Bringing Poetry Back

 

Karen Fenney, Joshua Easton Elementary - Reading, MA

What are Poetry Notebooks

Poetry notebooks are a monthly collection of of poems that reinforce curriculum topics that are being taught. Poems are either read or sung to keep children learning and engaged.

The poems are kept in a 3 ring binder or stapled together for easy storage. The binders are reused.

What is the set up?


Each month the notebooks start off with a monthly calendar. On the back of the calendar is a list of monthly words.

Following the calendar is the poems from “Chicken Soup with Rice” by Maurice Sendak.

This format allows for some consistency.

Poems are introduced once a topic has been taught. This allows for the students to have prior knowledge to base their comprehension on.

How are poetry notebooks used?

• They are used to reinforce trick words and Fundations skills.
• Learning tools to help students become more familiar with a particular topic.
• To reinforce skills introduced through Literacy Place (parts of speech).
• To bring fun and song back into first grade (theme based songs).
• Math skills are reinforced by coloring in the date by the thermometer colors from the Everyday Math program.
• Reinforce all curriculum areas.
• At the end of the month the poems are sent home for future practice at home.

Bringing Poetry Back -