David L. Harrison’s “Meanwhile”

Reminder: PoetryTagTime is the first ever electronic-only poetry anthology of new poems by top poets for children. You can purchase the book for 99 cents at Amazon and read it on your Kindle or through the downloadable Kindle platform for your computer, cell phone, etc.

Previously: Joan Bransfield Graham

Next up: DAVID L. HARRISON

David's blog

Setting the Stage: Lead the kids in a discussion of the two major roles for bees: drones and queen. Do they know which is which and what each does in the hive? If not, research and share.

Poetry Performance: David Harrison’s poem, “Meanwhile” is a concrete or shape poem that suggests the look of a bee’s hive. But it also uses the shape to suggest a slowing-down rhythm for reading the poem. Read it aloud to the kids first beginning at a normal pace, then pausing after the word “once” to read the remainder of the poem more and more slowly. Then invite them to join in on repeated readings with the same rhythm, pausing after “all,” “they,” and “ask” for extra impact.

Just for Fun: Join the kids in looking for more shape poems, more bee poems, or creating a hive shaped poem from the queen’s point of view (perhaps growing from smaller at the top to larger at the bottom).

Poem Links: Here are key words that connect this poem with other poems in the PoetryTagTime collection:
Bees
Shape poem
Sky
Humor
Bugs

Buy the book now, so you can share each poem along with the ideas and activities that follow here.

Next up for PoetryTagTime: Julie Larios

Image credit: PoetryTagTime

Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2011. All rights reserved.

Joyce Sidman’s “Maybe”

Reminder: PoetryTagTime is the first ever electronic-only poetry anthology of new poems by top poets for children. You can purchase the book for 99 cents at Amazon and read it on your Kindle or through the downloadable Kindle platform for your computer, cell phone, etc.

Previously: Jack Prelutsky

Next up: JOYCE SIDMAN

Setting the Stage: Joyce Sidman’s poem, “Maybe” asks the reader or listener to wonder “what if?” What if the world started with an egg? How might that happen? What could that look like? Bring an egg (hard-boiled) as a prop to hold, examine, and ponder.

Poetry Performance: Read the poem aloud to the children first without showing the poem. Then invite the children to join in each time you read the word “maybe.” (Write the word “maybe” on egg-shaped paper and hold it up when it’s time for them to pipe in for non-readers, ESL/ELL students, or just for fun.)

Just for Fun: Joyce’s poem is a shape poem or concrete poem written in the shape of the poem’s subject. Look for other collections of shape poetry (including Sidman’s Meow, Ruff) to read, share, and discuss. Kids can work with a partner to take a favorite poem and write it on shaped paper or try their hands at creating their own original shape poems.

Poem Links: Here are key words that connect this poem with other poems in the PoetryTagTime collection:
Egg
Food
Sun
Sky
Shape poem
Earth
Light

Buy the book now, so you can share each poem along with the ideas and activities that follow here.

Next up for PoetryTagTime: Nikki Grimes


Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2011. All rights reserved.