Knowing that they were about to embark on a big project, the students paid close attention to the basic information presented at the outset. Once I was confident that everyone knew the difference between prose and poetry, I passed out a 1/4 slip of paper to each student with the "boundaries" of the project printed out as follows:
Using library books, the internet, and our text, each student working independently will create a poetry notebook featuring 10 poems on the theme of their choice. Each poem must be illustrated with original artwork that represents the action or mood of the piece it illustrates. Artwork may be a collage, painting, sketch, or computer generated image.
I offer some ideas of themes to get them thinking, and we head off to the library/resource center to get started. We spend about three class periods working on the project. To complete the notebook, students "bind" their projects with a laminated construction paper cover (that I provide), tying the edges with ribbon or yarn knots or bows. For the last two days of the week, each student presents his/her research to the class, sharing the poem they feel best represents the theme with the class.
Now I know that the students have REALLY read poetry. They have read many selections in depth enough to be able to distinguish mood and theme. With the poetry notebooks, students express themselves artistically and verbally on a theme that has meaning to them personally, much in the way that poetry is intense artistic expression. Now we'll tackle Shakespeare. . .
TOP 5 POETRY SITES FOR EDUCATORS:
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