Children are inspired to write creatively if they are free to sensorially absorb and naturally react to the world around them. (JH)

John S. O'Connor offers exciting new approaches to teaching poetry in middle school and high school classrooms with more than 25 high-interest activities designed to sharpen students' writing and self-understanding and heighten their awareness of the world around them. In the process, he demystifies poetry for teachers and students by using…

This book, a collection of poems by adolescents and adults, is designed to offer teachers a supplement to the standard middle school and high school literature anthologies. Divided into 11 themed sections, the collection mixes more than 100 poems by students in grades 5 to 12 with more than 40 pieces by adults, including well-known writers such as…

How can poetry be taught in a way that will capture students' imaginations and inspire them to enjoy poetry's rhythms and rhymes? This book presents a fresh approach that will stir young learners' creative spirits and bring an unusual level of personal engagement to the classroom experience. The book contains a myriad of teaching ideas that can be…

Both the poem "The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams and the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights show the power of language as vehicles for message. Using them in class as exercises to look at language and meaning will help students understand the importance of connotation and grammar; the use and validity of sources; and the…

This illustrated collection of poetic excerpts from the plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare is designed to be read and appreciated by young people. The 39 excerpts in the collection follow the "7 ages of man" pattern from childhood to old age. The collection's introduction by the famous Shakespearean scholar, A.L. Rowse, recounts…

Intended for anyone who wants to write poetry (and do it well), this guide provides the "nuts and bolts" of craft and process, as well as the sources of inspiration. The guide contains brief essays on the elements of poetry, technique, and suggested subjects for writing; each essay is followed by distinctive writing exercises. Included…

Showing how to introduce poetry to encourage creativity while teaching solid craft skills, this book presents mini-lessons and activities to help teachers in grades 3 through 8 get students to respond to poetry with joy and enthusiasm throughout the curriculum. The skills students learn from doing the exercises in the book support national, state,…

Written for parents, teachers, librarians and other people interested in books for children and adolescents, this book is an introduction to the world of children's and adolescent literature in Spanish. It contains 12 chapters that discuss the importance of literature in children's development as well as the great variety of books in Spanish…

The writing program described in this lesson plan guides students in grades 3 through 8 in composing cinquain poems, a five-line form that uses the syllable count of two-four-six-eight-two. During the two 50-minute lessons, students will: describe the basic conventions of cinquain; interpret examples of cinquain; characterize the relationship…

The quick-writing activity described in this lesson plan guides grades K-2 students to write a simple cinquain as a follow-up to a subject they have been exploring in class. During the one 60-minute lesson, students will: write a poem about another topic, using the cinquain graphic organizer or outline; use words learned in the current thematic…

Co-written by two individuals with schizophrenia and two psychotherapists who have worked professionally with people experiencing schizophrenia, this book gives first-hand insight into the process and effects of the disease. The patients provide an introduction to the book that includes a list of questions, with their answers, that were asked of…

Broadly speaking, all poetry is "found" somewhere, in something which inspires a writer to want to develop his or her thoughts in verse. However, inspiration is sometimes lacking for both experienced poets and new ones, such as students who are required to write poetry for a class. "Found poetry" can serve as an antidote to an experienced poet's…

Sixty poems focusing on elementary mathematics topics such as matching, classification, sequencing, counting, addition, subtraction, place value, decimals, multiplication, division, fractions, estimation, probability, patterns, shapes, symmetry, triangles, circles, polygons, angles, Venn diagrams, bar graphs, money, time, and measurement, are…

Third in the Mighty Easy Motivators series, this book is a hands-on guide to crafts for pre-school and grade school children to engage in during the literature program, after-school activities, or playtime. The programs in the book meet two objectives: introducing children to exciting new stories and poems and helping them create a story-related…