Performance Poetry

The Friendly Four

By: Eloise Greenfield

Illustrations By: Jan Spivey Gilchrist

Greenfield, Eloise. 2006. The Friendly Four. Ill. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

ISBN: 0060007591

The Friendly Four is a collection of poems designed to be read as performance poetry. The book is about four children who become friends and play together during summer vacation. Their names are Dorene, Drum, Rae, and Louis. The book is divided into four parts or chapters. The book starts off in chapter one with only one of the children, and each chapter adds a new child until there are four children in chapter four. Each child has their own speaking lines, and a lot of the lines are written so that all four children can say them together. This layout of poetry makes it available for students to learn to read out loud as performance poetry.

The poems throughout the entire book carry the theme of friendship and imagination. The children get art supplies and construct a whole make believe town. "At the Bank" is a poem about the children going to the make believe bank and checking to see how much money is in their bank account to find they have one million dollars. Some of the poems contain words that rhyme such as "Drummond," while others have a beat because the poems are divided into different reading parts.

Friendship is something that all kids deal with so the topic is very appealing to young readers. All the poems stir up emotions and memories of childhood friendships among older readers. The book is written as performance poetry, and this element gives children the opportunity to see a different type of poetry and a different way of how it can be performed.

Jan Spivey Gilchrist has painted wonderful illustrations that are very colorful. There is an illustration on every page that goes with every poem. The illustrations are very appropriate for the book.

The Friendly Four is a poem picture book that offers many poetic concepts to children to help them understand that poetry is more than one person reading out loud. The book also reinforces friendship and shows children ways summer vacation can be spent playing outside with friends and using their imaginations.

We Did It!

Rae: We painted for days and days,

Louis: Monday through Friday,

and Monday through Friday again

Louis and Rae: (not counting the day Drum knocked over a can of paint, and we had to clean it up).

Dorene: But now, it's finished,

so let's lift our tired arms and say,

All: "Hooray! We did it! We built our own town!"

Drum: We've got:

All: One bank, one library, one church, two toy stores, one bookstore, one school, and so forth, and so forth.

Rae: To get here, just drive

south, east, west, and north.

Drum: You can't miss it. Look for

the sign that says:

All: Welcome to the Town of Goodsummer

Population 4

Activity: This is a great poem to use while teaching performance poetry. Divide students into groups of four and give each each student a part in the poem. They could be either Rae, Louis, Dorene, or Drum. Distribute poems to students and allow them to practice presenting their poem to the class. Next, pass out big pieces of white butcher paper or poster board and have each group draw and color their own picture of the town. Finally, allow groups to present poems along with their own illustration.

Hopkins Award Poetry

Jazz

By: Walter Dean Myers

Illustrated By: Christopher Myers

Myers, Walter Dean. 2006. Jazz. Ill. by Christopher Myers. New York, NY; Holiday House.

ISBN: 978083421732

Jazz by Walter Dean Myers is an award winning collection of poems focusing on the elements of jazz music. Many of the poems contain words that express the sound of jazz. "Twenty-Finger Jack" is an example of how Myers takes words such as, "Be ba boodie", and gives the reader the sense imagery of hearing the jazz music actually being played.

All of the poems in the collection stir up different emotions as the poems are read. "Be-Bop" is an example of a poem that makes the reader excited and happy about jazz music. "Good-Bye To Old Bob Johnson" is a poem about a funeral precession and even though the poem displays the emotion of sadness, the reader understands that jazz music can be played and heard in many different types of situations.

Music is something that all kids enjoy. Learning about a special type of music appeals to young readers. The poems that are featured enrich and extend a person knowledge and insight about jazz music. Myers has included a timeline about the history of jazz as well as a glossary of jazz terms in the back of the book. These things also help enrich the reader's knowledge about jazz.

Christopher Myers supplies the book with vibrant illustrations of African American jazz musicians and their musical instruments. The paintings in the book are very appropriate and go well with the poems.

Jazz is a collection of poems that all readers will enjoy. The words and rhythm that make up the poems allow the reader to actually hear the jazz music as if it was really being played. Myers has done an amazing job of making the music come to life through poetry.

Be-Bop

Oh be-bop be-bop, oh whee

OH WHEE!

Oh be-bop be-bop,

don't you dig I'm free?

Oh be-bop be-bop,

do you dig my jive?

This jazz that I'M playing

is keeping me alive!

The sweet honey changing

And the mood rearranging

And the ax that I'm grinding

And the melody I'm finding

Goes screa---min',

Goes screamin',

Goes screa---screa---screamin'

To the moon!

Activity: This poem is great to use to teach children about onamonpias. The teacher would start off telling students to try to think of the instrument that is being used in the poem. Students should listen for onamonpias that are used in the poem they read. After the teacher reads the poem several times students share what instrument they think is featured in the poem. The teacher then tells the students that the poem has the sound of a saxophone in it. The teacher plays a recording of a saxophone and discusses with students the onamonpias that are used in the poem, such as "be-bop" and "oh whee." Next students can listen to other instruments and brainstorm other onamonpias for their sounds.

Sidman Poetry

Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colors

By: Joyce Sidman

Illustrated By: Pamela Zagarenski

Sideman, Joyce. 2009. Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colors. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

ISBN: 9780547014944

Red Sings From Treetops is a poem picture book that gives detailed descriptions about the four seasons by using the visual effects of colors. The book starts with the season of spring and ends with the season of winter. Joyce Sidman takes the reader on a whimsical and imaginative journey involving the four seasons and the colors each represent. "Green is new in spring," is an example of how Sidman takes a simple color and expands the mind into thinking about how these colors represent each season. Many colors are used throughout all the poems.

The colors and the seasons are concepts that children are taught at an early age so the topic of the book appeals to all ages and is familiar to all children. The poems enrich a person's knowledge and challenges them to take a closer look at the colors in nature. Sidman's poems are descriptive, but leave room for the imagination. Many of the poems are written in a free verse format, but the topic of the poems is inviting to young readers.

Pamela Zagarenski is the illustrator for the book and won a Caldecott Medal for the illustrations. The paintings in the book are full of color and life. The pictures fit well with the poems and are appropriate for the book.

Red Sings From Treetops opens a world of new meaning and appreciation for nature and the changing seasons. This book is fun for young readers who are learning about colors and seasons for the first time, and the book is also for older children because the depth of the words within the poems is visually stunning.

Fall

Orange ripens in

full, heavy moons,

thick with pulp and seed.

Orange flickers,

all smoke and candles.

Orange eyes.

Orange cheeks.

Orange teeth.

Activity: This poem is a great example of how visual these poems can be. The teacher could have the students close their eyes and visualize what is being read from the poem. Any part of the book would work for this activity. After the teacher reads part of the book she could have the students draw what they visualized and share with the class as a whole group. Once everyone has shared the teacher can then show the class the amazing illustrations from the book.

Biography Poetry

Carver: A Life in Poems

By: Marilyn Nelson

Nelson, Marilyn. 2001. Carver: A Life in Poems. New York, NY" Scholastic Inc.

ISBN: 0439443393

Carver is a collection of poems formed into a bibliographic novel about the life of George Washington Carver. Carver was a scientist, educator, artist, and inventor. He made a large impact on the African American community. He made great discoveries in the area of agriculture, and mostly with peanuts. The book is laid out with poems written from people's perspective that were a part of Carver's life. Nelson also includes important dates and facts about Carver's life on some of the bottoms of the pages. Also, real black and white photographs are located throughout the book with dates and captions, and they provide good visual aides.

Nelson's poetry is filled with figurative language and many of the poems are abstract. This type of writing style leaves room for much interpretation from the reader. The book leans more towards the young adult. The poems can be understood by the audience, but the writing does expand the readers linguistic ability. Many young adults may not know who Carver is or what he accomplished, but after reading this novel they will gain insight into the man that had such a lasting impact.

Some of the poems focus on the kind heart Carver appeared to have. "Friends of the Klan" is about one of Carver's friends being a part of the KKK, and Carver praying for his friend. Other poems focus on the hardship that Carver went through as he enrolled in college to further his career. "Cafeteria Food" is about the hurt feelings Carver endures as he attended Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1891. Carver: A Life in Poems is a great example of how poetry can read not only to entertain but also to inform.

Goliath

for J.B.

Professor Carver smiles. "God is right here.

Don't loose contact with Him. Don't yield to fear.

Fear is the root of hate, and hate destroys

the hater. When Saul's army went to war

against the Philistines, the Israelites

lost contact, fearful of Goliath's might.

"When we lose contact, we see only hate,

only injustice, a giant so great

its shadow blocks our sun. But David slew

Goliath with the only things he knew:

the slingshot of intelligence, and one

pebble of truth. And the battle was done."

Activity: This poem is about overcoming racism. This poem would be great to share with students during the month of February, which is black history month. After sharing this poem and discussing what it means to overcome hardship, students can research other great leaders in the African American community and make presentations to share with the class. Students can write a poem and create a poster to share about their leader of choice. Posters and poems can be displayed in the hallway all through the month of February.

Social Studies Poetry

Wicked Girls: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials

By: Stephanie Hemphill

Hemphill, Stephanie. 2010. Wicked Girls: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials. New York, NY: Balzer + Bray.

ISBN: 9780061853289

Wicked Girls is a novel written in verse about the Salem Witch Trails. The novel is written from the perspective of 3 girls that are involved in the accusing of Salem's residents and condemning them as witches. Margaret Walcott is 17 years old and betrothed to marry a young man in Salem Village. Ann Putnam Jr. is Margaret's cousin and 12 years old. Mercy Lewis is the Putnam's servant girl and is 17 years old. Other young girls are involved in the accusing as well, they are Betty Parris, Abigail Williams, Elizabeth Hubbard, and Susannah Sheldon.

The characters in the book are based on real people who were involved in the trails. Hemphill includes mini biographies of these people in the back of the novel. The book starts with just young girls playing make believe together, but when they realize the power of their accusations their make believe is turned into a matter of life and death for residents of Salem Village. The girls roam about the village and act as though they are being tormented by locals, who they refer to as witches.

Hemphill does an interesting job of blending fiction and non-fiction together. The Salem Witch Trails is an interesting topic among young adults. I myself was interested in the topic, and that is why I chose this book to read. While reading the novel I felt I was learning about a historic event in history, but through the eyes of characters that Hemphill had created.

Hemphill creates a very strong raw feeling of sadness, especially in the poem "First Witch Hanging" which is told from the perspective of Mercy Lewis who becomes the leader of the group of girls. The emotional impact found within the poems is strong, and the reader can sense the weight of guilt the girls are feeling with their false testimonies. "Remorse" is an example of the feelings Mercy is wrestling with after viewing the first hanging. Strong imagery is created in poems such as "First Time in the Courtroom" told by Ann Putnam. The reader can sense the great amount of tension that is building in the courtroom. Wicked Girls allows the reader to see an important event in our nation's history through fresh eyes with fictional characters.

Hangings

Mercy Lewis, 17

Four men and one woman

pulled in the death cart.

My old master,

who surely deserves to die,

Reverend George Burroughs,

speaks the Lord's Prayer

with a noose about his neck,

every word in place,

as a witch should not be able to recite.

The crowd quakes

as though the earth were splitting apart.

"How can he recite the Lord's Prayer?"

someone ask. Another wonders,

"Did we make a mistake?"...

Activity: This poem is a great picture of feelings that were being felt by the residents of Salem Village during the Salem Witch Trials. The teacher reads the poem and discusses with students all the different feelings and emotions that are being felt and dealt with in the poem. After the teacher instructs students to pick another important event in history they have learned about. The students then create a fictional character and write a poem about the important event through the eyes of their fictional character.

Science Poetry

The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination

Selected By: Mary Ann Hoberman & Linda Winston

Hoberman, Mary Ann and Linda Winston. 2009. The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.

ISBN: 140225172

The Tree That Time Built is a collection of poems that celebrate nature and science. The poems in the book are selected by award winning author Mary Ann Hoberman and educator Linda Winston. The poems featured in the book are from a wide range of authors. The authors range from classic authors such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Langston Hughes, to more modern day writers such as Douglas Florian and Marilyn Singer. Some of the authors of the poems in the book are unknown. Many of the poems featured in the book can be found in other poetry books as well. The poems are divided into nine sections, or chapters, each focusing on a different element of nature such as prehistoric times, trees, the sea, and species of animals that fly. A glossary is located in the back of the book that aides reader in understanding unknown words. Also, placed at the end of the book is a listing of all the poets featured in the book along with short biographies about their lives and writings.

The meaning of the book is to link the subjects of poetry and science together. Many of the poems placed in the book use abstract imagery. Figurative language is used to describe such wonders such as the ocean. "Height" by A.R. Ammons is an example of the abstract language that is used in many of the poems in the book. These types of poems allow students to engage in deeper level thinking when trying to find the meaning and understand the information presented in the poem. Many of the poems describe animals in great detail. These poems would be great to use in science as a lesson that would allow students to hear information about the animal in a different way. "Starfish" by Valerie Worth is one example of a poem that would further a child's understanding of the creature.

Science is a very interesting topic for children, and the poems and their topics appeal to the book's audience. All of the poems enrich and extend children's knowledge on concepts in nature. There is a sense of wonder and awe that is felt when reading through the book. The poems that have been chosen capture the reader and pull them further into a deeper understanding of our Earth's past, present, and the creatures that live upon it.

Hurt No Living Thing

By: Christina Rossetti

Hurt no living thing:

Ladybird, nor butterfly

Nor moth with dusty wing,

Nor cricket chirping cheerily,

Nor grasshopper so light of leap.

Nor dancing gnat, or beetle flat,

Nor harmless worms that creep.

Activity: This poem was featured in the section of the book about extinction. Before the poem is read the teacher displays the word "extinction" on the board, and holds a class discussion about the word and its meaning. Also, the teacher asks students to name animals they know are extinct. The teacher then lists these animals on the board. The poem is then read out loud to the class and the teacher discusses its meaning with the whole class. Students can then select an animal that is extinct and write a poem about their chosen animal.