Why POETRY is Worth Your Time

Poetry Response

Poetry is a fantastic way to engage readers of all ages and abilities.  In the above example kids used a quick 4 block page to record their thinking about a poem.  They jotted down their thoughts as we read the poem out loud and then they shared in pairs and with a group.  In this particular activity we practiced Mental Image- What picture pops in your head as you read? What words or specific parts of the poem help make your picture more vivid?  Connections-How does this poem remind you of other things you have read (text to text), things you already know or have experienced (text to self) or things you have seen or heard about in the world (text to world). Author's Purpose- based on your response to the poem, Why do you think the author wrote it?  Was the author striving to entertain readers, inform readers, persuade readers, or were they writing for another purpose entirely?  Asking Questions- As you enjoy this poem what questions do you have?  What does it make you wonder about?

Here a Four Fast Reasons we LOVE to read and think about poetry:

4.  Poetry is SO diverse!  There are all kinds of poems by a wide variety of authors about a wide variety of subjects making it fun and different.

3.  Poetry is quick!  Poems can be read out loud quickly and therefore leave lots of time for multiple readings and great conversations.

2.  Poetry is powerful!  By its very design poetry can send a big message with a few carefully chosen words.  That makes it an excellent genre to both think about meaning and practice our own word choice.  It also gives a voice to readers not looking for a long text or working hard to gain confidence.  

1.  Poetry is fun!  Poetry in all its various forms can paint a picture that is fun to read and we all know it is worthwhile to read fun or funny pieces for the pure enjoyment of it.

Here are 4 of our favorite poetry books:

A Kick in the Head by Paul B. Janeczko

Castles:  Old Stone Poems by Rebecca Dotlich

Sky Magic by Lee Bennett Hopkins

Thunderboom by Charlotte Pomerantz

Whether you are looking for a quick read to enjoy together, or a well written piece of writing to teach word choice or thinking strategies, poetry is most definitely worth your time!