Naturally Alive— Reading, Writing, Speaking and Representing Poetry Barry J. Wilson wilsonbj@gov.ns.ca “I don’t have to say, “Poetry is rhythmic, boys and girls; why don’t you dance a little?” They know the music of the poem because they feel it in their bodies.” Georgia Heard, For the Good of the Earth and Sun, p.1 The falling leaves drift by my window The falling leaves of red and gold I see your lips, the summer kisses The sunburned hands I used to hold Since you went away the days grow long And soon I'll hear old winter's song But I miss you most of all, my darling When autumn leaves start to fall Since you went away the days grow long And soon I'll hear old winter's song But I miss you most of all, my darling When autumn leaves start to fall I miss you most of all, my darling When autumn leaves start to fall A U T U M N L E A V E S by jacques prvert Recipe for writing an autumn poem by Georgia Heard One teaspoon wild geese. One tablespoon red kite. One cup wind song. One pint trembling leaves. One quart darkening sky. One gallon north wind. “When I began teaching 20 years ago, poetry was something taught in June when all the ‘important’ things were over.” Georgia Heard Teachers invite students to include poetry as one of the genres they explore as writers. To that end, poetry should be an integral part of a program, not relegated to “a unit” that sets it apart from everyday reading and writing. Students’ ongoing efforts at writing poetry can be part of their writing notebooks, and other forms of writing in their writing notebooks can be a source of inspiration for their poems. Of course, the teacher writes too and shares her/his poems and thinking about the poems. When does LEARNING happen in your classroom? Principles of Learning • Learning is a process of actively constructing knowledge. • Students construct knowledge and make it meaningful in terms of their prior knowledge and experiences. • Learning is enhanced when it takes place in a social and collaborative environment. • Students need to continue to view learning as an integrated whole. • Learners must see themselves as capable and successful. • Learners have different ways of knowing and representing knowledge. • Reflection is an integral part of learning. What I/we think about poetry… Instructional Strategies Online (KWL) What I Know What I Think I Know What I Learned/Resources Misconceptions about poetry Poetry is… difficult to understand has to be analysed/dissected always about happy things always about sad things has a right answer not for me, for those in love too emotional and sensitive not for the strong has to rhyme too many rules—punctuation, capitalization, structure about abstract things written by dead people too frilly and silly and… more on misconceptions about poetry Poems come out perfectly the first time. Georgia Heard’s lesson on poetry writing: —Poems start with a feeling, and an image is one powerful way to convey feeling —Poetry write about what they can’t help writing about. —It’s crucial not to censor, especially at the beginning. —Let students decide what they want to write about. —Create an open trusting environment. —Spend enough time. —You don’t have to be an expert. Georgia Heard, For the Good of the Earth and Sun, pp. 32-35 What is poet “Poetry is about recognizing and paying attention to our inner lives – our memories, hopes, doubts, questions, fears, joys – and the image is the hook we find to hang the poem on.” (66) - Georgia Heard, Awakening the Heart “Poetry is a vital ingredient for improving literacy and encouraging a love of writing and reading. It is language that's alive: it delights the mind and engages the senses. It sends shivers down your spine. Poetry is the simplest and most profound form of expression.” POETRY IS… . . .is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings recollected in tranquility, the breath and finer spirit of all knowledge. William Wordsworth . . . should surprise by fine excess. Poetry should discover to our eyes what has always been there. John Keats Prose is words in their best order; poetry is the BEST words in the best order. Samuel Taylor Coleridge Read Aloud Up Home Shauntay Grant to reinforce the importance of reflection and to appreciate ordinary things with a poet’s senses Read Aloud A Read Aloud is a planned oral reading of a book or print excerpt, usually related to a theme or topic of study. The read aloud can be used to engage the student listener while developing background knowledge, increasing comprehension skills, and fostering critical thinking. A read aloud can be used to model the use of reading strategies that aid in comprehension. Benefits of using Read Aloud • One of the most important things teachers can do in preparing students for success in school and in reading is to read aloud with them—parents too, of course. • Listeners build listening and comprehension skills through discussion before, during and after reading. • Listeners increase their vocabulary foundation by hearing words in context. Benefits of using Read Aloud • Listeners improve their memories and language skills as they hear a variety of writing styles and paraphrase their understanding. • Listeners gain information about the world around them. • Listeners develop individual interests in a broad variety of subjects and they develop imagination and creativity—“What better way to build skills which foster inquiry?” Take a moment and make the best of it • General Curriculum Outcome: Students will be expected to use writing and other ways of representing to explore, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences, and learnings; and to use their imaginations. (The Atlantic Canada English Language Arts Curriculum, Grades 4–6, p. 88) Specific Curriculum Outcome: Use a range of strategies in writing and other ways of representing to • find topics of personal importance • record, develop, and reflect on ideas Take a moment and make the best of it General Curriculum Outcome: Students will be expected to use writing and other ways of representing to explore, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences, and learnings; and to use their imaginations. (The Atlantic Canada English Language Arts Curriculum, Grades 7–9, p. 78). Specific Curriculum Outcome: • experiment with a range of strategies (brainstorming, freewriting ) to extend and explore learning, to reflect on their own ideas and others’ ideas, and to identify problems and consider solution Finding a memory—just a moment • Freewrite (see Naturally Alive, pgs 3–6) • Freewriting is to generate ideas: – – – – – write down everything that comes to your mind feelings, opinions, information, connections writing is continuous and non-stop no editing, analyzing, correcting ignore spelling, grammar, punctuation Peter Elbow on Freewriting Finding a Memory “Why don’t you close your eyes and think about what’s important to you — something that’s happened to you, something you care about, anything.” (From the Good of the Earth and Sun, Georgia Heard, p. 11) Finding a memory—just a moment Freewriting • The best way to improve writing. • Automatic writing, babbling, jabbering nonediting, don't stop. • Freewriting is inferior to careful writing but good "bits" of freewriting are better than anything you have created. • Think of digressions as paths to explore. • Start writing as a way to grow. • Start before you know your meaning at all; only after you start will you know Think/Pair/Share “…students often need to talk out what they plan to write before beginning to write.” Gail Tompkins, Teaching Writing: Balancing Process and Product, p. 135 Writing from your Freewrite —look back at your Freewrite —find three words that you really like and circle them —find a sentence that you really like, underline it —find a paragraph or section that surprises you—a series of thoughts or ideas that asks for greater expansion, put brackets around this section [ ] —reread your Freewrite—look for the sentence— the heartbeat, the pulse of what you wanted to say, put a heart beside it ♥ —write a free verse poem that focusses upon this thought or idea—the ♥ of your freewrite Writing a MEMORY— Wordplaygrounds, John S. O’Connor Write a list of sentences beginning “I remember”; this can be random or focussed on a time you were happy, a time you were afraid, confused, angry, etc. Aim for ten sentences. Star two related lines (details, memories)—that are related for you EXPLODE the MOMENT (see Immersed in Verse p.10) Experiment with removing the “I remember” (or keep it, if it works). AN EXPLOSION of WORDS Find a favourite song and look over the lyrics carefully, using words or lines borrowed from the song insert your own ideas by expanding upon the words of the song with your own words, thus creating AN EXPLOSION of WORDS MEMORY Not a sound from the pavement Has the moon lost her memory? She is smiling alone In the lamplight The withered leaves collect at my feet And the wind begins to moan Memory All alone in the moonlight I can smile at the old days I was beautiful then I remember a time I knew what happiness was Let the memory live again Every streetlamp seems to beat A fatalistic warning Someone mutters in the streetlamp gutters And soon it will be morning Daylight I must wait for the sunrise I must think of a new life And I musn't give in When the dawn comes Tonight will be a memory too And a new day will begin Burnt out ends of smokey days The stale, cold smell of morning The streetlamp dies Another night is over Another day is dawning Touch me It's so easy to leave me All alone with the memory Of my days in the sun If you touch me You'll understand what happiness is Look, a new day has begun MEMORies Apologies to Andrew Lloyd Webber Midnight, and sleep is uneasy hours before sunrise dusk and a yellow hue meets the horizon I wait for the daylight I can’t wait for the skyline in the distance concrete fingers loom from a gossamer veil the city -New York Not a sound from the pavement my feet touch the pavement the city’s alive I can feel the energy surging through my body I look up and see the sun I look up and see the high buildings when you are in New York don’t forget to look up but you can’t look up at the Twin Towers The world has lost her way Darkness. Where I Am From . . . Know Thy Self I am from – choose an object of personal significance I am from – something in your backyard I am from – the front yard, the street I am from the neighborhood where … I am from – city, town, place … I am from something distinctly you. I AM FROM… I am from a people who, were free to roam this native land but now must be reserved. I am from a land that was rich in offerings; now a land which resentfully and unwillingly gives up her issue. I am from great foreststrees, which reached towards an open sky- once – but now are fallen sentinels, uprooted and dragged from sacred places. I am from animals, wild vast plains, from places untamed; but now freedom spent, barred and placed in cages – fenced-off, man-made havens. I am from waters flowing and ebbing, clear and clean - in oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams; waters that now are infested, Humanity-polluted, slimy, green. I am from the air, fresh and refreshing, breath that invigorates breath that is life; but now the air is tainted stale, suffocating, choking, B.J.Wilson strangling life. July 2003 How to Read a Poem ALOUD if you can—at least read it out loud in your head. • Look at the poem’s title. • Read the poem without trying to analyse it. Read the poem over SLOWLY twice. • What do you already know? • Write a quick “first-impression” of the poem. • Look for patterns. • Look for changes in tone, focus, narrator, structure, voice, patterns. • Identify the narrator. • Reread the poem checking for new understanding. How to Read a Poem • Find the crucial moments—the pivotal moment might be as small as the word but or yet. • Pay attention to breaks between stanzas or between lines. • Consider form and function. • Check for improved understanding. Read the poem through again, aloud if you can. Return to the title and ask yourself “What is this poem about?” • THINK—PAIR: Share by THINKNG ALOUD your “thinking” about the poem. Wordplaygrounds, John S. O’Connor “Through early exercises, I hope to help students see that poetry often takes as its subject ordinary objects from the everyday world. Even more important, I want students to see that they already possess palettes of their own – their own words and experiences – from which they can write their own poems” (p. 11). This idea of playing and having fun with words frees students from the notion that “Poetry” is something remote and a bit stuffy.” Wordle (www.wordle.net). • • • • Check out Wordle (www.wordle.net). This easy to use program allows students to really play with words, using either their own words or someone else’s. find text that you would like to use —something that you have written, a poem, an article, a passage from a novel, etc. go to Wordle.net create your Wordle hit the PRINT SCREEN button on the top right row of the keyboard and that action will create a screen shot Georgia Heard has a number of excellent resources full of simple and practical ideas for teaching poetry. Georgia Heard writer, a keynote speaker, educational consultant The danger of teaching poetry is that the students get so bogged down in the mechanics of poetry writing, they lose the sense of wonder and enthusiasm that should be in the forefront in enjoying poetry. Jean Little expresses this in the poem, below: After English Class By Jean Little I used to like "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." I liked the coming darkness, The jingle of harness bells, breaking--and adding to --the stillness, The gentle drift of snow. . . . But today, the teacher told us what everything stood for. The woods, the horse, the miles to go, the sleep-They all have "hidden meanings." It's grown so complicated now that, Next time I drive by, I don't think I'll bother to stop. (Little, J. (1986). Hey world, here I am! Toronto: Kids Can Press.) Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening Robert Lee Frost Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year. He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound's the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. The Poetry Experience explores all aspects of poetry from guidelines and an overview of poetic forms to the Top Ten lists of various poetry favorites. Handy reproducible masters are also provided which include a poetry timetable, ten questions to ask about any poem, an observation checklist for teachers, and a personal poetry inventory for students. Naming the world—A Year of Poems and Lessons The Red Wheelbarrow pgs 58–59 Teach Sharon Creech’s LOVE THAT DOG—HATE THAT CAT Poetry should be experienced a three different levels. Never skip a level when introducing poetry… Do not destroy the joy of poetry by going right to step 3: Step One: Introduce students to "user friendly poems", such as humorous poems by Shel Silverstein or Jack Prelutsky, Ogden Nash Step Two: Have students pick a poem that means something to them: Some aspects of their lives are expressed in the poem. The poem becomes a self-portrait or autobiographical poem, in some way. Step Three: Experience and discuss the poetry. Read a poem every week, or even every day. Have the students pick the poems. What’s important in being a teacher of writing—of poetry • ANALYZING the writing plans and writing work and writing environment • ASKING questions and answering the hard questions • APPLAUDING the big and small writing steps • ASSISTING each other in the learning process • ASSESSING the work and the value of that work and • ADVOCATING for children to always be a part of exemplary writing instruction Of Primary Importance, Ann Marie Corgill, 2008, pg. 174 Poems composed by middle-school students tend toward brevity. In addition, free verse, which has very few rules, if any, make the task of composing a poem both challenging and achievable. There are many decisions to be made, including topic, audience, opening line, and absence or presence of pattern; a short poem does not appear to have the same degree of difficulty as a 500word essay: and finally, students don’t have to concern themselves with the complications of meter and rhyme. Using Poetry in the Classroom: Engaging Students in Learning. Ross M. Burkhardt, p. 70. (2006) POETRY WARM-UP Getting in touch with your senses- sight sound taste touch smell Six-Room Poem Fold your paper in thirds. Fold your paper long-ways in half. First Room Think of something you’ve seen outside that is amazing, beautiful and interesting OR Six-Room Poem Image Think of a moment in time that has stayed in your mind like a picture ACTIVITY: Close your eyes. See your image as clearly as a photograph. Notice the details. Describe it… From Georgia Heard’s Awakening the Heart Second Room Looking at the same “photograph” in your mind, focus on the quality of light. Six-Room Poem Image Light Questions to ask yourself… Is it bright? Cloudy? Dull? Are there shadows? Colors? Examples: Shiny blues, Sparkling red ACTIVITY: Describe the quality of light… From Georgia Heard’s Awakening the Heart Third Room As you picture your image, what can you hear? Focus on the sounds you hear. Six-Room Poem Image Light Questions to ask yourself… Maybe it’s silent. What kind of silence? Sounds Examples: Rustling of leaves, Pitterpatter of rain, Sweet laughter ACTIVITY: Describe the sounds you hear… From Georgia Heard’s Awakening the Heart Fourth Room Write down any questions you might have about the image. Six-Room Poem Questions to ask yourself… Do you want to know anything else about the image? Image Light Sounds Questions Do you wonder something? Examples: Why were we in this place in the winter? Why was I with them? ACTIVITY: Write your questions… From Georgia Heard’s Awakening the Heart Fifth Room Six-Room Poem Write down any feelings you have about your image. Questions to ask yourself… Image Light Sounds Questions How was I feeling? How do I feel now? Example: I remember being so happy as we played outside together. Feelings ACTIVITY: Write your feelings… From Georgia Heard’s Awakening the Heart Six-Room Poem Sixth Room As you look over all your rooms, think of one word, a few words, a phrase, a line, or a sentence that is important to you and/or describes the image entirely. ACTIVITY: Repeat your word or words three times… Image Light Sounds Questions Feelings Repetition From Georgia Heard’s Awakening the Heart CREATURE Choose a creature Title at the top of the page Pass the page around the room Each student adds a line, word, phrase… Pass the page around twice…Share Choose a feeling! Do the same thing as above with creature. Nonfiction Naturally to POETRY Wonderful, wilderness wanderer weary traveller with steely eyes. Yellow stare freezes your prey— a piercing glance and then the charge. The chase continues until the fittest wins— a feast or famine. See Naturally Alive— Reading Writing and Representing Poetry Pgs. 33–34 Nonfiction Naturally to POETRY Table Poem Chart Paper Title of poem or first line of a poem (Your own or something familiar— “There's a whisper in the night wind” “Wind sped leaves . . .” Poem rotates, each student adding his/her ideas—a line, a phrase, a word. Together student edit and get ready for sharing and publishing. It’s FUN! Look at the poet’s version Autumn Wind sped leaves colors blurred in light dance then clear again as motionless each poses crisply on the ground in artful pattern of design and hue no sound till cool wind blows again through its stillness and lifts it fairy-like in autumn air Barbara Kelley Autumn is Coming There's a whisper in the night wind And a coolness in the dawn; There's a star agleam to guide us When October starts to yawn. Where the prairie browns in silence, Lonely sunsets fade and die, Then the stars throng out in glory To gem-light the vaulted sky, Or the green-clad mountain valleys Where the stillness brings deep peace— As the moon comes out of hiding To renew her earth-born lease. There's a hushing in the evening And a lateness in the dawn, And the leaves begin to tremble When October starts to yawn. Amelia V. Christeson PHOTOS Pass around a series of related photos (black and white is best).Write down your reaction(s) to the photos as you view them. Organize your written reactions into a poem. Cut and collect 20 to25 words from . . . Organize into a format Spend some time rearranging the words (If you have to, you can generate some of your own words to help you to connect ideas/thoughts.) Share your creation with others. Borrow some of your favourite words for future writing. GROUP POEM (3 per group) Find a recent news article. Read it. Independently generate a list of words (allow 7-10 minutes) Share your list and combine to create a group list. (5 minutes) Collectively write a poem. FIRE CRACKER POETRY Think of a word and have students generate at least five words that come to mind when you hear the word associate to the word. Use post-it notes. What quickly comes to mind? Using chart paper stick all of the words on the paper surrounding the TOPIC. Scan and discuss connections. Have the students (groups of 3-4) select several of the posted words and ask them to create their own poem. ocean music sand seaside peace insect book ice fog autumn door family poetry home tree hope war city water dreams QUESTION POEM Pass out an object and ask QUESTIONS about it. ?? dragonfly bug nest feather boot leaves ? Beetle Neat! Why the split? Why so small? Where do you come from? What kind of skeleton –exoskeleton? Great legs. You must have excellent eyesight. Do you? Fabulous FRIDAYS Have students select and bring to class a personal object (a favorite, memory, heritage),and ask them to think, talk. Share and write a poem about this SPECIAL OBJECT. The Locket Heart-shaped, Favored, Gilded, Golden locket, You are still warm, well-worn, Smooth yet textured, your intricate design, Woven and weathered, polished and benign. A lover’s locket, From a lover’s pocket. A picture present The elegant sweethearts meet, So sweet. Enclosed within your heart – B.J.Wilson February 2003 Secrets. Musical Vision Select a piece Play the sound of recording. MUSIC! Contemplate the sounds and rhythms of the music. Draw a picture while you are listening to the music. Your picture is your representation of the music. FREE WRITE PHOTO Select a picture(s) from newspaper s, magazines, etc. -present picture(s) to the class -ask students to brainstorm ideas, thoughts, -then ask the students to write freely about the picture(s) Choose your favourite Month Thing Place Season Celebration Event Person Whatever? Write about it, ask it some questions, talk to it, talk about it—observe and respond. Have a conversation with it. WHAT IS A…? Maybe a definition and then your InTerpreTATIon… MAybe WHAT IT ISn’T… What is a ________________? POEM What is a Whale? A whale is not a snail; however, on the surface of the water it leaves a trail, like a snail’s, or a fish’s tail. A whale is not a football field – it is a force to which you must, definitely yield. A whale is a mammal a giant leviathan. A whale is something to be relied upon. B.J.Wilson Pronouns and Performance he it us yours me I them she him her his you they mine hers theirs we Prepositions and Poetry PRE - before POSITION - relationship Prepositions are words that come before nouns(pronouns) and show position or relationship. I retreated from the window and went to the driver’s side of the car. (STARS, P.2) about above across after against along amid beside besides between beyond by down except for from in into of off on though throughout until under up upon out with within without but during since yet Write a prepositional poem —choose a subject, object, idea, concept — create “phrases” describing your idea —begin each line with a preposition —check your list of prepositions To the Sun by B.J. Wilson towards its zenith in center sky from the east by glorious rays on the horizon with sprays of golden-orange down to the earth like a mother’s hand into the sky beyond the middle through the atmosphere across the sky above the horizon towards the end around the circumference of day of sea of space above the mountains against the azure blue sky with radiant colours with colours of violet and tangerine of yellow gold near the tree line for hours with Venus of warmth in the west Riddles Riddles offer and engaging ‘sponge’ activity; one that stimulates inferential reading comprehension. He clasps the crag with crooked hands; Close to the sun in lonely lands, Ringed with the azure world, he stands. The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls: He watches from his mountain walls, And like a thunderbolt he falls . Alfred, Lord Tennyson His body was tubular He seemed to know the And tapered harbour, And smoke-blue, So leisurely he swam; And as he passed the wharf His fin, He turned, Like a piece of sheet-iron, And snapped at a flat-fish Three-cornered, That was dead and floating. And with knife-edge, And I saw the flash of a Stirred not a bubble white throat, As it moved And a double row of white teeth, With its base-line on the water. And eyes of metallic grey, Hard and narrow and slit. ... E.J.PRATT A narrow fellow in the grass Occasionally rides; You may have met him,---did you not, His notice sudden is. The grass divides as with a comb A spotted shaft is seen; And then it closes at your feet And opens further on. … Emily Dickinson Caterpillars Brod Bagert They came like dew drops overnight Eating every plant in sight, Those nasty worms with legs that crawl So creepy up the garden wall Green prickly fuzz to hurt and sting Each unsuspecting living thing. How I hate them! Oh, you know I'd love to squish them with my toe. “Mental pictures, or images, are at the heart of poetry, just like emotions.” (21) Ralph Fletcher, Poetry Matters “If you want to create strong images, get in the habit of observing the world so you can create your own pictures using words.” (21) Ralph Fletcher, Poetry Matters To Look at Any Thing ~ John Moffitt ~ To look at any thing, If you would know that thing, You must look at it long: Illustrate your poem EYES WIDE OPEN To look at this green and say, "I have seen spring in these Verbal/Visual Woods," will not do - you must Be the thing you see: See Naturally You must be the dark snakes of Alive—Reading Stems and ferny plumes of leaves, Writing and You must enter in Representing To the small silences between Poetry The leaves, Pgs. 36–37 You must take your time And touch the very peace They issue from. (Teaching With Fire, edited by S. M. Intrator and M. Scribner) Visualizing: the key to understanding • the picture the text has helped a reader to create (I see… I feel…) • enhances meaning with mental imagery • enables readers to become part of text • stimulate imaginative thinking • heightens engagement • strengthens relationship with text Visualization The Storm Wind rustled crunching leaves That on the sidewalk lay. There was a big storm coming On a windy Autumn day. Thunder rumbled overhead And shook me through and through. A jagged bolt of lightning struck! The sky then cracked in two! Rain washed down the dirty road. It hissed, and gushed, and muttered. The downpour swept dead leaves away Into the bubbling gutter. James K. McAlister “ … research suggests that readers who are able to visualize what they are reading – for example, characteristics of setting, events in the story, or character traits – are better able to comprehend what they read.” (Lessons in Comprehension, Frank Serafini, 2004) The poetic prose and magnificent drawings vividly depict the great beauty of the wolf. VISUALIZATION After having heard “The Eyes of Gray Wolf” visualize scenes in your mind. You may have a series of scenes that you imagined in your mind’s eye. Draw a picture/scene that you visualize based upon the reading of “The Eyes of Gray Wolf”. Make sure to remember the moon, the creek, the mountains ,the snowshoe hare … “I take off the top of my head and write out loud in front of [the students]…I show them how I plan, change my mind, confront problems, weigh options, make decisions, use conventions to make my writing sound and look the way I want it to and my readers will need it to, and generally compose my life.” (25) - Nancie Atwell, In the Middle As teachers, we are mentors of writing, mediators of writing strategies and models of writers at work. (21) How to Make a Poem Awakening the Heart, Georgia Heard Close your eyes. Don’t peek. Close them tight, tight so it’s dark, dark till you see something in sight. Close your eyes don’t peek. Try and see a poem. Danielle Pioggia, Grade 3 (125)