Poetry for Children

Chapter 7

What is Poetry? Lang. with intense feeling & imagery Qualities of sound that

bounce pleasingly off the tongue tickle the ear leave the mind something to ponder

Affecting honing of sound and meaning

Categories of Poetry for Children

Nursery Rhymes & Jump-Rope Rhymes

Folk Songs Lyric or Expressive

Poems Narrative Poems

Nonsense Verse Form Poems -

Limericks, Haiku, Concrete

Dialogue Poems Free Verse

Elements of Poetry Sounds - rhythm & rhyme Alliteration Images Forms Insight

Choosing Good Poetry Sound - If rhyme is present, should be

exact. Rhythms, if present should be consistent but not monotonous.

Images - Bring clear images to mind. Insight - Surprises with fresh or wise

observations

Children’s Preferences

Narrative form is liked by all ages Free verse & Haiku are the most disliked Prefer poems that contain rhyme, rhythm, and

sound Children most like humor, familiar experience,

and animals Prefer contemporary poems Don’t like extensive figurative language and

visual imagery

Expanding Taste in Poetry Share poetry informally with students

just for enjoyment Promote poetry by having children

practice choral speaking and performance

Encourage students to write poetry.