Pamela Haffner

Fairway Elementary

7850 Fairway Boulevard, Miramar, FL 33023

(754) 323-5650

pamela.haffner@browardschools.com

PPPPerfect Poems!erfect Poems!erfect Poems!erfect Poems!

For information concerning IMPACT II opportunities, such as

interschool visits, staff development, workshops and Adapter and

Disseminator grants, please contact: The Broward Education Foundation

600 SE Third Avenue, 1st floor

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

754-321-2032

www.BrowardEdFoundation.net

IMPACT II is a program of the Broward Education Foundation

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of Contents

Goals & Objectives………………..………………………................................................. 1

Course Outline ………………………………..................................................................... 2

Pick A Line………………………………............................................................................. 3

You Be the Judge!………………………………................................................................ 4

You Be the Poet!………………………………................................................................... 5

What’s the Rhyme? ………………………………............................................................. 6

Mix, Fix, and Draw…………………………….................................................................... 7

Mix, Fix, and Write ………………………………................................................................ 8

What’s Missing?……………………………................................................................... 9-12

Lesson Plan Ideas………………………………...........................................................13-17

Poetry Yearbook Cover ………………………………............……………………….......18

Poetry Yearbook Samples……………………………….................................................19

Original Poem Template………………………………...................................................20

Parent Letter………………………………........................................................................21

Evaluation & Student Assessment………………………………....................................22

Resource List-Books………………………………............................................................23

Materials/Equipment……………………………….........................................................24

Bibliography………………………………........................................................................25

Instructional ObjectivesInstructional ObjectivesInstructional ObjectivesInstructional Objectives

The goal of this project is to motivate children to interact with poems in a variety of engaging ways, thereby increasing their reading skills as well as their enjoyment of poetry. The project meets the following Sunshine State Standards in reading/language arts: Fluency � The student will recognize high frequency and familiar words in isolation and in context.

LA.1.1.5.2 � The student will adjust reading rate based on purpose, text difficulty, form, and style.

LA.1.1.5.3 Phonics � The student will identify the sounds of vowels and consonant digraphs in printed words.

LA.1.1.4.2 � The student will decode words from common word families.

LA.1.1.4.4 Vocabulary � The student will relate new vocabulary to prior knowledge.

LA.1.1.6.5 � The student will listen to, read, and discuss both familiar and conceptually challenging text.

LA.1.1.6.2 Comprehension � The student will retell the main idea or essential message.

LA.1.1.7.3 � The student will arrange events in sequence.

LA.1.1.7.6

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Course OutlineCourse OutlineCourse OutlineCourse Outline

There are several different ways you can use poetry to enhance your reading instruction.

You may want to introduce at least one poem per week focusing on a particular word family,

sight word, or theme. Teachers are encouraged to create poetry folders or binders in which

students can keep copies of each poem. Poems can be read in a variety of ways and then placed

at a poetry center for further interaction. Pages 3-12 in this packet are worksheets you may use

and adapt as you see fit. You may have students complete them as independent seat work or at

your literacy centers. Pages 13-17 provide more ideas for incorporating poetry into your whole

group instruction. Multiple readings of the poems will increase students’ reading fluency.

Students will also improve their vocabulary and comprehension skills by engaging in the

activities included in this packet.

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Pick a Line

Name: ____________________________

Directions:

1) Pick your favorite line of the poem and copy it on the lines below.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

2) Illustrate the line in the box below.

3

You Be the Judge! Name: ____________________________

Directions:

1) Write a sentence telling what the poem is mostly about.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2) Illustrate what the poem is mostly about.

3) Rate this poem on a scale of 1 (worst) to 10 (best). Circle the score and

explain why you gave it.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I gave this poem a score of _________ because ________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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You Be the Poet! Directions:

1) Choose a favorite poem and write about what it reminds you of from your

own life.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2) Think about the poem’s topic and write your own poem about a similar topic.

Be creative! Remember, not ALL poems HAVE TO rhyme.

________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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What’s the Rhyme? Name: ________________________ Directions: 1) Read the poem with your partner. Then, take turns reading a line.

2) Write the words from the poem that rhyme.

____________ rhymes with ____________

____________ rhymes with ____________

____________ rhymes with ____________

____________ rhymes with ____________

3) Illustrate your favorite part of the poem in the box below.

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Mix, Fix, and Draw

Name: ______________________________

Directions:

1) Mix up the sentence strips and put them in the correct order on the pocket

chart.

2) Read the poem with your partner.

3) Draw the beginning, middle, and end of the poem in the boxes below.

Beginning Middle End

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Mix, Fix, and Write

Name: ______________________________ Directions:

1) Mix up the sentence strips and put them in the correct order on the chart.

2) Write and draw what happened in the poem’s beginning, middle, and end.

Beginning: __________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________.

Middle: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________.

End: ________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________.

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What’s Missing? Type up the poems you use in class with several words missing (focus on word-wall

words, spelling pattern, vocabulary, etc). Write each line of the poem on sentence strips for

students to put in order at a center. After students take turns reading the lines of the poem, have

them complete a worksheet similar to the ones included on the following 3 pages.

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Name: ____________________

A Chubby Little Snowman

Directions: Fill in the missing words.

Check the poetry poster to see if you are right.

A chubby little snowman

Had a carrot ___________.

Along came a rabbit

And what do you ___________?

That hungry little bunny

Looking for his ___________.

ATE the snowman’s carrot nose…

Nibble, nibble, ____________!

Illustrate what happens at the end of the poem.

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Name: ____________________

Directions: Fill in the missing words.

Check the poetry poster to see if you are right.

The Dragons are Coming to Town

The dragons are coming to town ___________.

Watch, be careful! They’re looking to ___________.

They like to sneak and they hide in ___________.

Walking along on their hands and _____________.

Oh, no, he’s got me! What can I do?

Oh, no, watch out….

He’s coming for ___________!

1. What would you do if the dragon came after YOU?

_____________________________________________________________

2. Illustrate your answer.

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Name: ____________________

Directions: Fill in the missing words.

Check the poetry poster to see if you are right.

Alligator, Alligator

Alligator, alligator

Long and ________.

Alligator, alligator

Teeth so _______.

Snapping at a fly.

Snapping at a ________.

Snapping at a frog,

But you can’t catch _______!

1. Where do you think the events of this poem would take place?

_____________________________________________________________

2. Illustrate the alligator and the setting.

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Lesson Plan Ideas

� Give students a poem highlighting a particular word family. Access prior knowledge of the

poem. Write the poem on chart paper, read it together, and discuss its meaning with your

students. Ask students to identify all of the words in the word family. Highlight the words

on the chart paper and chorally read them with the students again. Give a paper copy of the

poem to the students to highlight the word family words at their desks, and then place in their

binders. Students then brainstorm and write at least 5 more words that fit in the word family.

� As a whole class, review sight words from a poem on the chart paper. Circle the chosen sight

words. Give team captains (the 4 most fluent readers in the class) index cards of the sight

word set and send them to their teams to teach the other students the words and practice

reading them quickly. Instruct captains how to wait three seconds before telling their

teammate the word and how to give appropriate praise when each member has successfully

learned the words. Students then get the poem out of their binders and chorally read it with

their team and then with the whole class.

� Instruct the students to think about how the poem should sound in order for the listeners to

easily understand its meaning. Take turns with the class reading alternate lines of the poem

with appropriate expression. Then reread the poem, alternating lines between girls and boys

and between the different teams of students. Give the students 3 minutes to practice whisper

reading the poem to themselves.

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� Tape record students reading one of the class poems. Put the tape in listening center for

students to listen to while they read a copy of the poem. Then have them complete a graphic

organizer/writing assignment responding to the poem’s meaning.

� Give students a parent letter explaining the importance of multiple poetry readings to

promote fluency. Send home a copy of the week's poem along with a signature sheet for

students to record how many people listened to them read their poem. You may offer

rewards/incentives each time a student brings in a completed signature sheet.

� At the end of the year, take a digital photo of each student. Show them examples of acrostic

poems, and then have them help you write one using your name. Finally, ask them to write

an acrostic poem of their own using their own names. Put all of the poems and photos

together and make a class “yearbook” to give to students the last week of school. Students

can sign their names next to their poems in their classmates’ books on the last day of class.

� Teach students how to write poems about everyday objects or the people close to them.

Model how to write similes and metaphors and have them write a few poems with you. Then

ask them to pick a topic and write their own poem. Place these into a class book for them to

read at your library center or have them read the poems in front of the class at a mini-

performance.

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� Make a class bulletin board display entitled, "The Great Poetry Race." Tell the students you

will record how many times each student reads the weekly poem to a different person at

home, as evidenced by the take-home signature sheets. Explain that at the end of each week,

the top 3 winners will receive a prize. Remind students that you will collect the first poem's

signature sheet at the end of the week and encourage them to find as many people as possible

who can listen to the poem. Collect the "Great Poetry Race" signature sheets from all

students and announce the 3 winners. Photograph their smiling faces and put their names on

construction paper car cut-outs and place on the "race track" on the bulletin board. After

school, print the children's photographs and paste their faces on top of the cars on the board

so it looks like the students are driving the little cars.

� Have students listen to a poem read by you. After you finish the story and discuss its events,

ask the students to break up the text into natural-sounding phrases. Do this by asking them to

listen for all the times they took a break while reading. With the help of students, write each

phrase on a large cardstock sentence strip. Then place the first few strips on the floor around

the classroom in order. Tell students they will be going on a "poetry walk," which means

they will read each phrase from the strip as they walk around the classroom. With each step

they take, they will read one more phrase, making sure to convey proper meaning and

expression with their voice as well as their movements. Model how to step to each strip and

read the phrase fluently before going on to the next one. Call on a few students to role play

waiting until the person in front of them is three steps ahead before starting. Light classical

music can be turned on. Remind students how to use their whisper reading voices. Give

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students a paper copy of the poem or story to read at their desks while they await their turn in

the "poetry walk." Tap the first student on the shoulder as a signal to walk up to the first strip to

read. When he gets to the third strip, tap the next student. This routine continues until all

students are up and walking/reading. When the first student makes it around the room, he goes

back to the beginning. This "poetry walk" goes on for ten minutes. When the timer stops, all

students "freeze" and silently tip-toe back to their desks to read the story one more time silently.

� A variation of the "poetry walk" activity can be set up for use during reading centers. After

the small group meets with the teacher, the students go to the carpet to work with a buddy.

They choose a set of stepping stones (large rectangular cardstock cut outs with a phrase of a

poem or short passage from a previously read story written on each one). The team of

students works together to set out the stones in order from one side of the carpet to the other.

Then, one at a time, they take turns walking/reading to get to the other side. Their partner

walks along the other side to make sure all the words are read correctly and to help with any

unknown words.

� Students are asked to look through their poetry binders and select a favorite poem. Inform

parents that the class would be having a "poetry cafe" performance. Parents are asked to help

their child prepare for this event by coaching them on appropriate volume of their voice,

proper expression, and possible movements they could incorporate into the reading of the

poem. Parents are also encouraged to attend. Before the event, set up twinkling lights, soft

music, and a table of refreshments and cookies. Have students help you decorate the

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classroom, make signs and programs to welcome parents to the "poetry café." Pick 2 students

to stand by the door and be the greeters, passing out programs to the parents and showing them

where to sit. Assign one student to be the MC and announce the start of the show, as well as call

up each student. Students, one at a time, use a microphone to read their chosen poem to the

audience. Give students a certificate of appreciation for their performance and effort.

� After learning a curriculum unit in science or social studies, older students can write poems,

skits, or songs displaying their understanding of the topic. These can be practiced and

performed in groups, either for the class, other classes, or in front of parents or

administrators.

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My My My My

First GradeFirst GradeFirst GradeFirst Grade

YearbookYearbookYearbookYearbook

2010201020102010----2011201120112011

These are a couple of poems I included in the poetry yearbook. I was able to fit about 6 photos and poems on each page. I included my own photo and poem at the end. Here is Kyani’s acrostic poem. She was one of my first grade students last year. INSERT STUDENT PHOTO ABOVE EACH POEMINSERT STUDENT PHOTO ABOVE EACH POEMINSERT STUDENT PHOTO ABOVE EACH POEMINSERT STUDENT PHOTO ABOVE EACH POEM

KKKKite flying girl. YYYYummy jello-eater. AAAAlways doing homework. NNNNever has an attitude! IIIIn a first grade class.

HHHHas long brown hair AAAAlways reads books FFFFriendly smile FFFForgets to give out homework sometimes NNNNever eats tuna EEEEvery summer goes to Chicago RRRReally likes her first grade class!

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Original Poem Template

Topic/Title

___________________and _________________

_____________ing, ____________ing, ____________ing

____________ as a _____________

__________________________________

Here are 2 student samples from my first graders:

Peanut Butter

Creamy and brown

Tasting, tasting, tasting

Smooth as silk

Delicious delight!

My Dad

Tall and smart

Running, playing, buying me pizza

Strong as a giant

I love my dad!

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Dear Parents,

Please listen to your child read a poem from his/her poetry binder. You may read it together, take

turns reading the lines, and read it with expressive voices. This improves your child’s fluency

skills. Encourage your child to read it to as many people in your home as possible. Have them

sign their names on the lines below to acknowledge that they listened to your child read the

poem.

Thank you!

Date Title of Poem Signature

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

_____________ ______________________________ ________________________

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Evaluation & Student AssessmentEvaluation & Student AssessmentEvaluation & Student AssessmentEvaluation & Student Assessment

By participating in multiple readings of poetry in engaging ways, students will likely

improve their reading fluency and vocabulary. To assess the increase in my students’ fluency, I

use the rubrics included in the Treasures Fluency Assessment book. Throughout the year, I

record the number of words from the passage read correctly by each student as well as the

prosody score using the rubric. Hearing and practicing natural pacing and expression through the

reading of poetry helps students enhance their fluency.

To assess student work with the poems at your literacy centers, you may wish to ask

students to save their work in a binder or folder. Periodically check and file their work in

whatever system you’ve developed. If time allows, you may have mini-conferences with

students to discuss their center work and provide feedback and set goals for future work.

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Resource ListResource ListResource ListResource List---- Books Books Books Books

Great Big Book of Thematic Poetry $16.99 (PreK-2) Scholastic Poem of the Week $16.99 (K-2) Scholastic 101 Science Poems and Songs $14.99 (1-3) Scholastic Content Building Songs $14.99 (K-3) Scholastic Texts for Fluency Practice $17.99 (Level A, Grades 1-2, Level B, Grades 2-3) National School Products Poetry Place Anthology $19.99 (K-4) Scholastic Sight Word Poetry Pages $15.99 (K-2) Scholastic Poem-of-the-Month Flip Chart $21.99 (K-3) Scholastic Perfect Poems with Strategies for Building Fluency $12.95 (1-2, 3-4, 5-6) Scholastic Poems for Word Study $59.99 (K-1, 1-2, or 2-3) National School Products Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems $15.00 Kristine George Amazon.com Poetry for Young People- 8 book set $55.60 (4-7) Reallygoodstuff.com Poetry U.S.A. $4.95 (6-8) Scholastic 101 Great American Poems $7.92 (6-12) Amazon.com

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Materials/EquipmentMaterials/EquipmentMaterials/EquipmentMaterials/Equipment

Echo Microphones $6.05 per unit set of 4 Reallygoodstuff.com Reader’s Stage Pocket Chart $34.99 Nationalschoolproducts.com Pocket Chart Stand $69.00 Nationalschoolproducts.com 5 Pocket Chart Rings $7.99 Nationalschoolproducts.com Everyday Pocket Chart $22.99 Reallygoodstuff.com Chart Tablet $8.99 24” x 32”, 25 sheets Nationalschoolproducts.com Pocket Chart Sentence Strips $5.99 100 strips, Assorted Colors Nationalschoolproducts.com Xerox Cardstock $14.99 250 sheets Office Depot Plastic Sheet Protectors $10.39 Set of 12 Office Depot Wilson Jones Binder $2.89 each class set Office Depot Miscellaneous: art supplies (crayons, markers, etc.), journals, copy paper, certificates for the “poetry café,” refreshments & tea-light “candles” for the poetry café, border & supplies for poetry-inspired bulletin boards, prizes for the “Great Poetry Race” home reading log, etc.

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BibliographyBibliographyBibliographyBibliography

Favor, S. (2009). Repeated reading of poetry can enhance reading fluency. The Reading Teacher, 62, 350-352. Keehn, S. (2003). The effect of instruction and practice through readers theatre on young readers' oral reading fluency. Reading Research and Instruction, 42, 40-61. Peebles, J. (2007). Incorporating movement with fluency instruction: A motivation for struggling readers. The Reading Teacher, 60, 578-81. Pitcher, S. (2009). The great poetry race. The Reading Teacher, 62, 613-616. Rasinski, T., Rupley, W. & Nichols, W. (2008). Synergistic phonics and fluency instruction: The magic of rhyming poetry. The New England Reading Association Journal, 44, 9-14. Rasinski, T. (2006). Reading fluency instruction: Moving beyond accuracy, automaticity, and prosody. The Reading Teacher, 59, 704-6. Wilfong, L. (2008). Building fluency, word-recognition ability, and confidence in struggling readers: The poetry academy. The Reading Teacher, 62, 4-13. Worthy, J. & Prater, K. (2002). "I thought about it all night".: Readers Theatre for reading fluency and motivation. The Reading Teacher, 56, 294-297

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