change any of the words or punctuation. Merely “un-arrange” the poem to look like a paragraph. Here’s what to do with “The Big Field” by Donald Graves. Mr. Gammons mows the big field with his tractor, then rakes and bundles hay for the barn. George and I grab our bats, gloves, and balls and race across the field like major leaguers in spring training. We hit long flies to each other all afternoon, never lose a ball in the stubble, and don’t stop until Mother calls us for supper.

Project the unarranged poem onto a screen. Read it aloud a couple of times, so that kids can begin to see and hear how some words go together. Then, ask the kids to tell you where they think a line break should go. Someone may suggest that you put a line break wherever there is punctuation. Mark those line breaks with a slash and ask others to suggest other line breaks. After adding as many line breaks as they’re willing to suggest, project the poem onto the screen so students can see the way the poet broke the lines.

The Big Field

Mr. Gammons mows the big field with his tractor, then rakes and bundles hay for the barn. George and I grab our bats, gloves, and balls and race across the filed like major leaguers in spring training. We hit long flies to each other all afternoon, never lose a ball in the stubble, and don’t stop until Mother calls us for supper.

- Donald Graves

Topic: State Fair

Read the State Fair poem. Use this graphic organizer to collect sensory language that helps the reader create imagery.

See

Hear

Smell

Taste

Feel

Feelings

State Fair The energy— thousands of people swarming about Moms pushing strollers couples holding hands teenagers bored with excitement kids running back and forth, around in circles laughing Eyes wide open— screaming, Big Tex smiles and waves hot and sweaty. “Howdy Folks!” cotton candy, corn dogs each ride sings its own music Ferris Wheel stops at the top “Hurry! Hurry! Step right up!” sticky and sunburned. Everything at once— auto show carmel apples, nachos farm animals extreme rides squeal in delight “Announcing! The beginning of a show!” ice cream cone, funnel cake BMX bike show pig races spin the wheel toss the rings Long day ending— shoot the ball one more ride “I won! I won!” on the carousel, stuff the Snoopy under my arm enough of chili and cheese fries the fried food Texas Skyway the sweet cakes, thirsty, the voices and laughter dusty and dirty. of a thousand people fading away, slowing down, dragging feet, dragging Snoopy, hot and sweaty, sticky, sunburned, dusty, dirty, “Where’s the car?”

Topic: State Fair

See Big Tex Ferris Wheel Thousands of people Auto Show Bike Show Farm Animals Crafts Rides – Texas Skyway, Extreme Rides, Carousel Games

Hear “Hurry, hurry! Step right up!” People laughing People screaming (on rides) Music playing An announcer shouting the beginning of a performance Everything is loud

Smell Fried food Sweet cakes Beer Animal smells in the barns Straw in the barns

Taste Cotton Candy Corn Dogs Ice Cream Cones Funnel Cakes Soda Carmel Apples Nachos Chili & Cheese Fries

Feel Hot Sweaty Sticky Sun burned Dusty Dirty

Feelings Excited Lots of energy Want to do everything at once Eyes are wide

Analyze a Poem to Write a Poem

Students may use this graphic organizer to analyze the different

elements found within a poem they either find on their own or

are assigned to read. They read the poem as many times as

necessary to determine the ‘Theme or Big Idea’ of the poem. This ‘Big Idea’ is written in the

center of the graphic organizer. Next students find words or phrases within the poem that fit

into each category around the ‘Big Idea’. Finally, they look for words or phrases that relate to or

compare to the theme they are thinking about for the next poem they will write. This sets the

student up to think about how the elements in the poem they have read can help them with the

poem they are about to write.

For some students, this may be enough of an inspiration to get their writing underway. For

others who need help to get their own ideas flowing, these students can use this same graphic

organizer to brainstorm ideas for the poem they will write. Again, they write their ‘Theme or

Big Idea’ in the center. Then they write any words or phrases they can think of that could be

used as ‘Imagery or The Use of Senses’ related to their ‘Big Idea’. They continue to add words

and phrases that describe ‘Feelings or Emotions’, ‘Personal Experiences’, and ‘Descriptive

Words’. These words and phrases can then be used to draft a poem.

Analyze a Poem to Write a Poem

Imagery or Use of Senses Feelings, Emotions

Theme or

‘Big Idea’

Personal Experience Descriptive Words

Things that relate to or compare to the theme of your next poem:

Poems

Poem Titles and Objectives

Title of Poem Learning Objectives Use these poems to help students understand:

Give Me Normal/Quiero algo normal Structure: free verse, narrative (tells a story), imagery, inference

If I Built a Village/ Si yo constuyera una aldea

Structure: free verse, imagery, sensory/descriptive language (visualization), inference

From the Bellybutton of the Moon/Del ombligo de la luna

Structure: free verse, theme, stanzas (3 lines), line breaks, sensory language, inference, humor

Old Crow Warriors/Antiguos guerreros cros

Structure: free verse, imagery/descriptive language (visualization), inference

The Giant Jam Sandwich/El sándwich gigante de mermelada

Structure: narrative, rhythm, rhyme scheme, onomatopoeia, alliteration, punctuation, humor and exaggeration

Darkness Is My Friend/ La oscurídad es mí amiga

Structure: narrative, figurative language, perspective, tone, imagery, inference, theme

The Mother of the Movement/La madre del movimiento

Structure: narrative, imagery, figurative language, tone, mood and emotion, inference, theme

Long Trip/Largo viaje Structure: lyrical, figurative language, alliteration, repetition

Walk Lightly/Camaina con delicadeza Structure: lyrical (chant, prayer), personification, repetition, theme, inference,

The Sure-Footed Shoe Finder/El buscador de zapatos

Structure: lyrical, rhyme scheme (couplets), rhythm/meter, humor, onomatopoeia,

Writers/Escritoras Structure: lyrical, rhythm and rhyme scheme, stanzas, emphasis, theme, inference

Some Rivers/Algunos rios Structure: lyrical, rhythm/meter, rhyme scheme, theme, inference, vivid verbs

A Word to the Wise/A los prudentes Structure: lyrical, rhythm, rhyme, imagery, riddle (inference), stanza

At the Flick of a Switch/Con sólo tocar un botón

Structure: lyrical, rhyme scheme, rhythm, onomatopoeia,

A Symphony of Trees/Una sinfonía de árboles

Structure: lyrical, rhyme scheme(s), comparison to music, rhythm, inference

Tradition/Tradición Structure: lyrical, rhythm, rhyme, symbolism, heritage theme, inference

The Círcle and the Poles/El circulo y los polos

Structure: lyrical, rhythm and rhyme, personification, figurative language, stanza, humor, inference

All But Blind/Toda menos ciego Structure: lyrical, rhythm/rhyme, assonance and consonance, theme/message, inference

Debajo del porche (Spanish only) Structure: narrative, sensory language, tone/theme

El corridor (Spanish only) Structure: lyrical, figurative language, repetition, inference

A Cat in my Lap (English only) Structure: lyrical, rhythm, rhyme scheme, humor, imagery

Bats (The Good Guys) English only Structure: lyrical, rhythm, rhyme scheme, inference

Something to Remember English only Structure: lyrical, rhythm, rhyme scheme, inference, theme

The Crocodile English only Structure: lyrical, humorous, rhythm, rhyme

Big Bully Joe English only Structure: lyrical, rhythm, rhyme, theme

Buffalo Dusk Structure: free verse, imagery, theme, repetition

Camping Structure: free verse, imagery, repetition, line breaks, humor

The Fish with the Deep-Sea Smile Structure: lyrical, rhyme and rhythm,

The Invisible Beast Structure: lyrical, rhyme and rhythm, imagery

Stems to Use When Discussing Poems with Students • The poet includes this line most likely to show that … • What is the main message in the poem? • Lines _ through _ are included in the poem because they… • Which word best describes the feeling that the poet creates in this

poem? • The poet titled this poem “XXX” most likely because… • What form of poetry is this poem? • What images in your mind were created by reading this poem? • Which line or lines created this image for you? • Which words in this poem made you feel like you could almost

(smell, hear, see) __? • How did you feel when you read ____? • What is the best summary of this poem? • The reader can tell that the poem is written in ____ form because … • Which poetic structure is found in the poem? • The paragraph above the title of the poem is included to… • What is one difference between the poem and the selection? • Both the poem and the selection express the importance of… • What do the characters in __ and __ have in common? • What is one similarity between the events in the poem and the

selection? • What was the message in this poem? • Which line from the poem has an example of a simile/metaphor? • The picture(s) in the poem show… • What do the lessons/themes in __ and __ have in common? • A theme found in both the poem and the selection is… • The historical context of this poem is important because… • The phrase “__” is important because… • Which line in the poem told the reader that ____was __?

POEM : A Cat in My Lap by Karen Boxell I know I have a lot to do, So many things - see them through. There are clothes to clean, grass to mow, Cookies to bake, seeds to sow. But I really can't do all these things in a snap. Because, you see, there's a cat in my lap. He stretches and rolls and gives me a wink, From his sleepy gold eyes - just a small blink. I smooth his long tail and tickle his tummy, He yawns and purrs to tell me that's yummy. The telephone rings. The paper boy taps. No move do I make. There's a cat in my lap. Bright sunlight dances across the floor, To warm my small friend just a bit more. A happy prisoner am I in my chair - Some moments of peace - not a care. I think I'll take a little nap, With this soft, furry ball, a cat in my lap.

Bats (The Good Guys)

by Virginia Calder

On a warm summer night, from towns east to west,

The mosquitoes will bite without stopping to rest.

But at twilight the bats are out ready to eat Those annoying mosquitoes before they retreat.

Echolocation is a bats way Of sending out echoes that bounce off its prey.

When sound waves return to its ears a bat knows Where a flying bug is and can track where it goes.

As they zoom through the night with eyes so keen, They swoop to the ground to eat bugs they've

seen.

One little brown bat will often devour Hordes of mosquitoes in just an hour.

There's never a danger when bats are in flight. It's bugs, not people they attack in the night.

The farmer is pleased because bats are hi pride, They prove much better than a pesticide.

Something To Remember by Arden Davidson The other day at recess, I fell flat on my face. The other children gathered 'round to laugh at my disgrace. The other day in homeroom, I fell out of my chair. The other children gathered 'round to laugh at my despair. The other day, in math class, I sat atop a pin. The other children gathered 'round to laugh at my chagrin. I could have cried. Instead, I laughed with dignity and rhythm. Because no one can be laughing at you when you're laughing with 'em.

The Crocodile by Roald Dahl

'No animal is half as vile As Crocky–Wock, the crocodile. On Saturdays he likes to crunch Six juicy children for his lunch And he especially enjoys Just three of each, three girls, three boys. He smears the boys (to make them hot) With mustard from the mustard pot. But mustard doesn't go with girls, It tastes all wrong with plaits and curls. With them, what goes extremely well Is butterscotch and caramel. It's such a super marvelous treat When boys are hot and girls are sweet. At least that's Crocky's point of view He ought to know. He's had a few. That's all for now. It's time for bed. Lie down and rest your sleepy head. Ssh. Listen. What is that I hear, Galumphing softly up the stair? Go lock the door and fetch my gun! Go on child, hurry! Quickly run! No stop! Stand back! He's coming in! Oh, look, that greasy greenish skin! The shining teeth, the greedy smile! It's Crocky–Wock, the Crocodile!'

Big Bully Joe by Arden Davidson Big Bully Joe is a kid I know who’s as mean as a grizzly bear. He’s tall and he’s strong. We just don’t get along. There’s not one thing in common we share. When a baby’s diaper falls off, you know Joe took out the pins. Joe likes to torture little ones that’s how he gets his grins. When there’s gum in someone’s hair, you know it’s Joe who blew the bubble. When the teacher shouts “who did this?” you know Big Joe’s in big trouble. When a food does not agree with Joe he argues till he wins. He likes to fight. He also likes to kick dogs in their shins. He calls out horrid names to kids just doing their own thing. If he saw an injured bird, he’d likely break it’s other wing. Big Bully Joe is a kid I know who doesn’t have one single friend. But I heard Kelly Mayer put a tack on his chair. Guess he’ll pay for it all in the end!

Buffalo Dusk By Carl Sandburg

The buffaloes are gone.

And those who saw the buffaloes are gone.

Those who saw the buffaloes by thousands and how they

pawed the prairie sod into dust with their hoofs,

their great heads down pawing on in a great pageant

of dusk,

Those who saw the buffaloes are gone.

And the buffaloes are gone.

Camping by Steven Herrick

For years I’ve wanted to go camping –

a camping vacation

with a tent

a sleeping bag

a fishing rod (for catching dinner).

I’ve wanted to build a fire

tell stories late into the night

go to sleep with one eye on the stars

to hear the wind whistling in the trees

and listen for…

What’s that?

that creep, and crack of dead branches

as closer it comes

its shadow bigger than a giant on the tent wall

its huge feet stomping outside

Its belly rumbling with hunger

and the ROAR

its claws ripping tent walls…

For years I’ve wanted to go camping –

a camping vacation

but you know, nothing too hard,

so here we are, me and Dad

In the backyard!

The Fish with the Deep-Sea Smile By Margaret Wise Brown

They fished and they fished! Way down in the sea Down in the sea mile They fished among all the fish in the sea For the fish with the deep-sea smile. One fish came up from the deep of the sea From down in the sea a mile It had blue eyes And whiskers three But never a deep-sea smile. One fish came up from the deep of the sea From down in the sea a mile With electric lights up and down its tail But never a deep-sea smile. They fished and they fished Way down in the sea Down in the sea a mile They fished among all the fish in the sea

One fish came up with terrible teeth One fish with long, strong jaws One fish came up with long stalked eyes One fish with terrible claws They fished all through the ocean deep For many and many a mile And they caught a fish with a laughing eye But none with a deep-sea smile. And then one day they got a pull From down in the sea a mile And when they pulled the fish into the boat HE SMILED A DEEP-SEA SMILE. And as his smiled, the hook got free And then, what a deep-sea smile! He flipped his tail and swam away Down in the sea a mile.

The Invisible Beast by Jack Prelutsky

The beast that is invisible

is stalking through the park,

but you cannot see it coming

though it isn’t very dark.

Oh you know it’s out there somewhere

though just why you cannot tell,

but although you cannot see it

it can see you very well.

You sense its frightful features

and its great ungainly form,

and you wish that you were home now

where it’s cozy, safe and warm.

And you know it’s coming closer

for you smell its awful smell,

and although you cannot see it,

it can see you very well.

Oh your heart is beating faster,

beating louder than a drum,

for you hear its footsteps failing

and your body’s frozen numb.

And you cannot scream for terror

and your fear you cannot quell,

for although you cannot see it,

it can see you very well.

From Pathways (purchased for AISD campuses)

Spanish Poems