Poetry

1. Poetry

2. Book Talks! 5th: Nicole, Haley Poem talk: Miss Van Ryn

3. Introduction to Poetry Billy Collins I ask them to take a poem and hold it up to the light like a color slide or press an ear against its hive. I say drop a mouse into a poem And watch him probe his way out, or walk inside the poem's room and feel the walls for a light switch. I want them to waterski across the surface of a poem waving at the author's name on the shore. But all they want to do Is tie the poem to a chair with rope And torture a confession out of it. They begin beating it with a hose To find out what it really means.

4. In your writer’s notebooks: • What is poetry? Rap? Song? • What makes poetry different? • What kinds of poems have you read? • What do you like? Dislike? • What’s the point? What Is Poetry?

7. O Me! O Life! By Walt Whitman Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring, Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish, Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?) Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d, Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me, Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined, The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life? Answer. That YOU are here—that life exists and identity, That the powerful play goes on, and YOU may contribute a verse.

8. poeTRY

9. Poetry Books • Read through several poems in the books that are around your desk. • Pick 4 lines of poetry to read to the class that stand out to you. (interesting, thought-provoking, confusing, funny, exciting, etc) • As a class: • Title and author • Why did you pick these 4 lines?

10. Today’s Agenda Choice Reading Books Talks/Poem Talk Poetry Read Aloud “Is Poetry Dead” article “Where I’m From” poem Time to Write!

12. Book Talks! 5th hour: Kaylee and Michael 6th hour: Madi Poem Talk: Miss Van Ryn

13. “Is Poetry Dead?” “All the things that poetry used to do, other things do much better.” In your writer’s notebooks: Do you agree or disagree? Why? Give examples.

14. poeTRY Focus: “Where I’m From”

16. Book Talks! 5th: Levi 6th: Collin, Shelbie Poem Talk: Miss Van Ryn

17. poeTRY Focus: “Where I’m From”

18. “Poetry is a mirror which makes beautiful that which is distorted.” - Percy Byron Shelley (19th Century British Poet)

19. Today’s Agenda • Book Talk and Poem Talk • Share “Where I’m From” Poems • Choice Reading (check poems)

20. Book Talks! • 5th: Lyz • 6th: Austin • Poem Talk: Miss Van Ryn

28. “Where I’m From” • Share at least 4 lines of your poem • (You may share more, even the whole thing!)

30. “Excuses are monuments of nothingness. They build bridges to nowhere. Those who use these tools of incompetence, seldom become anything but nothing at all.” • - Author unknown

31. Today’s Agenda • Book Talk and Poem Talk • Choice Reading • Excuses!

32. In your writer’s notebooks… • Why do you use excuses? In what type of situations? To get out of what? What kinds of excuses do you use? Do they work?Why or why not?

33. Excuses Example Poem • I Can't Write a Poem • Forget it.You must be kidding.I'm still half asleep. My eyes keep closing.My brain isn't working.I don't have a pencil.I don't have any paper.My desk is wobbly.I don't know what to write about.And besides, I don't even know how to write a poem.I've got a headache. I need to see the nurse.Time's up? Uh oh!All I have is a dumb list of excuses.You like it? Really? No kidding.Thanks a lot. Would you like to see another one? • -Bruce Lansky

34. Excuses, Excuses! • With your groups: • Come up with one question, 8 creative excuses, and an ending sentence. This will make a 10 line poem, 2 lines for each person. • Question: “Why didn’t you….?” “How come you didn’t….?” “Why can’t you….?” “Why won’t you….?” • Excuses: “Because…..” • Can be a series of related excuses or 8 completely different excuses • All group members should write down the WHOLE poem in their writer’s notebooks. • The whole group will share with the class

35. Poem Outline • This outline is similar to that of the poem we just read, but it is slightly different in order to accommodate your groups. • Line 1: Question (Person 1) • Line 2: Excuses (Person 2) • Line 3: Excuse (Person 3) • Line 4: Excuse (Person 4) • Line 5: Excuse (Person 5) • Line 6: Same as line 2 • Line 7: Same as line 3 • Line 8: Same as line 4 • Line 9: Same as line 6 • Line 10: Closing remark response, or another question (Person 1)

36. Today’s Agenda Book Talk and Poem Talk Review of Yesterday Choice Reading Share “Excuses” Poems

37. Book Talks! 5th: Kathryn, Taliah 6th: Dom Poem Talk: Miss Van Ryn

38. [in Just-] • By E. E. Cummings • in Just- • spring          when the world is mud- • luscious the little • lame balloonman • whistles          far          and wee • and eddieandbill come • running from marbles and • piracies and it's • spring • when the world is puddle-wonderful • the queer • old balloonman whistles • far          and             wee • and bettyandisbel come dancing • from hop-scotch and jump-rope and • it's • spring • and •          the •                   goat-footed • balloonMan          whistles • far • and • wee

39. In your writer’s notebooks… • Fold over the page of your “Excuses” poem. This should be after your response to the questions about excuses. • - If you don’t have a poem written down, please explain why. • 2. Write down what you did in class yesterday. • 3. Who is in your group and how did you go about writing the poem? Explain your process. • 4. Bring your writer’s notebooks to me when you are done and begin choice reading.

41. “Excuses” Poem Share With your group, stand in a line in front of class and share your poem, each person reciting your designated lines.

42. Today’s Agenda • Book Talk and Poem Talk • Choice Reading • “How to Live” Poem

43. Book Talks! • 5th: • 6th: • Poem Talk: Miss Van Ryn

44. How To Live

45. How to Live • Structure your poem as commands: • - Eat this, Do this, Don’t do that, Travel here, etc. • 1 full page in writer’s notebooks • Be thinking of: How do you live? How do you want to live? How would you advise a young child to live his or her life?

46. Tips for Writing • In order to live the best possible life….. • Eat/drink Say • Travel to Think • Use free time Dress/Look • Study Act • Job Feel • Family Where to live • Friends Spend money • Be Specific!

47. Today’s Agenda Book Talk and Poem Talk “How to Live” Poem Share Metaphors Color Poems

48. Book Talks! 5th: 6th: Poem Talk: Miss Van Ryn

49. “How to Live” Poem Share In partners…. 1. Share your poems with each other – the whole poem! 2. Once you have read the whole thing, decide what 8 lines to read for the class (about half of your poem). 3. Share with the class! Read your partner’s poem.

50. What is a metaphor? • Metaphor: a comparison between 2 unlike things • - often uses “is” • - asserts they are the same as each other in order to show their similarity. • - Example: “All the world’s a stage” (Shakespeare) • - What does this really mean? • - Example: “Drowning in a sea of grief” • - What does this mean?