Exploring Poetry

17 May 2012
photo of Exploring Poetry @ Runde's Room
We've started poetry!  I LOVE reading and writing poetry with my students!  This is a label that one of my students made for his poetry folder - how fantastic is that!?!

We keep all the poetry we're writing in a two pocket folder.  Drafts go on the left side, and published poems go on the right.  At the end of the unit we'll use my binding machine to turn our published poems into wonderful little books.  Such a treasure and a treat to send home at the end of the year.

photo of Exploring Poetry @ Runde's Room
For now we're posting our published poems on one of our language bulletin boards.  These were the first poems we wrote - biography "I Am ... " poems.   I always start with simple template poems to get the students used to writing, and then we move on to more difficult forms.




With a limited number of computers available, I've decided to publish our poems by writing them on smaller pieces of blank paper, then gluing them onto pieces of scrapbook paper cut down to 8 1/2 by 11 size.  Students have the option of adding an illustration to their poems to add to the visual appeal.




photo of Writing a Haiku on the smartboard @ Runde's Room
Yesterday we wrote haikus.  I have a fun little smartboard lesson I've made to teach writing a haiku - it's based on the idea of magnetic poetry tiles.  (This haiku is written about one of my pictures of a lily in my garden {LOVE my lilies - can't wait for summer to have them in bloom again}).  After the students learn about the formula for a haiku, and read some examples, they work in pairs to create a haiku based on the word list they have.  Students can then come up to the smartboard to share the poems they have written.  To take a peek at my Smartboard lesson, Writing A Haiku Using Magnetic Poetry Tiles, click on the lily picture above, or the poetry screen below.

photo of Writing a Haiku on the smartboard @ Runde's Room

















photo of DIY Magnetic Poetry Kits @ Runde's Room
When the students finished this activity, I let them "play" with the magnetic poetry kits I've made for my classroom.  I made my kits a few years ago, and they're such a hit with my students, I decided to make a few more this year.  They had a lot of fun writing haikus with the kits.

photo of DIY Magnetic Poetry Kits @ Runde's Room





photo of DIY Magnetic Poetry Kits free pdf download @ Runde's Room





These magnetic poetry kits are great for writing centers, collaborative poem activities, or even to keep the kiddos busy during indoor recesses.  I whipped up a little FREEBIE last night and posted it to my TPT store in case you're interested in making your own magnetic poetry kit.  All you'll need is some magnetic paper (I buy mine at Staples or Walmart, but I'll post the link to Amazon below in case you have trouble finding it), and a cookie sheet or metal sheet.  Click HERE or on the picture to the right to grab a copy and start making your own Magnetic Poetry Kit. Trust me - your kids will LOVE them!

Happy Thursday ... just one.more.day.

13 comments

  1. omg! I LOVE Poetry but so scared to teach it. I have no idea what I'm doing and I would need a scripted program :(
    I LOVE the SmartBoard file!!! So interactive and I'm sure the kids loved it!
    Their writing came our super! Your freebie is fabulous - my kids will love it! Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Thanks, Mor! Don't be scared of poetry - it's SO much fun! I have bought quite a few poetry resources ... but nothing is as fun as just letting the students write. (but if you're still scared, I plan on writing a poetry writing workshop unit this summer - just one of the million and one things on my summer to-do list).

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  2. The magnetic poetry really is awesome Jen. What a fun way to engage your students, yet still have it be educational all at the same time. Thanks for the freebie!

    ~Stephanie
    Teaching in Room 6

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    1. Thanks, Steph! They're really enjoying it - and some of their poems are hilarious!!!

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  3. Jen, have you seen this??? You're a STAR!!

    http://www.teachhub.com/awesome-teacher-blogs-by-grade

    I'm SO proud of you!

    Barbara

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    1. Awwww, shucks ... thank-YOU, Barbara!!! I did happen to see this a couple of days ago - very exciting!

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  4. Thanks for sharing! Just bought a magnetic poetry kit from Chapters on sale for $5 ( I should have bought more). I think that I may have to make some more of my own now!

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    1. I was looking at buying a few sets a couple of years ago, but I thought I would just make my own instead. We've been enjoying them so much in the classroom, I went out and bought more magnetic paper and cookie sheets to make some more!

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  5. I love, love, love this idea!! Thanks for the free download! :)

    Claire

    Live, Laugh, Love, Teach

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  6. love this, i have beads also that have words on it. I was using it for the students getting a choice of 2 beads if they had a good day so they could make their own bead necklace( a classroom behaviour management strategy). i could use those beads but i like your idea. Have a great long weekend. i am sure well deserved. I love poetry too, i use it for language centre, learning about reading strategies( connections, inferring etc). It is great. mary

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  7. Magnetic poetry is great. Students are mesmerized by it.

    My class recently put city-inspired poetry on a Google map: http://wp.me/p1Dq2f-zB

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    1. Janet I would love to see your poetry on a Google map, can you post the link again? When I tried to find it nothing came up.

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  8. I'm taking the plunge finally and going to do a mini unit on poetry. Yippee!! 1st day will be just sharing examples of some poems and starting poetry section in our writing notebooks. :) So excited!

    Shannon
    http://www.irunreadteach.wordpress.com

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