1. Poetry Writing in Free Verse

2. Free Verse Karen Hesse, author of Out of the Dust, chose to write this story in free verse. Free verse is a type of modern poetry which is not written in any special form and does not require rhyme or rhythm. Free verse changes how a story is told and adds more information on how people are feeling. The poet chooses the length of each line according to the message or feeling he/she wishes to convey to the reader. Anything can be the topic of a free verse poem: feeling, event, experience, object, people, places, etc. Any subject can be made into a free verse poem.

3. Writing in Free Verse 1.Choose a topic. 2.Use word association techniques to generate a list of words, or phrases that describe the topic without naming the topic. 3.Write your free verse poem. Jeff hit a home run He stood inside the batter’s box Ball whizzing straight at him Umpire shouts “Batter Up!” Sweat dripping off brow “Whack” Ball met the bat Crowd cheering

4. Jeff Hit a Home Run Jeff stood, Firmly planted Inside the batter’s box. With a kick of his shoes, The dust flew into the air And sweat began dripping off his brow As the umpire shouted, “Batter Up!” The ball came whizzing straight at him; One could almost hear the buzz in the air. Jeff reached his arm back Behind his shoulder, Mustering all his strength. There was a loud “Whack” As the ball met the wooden bat. Jeff wasted no time heading for his trip Around the bases. Jeff heard the crowd cheering As he felt the familiarity Of home base beneath his feet.

5. Assignment Write a free verse poem describing your first day of school.

6. Citation Clark, Sarah K. "Writing in Free Verse." A Guide for Using Out of the Dust in the Classroom: Based on the Novel by Karen Hesse. Westminster, CA: Teacher Created Materials, 1999. 33. Print.