EDU 530-01 - Curriculum
Exploration:
The Pleasures of Words:
Poetry, Play, and Learning.
Tami Hershberger
March 26, 2001
Professor Jeff Gundy
Tami Hershberger
Uncertainty
As time passes on there are
many activities going on around us.
The local news is reporting
a drug bust.
A mother takes time to
think, while her children are doing their chores.
While time keeps going
madness in our lives prevail but we must reawaken
ourselves if this is the
case and encourage ourselves to question the issues
we might face. As we strive through the uncertainty of our
lives.
Tami Hershberger
Taking Chances
We knew the time would come yet
we didn’t think it would be so soon. Through
the years we have been
talking gazing at the stars and staring at the moon.
We have saved up some money but compared to the price it is not
much. It is
all we have ever dreamed, of
it just needs our loving touch.
We do not have a lot of
material items to fill all the empty rooms.
We can
empty our parents’ basements
of used couches, chairs and maybe even an old
broom.
One of the things we do
have, causes us to disagree. I want his
deer head in
the basement, and he wants
it upstairs with me.
Oh, the chances we have to
take just to have a roof over our heads.
Tami Hershberger
Witness of the Execution
It was a new morning a new
day.
The sun was breaking like a
zipper, away.
In came my mother with her
usual strut.
For breakfast it was
potatoes that she started to cut.
After we had eaten, I put on
my coat.
Then I walked to the barn,
to witness the execution of the purple goat.
Tami
Hershberger
Subject : Language Arts/
Literature
Overview:
This activity was developed
as part of a poetry unit. It is
designed to
encourage students to think
about and evaluate the meaning of a poem.
It also
encourages students to be
original and creative in their thinking.
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. Read the poem "An Irritating Creature" silently and
orally with another
classmate.
2. Participate in a classroom discussion concerning the poem.
3. Draw a picture of "the irritating creature" (whatever
that might be).
4. Share and explain their illustration to the class.
Materials:
1. Copies of the poem, "An Irritating Creature," which can be found in
New Kid on the Block by
Jack Prelutsky.
2. drawing paper
3. crayons and markers
Activities:
1. Read the poem orally to the class twice
2. Give each pair of students a copy of the to read silently and
then to each
other.
3. Discuss the poem - rhyming patterns
4. Have each group list the many different and unusual things
"the irritating
creature" could be.
5. Have each student draw what they believe to be "the
irritating creature."
6. Share the illustrations with the class.
Tying It All Together:
This activity which allows
students to interpret poetry freely and experience
success in their
interpretations. Hopefully, through
this activity students
will learn more about the
meaning of poetry and enjoy it more.
Tami Hershberger
Subject : Language Arts/
Literature
Grade: 4th grade
Overview:
The idea for this lesson
plan came from the workshop. Using our senses to
write poetry.
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. feel more comfortable in expressing themselves through writing.
2. know what emotions are.
3. relate themselves and their emotions to their 5 senses. (smell,
taste,
touch, hear and see.
4. Participate in a classroom discussion concerning the poem.
Materials:
1. Paper and a pencil
2. Crayons or markers
Activities:
Begin a discussion of what
emotions are. Then have each student
write down a
word that describes how he
of she feels today. Use this sentence:
Today I feel (emotion) because (give a reason).
Explain to the students that
it is possible to have more than one emotion or
feeling.
Example: Today I feel
worried because we are taking a proficiency test.
Also I feel happy because it is Friday.
To help students examine
emotions more closely, use this exercise:
After
brainstorming a list of
emotions, ask students to choose one and assign it a
color. For example "Happiness is yellow" Use the following outline to
explore:
(Emotion) is (Color) Happiness is yellow.
It smells like _____. It
smells like fresh flowers.
It tastes like _____. It
tastes like sweet strawberries.
It sounds like _____. It
sounds like a canary singing softly.
It feels like _____. If
feels like the warm sun.
It looks like _____. It
looks like a bright smile.
(Emotion) is _____. Happiness
is love.
When students are finished
with their poem. Then have them rewrite
and
illustrate with the color
they are interpreting in their poem.
Have them
include the action of the
symbol of what the emotion of their color
represents.
Tying is all together:
This activity which allows
students to interpret poetry freely and experience
success in their
interpretations. It also allows them
the opportunity to
relate everyday feelings and
emotions to their environment.
Hopefully,
through this activity
students will learn more about the meaning of poetry
Tami Hershberger
Subject : Language Arts/
Literature
Grade: 4
Overview:
This activity was developed
for my students to listen to a poetic technique
onomatopoeia, a poetic
technique in which sound of a word or phrase imitates
or suggests its
meaning. It also introduces helps them
understand what a free
verse poem is and how to
look at the different stanzas. It also
encourages
students to relate to the
rhythm of poetry.
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. Read the poem "Grandma’s Bones" silently and orally
with another
classmate.
2. Participate in a classroom discussion concerning the poem.
3. Relate the difference in music from today and many years ago.
4. Participate in a classroom discussion concerning the poem.
5. Share and explain their free verse poem to the class.
Materials:
1. Copies of the poem, "Grandma’s Bones," which can be found in
Nathaniel Talking. By Eloise Greenfield.
2. A worksheet called Nonsense and Rhythm.
Activities:
1. Recall background knowledge - ask students to name some music
that is
popular today and
demonstrate some dances they like to do.
Explain that when
their grandparents were
young, music was performed by big bands with many
instruments, and fast,
energetic dance called the jitterbug was popular.
2. Ask Students to predict the differences, such as tastes in music and
dance, might effect the
relationship between a nine-year-old boy and his
grandmother. Suggest that students read to find out
whether their predictions
hold true for Nathaniel’s
relationship with his grandmother.
3. Have students read the poem silently and then aloud to you.
4. Ask students whether their predictions about Nathaniel’s
relationship with
his mother were
confirmed. Encourage them to point out
the respect he has for
her.
5. Ask your students how many stanzas are in the poem. (3)
6. Separate students into groups and have them do research on what a
jitterbug might be. Encourage them to start their investigations
with their
grandparents and older
family members. Give them the
assignment to return the
following day with information
to share with their group members.
7. Pass out the creative response paper Nonsense and rhythm. Have students
right a poem to share with
the class using the words that are provided.
Tying is all together:
This activity which allows
students to interpret poetry freely and experience
success in their
interpretations. It also allows them
the opportunity to
relate to their grandparents
lives. Through this activity I hope
once again
students will learn more
about the meaning of poetry.
Tami Hershberger
Subject : Language Arts/
Literature
Grade: 4
Overview:
This activity was developed
for my students to listen to a poetic technique
onomatopoeia, a poetic
technique in which sound of a word or phrase imitates
or suggests its meaning. It also introduces helps them understand
what a free
verse poem is and how to
look at the different stanzas. It also
encourages
students to relate to the
rhythm of poetry.
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. Read the poem "Grandma’s Bones" silently and orally
with another
classmate.
2. Participate in a classroom discussion concerning the poem.
3. Relate the difference in music from today and many years ago.
4. Participate in a classroom discussion concerning the poem.
5. Share and explain their free verse poem to the class.
Materials:
1. Copies of the poem, "Grandma’s Bones," which can be found in
Nathaniel Talking. By Eloise Greenfield.
2. A worksheet called Nonsense and Rhythm.
Activities:
1. Recall background knowledge - ask students to name some music
that is
popular today and
demonstrate some dances they like to do.
Explain that when
their grandparents were
young, music was performed by big bands with many
instruments, and fast,
energetic dance called the jitterbug was popular.
2. Ask Students to predict the differences, such as tastes in music
and
dance, might effect the
relationship between a nine-year-old boy and his
grandmother. Suggest that students read to find out
whether their predictions
hold true for Nathaniel’s
relationship with his grandmother.
3. Have students read the poem silently and then aloud to you.
4. Ask students whether their predictions about Nathaniel’s
relationship with
his mother were
confirmed. Encourage them to point out
the respect he has for
her.
5. Ask your students how many stanzas are in the poem. (3)
6. Separate students into groups and have them do research on what a
jitterbug might be. Encourage them to start their investigations
with their
grandparents and older family
members. Give them the assignment to
return the
following day with
information to share with their group members.
7. Pass out the creative response paper Nonsense and rhythm. Have students
right a poem to share with
the class using the words that are provided.
Tying is all together:
This activity which allows
students to interpret poetry freely and experience
success in their
interpretations. It also allows them
the opportunity to
relate to their grandparents
lives. Through this activity I hope
once again
students will learn more
about the meaning of poetry.