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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Poetry Snap - Guest Blogger





A good friend of mine told me about a Poetry Bee her daughter participated in with a homeschool group.  Her daughter enjoyed reading poems and sharing her own.

As I listened to her passionately share this experience with me, I couldn't help but think what a great event this could be in the classroom.  I wasn't too keen on calling it a Poetry Bee, I think a Poetry Snap is much more appealing.

There are so  many ways you could incorporate a Poetry Snap in the classroom.  Common Core Standards begin to introduce poetry as early as first grade.  Younger students can do a Poetry Snap by memorizing a poem and sharing it with the group.

On a special evening or even during classroom time, set up the classroom to look like a cafe.  There should be a microphone to use and ofcourse...refreshments.  Invite parents to come in with their child that day, prepared to recite a poem.  Encourage Poetry Snap ettiquette which is to snap after the poem is read instead of clap.

Older students can write their own poems for their Poetry Snap and share with just classmates or you could invite parents as well.  Students can choose the style of poetry they want to write and the teacher could explain to the audience the details of how you write those styles of poetry.

My last idea is that you could do this school wide and host a PTA or PTO activity.  Free or low cost activities are always popular with families.  Classes could write poetry during school hours.  Then they come in the evening to share their poem with the school.  Snacks could be sold to raise money for the school.  If you have a larger coffee house close by your neighborhood, you could team up together and ask them to host the event and share the proceeds of coffee/treats sold that night.

I've made a Poetry Snap invitation template that can be changed in Word.  Download it here.  When you attempt to view it in google docs, it will say "no preview".  All you need to do is click on File and then select download.  Tell it to save and it opens in Word for you.  Enjoy!

Adrianne Meldrum is the author of KidsCogWorks.com and the inventor of the Brain Tower Game.  She currently tutors struggling readers and middle school math students.  Adrianne is the wife of a civil engineer and a mother to three handsome boys.

1 comment:

  1. I did a Poetry Cafe last year and it was a hit! My students loved preparing for it and participating in it. I think almost all of my students' families came - it was great! I've been debating it this year, though, because I don't think I'll have very much participation :( We had so much fun last year though and it was a great learning experience for my kids.

    Sara :)
    Smiling In Second Grade

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