Language Arts Teaching Poetry to students of all ages

Formula Poems Formula Poem - Has some type of simple organization. “I Wish” Poems Colour Poems Five Senses Poems “If I Were …” Poems Definition Poems Acrostic Poems

“I Wish…” Poem Exercise Think for a moment about something you could wish for. This will be a class wide collaborative poem. Let’s share some of our thoughts.

Free Form Poems Free Form - The lines do not rhyme and the rhythm is not as important. Concrete Poems - Poems that are laid out in a certain way to make a picture. Found Poems - Created by taking pieces from different texts to make one poem.

Syllable and Word Count Poems Syllable and Word Count Poems - Has some structure. Can be helpful in getting students to write. Haiku - A Japanese type which has 17 syllables spread out over three lines (5-7-5). Tanka - Another Japanese type which has 31 syllables spread out over five lines ( ).

Haiku Poems 1st line: Time of the day (5 syllables ) 2nd line: Focus on something (7 syllables ) 3rd line: Compare it to something new (5 syllables ) Misty, morning light Warm brown cows stand motionless Like still, brownish rocks (from "Patterns in Poetry" by Jo Hinchcliffe)

Syllable and Word Count Poems Cinquain - Has 22 syllables spread out over five lines ( ) Diamante - Has two contrasting subjects, seven lines and is written in the shape of a diamond.

Rhymed Verse Form Poems Rhymed Verse Form - Is helpful with middle-and upper-grade students. Limericks- Paul Sawyer

Teaching Strategies Reading and Writing -collection of favorites-reading log -poetry workshop-share poems -written responses-thematic poetry -relate a poem to a story-choral reading -leader chorus-leader main and chorus refrain -Small group-each reads part -Cumulative-1 reads next join in -rehearse and perform-letter to poet -write class poem-portfolio

Representing Poetry Viewing And

Viewing and Visually Representing Poems can be Very, Very, Bland with just text. You should jazz it up a little. But How? Look!

"It _is_ a long tail, certainly," said Alice, looking down with wonder at the Mouse's tail; "but why do you call it sad?" And she kept on puzzling about it while the Mouse was speaking, so that her idea of the tale was something like this:----"Fury said to a mouse, That he met in the house, `Let us both go to law: _I_ will prose- cute _you_.-- Come, I'll take no de- nial: We must have the trial; For really this morn- ing I've nothing to do.' Said the mouse to the cur, `Such a trial, dear sir. With no jury or judge, would be wast- ing our breath.' `I'll be judge, I'll be jury,' said cun- ning old Fury: `I'll try the whole cause, and con- demn you to death'."

Which Poems are These?

Teaching Strategies for Listening Listen to a poem by a specific author. Listen to other poems by the same author. Listen to a biography on a poet. Participate in choral reading. Listen to a others students share their poetry. Listen to Sharon, Lois and Bram or Raffi music. Listen to poetry on the Internet or on CD-Rom. Listen to journal entries written by others in the class in response one or more poems. Listen to a few poems by different authors but with the same theme, Compare.

Teaching Strategies for Speaking Sing along to Sharon, Lois and Bram or Raffi music. Participate in grand conversations about poetry. Talk about your poetry to others Participate in poetry workshop Speak about how a poem relates to any themes that the class is working on.

Raffi – Down By The Bay Down by the bay Where the watermelons grow Back to my home I dare not go For if I do My mother will say "Did you ever see a moose kissing a goose?" Down by the bay.

Down By The Bay Verses Did you ever see a moose kissing a goose? Did you ever see a whale with a polka dot tail? Did you ever see a fly wearing a tie? Did you ever see a bear combing his hair? Did you ever see llamas eating their pyjamas? Did you ever have a time when you couldn't make a rhyme?

Thank you Alysia Proctor, Morven Macpherson, Brian Skinner