POETRY BREAK: A poem with a refrain or chorus (and indicate refrain)

Introduction:
The author's note at the beginning of the book talks about the history of "talking" drums in West African culture. Discuss the origins of this drum. Tell the students that traditional West African waterpots are called udo and are made of clay.

Toodle-loo! Toodle-lei! (refrain)
My water pot is made of clay;
Woodle-loo! Woodle-lei! (refrain)
It never has a word to say;
Toodle-loo! Toodle-lei! (refrain)
Once I went to the square to play;
Woodle-loo! Woodle-lei! (refrain)
My water pot in a corner, lay;
Toodle-loo! Toodle-lei! (refrain)
When I came back into the house,
Woodle-loo! Woodle-lei! (refrain)
It was singing with the mouse!

by Uzo Unobagha

[From: OFF TO THE SWEET SHORES OF AFRICA AND OTHER TALKING DRUM RHYMES, Chronicle Books, 2000]


Extension:
After reading the poem, read it again with the children participating in the refrain. See if you and your students can put the poem to music. Compare and contrast this type of poem to Mother Goose poems by considering their origins and styles.

Poetry Review #4: Poetry Across the Curriculum

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Peters, Lisa Westberg. 2003. EARTHSHAKE: POEMS FROM THE GROUND UP. Ill. by Cathie Felstead. Greenwillow Books: New York.

This collection of twenty-two poems relating to geology is perfect for science teachers to enrich their curriculum. Poems relating to rocks, lava, quartz, and the continental plates round out this book. This book contains both a table of contents, and of great interest and aid to teachers is the endnote section. The endnote section has notes that correlate to each poem, giving basic geological information that tie into learning the subject. There are a variety of styles of poems in the book, including humorous poems, concrete poems, and poems with plenty of alliteration. Most of the poems are short, and the fact that there is a wide variety of poems will make the book appealing to all students from Kindergarten and up.

Many of the poems will spark an interest in geology, such as:

Recipe for Granite

Melt a chunk of continent.

Heat at a million degrees,
long enough for the world
to spin a trillion times,
long enough for the Milky Way
to make it partway to infinity.

Cool
slowly enough for crystals
to form like pink and white starts,
slowly enough for the dinosaurs
to go extinct.

Makes one mountain range.
Serves a whole country.
Enjoy!

The poem entitled, Plain Old Rock, is a nice introduction to hidden beauty of geodes. Students could learn the poem and see geodes in class.

Plain Old Rock

Plain old rock
by the side of the road.

Should I roll it
into the ditch?

Round rock
by the side of the road.

I pick it up
and feel its weight.

Light rock
by the side of the road.

I take aim with my hammer
and split it.

Geode
by the side of the road.

Gleaming jewels inside.

The illustrations by Cathie Felstead compliment the poems nicely. They are collages created by a variety of materials. Colorful, the illustrations bring the subjects of each poem to life. In the front and back of the book are illustrations which look as if you are seeing inside a rock. Throughout the book, illustrations of acrylics and watercolors help one to see the beauty of the earth through the rich blues, greens, and earthy tones.

Poetry Break Friday: A poem about Spring

Introduction:

This poem is in both Spanish and English. See if you have any Spanish speaking students in your class who can read the poem. Have someone read the poem in Spanish, and have your non-Spanish speaking students guess what the poem is about. Try having students read the poem in both English and Spanish at the same time and see how it sounds.


Jitomates
risueños

en el jardín
plantamos
jitomates

los vegetales
más felices
de todos

alegres
se redondean
de sabor

risueños
se ponen
colorados

convirtiendo
sus arbustos
alambrados

en árboles
de navidad
en primavera

Laughing
Tomatoes

in our backyard
we plant
tomatoes

the happiest
of all
vegetables

with joy
they grow round
with flavor

laughing
they change
to red

turning
their wire-framed
bushes

into
Christmas trees
in spring

by Francisco X. Alarcón

[From: LAUGHING TOMATOES AND OTHER SPRING POEMS, Children's Book Press, 1997]


Extension:

Buy small tomato plants in the Spring and watch them grow. Have students take care of the plants by watering, fertilizing, and making sure they have sun. Once tomatoes grow, cut open tomatoes to see the seeds inside. Also, make some dishes to try with tomatoes, such as tomato salad or pasta sauce.

Poetry Review #3: Young Adult Verse Novel

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kearney, Meg. 2005. THE SECRET OF ME. Persea Books: New York.

Semi-autobiographical, Meg Kearney's book in verse chronicles the teenage angst and happenings of Lizzie and her two siblings. Lizzie, age fourteen, is adopted, as are her older brother and sister, Kate and Bob. While Kate and Bob are fairly comfortable with the fact they are adopted, Lizzie cannot stop thinking about her birthmother and wondering about her. In Lizzie's home, the children know they are adopted, but it is a taboo subject to discuss, and only close friends and relatives know of their adoptions.

Over the span of a year, Lizzie tells her story in verse. Some of her poems tell of everyday teenage happenings, such as her crush on a boy, Peter, and everyday occurrences such as school and basketball. Lizzie also talks of her close friends, all of whom are also adopted; they don't understand Lizzie's wish to know something about her birthmother. The "secret" in the McLane household is the fact the children are adopted, and Lizzie worries her mom will be hurt if she knows of Lizzie's desires. Some of the poems are called "What I remember", and for each season, Lizzie tells of the memories her family are making, such as sitting on Santa's lap in Macys, and having hot pretzels with salt at Christmas. Other poems are called "Broken Place"; these poems are Lizzie's dark thoughts when she is feeling down and depressed. As the year progresses, Lizzie agonizes about telling Peter that she is adopted, and talking to her parents about her adoption. Through personal growth, Lizzie is able to do both of these things and have positive outcomes with both Peter and her dad.

The book has a table of contents listing each poem by title. Kearney includes a lengthy afterw0rd, in which she talks openly about her adoption experience and those of her brother and sister. She compares her life to that of Lizzie's, telling of the similarities and differences in their lives. Following the afterword is a fascinating section called "Guide to This Book's Poetics". The poems in this book are a combination of free verse, and other verse forms including sonnets, sestinas, and villanelles. Each poem type is described and poems that follow each style are highlighted. This section is particularly helpful for teacher of poetry and for students wishing to expand their poetic repertoire. There is also a section devoted to the poems that Lizzie mentions in her poems; having these poems helps to further the flow of the poems and the story. By using different forms of verse, Lizzie's story and voice is fully developed as different types of poems are used for different purposes. Lizzie uses list poems to list "Things I Love So Much I Could Give Them Away"; the list is blank. and "When I Was Little", in which Lizzie worries about her birthmother coming back to get her if she misbehaves or gets bad grades. Free verse poems are used when the reader needs to follow the flow of the poetry, such as "The Wave". This is a poem in which Lizzie talks about when her dad has a heart attack and her worries about him.

This book should have wide appeal for all teenagers, whether adopted or not. Adopted teenagers in particular should relate to Lizzie's feelings, thoughts, and experiences. The book effectively molds Lizzie as a likeable and believable character, and as you read, you feel as if you are experiencing Lizzie's worries and trepidations.

Poetry Break: a poem written in an ususual form

Introduction:
Explain to students what concrete poetry is. Show some examples of concrete poems and point out how they take the shape of the subject they are about.

Skyscraper
by J. Patrick Lewis

I

am

a

nee

dle

of

steel

glass &

cement

1o2

stories

high on a clear

day you can see

200

miles out into the

Atlantic or watch

hundreds of ants

scurrying like

people on the sidewalks

below & the yellow

bugs racing recklessly

along the city streets &

ride the elevator all the

way down in 37 seconds

FLAT

Extension:
Introduce students to books and poems that showcase concrete poetry, including the book this poem is in:

• DOODLE DANDIES: POEMS THAT TAKE SHAPE by J. Patrick Lewis
• TECHNICALLY, IT'S NOT MY FAULT: CONCRETE POEMS by John Grandits
• MEOW RUFF: A STORY IN CONCRETE POETRY by Joyce Sidman and Michelle Berg
• OUTSIDE THE LINES by Brad Burg

Then have students make their own concrete poems using a theme such as animals, a particular holiday, or things they find at school.

Poetry Review #2: A book of poetry for children or teens by a poet (or poets) of color published since 1995

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Grimes, Nikki. 2004. WHAT IS GOODBYE? Illustrated by Raul Colon. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

Jerilyn and Jesse’s older brother, Jaron, suddenly dies, and through their alternating voices in poems, their grief is explored. The poems are chronological, starting with Jaron’s sudden death; each sibling deals with the death differently, Jesse through anger and acting out, and Jerilyn through tears and heartache.

Nikki Grimes brings the voices of each sibling to life, and through them, their parents’ emotions are explored as well. Each pair of poems is titled the same; many of Jesse’s poems rhyme, while most of Jerilyn’s are free verse. The many stages of grief are explored poignantly, and we see the family change over the year the poems take place. The pain and loneliness of the family are successfully presented through poems such as, “Rush—Jesse”,”Forget your tears/ You’ve cried enough./ You’ve lost someone./ We know that’s tough,/ but now it’s time/ to move along.”/ They’re telling me/ my heart is wrong/ for hurting past/ the date they set?/ Well, I’m not ready/ to move on yet. The coupling poem, “Rush—Jerilyn”, I hold the question in,/ like a deep breath,/ till I turn blue. Mommy,/ When will you look up?/ When will you see/ you’ve still got Jesse and me?/ Please hurry./ We’re lonely here/ without you. The last poem in the book, “Photograph” is a poem for two voices, and alternates with Jesse and Jerilyn showing how they are now a new family, but one that has become strong even without their brother.

The book is illustrated by Raul Colon, who has used subdued colors to represent the family members, resonating with feelings and emotions. The paintings do not appear on every page, but instead are used just enough to carry the flow of the poems forward.
A deeply meaningful book for anyone who has experienced the grief of losing a loved one, WHAT IS GOODBYE? shows that poetry can be a powerful release of emotions.

Poetry Break #2: Poem written by NCTE poet

Introduction:
This poem makes us think about the worst itch you've ever had. Before reading, have students think about how they feel when they have an out of reach itch and possible ways to reach it.



Five
Ways To Be Alone With An Itch
In The Center Of My Back

1. Rub Myself On The Corner Of The Hallway Wall.
2. Roll On the Family Room Carpet.
3. Scratch Myself With The Kitchen Broom Handle.
4. Scratch Myself With The Kitchen Broom.


5. Drop The Cat Down My Shirt.

by Arnold Adoff


[From: TOUCH THE POEM, Blue Sky Press, 2000]

Extension:
Brainstorm other ways to reach terrible itches. Have students make another poem about trying to reach an unreachable itch. Imagine other animals such as a pet with a terrible itch and make a poem about how they would reach their itch. Expand the idea to other animals such as elephants or camels and have students make a poem about them.