(1) Poetry Lesson 3 “dear cat”
(2) Poetry Lesson 3
When poets write their poems to share their
observations with the world, they must create clear
and vivid pictures in our minds so we can see that they
see. They do this by using detailed and beautiful
words and phrases that paint incredible pictures in
their readers’ minds. As we listen to and read poems,
we must focus closely so we can take their words and
translate them into images in our minds.
Read “dear car” without sharing the illustrations. Stop
at various points to describe the images that come to
mind as you read, such as
-being alone on the farm
-insects and birds keeping the car company
-having wings and flying in the sky
-the beautiful field
I am going to read a poem that uses very detailed
words and language in order to create a picture in
the readers’ minds. The poem is “dear car”.
Did you notice how the words of the poem really
make me think of a particular picture in my
mind?
As I read I am going to think about the image that’s
created in my mind and share my thoughts with you.
You can use chart paper and markers to sketch the
images that came to mind so students get a clearer
sense of what you envisioned.
(3) Poetry Lesson 3
(4) Poetry Lesson 3
Guyku
Now it’s your turn. I am going to read a poem
from a poetry anthology titled Guyku that
includes short poems about things that children,
particularly boys, experience. Close your eyes
and listen closely so you can try to see the
picture being created as I read. Think about
colors, settings, sizes, shapes, and other things
that can help you picture the words.
Now that you have a picture in your mind, I
would like you to turn and talk with the person
sitting next to you and tell him or her what you
saw.
Read the first poem about tug-of-war in Guyku slowly
and carefully and without showing the cover or the
illustration of the poem so students can create an
image in their minds. Because the poem is short you
may want to read it two or three times.
Isn’t it interesting to see how many of you see
the same images in your mind as you listened to
the poem? Bob Raczka’s words are so clear
that a vivid picture is created in our minds
(5) Poetry Lesson 3
Poets create their poems by choosing specific
words to share their observations with their
readers. As we continue to hear poetry, we will
need to keep our ears open and minds focused
so we can see what the poets see. Their
carefully crafted words allow us to be a part of
their experience and better understand the
meaning of their words.
Have students listen to the poem “dear stars” 2 or 3 times and
have them use their Reading Notebooks to draw a picture of
what they visualized. Have students work on this activity
privately so each is creating a picture using his or her own
thoughts. You can have students share and compare their
drawings after they are done.
Allow students time to share their ideas and then have
some share with the class. Pay attention to similarities
and differences among their visualizations. Show
students the illustration afterwards.