introduction to poetry - deer creek intermediate school · introduction to poetry ... each stanza...

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Introduction

to PoetryPoetry is all around us!

Song lyrics

Greeting

cards

Commercial jingles

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Introduction

to Poetry

• One difference between poetry and fiction has to do with form, or the way a poem looks on the page.

• Poems are made up of lines. A line can be a single word, a sentence, or part of a sentence.

• In many poems, lines are arranged into groups called stanzas.

• The way a poet chooses to arrange lines and stanzas can affect a poem's meaning.

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Introduction

to Poetry

• While a story or novel has a narrator who tells the story, every poem has a

speaker a voice that "talks" to readers.

• It's important to remember that the speaker is not necessarily the poet.

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Introduction

to Poetry• Let's read the following humorous poem. Pay close

attention to form and speaker.

A Fine Head of Lettuce by Jack Prelutsky

I'm a fine head of lettuce, a handsome romaine. I haven't a cranium

made for a brain.

I'm simple and shy. I remain on my own.

I'm known in the gardenas lettuce alone.

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Introduction

to Poetry

• Who is the speaker? • How many stanzas does the poem have?

• How many lines are in each stanza?

A Fine Head of Lettuce by Jack Prelutsky

I'm a fine head of lettuce, a handsome romaine. I haven't a cranium

made for a brain.

I'm simple and shy. I remain on my own.

I'm known in the gardenas lettuce alone.

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Introduction

to Poetry

• The poem "Losing Face" is more serious than "A Fine

Head of Lettuce." • It also looks different because the lines and stanzas vary in length.

• The poem sounds different too more like conversation.

• As we read, take a closer look at its form and think about what each stanza

reveals about the speaker.

Losing Faceby Janet S. Wong

Finally Mother is proudof something I have done."My girl won the art contest,"she tells the world, smiling so bigand laughing so loudher gold toothshows.

I'm the only onewho knowshow I drew so well, erasing the perfect linesI traced, drawing worse oneson purposein their place. I feel awful. I want to tell.

But I don't want to loseMother's glowingproud face.

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Introduction

to Poetry

• Who is the speaker of this poem?

• Describe the conflict she is having.





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Introduction

to Poetry

• How many stanzas does the poem

have?

• In your own words, summarize what each stanza is

about.





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Introduction

to Poetry

• Reread the boxed section.

• It is the only place where each line contains a complete sentence. • Why might the poet

have chosen to emphasize these lines?





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Introduction

to Poetry

• Reread the last stanza.

• Why doesn't the speaker want to admit what she's

done?





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Introduction

to Poetry Quiz Time!

The way a poem looks on the page:

A voice that "talks" to readers:

An arranged group of lines:

A single word, a sentence, or part of a sentence:

Line

Stanza Speaker

Form

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September Poem of the Month

- Rhyme/Rhyme Scheme- Simile- Metaphor

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What brings a poem to life?

Most poems are meant to be heard, not just read. So, a poem's sounds are often as carefully chosen as its words. Poets use sound devices to make music, to emphasize ideas, or to remind you of the subjects they are describing.

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This month we are going to focus on one particular sound device: rhyme.

Rhyme is the repetition of sounds at the ends of words.

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What brings a poem to life? Rhyme Rhyme

Focus on trying to identify rhyming words at the end of each line in the poem "People" by Charlotte Zolotow.

Some people talk and talkand never say a thingSome people look at youand birds begin to sing. Some people laugh and laughand yet you want to cry. Some people touch your handand music fills the sky.

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Rhyme Rhyme What words at the end of each line rhyme?


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Rhyme Rhyme

What words at the end of each line rhyme?



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Let's take things a step further and talk about rhyme scheme.

Rhyme scheme is the order in which rhyming words at the ends of lines occur in a stanza; indicated by letters.

We will always start with the letter A and work our way down the alphabet.

Rhyme

Scheme Rhyme Scheme


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Rhyme

Scheme Rhyme

Scheme Confused yet!?! Here's what the rhyme scheme for

"People" would look like:


ABCBDEFE


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Rhyme

Scheme Rhyme

Scheme


ABCBDEFE

Notice that thing and sing rhyme, so they both share the letter B. Cry and sky rhyme, so they share the letter E.


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Rhyme

Scheme Rhyme

Scheme Let's practice!

• Find a partner

• Each pair should have a copy of the "Animals, Animals" sheet.

• With your partner, read the three poems out loud.

• Then write the rhyme scheme on the righthand side of the poems.


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Rhyme

Scheme Rhyme

Scheme

Let's check our work!

I've Got a Dog

I've got a dog as thin as a rail. He's got fleas all over his tail; Every time his tail goes flop, The fleas on the bottom all hop to the top.

AABB


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Rhyme

Scheme Rhyme

Scheme

Let's check our work!

The Codfish

The codfish lays ten thousand eggs, The homely hen lays one.

The codfish never cacklesTo tell you what she's done.

And so we scorn the codfish, While the humble hen we prize,

Which only goes to show youThat it pays to advertise.

ABCBDEFE


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Rhyme

Scheme Rhyme

Scheme Let's check our work!

The Centipede

A centipede was happy quite, Until a frog in fun

Said, "Pray, which leg comes after which?"This raised her mind to such a pitch, She lay distracted in the ditch

Considering how to run.

ABCCCB


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One way that poets create images is through figurative language, the use of creative comparisons to describe familiar things in new ways.

We are going to focus on two types of figurative language this month: simile and metaphor.

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A simile is a comparison between two unlike things that includes the word

like or as.

"Poem" by A.R. Ammons

In a high wind theleaves don'tfall but fly

straight out of the tree like birds

Who can find the simile in this poem? What two things are being compared?

SimileSimile


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SimileSimile

"Sandpaper is as rough as..."

With your partner from earlier, take two minutes to come up with as many similes as

possible to finish the phrase listed above.

Think about how the sandpaper feels in your hands.

Write your similes on the back of your "Animals, Animals" sheet.


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What brings a poem to life? Simile Simile

What did you come up with? "Sandpaper, as rough as..."

Always think: What two things are being compared?

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A metaphor is a comparison between two unlike things that does not include the

word like or as.

from "December Leaves" by Kaye Starbird

The fallen leaves are cornflakes That fill the lawn's wide dish,

Who can find the metaphor in this poem? What two things are being compared?

Metaphor Metaphor


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Let's read the poem Dreams by Langston Hughes out loud.

See if you find any metaphors.

Hold fast to dreamsFor if dreams die

Life is a brokenwinged birdThat cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams For when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

Metaphor Metaphor


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Any metaphors? What two things are being compared?




Metaphor Metaphor

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Just for fun, let's figure out the rhyme scheme for Dreams.

Hint: Always start over with the letter A when a new stanza begins.




_____

_____

_____

_____

_____

_____

_____

_____

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Simile1. The old man

gripped me like a vase.

2. The mayor is as slippery as an eel.

3. The could is a white marshmallow.

4. Without you I'm like a wave without a shore.

5. The road snakes around the mountain.

Metaphor or

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1. The old man gripped me like a vase.

2. The mayor is as slippery as an eel.

3. The could is a white marshmallow.

4. Without you I'm like a wave without a shore.

5. The road snakes around the mountain.

ANSWERS!

Simile

SimileMetaphor

SimileMetaphor

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Let's talk about a specific type of poetry now!

Odes• Odes are LONG lyrics that PRAISE an object, person or quality.

• They can rhyme but don't have to.

• There is no set form -- some have stanzas; some are many lines without groups of lines (stanzas).

• Length varies but it must be long enough to be descriptive!

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Introduction

to PoetryOdes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WodMudLNPA

One famous ode set to music is "Ode to Joy" by Beethoven.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wod-mudlnpa

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Introduction

to Poetry Odes

Now let's read "Ode to Mi Gato" by Gary Soto.

As we read, think about who the speaker is.

Also notice the form of the poem.

Notice also the figurative/descriptive language that is used in the poem.

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Assignment: Write your own ode!

*Choose a person, object or quality to praise.

*You must have at least 10 lines.

*You will need to include at least 2 similes. You will need to include at least 2 metaphors.

*You must identify the speaker at the bottom.

*Your final ode must be either typed or neatly written on white or colored paper, and there must be some form of illustration/color.

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Example:

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Example:

introduction to poetry - deer creek intermediate school · introduction to poetry ... each stanza...

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