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What poetry does at its very best is to make
the reader feel. Feel deeply and truly.
Jane Yolen
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| Poetry Break #26 |
A shape or concrete poem
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a water- fall is very tall it starts out at the top it falls and falls and falls and falls until it has to STOP and then it does a kind of HOP a CRASH a SMASH a giant SPLASH!
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WATERFALLGraham, Joan. 1994. Splish Splash. Illus. by Steve Scott. Ticknor & Fields: New York. ISBN: 0395701287.
Extension
The ocean, rivers, and lakes are very popular units in elementary school. As you are studying the water system, keep a running vocabulary list so that students can write their own poems about water.
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| Poetry Break #27 |
A free verse poem
Introduction
Go outside on the playground while reading this poem.
Hose
The hose
Can squeeze
Water to
A silver rod
That digs
Hard holes
In the mud,
Or muzzled
Tighter by
The nozzle,
Can rain
Chill diamond
Chains
Across the yard,
Or, fanned
Out fine,
Can hang
A silk
Rainbow
Halo
Over soft fog.
Worth, Valerie. 1988. Hoses. In Tomie de Paola's book of poems. G.P. Putnam's Sons: New York. ISBN 0399215409.
Extension
Illustrate the poem using the water hose. Make chains and a rainbow. Allow students to hold the hose and demonstrate the different examples from the story. Be sure to set up ground rules before allowing students to handle the hose. Have fun! It's only water. Students can write about some water experience when they return to the room.
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| Poetry Break #28 |
A poem written and published by a child
Introduction
Mattie is an extraordinary eleven year old. Although he suffers from a life-threatening illness, he continues to share his hopes and dreams of world peace and harmony through poetry. Make sure students have a copy of this poem in front of them. Read this poem aloud and then encourage students to read it silently before discussing the poem and the life of Mattie.
Believing for the Journey
by Mattie J.T. Stepanek
Everyday,
Everyone in the world
Should do at least
One thing nice for others.
Doing so can help each person
Believe in himself or herself
More fully, and
Give confidence that may
Inspire each person
To do more and
more new and good things
For the self,
For others, and
For the world.
Those positive attitudes
And actions
Can be the first of many steps
Towards the journey
For world peace
And world peace,
Harmony, and
Confidence are essential
For our future.
May 2000
Stepanek, Matthew J.T. 2001. Journey through the heartsongs by Mattie J.T. Stepanek: Poet and peacemaker. Hyperion: New York. ISBN 189362210X.
Extension
This is a great time to talk about students with differences. Allow students to talk more about Mattie's condition. Share his books with the students and allow them to read more poems written by this young poet.
------ 2002. Hope through heartsongs. Hyperion: New York. ISBN 1786869445.
Return to top| Poetry Break #29 |
A classic and contemporary poem meet
Introduction
The teacher should asks the students, "Who is nobody? Can anyone describe what nobody looks like?" Read the first poem aloud.
I'm Nobody, Who are You?
I'm Nobody, Who are You?
Are you nobody too?
Then there's a pair of us--
don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog.
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
Dickinson, Emily. 1994. Emily Dickinson: Poetry for young people. ed. Frances Bolin. Illus. Chi Chung. ISBN: 0806906359.
Extension- Define banish and bog from the following poem. Now read the next poem aloud.
Nobody
Nobody loves me
Nobody cares,
Nobody picks me peaches and pears.
Nobody offers me candy and cokes,
Nobody listens and laughs at my jokes.
Nobody helps when I get in a fight,
Nobody does all my homework at night.
Nobody misses me,
Nobody cries
Nobody thinks I'm a wonderful guy.
So if you ask me who's my best friend, in a whiz,
I'll stand up and tell you that Nobody is,
But yesterday night I got quite a scare,
I woke up and Nobody just wasn't there.
I called out and reached out for Nobody's hand,
In the darkness where Nobody usually stands.
Then I poked through the house,in each cranny and nook,
But I found somebody each place that I looked.
I searched till I'm tired, and now with the dawn,
There's no doubt about it--
Nobody's gone.
Silverstein, Shel. 1981. Nobody. In A Light in the attic. Harper Collins: New York. ISBN 0060256737.
| Poetry Break #30 |
A poem by Renee Newry
Introduction
As you read this poem, spread a backpack with school supplies out on the table. This is a great introduction to talking about school supplies and rules.
School Supplies
by Renee Newry
My mommy took me to the store,
To purchase school supplies.
She dropped me off and said to me,
Go pick them out, be wise.
I looked at the list,
That we created,
And I was ready to buy.
But there is just one little problem,
I think I am going to cry.
Paper: wide rule or college rule?
Pencils: mechanical or jumbo?
Notebook: 70 sheets or 180?
Glue: 8 oz. bottle or glue stick?
Markers: fineline or bold?
Scissors: sharp or blunt?
Construction paper: manila or multicolored?
The next thing I knew my basket was full,
For I could not decide.
When my mother gets this school supply bill,
I guess I'd better run and hide.
Renee Newry, July 2001
Extension
Allow students to put away and organize their school supplies. The students could write a short story or poem about their school shopping experience.
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This site was last updated Aug. 5, 2002.
This website was developed for educational purposes for the class: Poetry for Children at Texas Woman's University in Denton, TX.