I was searching for a creative way to ignite my poetry unit.  I plundered through some of my stuff and I found an activity from a conference I attended.  My students were to locate three poems that they really, really liked.  I allowed them to search the Internet, and they could also browse the poetry books in our classroom.  It could also be a poem of their own.

Once students located their three favorite poems, they wrote or typed them.  They also had to explain in detail why the poem was their favorite. Students then printed their poems, and decorated them. Some students wanted to add graphics and pictures to their chosen poems, and I thought that was a great idea.

Poetry bags were also decorated using markers and stickers.  We developed a sticker/material fund where each student donated a $1 or whatever they could give.  I bought the supplies (gallon size freezer bags, stickers, scrapbook supplies) from the Dollar Store.  I told my students whatever information they placed on the bag, it must represent them.  For example, one of my students, Jonathan, had football and dinosaur stickers, because he loves to study dinosaurs and play football.  Another student, Austin, loved the poem “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes; he said his mother read that poem to him.  As we progress through our poetry unit, students will write their own poetry and place it in their bag.

I am glad I tried this activity, the students responded exceptionally well.  I was amazed at how enthralled they were with the poems.  They were so eager to read them to me and their classmates!!  I look forward to doing this again.

Poetry Books

·        Where the Sidewalk Ends the poems and drawings of Shel Silverstein

·        Leaf by Leaf Autumn Poems selected by Barbara Rogasky

·        Poetry for Young People Langston Hughes

·        Reading and Writing Poetry with Teenagers by Fredric Lown and Judith W. Steinbergh

·        Poetry Place Anthology-Scholastic

·        Hoop Kings Poems by Charles R. Smith Jr.

·        Hoop Queens Poems by Charles R. Smith Jr.

Poetry WebSites

http://www.gigglepoetry.com/

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writeit/poetry/

http://www.kristinegeorge.com/