Free Verse Erent Ke — It Can Don’T Need a Computer to Write This Kind of Free Verse Is Just What It Sounds Li Poem

Rhythms and Rhymes Poetry can be the perfect “hook” to get youngsters excited about reading and writing. After all, children’s poems are fun to read, often silly, and sure to make kids laugh. Read a few poems aloud, and you may ﬁ nd your child eager to hear more — or even to write some poetry herself. Here are ﬁ ve types of poems, along with tips for helping your child “be a poet and not even know it!”

A Real Triangle Three sides And three corners Like a piece of pizza shape Or a wedge of pineapple. Shape poem as it is to read? Try Upside down or right side up that’s just as much fun toor look example, at a poem about the Tall and skinny or shor Want to write a poem It’s always a triangle if it’s gott and three wide sides. ten in the shape of its topic.. A Fshape poem can rhyme, but poetry, which is writ ike a moon or star night sky might be shaped l s, and hearts, it doesn’t have to. es, such as apples, stars, balloon . Your child can pick A variety of shap nk.org/materials/shape/ www.readwritethi You are available at about it. Note: out a shape and write a poem Free verse erent ke — it can don’t need a computer to write this kind of Free verse is just what it sounds li poem. Simply cut paper in diff including rhyming or shapes. Then, have your youngster be whatever you want, y,” words about not rhyming. It usually has strong “imager brainstorm a list of m poet is the shape, and write a poe so you can almost see or feel what the using those words. writing about. e Help your youngster choose a topic (mayb to a favorite pet or activity). Then, ask her (“soft think of words that describe the topic and cuddly” or “fun and messy”). Make a ing Acrostic list of the words for her to use when writ Suggest that your child use her poem. his name to write an In an acrostic, the title is written acrostic poem. Remind your child not to worry about down the side, and each line begins with one of the letters. Ask your youngster rhyme, or about how long or short the lines about himself that begin with to think of things ’t even have the letters in his name. are. Some free verse poems don line can simply start with his name. Hint: The ﬁ rst capital letters or punctuation. Example: Example: Eric eats pizza I love summer Rides a bike Three months of Is in ﬁ rst grade Long hot days Can read lots of books. Under silvery sprinklers And late nights Sipping cool lemonade.

continued

Limerick Haiku You and your youngster can enjoy a good laugh whi y that has three funny lime rick. le writing a is a form of Japanese poetr These fi ve-line rhyming verses follow this fo A haiku ve syllables; Lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme, and each has seven to ten sylla rmat: lines. The fi rst and last lines each have fi us are about 3 and 4 rhy bles. Lines raditional haik me and have fi ve to seven syllables each. the middle line has seven. T Help your child get started by haikus can really be about giving her the fi the seasons, but modern There once was a rich and spoiled cat rst line. Example: … anything. She might add: Example: Who sat on a velvety mat. RRainbowainbow He drank from a cup, Seven bright colors His milk he lapped up Sweep across the stormy sky ain. Till he grew to be horribly fat Chase away the r . Tricks of the trade Your kids will have fun using at the ends of lines are called end rhyme. techni ques that “real” poets But rhymes can also be found within a use. Share these ideas: line of poetry, called internal rhyme. Example: “He walked down ■ Metaphors and similes the lane in the pouring compare two things. A rain.” Poems can follow metaphor says that one ■ different rhyming patterns Rhythm in poetry is like the beat of a thing is another, and a (rhyming every line, every song. Children can clap along with a simile says something is other line, or even every poem when emphasis is put on certain like another. Examples: “I fourth line). words or syllables in a regular pattern. am an icicle” is a metaphor, and Example: Jack and Jill went up the hill ■ Alliteration repeats the beginning “I am as cold as ice” is a simile. (clap on “Jill” and “hill”). sounds in a line of poetry. Examples: ■ Rhyme repeats the same ending ■ sunny summer skies, chewy chunky Onomatopoeia uses words that sounds (mouse, house). Rhyming words chocolate chips. resemble the sounds they represent. Examples: buzz, splash, clang. Poetry Resources for Children Anthologies Web Sites A Light in the Attic by Shel Silvers tein Arthur’s Web Site at PBS Kids And the Green Gras s Grew All Around: Folk Poetry from (http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/ Everyone by Alvin Schwartz poetry/write.html). Your youngster If You’re Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand: Poems About may become a “published poet” School by Kalli Dakos by submitting a poem to Fern’s It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles by Jack Prelutsky Poetry Club. Never Take a Pig to Lu Magnetic Poetry nch and Other Poems About the Fun of Food, selected by Nadine Bernard W (www.magneticpoet estcot ry.com/kidspoetry/playonline.cfm). Drag Sing a Song of Popcorn: Every Child’s Book of P words onto a blank page to create your own poem. oems, selected by Beatrice Sche Wacky Web Tales nk deRegniers, Eva Moore, Mary M. White, and Jan Carr (www.eduplace.com/t ales/content/wwt_045.html). Fill in the blanks with differen Snow, Snow: Winter Poems for Ch t parts of speech to write a poem ildren by Jane Yolen a cinquain. (This site also called Summer: An Alphabet offers your child help with the Acrostic by Steven Schnur parts of speech.)

Resources for Educators, a division of Aspen Publishers, Inc. ■ 3035 Valley Avenue, Suite 103 ■ Winchester, VA 22601 ■ 540-723-0322 © 2006 Resources for Educators, a division of Aspen Publishers, Inc. RC0648E