Poetry Journal - Set of 10
Designed to meet these objectives:
Language
• Students will read with increased fluency, using appropriate
phrasing, inflection and intonation.
• Students will identify themes and ideas in poetry.
• Students will respond to poetry in writing.
Rhyme and rhythm make poetry especially fun to read—and reading
poetry is a great way to strengthen language skills! These journals
focus on that connection by providing a new poem for every week of
the school year…35 in all. Written in a variety of styles, the poems cover
high-interest topics from holidays to pets. Plus, each poem is followed
by a writing prompt with space for students to respond, as well as a
place where students can record the names of the people to whom
they read the poem.
What’s Included
• 10 poetry journals
Using the Journals
Provide students with their own copies of the poetry journal, and have
them write their names on the covers. Each week, select an appropriate
poem. (The poems are arranged seasonally, beginning with fall,
back-to-school themes.) Depending on your students’ abilities, you
might want to read the poem aloud, or have students read it along
with you. Review any unfamiliar words and talk about the ideas
presented in the poem. Then,
If I had eight arms, I would...
THE OCTOPUS
direct students to respond in
love it! I could do so many
their journals to the writing
things all at once. It would
help when i play basketball.
prompt for that poem.
I could dribble with eight
Encourage them to read the
arms instead of just one.
poem to friends or family
members during the week,
and remind them to record
Mom
Kyle
the name of each listener.
Grandpa
by Christine Corona
In the shallow water,
Underneath the waves,
An octopus is hiding,
Inside its rocky cave.
The octopus has eight arms
With suckers on each one.
I wish I had that many arms.
I think it would be fun!
48
© 2005 Lakeshore
(800) 428-4414
www.lakeshorelearning.com
I read this poem to:
49
EE371
Ages 6+
Printed in China
Mini Lessons
Use the poems to introduce or practice language skills and concepts
throughout the year. Following are some examples to get you started!
Sound Words
• Poetry often includes words that imitate the sound they refer to,
such as “splash,” “pop,” “buzz” or “crackle.” Help students
identify these words as they read the poems.
Parts of Speech
• Review the parts of speech students are learning. Then, have them
circle or underline nouns, verbs or descriptive words in the poem of
the week.
Rhyming Words
• Identify the words in a poem that rhyme with each other. Prompt
students to brainstorm a list of other words with the same rhyme.
Word Families and Spelling Patterns
• Look at the spelling patterns in the list of rhyming words students
created. Do some of the words end with the same group of letters?
Explain that a group of words like these is called a “word family.”
Synonyms and Antonyms
• Choose a key word from the poem of the week, and brainstorm a
list of synonyms and a list of antonyms for the word. Collect the
lists throughout the year, and bind them together to create a reference
for students to use when they are writing.
Syllables and Accents
• Substitute one of the synonyms into the poem, and read the result
aloud. Has the meaning of the poem changed in any way? Has the
rhyme or rhythm changed? Compare the number of syllables and
the position of the accented syllables in the original word with its
synonym.
2
Additional Activities
Following are some suggestions for activities your students are sure to
enjoy! Try a different one each week to supplement the journal.
Choral Reading
• Read the poem aloud with your students to help them hear the
rhythm. Then, have them read it in chorus.
Alternating Readers
• Encourage students to read the poem line by line, with girls and
boys alternating on each line. Or, alternate lines between the left
and right sides of the classroom.
Partner-Reading
• Have students work with partners and take turns reading the poem
aloud to each other to improve their fluency.
Dramatizing Poetry
• Encourage students to memorize the poem. Invite volunteers to
recite the poem to the class, using hand gestures if appropriate.
• Assign students to small groups, and have the groups take turns
acting out the poem for the class. Provide props as needed.
Looking for Meaning
• Have students form small groups and discuss the poem. What is the
topic or theme? What did the author want readers to think or feel
as they read the poem?
Responding to Poetry
• Direct students to write a response to the prompt in their journals.
Then, encourage them to share their responses with other students.
Creative Responses
• Invite students to copy the poem onto a sheet of paper and draw
an illustration or make an art project to go with it.
Writing Poetry
• Have students write their own poetry, using the same topic or
writing in a similar style.
• Working as a class, write additional verses to the poem.
Sharing Poetry
• Encourage students to take the poem home and read it to their
family or friends.
3