Poetry Grade 3

Orange County Public Schools

Part 1
What is poetry?

Poetry is
A type of literature that expresses
ideas, feelings, or shares a story or an
experience
A type of literature that is written in
a variety of ways, and usually with lines
and stanzas

More about poetry A very unique form of literature

A special way of capturing experiences
or feelings
Uses words that create vivid images
Comes in many shapes and forms

And still more

Can be short or long
Manages to say a lot with just a few
carefully chosen words
Is intended to be read aloud
Is personal and can be about anything and
everything

Poetry is Everywhere!

Poet
The poet is the author of the
poem.
Speaker
The speaker of the poem is the
narrator of the poem.

Why do poets write

poems?
To discuss an idea
To convey feelings or emotions
To tell a story
To share an experience

Whats in a poem?
A poet paints a picture or expresses a feeling with words.
Poems are usually written in a brief songlike manner.
The poet uses unusual combination of words to describe
people, places, and things.

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

by William Wadsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high oer vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Part 2

Types of Poems

Rhymed
Some poems have rhyming words.
Those poems are called rhymed
poems. They often have words with
the same ending sound at the end of
a line.

A Rhymed Poem
Sick
"I cannot go to school today."
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
"I have the measles and the mumps,
a gash, a rash and purple bumps."
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I'm going blind in my right eye.

from the poem by Shel Silverstein

No Rhymes
Some poems have no rhymes. The
poet uses words that create strong
visual images instead.

Poem without Rhyme

Gr. 3
Fog
Lines of cars inch along in the fog
Rising and dipping with the humps of the road
Like a mechanical caterpillar.
- Nancy R. Wadhams

Part 3
Elements of
Poetry

Elements of a Poem
Form the way a poem looks or its
structure
Sound the way a poem sounds
Imagery the mental picture that is
created by the poet for the reader
Meaning the words used to convey
meaning

Form or Structure of a Poem

Twinkle, Twinkle

Title

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are,
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky
Then the traveler in the dark
Thanks you for your tiny spark;
How could he see where to go,
If you did not twinkle so?

Author - Poet
- Mother
Goose

Lines

oup
r
G
a-

z
Stan es
n
of l i

Sounds

Rhythm
This is the beat or the music of a
poem
Rhyme
These are words that sound alike
at the end of a word. These
rhyming words are usually placed
at the end of a line.

Rhythm and Rhyme

Can you pick up the rhythm of this?
Can you find the rhyming words?

From I Wish I Had Duck Feet

I wish I had two deer horns.
They would be a lot of fun.
Then I could wear
ten hats up there!
Big Bill can just wear one.
-Dr. Seuss

Imagery
Words that a poet uses to bring about a
mental picture
A Snowy Day
A snowy day is white
A snowy day is snowmen and snow angels
A snowy day is sledding
A snowy day is cold
-Anonymous
What do you picture in your mind?

Part 4
How To Read a
Poem

How to Read a Poem

1. Notice the page read/highlight title; notice by circling
the shape, line/stanzas; highlight ending punctuation
2. Read aloud several times to hear rhyme, rhythm,
overall sound of poem.
3. Visualize the images by paying attention to strong
words (verbs, adjectives) and make connections
4. Clarify words and phrases by looking at how they
connect to other words/ideas
5. Evaluate main idea what is the poet trying to tell you
about?

Remember to read
closely!
It is your key to understanding!

Part 5
Interpreting
the Meaning of a
Poem

Meanings in Poems

The overall meaning of a poem is its central or main idea.

What is the central idea of this poem?
Bed in Summer
In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.
I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up peoples feet
Still going past me in the street.
And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?
-Robert Louis Stevenson

Other comprehension skills

and strategies to use
Details literal, right there
Inferencing - connections between
words/lines/ideas that arent stated
by the poet
Word meanings using context clues
from words surrounding it
Asking/answering questions
Sequence - if appropriate
Poets purpose and choices Question the Author

Use these questions to

understand the next poem.

Who is the author of the poem?

Who is the speaker of the poem?
What is the poets purpose for writing the whole poem? What
is the poets purpose for including the words finely grained
flour?
What is the setting of the poem? Which line best describes the
setting of the poem?
How many lines are in the poem? Why did the poet include line
for steam to escape?
What happens after Bill knocks it over? What happens before
we put it in the fridge?
What type of poem is it? (rhymed or not rhymed)
What does the word frilled mean? What does the poet mean
by the phrase a real work of art?
What words create a mental picture? What is the effect of
using these words?
What is the main or central idea of the poem?

Pancake

Our class made a pancake

with finely-ground flour
and cheese and tomatoes
wrapped in it.
It had a crinkly edge
with lots of little holes
for the steam to escape.
Then Billy knocked the whole lot over
but our teacher rescued it
Then we cooked it under a flame
And put it in the fridge for later.
It was a real work of art.
It was our
milled, filled, frilled, drilled, spilled, grilled, chilled, skilled,
pancake.
- Author Unknown

Part 6
Enjoying
Poetry

Famous Poet
Shel Silverstein
Shel Silverstein was an American poet and author of
many childrens books. He also liked to draw
cartoons and often illustrated his own poems. A
Light in the Attic is one of his poetry collections.

Famous Poet
Mother Goose
Mother Goose is an imaginary author of fairy tales
and nursery rhymes. As a character, she appears in
only one nursery rhyme. These tales and rhymes are
a form of folk tales and were handed down for
generations.

Famous Poet
Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss (Theodore Seuss Geisel) was an
American writer and cartoonist. He is
famous for childrens books that have taught
children to read. He wrote most of his books
with rhythm and rhyme.

Famous Poet
Anonymous
We dont know the poet of MANY poems. The poet
is then stated as unknown or anonymous.

Poetry Projects
Find your favorite poem. Write it over in your
best handwriting and illustrate it. Add it to a
class bulletin board
Make a banner of your favorite poem,
including the words and an illustration. Add
this to banners made by other classmates in a
chain.
Have a poetry party. Recite your favorite
poem with your classmates.

Fun poetry websites

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/jack_
my_poem.htm
http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/poetry/what.html
http://www.gigglepoetry.com/
http://www.poetry4kids.com/index.php