h m R yth s 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 poem as it is to read? Try shape Or a wedge of pineapple. Want to write a poem that’s just as much fun to look at Upside down or right side up or example, a poem about the Tall and skinny or shor poetry, which is written in the shape of its topic. F poem can rhyme, but ike a moon or star. A shape It’s always a triangle if it’s gott and three wide sides. night sky might be shaped l it doesn’t have to. s, and hearts, es, such as apples, stars, balloon A variety of shap nk.org/materials/shape/. Your child can pick are available at www.readwritethi about it. Note: You out a shape and write a poem Free verse don’t need a computer to write this kinderent of poem. Simply cut paper in diff Free verse is just what it sounds like — it can shapes. Then, have your youngster be whatever you want, including rhyming or brainstorm a list of words about m not rhyming. It usually has strong “imagery,” the shape, and write a poe so you can almost see or feel what the poet is using those words. writing about. Help your youngster choose a topic (maybe a favorite pet or activity). Then, ask her to think of words that describe the topic (“soft Acrostic and cuddly” or “fun and messy”). Make a Suggest that your child use list of the words for her to use when writing In an acrostic, the title is writtenhis name to write an her poem. acrostic begins with one of the letters. Ask down your theyoungster side, and each line poem. Remind your child not to worry about rhyme, or about how long or short the lines about himself that begin with to think of things line can simply s the letters in his name. are. Some free verse poems don’t even have tart with his name. Hint: The fi Example: rst capital letters or punctuation. Example: Eric eats pizza Rides a bike I love summer Is in fi rst grade Three months of Can read lots of books. Long hot days Under silvery sprinklers And late nights Sipping cool lemonade. continued © 2006 Resources for Educators, a division of Aspen Publishers, Inc. R hythms and Rhymes Page 2 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.