As a member on a four-person team of writers at a local publishing firm, Po-Etree Inc., you and your working cohorts have written and published many children's books. You have written fairy tales, books about hobbies/crafts, pet-care books, science-fiction novels and novels about sibling-rivalries. Now your editor-in chief is looking to publish a collection of teen poetry.
Teen Poetry??!!! What would a group of writers who have the above writing resume' know about poetry? The "boss" has given you and your cohorts an "assignment" to come up with a collection of "original" poetry that will make the "Top 10" Best-selling List!! What this team knows about poetry you could probably put on the end of a "Pin Point" -- a writing "Pin Point" -- that is. And to make bad matters worse, the "boss" wants this work of art accomplished in a very timely manner. She has a deadline of two weeks, therefore you have an even shorter deadline. She has, however, offered each individual an opportunity for a "Big Bonus" if you meet the deadline AND get at least one internet site willing to publish one of these "Top-Selling" poems. What wonderful advertising promotion for Po-Etree, Inc.!!!
In Your Own Words - A Beginner's Guide to
Writing, Rev. Ed. by Sylvia Cassedy How to Read and Write Poetry by Anna
Cosman How to Read And Write Poems by Margaret
Ryan Lots of Limericks selected by Myra Cohn
Livingston Gonna Bake Me a Rainbow Poem - A
Student Guide to Writing Poetry by Peter Sears The Place My Words Are Looking For
selected by Paul B. Janeczko The Dream Keeper and other poems by
Langston Hughes Cool Salsa - Bilingual Poems on
Growing Up Latino in the United States - Lori M.
Carlson, ed. Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea by Joyce
Carol Thomas Celebrate America: in Poetry and Art -
published in association with the National Museum of America
Art, Smithsonian Institution Sad Underwear and other complications
by Judith Viorst CD-ROMs American Poetry - the Nineteenth
Century. Single-user version. The
Voyager Company, S. Burlington, VT: 1994. Poetry In Motion. Single-user version. The
Voyager Company, S. Burlington, VT: 1994.
Floppy disks Good ideas about favorite topics ClarisWorks Pencils, pens, scratch paper
Remember that poetry can be written about many different things. Some suggested topics are: pets, hobbies, sports, school, emotions, best friends, food, clothes, a family member, the weather. These are just a few suggestions, but you may write about something not on the list. Check with the teacher on an alternative topic before you begin composing your poetry.
It may also be helpful for you to have the internet browser and a ClarisWorks word-processing document open "side by side" on the computer screen as you compose your poetry. This will allow you to use the Semantic Rhyming Dictionary and other resources/sites as needed.
As you began this project, the idea of writing poetry may not have been appealing. Remember however, we all have something we can write about. Take the time to stop, look, and listen. Take notice of the world around you -- take notice of the things you feel when you see a sunset, hear a favorite song, see a bird in flight. Take notice of what you feel when you smell something you love to eat, hear a loved ones' voice or take a walk in the park. Take a picture, a mental image to help you visualize all the tiniest of details to write about.
Carl Sandburg penned poetry as " 'the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits,' a blend of the beautiful and the useful."
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assimilate (v.) - the process of receiving new facts
cohorts (n.) - a group of individuals
collection (n.) - a number of objects or persons; a quantity of a substance that has been collected or has collected often according to some unifying principal or orderly arrangement
compile (v.) - to collect and assemble into a document or volume or a series of documents or volumes
consensus (v.) - a general agreement; collective opinion
criterion (n.) - a standard on which a decision or judgment may be based
descriptions (n.) - statement of the properties of a thing or its relations to other things serving to identify it
glossary (n.) - difficult word(s) requiring explanation
illustrations (n.) - a picture or drawing or diagram or some other sensory aid that helps make something clear or more helpful or attractive
original (n.) - a work composed first hand
publish (v.) - to place before the public and to produce for publication or allow to be issued for distribution or sale
resume' (n.) - brief account of one's education and professional experience
sibling (n.) - one of two or more persons who has the same parents or having one common parent
types (n.) - a particular kind, class, or group
Ryan, Margaret, How to Read and Write Poems. New York: Franklin Watts, 1991.
American Poetry - the Nineteenth Century. Single-user version. The Voyager Company, S. Burlington, VT: 1994.
Classroom Connect - Citing Resources
50 points: Group has completed all tasks/items correctly, addressed all issues correctly in group presentation, one hard copy of project and one disk copy of project.
40 points: Group has completed 80% of all tasks/items correctly, addressed 80% of issues correctly in group presentation, 80% correctly of project's hard copy and 80% correctly on disk copy.
30 points: Group has completed 50% of all tasks/items correctly, addressed 50% of issues correctly in group presentation, 50% correctly of project's hard copy and 50% correctly on disk project.
20 points: Group has completed 50% of all tasks/items correctly without written documentation, no class presentation and no hard copy and/or disk copy.
10 points: Group has completed 50% of all tasks/items correctly each day without written documentation and no class presentation, no hard copy and no disk copy.
50 points: Individual has completed all tasks/items correctly.
40 points: Individual has completed 80% of all tasks/items correctly.
30 points: Individual has completed 50% of all tasks/items correctly.
20 points: Individual has completed 50% of all tasks/items correctly without written documentation.
10 points: Individual has completed less than 50% of all tasks/items correctly without written documentation.
Ten-Point Bonus on individual's grade - can be added to the student's Writing Team Grade or the student's Individual Writer Grade(Student's choice)
1.11 - Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and information to different audiences for different purposes.
1.2 - Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.
1.1 - Students use reference tools such as dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and computer reference programs and research tools such as interviews and surveys to find the information they need to meet specific demands, explore interests, or solve problems.
1.2 - Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.
1.3 - Students make sense of the various things they observe.
1.11 - Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and information to different audiences for different purposes.
1.16 - Students use computers and other kinds of technology to collect, organize, and communicate information and ideas.
1.13 - Students make sense of and communicate ideas with the visual arts.
1.14 - Students made sense of and communicate ideas with music.
2.22 - Students create works of art and make presentations to convey a point of view.
2.33 - Students demonstrate the skills to evaluate and use services and resources available in their community.
2.24 - Students have knowledge of major works of art, music, and literature and appreciate creativity and the contributions of the arts and humanities.
5.1 - Students use critical thinking skills such as analyzing, prioritizing, categorizing, evaluating, and comparing to solve a variety of problems in real-life situations.
5.2 - Students use creative thinking skills to develop or invent novel, constructive ideas or products.
5.4 - Students use decision-making processes to make informed decisions among options.
6.2 - Students use what they already know to acquire new knowledge, develop new skills, or interpret new experiences.
Students could use the various styles of poetry to write about science concepts - chemical elements, weather, the human body, space travel, the list is endless.
Math teachers could employ the use of mathematical concepts in assisting students' poetry writing. Math is a natural for writing some styles of poetry.
Social studies would certainly lend itself to several poetry styles - various historical figures and events could be the topic of some student written poetry.
Music is often associated with poetry. Many poetry writings have also been penned to musical settings as well as art recreations of a poem setting.
Language Arts teachers may want to extend the poetry development by having students go on a Scavenger Hunt about poetry. There are also several sites listed under "Conclusion" for further extension of this topic.
Foreign Language teachers could have students create poetry in Spanish, French or other languages and use Kidscribe internet site for possible publication.
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