Photograph of person writing "I am a writer."Connecting Reading and Writing: Poetry

Goals:

  • Develop ideas and vocabulary for writing
  • Draft a list poem from your ideas

Today we will work on expanding some of the ideas you added to the Heart Map you have created.

We will take one idea and list words and phrases that describe the idea and then use these to write a List Poem.

Create your own list poem using an idea from your Heart Map.

1. Pick a topic from the “Heart Map” you created.

(e.g. my dog Molly)

2. Brainstorm and write down things that are connected to your topic – these can be single words or phrases. Write down as many ideas as you can!

(e.g. barks, small body, friend, big personality, fierce, grey, lightning fast, protects me, wiggly, loves belly rubs, canine, wet nose, floppy ears… )

3. From your list, choose the words and phrases that are the most interesting for your list poem. You can combine words, add words, and change words if you like. You can use rhyming words – but you don’t have to!

(e.g. loves belly rubs, small and grey, lightning fast, my wiggly friend, fiercely protective, playing fetch)

4. Revise the words and phrases on your list to make them more vivid or memorable. Think carefully about the order of your list. For the last two items in your list, you might choose words that normally don’t seem to fit together – but do in your poem.

Molly
small grey pup
lightning fast

loves belly rubs and
playing fetch

a fiercely protective
w-i-g-g-l-y friend

5. Read your poem out loud to make sure you are happy with how it sounds. Share your new poem with a family member.

Ask your parents or caregivers if you can share your poem on this lino page. (directions)

Other Opportunities:

Note to families: Online articles can be challenging to read. If your child is logged into their WRDSB Google Account, they can use the Read and Write for Google Chrome plugin to have online text read to them.