Poetry Paige

I have a different theme each month.  This year it is all about pets!  A few of my past themes include, “Movement: Shimmy, Skip, Jump and Boogie,”  “Bug Poems: Buzz, Chirp, Swish and Flutter” and “Celebrate Outside Poems.”  What started out as a ten minute presentation when working at the New York Public Library, quickly turned into a twenty-twenty-five minute presentation when I started working at Deschutes Public Library ten years ago.  I focus on multiple elements of poetry including the Children’s Poet Laureate, three different poetry styles and where to find poetry books at 811.  I also visit individual classes or smaller groups with fifth to eighth graders.  During this time, we write HUGE group poems using all different styles from list poems with music to acrostic poems with student names.  

I love asking the students what they think poetry is all about.  “It’s how you express your feelings.” “Poetry is silly” “Poems are short stories that you can share with friends.”  The responses are beautiful and I always wish I had recorded them.

Explore a few fun poetry ideas that I have tried in the past!

1. Name that Animal!  Use two volunteers with a buzzer between them or have your whole group ready to guess.  Read the poem and let them guess what animal it is, by raising their hand and when you’re done reading the poem, everyone yells out the animal.  Use National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems that Squeak, Soar and Roar! Edited by J. Patrick Lewis. Read Mountain Gorilla by Janet S. Wong (one of my favorite poets) and  Porcupine by Rebecca Kai Dotlich.

2. Throw the Dice!  My amazing library co-worker Jan, made me a HUGE felt dice that works great for poetry presentations when selecting a poem.   Each side has a different object or animal.   A volunteer from your audience throws the dice and if it lands on a Parrot, you read the parrot poem.   It is always fun to throw a huge colorful dice across the classroom or gym.

3. Twist: Yoga Poems by Janet S. Wong is perfect for interacting.  Have two students join you while you read the poem, acting it out with yoga.   Try her poetry suitcase! It is excellent!   You could use a bag or anything that holds silly objects.

4. Jack Prelutsky’s, Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face and Other Poems:  some of the best of Jack Prelutsky is perfect for teachers.   Ask four teachers to join you. Read the poem Forty Performing Bananas.  Let them know they will be performing as bananas in various dances.   Bonus! There is a poetry activity guide in each section of the book.

5. With a large group, have everyone stand up.  Talk about how sometimes poems use the same word over and over again.   Read the poem, A Pizza the Size of the Sun.  Most of your group will have heard this poem and will recite it with you.  Have students sit down or stand up each time they hear the word, PIZZA!  It is funny to count how many times Prelutsky uses the word PIZZA!  Emphasize he was our first Children’s Poet Laureate.

Before I sign out, J. Patrick Lewis is the Children’s Poet Laureate this year!  Check out his website at www.jpatricklewis.com and one of his new poetry books, World Rat Day: Poems about Real Holidays You’ve Never Heard Of!   You will find the perfect Common Core poetry book with, The Poetry Friday Anthology: Poems for the School Year with Connections to the Common Core, by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong.   An amazing poetry treat!  You will find more poetry book lists at www.deschuteslibrary.org/poetrypaige and www.shelfari.com/paigeone/tags/poetry.  Find more information about children’s poets and poetry at The Poetry Foundation.