A. LaFaye's Blog: Word Wanderings Rest Stop - Posts Tagged "pen-pals"

Poetry Tweets @PoetryTweets has been "[e]xploring the power of 140 characters or less" since 2009 and I'd like to spread their work to the younger generation by blogging about writing a poem in 140 characters or less and inviting teachers to join in the fun!

First, let's talk poetry.

Paul Janezcko's Firefly July A Year of Very Short Poems is a great book to share short, concrete poetry with kids to inspire them to write their own. Mentor texts rock!
Here's a great resource on mentor texts and writing poetry from Lee and Low:
Mentor Texts and Writing Poetry

Here are a few pointers for helping kids write great poetry.

1. Teach them to use concrete, specific words. Help them learn when a word is concrete vs. abstract, and to select just the right word to show what they mean.

Soft as cotton is concrete, but familiar.
How about "soft as a couch after school let's out?"
You can start with lists of words that are abstract and have them select concrete alternatives or create concrete comparisons that relate to their lives.

"Sad" becomes Picked last for the team.

2. Help them tell a "story" in as few words as possible. The poet Janet Wong uses this exercise:
My --insert family member or friend--is like--insert comparison--because--fill in the blank.

For more on Janet Wong, please visit her website:
Janet Wong

She usually stresses that the comparison is positive, the following example started off shaky, but ended well. It's from a third grader.

"My brother is like toilet paper. He's always got my back."

Right there you have the start of a tweet poem with characters to spare!

You can also encourage them to share a discovery, an emotion, an event.

Discovery:

Tigers outweigh my fridge, but purr like their making ice.

Emotion:
Cheaters make me want to send them to the end of the line for ice cream. Twice.

Event:
Costume Contest. Itchy make up. Poofy cotton-candy-esque hat. Sweaty cone suit. This tall lick of ice cream claimed first prize.

3. Teach them to edit. Let them draft what they want.

I hate my brother. He puts his buggers in my hair.

Then ask them to revise.

From this poem ask for a figurative comparison based where they started.

My brother is? Why is he that?

My brother's a snot. He treats my shirt like a tissue.

I hope this advice helps.

Now let's talk poetry exchange:

1. Use Twitter to find another classroom in another state.

2. Assign a poem that allows kids to introduce themselves, or their class, or their hometown.

3. Let them do peer workshops to choose their favorites. I'd choose one from each group, then send them to the other class which will send them to your class.
Peer Workshop Guide from NCTE

4. Let the kids respond to each others poetry. Share what they like about the poems and ask a question.

5. You can also do poetry challenges. Send a photo of something cool at your school to the other class and ask them to write a poem about it, then select their favorites and send it back. They will send you a photo and you'll do the same activity.

6. You can also use these poetry exchanges as a launching point for deeper connections across classes. Exchange school mailing or e-mail addresses to pair kids classroom to classroom to share their experiences through letters and journaling-whatever dovetails into your curriculum.

Invitation: Please share your tweeted poems on Poetry Pen Place Place at @PoetryPPPlace

If you try these exercises, share what works, what needs works, and what your students gain from the experience. Tweet away!