Not So Usual Celebrations…
August 18th is Bad Poetry Day. The thing of it is, what some people consider bad poetry, others may think is meaningful and to the point. That is why poetry can touch your soul, or turn you off. It tries to capture the essence of what the author is experiencing into words which seldom capture the experience completely. There are many types of poetry, each of which has guidelines and “rules” around how it is written. Kids may balk at the thought of poetry, saying, “Yuck! Who wants to read poems.” The fact of the matter is this—every song, every rap, no matter what the content—is a poem of some sort. So go on line and capture some great lyrics, and share them with students. Let the kids critique them and tell you what they think. Be prepared that your point of view about bad and good may not be shared by students.
Activities for Youth
Have students create a poem of their own. Two formats that you might want to use are the Acrostic Poem or Haiku. An acrostic poem does not rhyme (sometimes that makes it easier to write), but instead take the letters within a word and writes something for each letter:
My Mom
M munchy, crunchy cookies freshly baked
O observes me through loving eyes
M many wonderful memories
MOM
Haiku on the other hand is a poem written in a pattern. The pattern is this: three lines, line one has 5 syllables line 2 has 7 syllables, and line 3 reverts to 5 syllables. Haiku is a very disciplined poetry form from Japan. It too does not rhyme. Often the themes come from nature, feelings or experiences that someone has had. Have kids try it out—nothing ventured, nothing gained.
My Grandson
Sunlight in his hair
Sweet child’s face gaining wisdom
Watching him grow up.
Learn more about Consult 4 Kids by visiting our website at www.consultforkids.com or calling us at (661) 665-8270.