Pamela M. Fowler
A.
Introduction to Poetry
Ask the class: “What do you think/feel, if anything, about poetry?”
Wait for responses.
Ask class: “Who knows a poem?”
Wait for a response or two. If no one responds start reciting a nursery rhyme . . . let the class finish it.
Read the selected poems aloud to the class:
1. The Giving Tree—Shel Silverstein
2. Still Here—Langston Hughes
3. Alone—Ralph Kenon
Discuss each poem separately or cooperatively and ask the class “Did you like the poem(s)? Why or why not?”
Ask the class: “Do poems always have to rhyme?”
Wait for class to respond ‘No’
Ask class: “What do you think/feel about writing poetry, if anything at all?”
Wait for responses and discuss all thoughts.
B.
Writing
Begin with introducing parallelism. (Refer to section in essay which discusses parallelism and gives models.)
Use Koch’s ‘Wishes Lies and Dreams’
Teacher read page 86 to prepare.
Class read pages 66-85 ‘WISHES’
DAY’S FORMULA AND ASSIGNMENTS
: ‘I wish . . .’ Ten lines—No rhyming.
C.
QUIET UNINTERRUPTED WRITING TIME
D.
SHARE TIME
Pointing: Refer to the section in the essay which discusses share time after the poem is read to the class.
