POETRY

POETRY

INTRODUCTION

As mentioned earlier, when we focus on rhyme we help young children develop phonemic awareness (Gambrell, Mandel-Morrow & Pressley, 2007). The two books below could be presented to children during a unit on poetry.

For Early Elementary Readers

Hoberman, M. (2001). You read to me, I’ll read to you. New York: Little Brown & Company.

“Here’s a book

With something new –

You read to me!

I’ll read to you!”

With this beginning, the lines of each poem are color-coded and indented to show who reads which lines. Young children LOVE taking turns reading these poems!

ELEMENTS OF POETRY

“I see a mouse.

I see one, too!

We see two mice.

What shall we do?”

The poems contained in Hoberman’s book are rhythmic and repetitive, perfect for young learners. The special shape of each poem cues the reader regarding which line to read next.

For Older Elementary and Early Middle School Students

Fleischman, P. (1988). Joyful noise: Poems for two voices. New York: Harper Trophy.

ELEMENTS OF POETRY

Water Boatman

“ ‘Stroke!’ ‘Stroke!’

We’re water boatman

‘Stroke!’ ‘Stroke!’

Up early, rowing

‘Stroke!’ ‘Stroke!’

We’re cockswain calling

‘Stroke!’ ‘Stroke!’

and oarsman straining

‘Stroke!’ ‘Stroke!’ ”

As Norton states (2011, p. 318) “Poets may place their words on pages in ways designed to supplement meaning and to create greater visual impact.” Fleischman also designs his poems to be read aloud by two readers; some parts are solo and some parts are duet. In Joyful Noise Fleischman depicts the sounds and motion of nature (Norton, p. 329).

LESSON PLANS

· A language arts center could be set up where three early elementary age students could read You Read To Me, I’ll Read To You to each other.

· Students could write “I Am” poems, taking on the character of a famous person and writing a poem from that person’s perspective (Tompkins, 2010, p. 401).

· Older students could perform “Reader’s Theatre” and read Fleischman’s Poems for Two Voices in a performance.

· Students could create “found poems” (Tompkins, p. 404) using lines and sentences from books they are reading, even science books. For example, the study of push, pull and physics could yield delightful poems about friction!

Gambrell, L., Madell Morrow, L, & Pressley, M., (Eds.). (2007). Best practices in literacy instruction, 3rd ed. New York: Guilford Press.

Norton, G. (2011). Through the eyes of a child: An introduction to children’s literature, 8^th ed. Boston: Pearson.

Tompkins, G. (2010). Literacy for the 21^st century: A balanced approach, 5^th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

American Indian children's literature

INTRODUCTION

The three leveled books below could be used in a middle elementary Guided Reading class with a diverse group of readers. The books examine American Indian tales and culture.

DePaola, T. (1983). The legend of bluebonnet: An old tale of Texas (retold). New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

SUMMARY AND PLOT

The Legend of the Blue Bonnet is about a Comanche girl who lost her family to famine. The girl, She-Who-Is-Alone, must decide whether to sacrifice her most valued possession to save her people. After much reflection she sacrifices her beloved doll, made by her mother, for the good of her people. She scatters the doll’s ashes and thus blankets the hills with blue flowers that spring up after a cleansing rain.

STYLE AND ILLUSTRATIONS

DePaola does not abbreviate this story. He seems to stay true to Indian values of honouring the earth and paying heed to ones ancestors. His illustrations are spare yet colourful.

CONFLICT

At first, She-Who-Is-Alone holds tight to her doll. She talks to her doll and explains the unfolding tragedy, and the shaman’s appeal for sacrifice for the good of the tribe. It soon dawns on her what she must do, and she seems a child no more.

THEME

Sadness and wistfulness for the vanished buffalo fill the story’s pages. Sacrifice and youthful bravery dominate the storyline, and are alluded to throughout the book. Again, this is an allegorical tale of giving. The tale teaches us about generosity and the needs of the many rather than the few.

CHARACTERIZATION

How can a young orphan, She-Who-Is-Alone, be so selfless?

GENRE

Native American story, retold

INTEREST LEVEL

Lexile: 740

Guided Reading level: 740

Steptoe, J. (1993). The story of jumping mouse: A Native American legend (retold). New York: Scholastic.

SUMMARY AND PLOT

Courageous, generous and compassionate Jumping Mouse strives to reach the far-off land. But during his journey he gives away all of his belongings to needy animals. When he finally reaches the far-off land in a hindered state he experiences a miraculous, awe-inspiring transformation.

CHARACTERS

Realistic-looking Jumping Mouse is loveable. His generosity is astounding and instructive. On almost every page he meets a new animal friend with needs greater than his own. Magic Frog has extraordinary powers. Fat mouse is a cynic. Huge bison’s plight spurs Jumping Mouse’s first astonishing giveaway, and then the bison helps the little mouse. All along the animals assume new names in honor of their gifts.

STYLE AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Steptoe, who died an untimely early death, in his text seems to stay true to the spirit of poetry, transformation, and elevation of character that is present in many American Indian stories. His black and white pen and ink illustrations are textured and evocative.

THEME

Compassion, courage, and selflessness are the themes of this book. The Story of Jumping Mouse is an allegorical tale with a hidden meaning. It is a selfless story that teaches us to be generous and compassionate, qualities that are alluded to on every page. Personification is used throughout as animals speak with human voices. Jumping Mouse’s future is foreshadowed. Even the youngest reader listening to this story knows that Jumping Mouse is bound for something greater and higher.

CONFLICT

On each page Jumping Mouse doubts that he can go further. And on each page Jumping Mouse gives more of his small self away. But his compassionate spirit is matched by the kindness of others. Jumping Mouse courageously pushes on.

GENRE

Native American story, retold

INTEREST LEVEL

Lexile: 550

Guided reading level: L

Vaughan, R. (1993). Lift up the sky: A Snohomish Indian legend (retold). New Jersey: Pearson.

SUMMARY & PLOT

The Snohomish join together to lift the sky higher because they are bumping their heads on it. But inadvertently hunters and deer who ran into the sky earlier are stranded. Thus, the Big Dipper is formed.

QUALITY, ILLUSTRATIONS, STYLE

The watercolor illustrations are beautiful, but in simplifying the story for an H reading level, the re-telling author seems to have left details out. American Indian language is full of poetry, and none of this quality comes through. A quick web search reveals additional information about this legend posted on www.firstpeople.us, a site that appears to be written by a Native American and First Nations group. Additional, definitive information about this legend would need to be gathered before this book could be presented to students. Personification is used in this book: the sky is falling asleep.

CONFLICT

The Snohomish in the northwest part of the North American continent feel the oppressiveness of the constant low cloud cover and work to “lift the sky up.”

GENRE

Native American story, retold

INTEREST LEVEL

Lexile: 400

Guided Reading level: H

LESSON PLANS

http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Academic_Excellence/Indian_Education/K12_Curriculum/index.html

The website above provides much information about American Indian Anishanabe and Dakota education themes and lessons. Here are some examples of lessons that could be interwoven with the books above:

American Indian History, Culture and Language and Oral Tradition Curriculum—The Ojibwe and the Dakota most often tell their stories, teachings and history during the winter months. Teachers are urged to use the terms “stories” and “teachings” and discouraged from using the words “myths” and legends” when discussing American Indian oral traditions. Stories and teachings tell how the earth was made and describe characters with both human and mystical qualities.

American Indian Values Curriculum—Respect is at the center of traditional Anishanabe and Dakota beliefs, including respect for the Creator, Mother Earth, elders, family members, the community, and all living things in nature. Other values include: gratitude; generosity; courage; humility; cooperation and consensus; and patience.

American Indian Family Life Curriculum—Unlike the Anglo-western nuclear family concept, American Indians believe that the family is comprised of extended family members, too, including grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and elders, and that mutual dependence is the norm. Further the phrase, “all my relatives” in both the Ojibwe and Dakota languages is defined similarly as “… all human life, plant life, animal life, and all things of this earth.”[i]

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[i]http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/Choice/documents/Presentation/003003.pdf, p. 3.

Crow Boy

Yashima, T. (1955). Crow boy. New York: Viking Press.

SUMMARY

Crow Boy, by Taro Yashima, received the Caldecott Medal for its exceptional artwork in 1956. The story is set in rural Japan in the early part of the 20^th century. The striking pictures were done in ink, crayon, pencil and tempera. Crow Boy is a book about an outcast boy who struggles in school but excels in other ways. The protagonist is named Chibi, which means, “tiny boy.” At first he is afraid of the teacher and the students. Chibi always straggles alone at the end of the class line. He behaves oddly in school and this earns him few friends—his classmates call him “stupid” and “slowpoke.” Everyday he comes to school clad in a dried zebra grass poncho and eats the same meagre lunch by himself. In the children’s sixth year, Mr. Isobe, becomes the new teacher and he befriends Chibi and discovers and nurtures Chibi’s talents. Later, in the school talent show, Mr. Isobe encourages Chibi to perform his remarkable imitations and the students are stunned and touched by Chibi’s skill, and feel sympathy for him for the first time. At the end of the book Chibi is honored with an award for years of perfect attendance, though he has trudged miles in mountainous terrain to come to and from school each day.

CHARACTERS

Besides Chibi, the main character of interest in the book is Mr. Isobe. In contrast with the old, wizened former headmaster, the new Mr. Isobe exudes openness and concern.

QUALITY AND ILLUSTRATIONS

This spare book highlights mean-spirited village teasing and the difficulties of a child with special needs in another country, but it can easily apply to bullying and exclusion in today’s classroom. The illustrations allude to Chibi’s far-off home in the mountains. The book employs “simile” and compares Chibi’s voice to the call of crows. Rural, Japanese village life is portrayed in the book, describing fauna, foods, and rough clothing items worn by the poor. With the sparest strokes of a pen Yashima shows in Chibi’s face the boy’s oddness and forlornness, his shyness, growth, and contentment at the end.

PLOT AND CONFLICT

The conflict is Chibi’s wretched isolation and exclusion. This is only overcome by the kindness of a teacher who makes extra effort to get to know the child and highlight his strengths and models acknowledging Chibi’s rare skills.

GENRE

Illustrated story book, fiction

INTEREST LEVEL

Grade 2-3, but good for older elementary when discussing bullying and exclusion

Lexile: 690

Guided Reading Level: L

MINI-LESSON

This book presents an opportunity to discuss taunting, mocking, and exclusion. The mini-lesson could be composed of open-ended discussion questions, starting with innocuous queries first, and moving into questions of greater individual and group self-examination.

How is the school in the story different from our school here in Minnesota?

Why do you think Chibi keeps coming to school everyday?

What kinds of gifts or special talents did Chibi have that were different from his classmates?

Why don’t children defend him when he is teased?

Why does Mr. Isobe take extra time with Chibi?

How does Chibi feel, do you think, when he spends time with Mr. Isobe?

Who has the most power to alter an unkind, teasing situation? Why?

Third blog post

THIRD BLOG POST

The three books below are rhyming picture books. They could be presented together in a unit of poetry study for early-elementary age children. The books feature assonance, alliteration, and rhythm. The books lend themselves to shared reading, phonics and sound-matching activities, and poetry writing.

Ahlberg, J. & Ahlberg, A. (1978). Each peach, pear, plum. New York: Scholastic.

Plot

Each Peach, Pear, Plum presents hidden nursery rhyme characters in an I spy format. It begins with Tom Thumb in a fruit tree, and features Mother Hubbard, Cinderella, Bo-Peep, and many others. The plot is often humorous: Baby Bunting’s bassinet is shot out of a tree when Baby Bear’s (of the Three Bears) gun accidentally goes off.

Characterization

On each page anticipation builds as young children hunt for the mentioned character concealed on the page. Kindergarteners and first graders love to find the out-of-sight characters in often slap-stick positions, such as upside down or floating down rivers.

Setting

The setting is bucolic: the story takes place in gently rolling meadow in the countryside. The mood of the setting is pastoral and soft, in contrast to the frequent humorous misfire of the gun.

Theme

The theme of Each Peach, Pear, Plum extends and blends common nursery rhyme story-lines into the ridiculous: “Jack and Jill in the ditch. I spy the wicked witch.” Jack and Jill roll down the hill into brambles where the Wicked Witch is hiding.

Style

Each page features two lines in identical meter with rhymes at the end: wood, hood, ditch, witch. When we focus on rhyme we help young children develop phonemic awareness (Gambrell, Mandel-Morrow & Pressley, 2007). The soothing pictures are watercolor and colored pencil.

Level

200-350 Lexile

Guided Reading level G

Shaw, N. (1986). Sheep in a jeep. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Plot

Five sheep have constant, humorous trouble. It doesn’t appear that the sheep have much experience driving the jeep. At the end the sheep sell the jeep.

Characterization

True to the dimness of sheep intellect, these sheep have constant mishaps, often attributable, perhaps, to inattention. Again, slap-stick elements, such as sheep rolling down the hill into a mud puddle, appeal to early elementary children.

Style

Children immediately laugh at the rolly-polly sheep drawn in colored pencil. On one of the first pages a sheep sits knitting. Knowledgeable children immediately see the humor in a sheep with knitting needles, perhaps using yarn from its own wool. Each page contains six-to-seven word sentences sometimes with multiple rhymes: “Sheep in a jeep on a hill that’s steep.” Even struggling readers get into the rhythm of the sentence and flow through difficult st- blends with the help of picture clues. Shaw uses assonance—repetition of vowel sounds—effectively and humorously: tug, shrug, yelp, help.

Level

Lexile: 350

Guided Reading level: G

Dodd, L. (1990). Slinky malinky. London: Penguin Group.

Plot and Summary

This delightful book by New Zealander Lynley Dodd uses a plethora of literary elements: assonance, alliteration, vivid verbs, and plenty of strong Anglo Saxon words (pillaged, smock). It is about mischievious Slinky Malinki who has a kink at the end of his very long tail. At night he turns into a thief and snitches an odd assortment of items: “…slippers, sausages, biscuits, balloons, brushes, bandages, pencils and spoons.” He "pulls them, drags them, heaves them home." At the end of the book he seems reformed.

Characterization

Slinky Malinky is a sly, playful, intelligent cat. He is also a collector who is eventually caught. Children will relate to his wickedness.

Setting

Dodd’s watercolors convey a moody night-time setting.

Theme and Style

The theme is naughty, nocturnal Slinky Malinky. On almost every page Dodd employs a striking eight-line rhyme scheme: a,b,c,b, e,f,g,f. One of the funniest things about the book is the depiction of skinny, disobedient Slinky Malinky, done in watercolor and pen and ink.

Level

Lexile 350-500

Guided Reading level: K

Lesson Plans

Read-Alouds and Shared Reading

Each Peach, Pear Plum and Sheep in a Jeep lend themselves to read-alouds and shared reading activities that children could eventually do at language arts centers. In a second read aloud, the teacher could put the short books on chart paper and ask child volunteers to read along using a pointer to point at each word.

Rhymes

“Who knows what rhyming words are?” the teacher could ask (Tompkins, 2010, p. 174). Words that sound alike at the end of the word rhyme. The teacher could highlight hill and Jill in Each Peach, Pear, Plum. Children can spell more –ill words by adding consonants in front of –ill: pill, fill mill.

Alliteration and Assonance

Alliteration—the repetition of initial consonants, and assonance— the repetition of vowel sounds (Norton, 2011, p. 316), could be especially highlighted in Slinky Malinki.

“CRASH went the bottles,

BEE-BEEP went the clock,

RO-RO-RO-RO

Went the dogs on the block.

On went the lights, BANG went the door

and out came the family,

one, two, three, four.”

The consonant beginning blends in clock and block could be pointed out, as well as the different but similar sounding vowel sounds in door and four. This exploration could be related to Words Their Way word sorts, too.

Poetry

Children could be invited to create their own poems after reading these three books and other rhyming books multiple times. Children would be encouraged to create real and nonsense words (Tompkins, p. 152) for their poems, and share them aloud with the class.

Gambrell, L., Madell Morrow, L, & Pressley, M., (Eds.). (2007). Best practices in literacy instruction, 3rd ed. New York: Guilford Press.

Norton, G. (2011). Through the eyes of a child: An introduction to children’s literature, 8^th ed. Boston: Pearson.

Tompkins, G. (2010). Literacy for the 21^st century: A balanced approach, 5^th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.