Web Resource for English Language Arts: Poetry

Hello Everyone!

I hope that you are all not too busy as the semester is coming to an end. I have been yet again looking around the web for some great online resources and I have come across a wonderful website on poetry. This website is called Poetry4Kids.com. It contains many funny poems written by Kenn Nesbitt, books by Kenn Nesbitt, information about author visits, an events calender, poetry lessons for kids, poetry games, poetry podcasts, newsletters, links, poetry writing contests, surveys, rhyming dictionary, and discussion forums. This website can be used in many different ways, with a variety of ages, but I chose to use this website with a Grade 4 class in English Language Arts. The activity will meet the following objectives from the Evergreen Curriculum:

Listening

• Connect new ideas, information, and experiences to construct meaning
• Listen courteously and respond sensitively and thoughtfully to others
• Listen to and follow three and four-step oral directions
• Activate and build upon prior knowledge and experiences

Reading

• Read grade-appropriate texts orally and silently with increasing confidence, fluency, and accuracy
• Read a variety of texts for enjoyment and information
• Connect new information with prior knowledge to make sense of new ideas and experiences
• Begin to interpret figurative language
• Adjust reading rate according to purpose(s) for reading

Viewing

• Participate in a variety of guided and independent viewing experiences of poetry

Speaking

• Participate in a variety of shared language experiences (e.g., read-alouds, reader’s theatre)
• Share ideas, observations, and experiences in structured small and large group talk
• Prepare and present information on a specific topic using print and non-print aids to engage and inform a familiar audience
• Experiment with language and non-verbal elements (e.g., gesture) to achieve an effect for a particular purpose and audience

Writing

• Organize ideas in an appropriate sequence
• Write modeled poems
• Revise draft material by adding, deleting, and rearranging ideas
• Develop and demonstrate an understanding of written language conventions including:
  • spell correctly common words and use a strategy to learn to spell new words
• Write legibly using correct letter formation and consistent size and spacing

Representing

• Convey ideas using a variety of media
• Experiment with different ways of representing and communicating ideas

For this activity I would have the students go onto the Poetry4Kids.com website. I would have them go to the Funny Poems link and select their favourite poem. I will have the students read the poem to themselves a couple of times to really get the feel for it. They will then open up a word document and write a poem that follows the same format as the poem they selected. This poem must be about a different topic from the selected poem, but it must follow the same format. The students will work through the writing process with this poem. Once they have completed their poems they will post them on the class blog to share with parents, family, peers, and friends. They will also read their poems a loud to the class. This will ensure that the true expression and feeling comes through in their poems. The students will give feedback to each other by using the T.A.G. method. They can Tell something they liked, Ask a question or Give a suggestion.

Using this website will enhance the learning of students because they would be working on their navigating skills by finding a favourite poem from the website. Students will discover that they can find poetry outside of books. They will also be using these poems to create their own poems. These poems will be modeled poems. By putting their poems on the classroom blog the students would be reaching an audience that they would normally not reach. They will be able gain comments and feedback from many different people. This will help them become better and more fluent writers. It may even lead to a passion for poetry for some students. By using the T.A.G. method of feedback students will be able to get information that is given in a positive light. This information will help make their writing better and keep them engaged and excited about the process.

I hope this idea will be helpful to you! Good luck and enjoy!