Poetry Friday 26-0417
#NPM 26
Happy National Poetry Month!
I am celebrating Poetry Month by pairing quotes about poetry (Poetry is…) with images. I share one each day without commentary. Below are those from April 11 to April 17. But first I will share a poem by Emily Dickinson.
There is no frigate like a book
Emily Dickinson (1830 –1886)
There is no Frigate like a Book
To take us Lands away,
Nor any Coursers like a Page
Of prancing Poetry –
This Traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of Toll –
How frugal is the Chariot
That bears a Human soul.
(This poem is in the public domain.)
What poet would not love the lines “Nor any Coursers like a Page / Of prancing Poetry”
Emily Dickinson’s poem pairs with the quote from Billy Collins: “Poetry is my cheap means of transportation. …” See April 15 below.
Poetry is . . . Week 2
April 11
April 12
April 13
April 14
April 15
April 16
April 17
In my classroom
Note: The bulk of my experience is teaching elementary age students and training elementary teachers. This is reflected in our activities. Discussions can be whole group / teacher led; shoulder pairs sharing, small group sharing. It totally depends on the content and the students–a decision I usually make in the moment.
My Lesson Outline
Schedule as a one-day lesson and choose which activities fit into your class time. Or better yet, do different parts of this outline each day across the week. For example, do 1-3 on Monday, 4 on Tuesday, 5-6 on Wednesday, 7 plus any independent activities on Thursday and Friday. At the beginning of each session, we chorally read the poem we are working with for the week. I had my students do their work in a composition notebook. You can read more and view samples HERE and HERE.
- I share a bit of biographical information about the poet, i.e., life span, where he/she lived, other well-known poems he/she authored, themes associated with poet’s writings in general. I also share photograph of poet if available.
- Students read the poem silently to themselves and identify words they don’t know
- We discuss these words we are unsure of, e.g., what they mean, especially in the context of the poem. We also use the internal structure of the word. We confirm that understanding with resources, i.e., dictionary.
- Students have a piece of paper (notebook, back of poem, or plain sheet) and colored pencils. They listen and visualize as I read the poem one more time. Then they have 5 minutes to sketch what they visualized. We share our sketches.
- Students silently read the poem again paying attention to the poet’s crafting techniques.
- We list and discuss those crafting techniques, i.e., their literary name, how to use them, why we think to poet used them.
- We make connections, i.e., I share the words of Billy Collins with Emily Dickinson’s poem and we discuss the quote in light of the poem.
Independent activities — Often I assign one of the following; sometimes it is student choice.
- Students write similes and metaphors for “poetry.” (This is unique to this poem and quote.)
- Students copy Emily Dickinson’s poem and/or the quote by Billy Collins as copywork in their Commonplace Notebooks
- Students rewrite the poem and prose.
- Students write poetry. For example, they write a poem mimicking the poet’s style, form, or use of techniques. Or they write a stanza to add to the original poem again following the poet’s style, form, and use of techniques.
- Students write short constructed responses to questions I give them. Students answer the question and give supporting evidence from the poem. Here a few basic question stems:
What did the author mean by the line / stanza “_____”?
What images are created in your mind by this poem?
Why are the lines _____ and/or____ repeated in the poem?
Which type of poetry is this poem?
How are the two poems alike?
Lines ___and ___are include in the poem because …?
What is the point of view?
Who is the speaker of the poem, and how does the speaker feel about the subject?
This week’s Poetry Friday roundup
is hosted by Heidi at my juicy little universe
Thank you Heidi for hosting,
Thank you Two Writing Teachers
for hosting Slice of Life Tuesday Challenge
where Alice Nine teaches language lessons that
Empower Students to Read and Write
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What an inspiring collection of poetry! It almost makes me feel like a poet. The potential is so close. Thank you for sharing!
Ah, if I were still teaching. These are great ideas. I think for years poetry has taken a backseat in many classrooms only to move to the front as a filler or something to do right before a break. I am glad it is taking a more prominent place.
Alice, such a great pairing of Billy Collins and Emily Dickinson, and a lesson plan to boot. I love all the slides and additional quotes too. Some of them make me get goose bumps!
Thank you, Denise. I’m glad you like them.
Thank you for Emily’s poem, one of my favorites, and for Billy Collins’s great definition of poetry! I will save that one.
Thanks for stopping by. So glad you liked it.
These are all so, so good! More to add to my quotation collection. Thanks, Alice!
So welcome. It was hard limiting it to 30.
Alice, the Paul Engle quote is similar to what I say about what poetry is made of: sounds to tickle your ears, ideas to tickle your brain, and feelings that land in your heart. But it’s Billy Collins’ corn field quote that makes me want to write a poem! I copied it to my current drafts document, and thanks.
So welcome. Billy Collins’ quote is one kids can connect to.
What a fun project! These would make a fantastic postcard set or small book!
Thank you for sharing. It is in my to do projects and your words encourage me.
Alice, your poetry quote and images are impactful and highlight the diversity of poetry. A most interesting project is bearing fruit.
Thank you, Alan, for your encouraging words.
The Whitney image and the J. Patrick Lewis quotes are my favorites.
I really like Whitney’s metaphor…. it’s a good oxymoron with alliteration thrown in. Multiple meaning of terms: Since about 2016, the term “frosted fire” has become cannabis term for specific brand/business– “frosted fire” or “frost and fire.” Where as, Whitney was referring to the passion and coolness with which poetry treats his subject.
Wonderful quotes and terrific lesson plans! Thank you.
Thank you, Rose!
Thanks for the Emily Dickinson fix (always a treat to read her poetry). Love all the quotes. Nice to see Lee Bennett Hopkins included (his birthday was April 13). 🙂
Thank you, Jama! I’m glad you noticed that I posted Lee Bennet Hopkins’ quote on his birthday.
I love the wide variety of images to describe poetry. As it should be. Thank you!
Thank you, Irene.