Poetry+Workshop


Most Fridays, our class will partake in Poetry Workshop in which students will pursue the art of expression in which the reader experiences a world that is uniquely the poet’s.

Our workshops will include three portions: recitation, modeling, and rehearsal. During modeling, students will hear and reflect on the craft of great poets from Tennyson to Prelutsky. In rehearsal, students will receive lessons in craft, language, and form and compose poetry of their own.

Lastly, recitation provides students with an opportunity for the genius of great poets to rattle in their heads as they go about their days. I will expect students to choose a poem to recite each week. A copy of the poem must be given to me by Wednesday and will recite the poem on Friday. Most students find that deciding on a poem over the weekend allows them to have an entire week to memorize for Friday.

I have several sources of poetry in the classroom; however, students can also find poems in their own books, at libraries, or on the internet. In fact on www.mrchase.org under “Links for Kids”, there are a number of websites dedicated to poetry. Please use this resource. When students select a poem, they should:

1) Copy the poem so that I will have it on file by Wednesday prior to recitation 2) When reciting poems, students must include the title and poet 3) Remember that a student may only recite six poems of the same poet.

Wonderful words float through our classroom.

Below is a list of poems and poets that members of our classroom community (including Mr. Chase) have studied and/or memorized. This list will grow and eventually include student authored poetry!

Prior to President Obama's taking the oath of office, we discussed some inaugural poetry. J.F. Kennedy's inaugural poem by Robert Frost was somewhat quiet and still. I also shared Maya Angelou's 1993 poem written for Bill Clinton's first inauguration, and some students were quite moved by the majesty and rich hope that emerge from her composition. You can read it again and again and again....Maya Angelou's 1993 Inaugural Poem [|The Eclipse]