[March Baby]

We are doing poems that rhyme about fall. Without putting words into their mouths, how would I go about guiding them? This is something that I need to work on. Here are some samples:

I play soccer with my friends. I kick my ball in to the net. I get tired and go inside. I like to jump in leaves.


Fall is fun because the trees and the leaves make a breeze ill jump in the leaves and feale a breeze on my knees

I like pool
you like school
i like fall
you like to call

[StephR]

Maybe you can brainstorm a list of rhyming words with the kids that would make sense in the context of the poem.

For example

school - cool
fall - halls
breeze -- leaves

Then show them how to rhyme those words, based on the theme. I think A LOT of modeling would be needed. You can tell the kids that they can use ONE of your examples, but the rest must be there own. That way, the pressure is off of them to completely make up the entire thing, you know?

[maryteach]

In my poetry unit, my kids write not one single poem--because I don't want to read their pathetic, sixth grade attempts at poetry! Plus, a lot of kids are really stymied by this. We read poetry, we celebrate it, we even perfom it aloud--but I never have them write it.

Am I bad?

[luv2chat]

maryteach - I think it's sad you don't have the kids writing poetry "because you don't want to read their pathetic, sixth grade attempts at poetry."

The whole point of teaching is to teach them how to do something. They will never learn how to write poetry if they aren't given the opportunity to learn how, to try it on their own, to grow from their own experiences and learn from their mistakes. Kids learn from doing not just from observing others. Reading poetry is great but for them to learn to write it they have to practice and write it themselves.

For some kids poetry is a wonderful opportunity for them to excel at writing. For kids who struggle with organizing their thoughts or writing long stories or essays, poetry can be a form of writing they can have huge success with. My dd is dyslexic and dysgraphic, writing is extremely challenging for her. She loves to write poetry though. She can follow the pattern of a poem. She has a great vocabulary and can use great descriptive words. She can be successful with poetry but finds many writing assignments too challenging. I'm glad her teachers didn't have your attitude.

March Baby - I agree with pp about first having the kids brainstorm lists of rhyming words related to Fall. Do you have a pattern to the poem that you want them to follow (line 1, 3 & 5 rhyme)? That can often be helpful for kids, that's why a lot of primary teachers use a frame to help them see the pattern to the poem. As they become more confident they will need less support. Also encourage them that their first attempts are just drafts, many writers will go through a number of drafts before they get to their final copy. If this is their first real experience writing poetry you may have to really help some kids to come up with something that works, but the more you do it the more confident and capable they will become.

[March Baby]

at 3 poems one had an abab pattern, another an abab pattern and then the third was a mix. They also had to come up with ten words to describe fall and then as many rhyming words for each. After that we brainstormed sentences to describe what we like or dislike about fall. After this they are still having difficulty. Maybe I should try a fill in the blank? I don't know.

[luv2chat]

Is it the whole class struggling or just a small group? If it is the whole class then maybe a fill in the blank would work better. If it is just a small group I would work individually with those students to help them improve their poems. In the end you can only do so much. They might not be great but as long as the kids feel they accomplished something that is a start. The next time you do poems they will do better. Just keep working on it