Observations, Sketches and Poetry: Reading, Drawing and Writing the Ordinary Experiences Frye and Trathen

Observing and Writing about Small Moments We use our notebooks as places to record observations of our world. As we carefully observe an object, a happening, or a moment in time, we try to “slow down a moment” with our words. We use notes and our drawings, sketches and/or photographs to record our observations. Finally, we combine all of our writings and illustrations to compose a poem. See Sloan pp

I SAID Strategy (Turning Observations into Poems) Frye, Trathen and Schlagal The teacher models and demonstrates how to write a poem through the Sense and Idea Data (SAID) strategy. The teacher uses a carefully selected object (a stuffed animal or class pet, or a common object) and models the SAID strategy to compose the poem in front of the students. You may wish to think of this as Language Experience Poetry (LEP). The teacher thinks aloud while observing the selected object then writes answers to these 5 sense questions: – When I look at this object, what do I see? – Smell? – Hear? – Taste? – Touch? Next, the teacher observes the object (thinking aloud) and considers idea questions: – What does the object do? – What could you do with it? – Where or when do you find it? – When you think of it, what people, animals, places, actions, or ideas pop in your head? – How or why is it special? Dr. Beth M. Frye, Appalachian State University

Shared Poetry Writing or LEP Continued… At this point, the teacher highlights vivid and descriptive words from notes and recorded observations. Finally, the teacher and students collaboratively compose a poem—the teacher carefully demonstrating how to transform the recorded data into a poem. The next day the teacher (with students’ help) revises the poem, focusing specifically on word choice and/or poetic techniques. Using large, lined chart paper can be helpful here, especially when lines are skipped to leave room to alter initial word choices or phrases (e.g., revision). Finally, the class poem is published, read by all, and displayed in the classroom, library, class Web site, and so on. Shall We? Let’s take a look at Ms. Valerie Worth’s poetry. Dr. Beth M. Frye, Appalachian State University

All the Small Poems What do you notice about Valerie Worth’s poems? What does she write about? How does she make us pay attention to her poetry? Describe any personal connections. Let’s decide to take a closer look at one of her poems, either Safety Pin p. 48 or Pocket p safety pin073-1 pocket_worth What is the subject of the poem? How does it look? How does it feel? What does it do or what are its uses? What do you notice about the way she writes? What patterns do you see in this poem? Does this poet do anything special with the words? What? Does she incorporate simile? Effectively? How so? Let’s see if we can imitate her style and compose one of our own…

Free Verse Poetry Observing our World: Small Moments and Small Poems Children should know that everyday observations make the perfect material for creating poems. Read Valerie Worth’s All the Small Poems and Fourteen More. Marinate them in free verse poetry where the authors write about ordinary observations. Also, you may wish to read Sketches from a Spy Tree by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer and Andrew Glass. Now you are ready to extend the invitation to them—observe and use your senses to write a poem. Bring in an object or take students outside to observe. Focus on a “small moment” and not everything they see, smell, hear, and feel. Have students divide a page in their notebooks into four squares in order to categorize their observations of their small moment or use the rebus on the following slide: Dr. Beth M. Frye, Appalachian State University SightTouch SmellSound

Small Moment Observation Continued … You may also scaffold your students by providing the following guiding questions: – OBSERVE. LOOK carefully at something and really try to SEE it. Look carefully at the tiny details and write down what you notice. Try sketching the scene. What colors or shapes do you see? What is happening? Does it do anything? Does it look like anything else you know? If so, describe it. – Close your eyes and listen. What sounds do you hear? Is the sound similar to other sounds you have heard? How does it make you feel? – Close your eyes and focus on smells. What smells do you notice? Do you know what they are? What do they smell like? Do they remind you of any other smells or experiences? – Touch or feel it. How does it feel? Does it feel like anything else you have touched? – If possible, taste. – Ask students to go back to their notebooks and highlight words or phrases they like. Invite them to compose a free verse poem incorporating their senses! Inspired by Janet Elliott