Literacy Now

When I work with my middle school students as they conduct research projects, I find that often, their most pressing concern is to find out exactly how much (i.e. exactly how little) actual research they have to do in order to complete the assigned project. Of course, being the committed, diligent students we know middle school scholars to be, they explain that they don’t want to “waste” time doing research that they don’t need.

Ironically, as a writer of both fiction and nonfiction, I often find myself faced with the same dilemma, only from the other side. I love doing research and can easily get caught up in the joy of tracing an interesting anecdote or tracking down a fascinating tidbit. As research or writing projects stretch out longer than I expected, I often find myself worrying that I am “wasting” time doing research that I don’t need, or tinkering with writing that doesn’t need to be tinkered with.

Whenever I face this dilemma, however, I often comfort myself with the words and sentiment of Richard Bausch, in comments he contributed to a book about writing called OFF THE PAGE. Bausch, a professional writer, assures both the inexperienced and experienced writer that “nothing is wasted.” This simple phrase has become my mantra as I do research and as I write rough drafts and it is the response I use with my middle school students when they are wondering how much is too much.

In OFF THE PAGE, Bausch tells about the first thing he ever published, a short story. But unfortunately, when he started writing it, he thought he was writing a novel. And he kept writing that novel to the tune of eight hundred pages. And only after he had done all of that writing did he realize that he didn’t have an eight hundred page novel but instead, a short story of less than one hundred pages.

What did he do? He scraped most of his original work, whittling away the words until he found the story within.

Obviously, Bausch spent a lot of time writing those eight hundred pages. Obviously, it hurt to let them go. But as told himself, “Nothing is wasted.” All of the writing, thinking, and research that went into his 800-page novel was the necessary knowledge base he needed in order to create the story that he eventually wrote.

It is good to have the attitude that no research that you do is wasted, even the gathering of facts and information that isn’t put into your final piece. It is good to have the attitude that no writing that you do is wasted, even the writing that you have to throw away. This is an important mindset because it allows you, the researcher and the writer, the freedom, or maybe it is the courage, to take a risk and to invest time and energy and thought into tracking down information that might never get into your article or working on a piece of writing that may never get beyond a first draft. And even if that writing is eventually thrown away, even if that research doesn’t materialize, it pays off.

How?

Well, first of all, it is practice. Just as in sports, or music, or math, to get good at writing the writer needs to practice. A lot.

Secondly, if you believe that everything you write must be good, you won’t be willing to write something bad. And if you aren’t willing to write something bad, than you won’t risk experimenting with something new, or playing around in a new way with something old. You will be stuck writing the same thing over and over again because that is what you know how to do. As we know, it is a risk to step out of one’s comfort zone, but it is only outside of one’s comfort zone that one gets better and learns something new.

So, how does this thinking translate into the classroom, where you are limited by time and resources and student motivation? I believe that if you, the teacher, understand this concept and truly buy into this philosophy, you will automatically weave it into everything you do and teach in your writing classroom. It will help you, as the teacher, to keep your eye on the process more than, or at least as much as, the finished product. If you operate from this belief you will be more willing to encourage your students to take risks with their writing. You will say things like, “Have you ever thought about doing it another way? Try it and let’s compare the two versions and see which one you like better.” You will reward students who attempt something new even if their attempt isn’t a success. You will know that sometimes even though the writing is not a success, taking the risk always is. You will model this risk taking yourself when you show your students your mistakes or how you played around with a story, telling it from different perspectives or using a variety of formats.

Another way to weave this philosophy into your writing classroom is to design assignments that encourage students to do more writing than they actually need to complete the assignment that is being handed in. For instance, novelists often write biographies for each of their main characters or write about events or situations that don’t take place in the story, so they know the whole back story for each character before they get started. You could require something like this to be handed in along with the finished fiction project.

When I’m writing nonfiction and I get stuck, I often take a step back and write about my topic instead of working directly on it. For instance, when writing my picture book, MONET PAINTS A DAY, I wrote a reflection on Monet’s unswerving passion for his art, wondering on paper about where it came from and what fueled it. That, of course, morphed into a reflection on how I could create or follow my passions in my own everyday life, which then morphed into how to develop passion in my students. That thinking and wondering and writing eventually found its way back to my Monet biography in such subtle ways as my word choice when describing Monet’s work habits, and the facts that I decided to put in and those I chose to leave out.

This kind of additional writing for both fiction and nonfiction is important. Although the exact thoughts or words might never end up in the finished product, the additional thought and research adds depth to what you write because it adds depth to what you think about your topic or your story.

For me, “Nothing is wasted,” is a core belief I have that shapes my own writing and my teaching of writing. It is something that I hope comes through not only in the words I say but the choices I make, the ways I respond to my students and the assignments I give.

If you believe it, you teach it—and I believe it!

Julie Danneberg has taught reading and writing in both elementary and middle school. Currently she teaches 7th grade reading. In addition, Julie is the author of many books for children and young readers, including FIRST DAY JITTERS and her just-released picture book biography, MONET PAINTS A DAY. Visit her website at www.juliedanneberg.com.

Are you a teacher whose class is participating in the 2012 NaNoWriMo Young Writer’s Program or has in the past? We want to hear from you! Send us an email at engage-membership@/.

Teaching Tips: The 'Fast and Furious' First Draft

by Michael Putman

Featured as an Education World Best Blog for 2012, Globicate: Global Education For a New Generation is a website/blog maintained by Heidi Befort. In her description, Heidi asserts that the website focuses on a number of principles, including cultural awareness and geographical knowledge. Additionally, it seeks to promote communication, collaboration, and connections with people around the world within efforts to resolve genuine, real-world challenges. The latter goal is significant, not only within the preparation of students to become global citizens, but because it distinctly parallels multiple goals relevant to the new literacies of the Internet and proficiencies using 21st Century tools within literacy activities.

Examining the website in detail, including recent blog posts, it becomes abundantly clear that Globicate recognizes the inherent importance of literacy (and often technology) on several levels. A recent post, titled “Intentional Writing – Mapping A Course,” is focused on using technology to help students create graphic organizers to guide their writing.  Having used several of the sites described myself within my work with teaching candidates as well as practicing teachers, I can attest to their value in helping students in the writing process. Continuing the focus on writing, Heidi provides some practical advice to help reluctant writers (or any student for that matter) improve their craft through several strategies. The post on June 3 takes moves away from writing, but maintains a literacy focus, as the post, entitled “Chase Against Time,” offers a short introduction to a book by the same name, providing just enough information to pique interest.  These represent only the most recent posts - as I examined the website’s archives, I found one of its strengths was the inherent variability in the content that is available. Readers might find a tip about an activity to implement in a classroom (May 19), information about a specific country (e.g. Japan on March 29), pictures of classroom artifacts (May 20), or a personal narrative (May 10) that may, to paraphrase Heidi, “renew your vigor and bring a smile to your face.”

Globicate also includes a number of additional resources, both for purchase and freely provided. The prices on the former are very minimal and the preview capability allows you the opportunity to examine the materials before buying them. Within the free resources, I did notice numerous tools useful as advance organizers for literacy activities. Overall, not all of the resources are literacy focused, but each will prove very useful within the classroom.

If you haven’t taken the time to visit Globicate, I would recommend adding it to your summer list as I am sure you will find something that will prove helpful in August! Enjoy the summer!

Mike Putman is from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. 

This article is part of a series from the Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG).

Creative writing isn’t always about writing a story. When I’m wearing my teacher hat, I try to get my students to show creativity in their essays and make their voice really shine. A dry essay topic with a creative twist makes the reader take notice and shows the writer has internalized the subject.

Think of your favorite book. Chances are that it had a good story, but the thing that knocked your socks off is the way that it was told. That’s why character-driven novels get all the attention they do. The audience latches onto an interesting character and experiences the events with that person, instead of detachedly watching the events unfold. Likewise, the writer of that interesting character must get closer to the subject in order to relay the information as only that character could.

Therefore, in order to get those creative vibes going, shake up the point of view in your writing assignment. Get your students to change roles and explain the topic the way another person would. This way the student has to show that she not only understands the material but can see it from another person’s vantage point. The explanations will necessarily be more detailed because there is more to explain.

Let’s take the driest of dry assignments: the process paper.

Whether you are a science teacher, automotive technology teacher, or an ELA teacher like me, you’ve likely had a reason to assign a how-to paper, but you probably didn’t want to because they can be tedious. However, since you read educational blog posts on sites like Engage, you know that higher order thinking skills like summarization elevate students’ understanding when they have to explain a process.

So I propose this: give the essay assignment, but give the kids a choice of characters to narrate the essay. Sort of a “How to ________ like a _________” format.

As a ninth-grade literature teacher, I would maybe assign “How to Make New Friends like Tybalt or Mercutio.” Friendship is an issue in ROMEO AND JULIET, and since Tybalt is angry and Mercutio is borderline bipolar, the students would be forced to understand the character in order to do the assignment.

Or if I were a history teacher, I would assign “How to Change the World like Alexander Flemming or Copernicus.” That would probably take some research, but research isn’t a bad thing.

And if I were a geography teacher, I might go with “How to Survive in the Gobi Desert like Bear Grylls or Aaron Ralston.” Et cetera.

Click here to see a model of what I would like to see from my students in response to a creative process paper assignment.

I would use this as a model in my instruction, to explain the expected level of detail and other requirements. (Please note that the model, “How to Clean a Bathroom like a Manly Man,” stars neither Tybalt nor Mercutio. I wrote as a persona instead of a person for yet another example of what you can do.)

Whatever your subject, you can adapt this idea to fit your needs. The idea is to increase creativity which will increase interest which will increase learning. And reading the essays will be a lot more fun for you also.

Tony Varrato teaches English at Sussex Technical High School, in Georgetown, Delaware. He serves as Membership Chair on the Sussex Council Board for the Diamond State Reading Association and helps plan local literacy events. In addition, Tony is the author of several novels for teens, including FAKIE and OUTRAGE, both of which were selected for YALSA's Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers lists. ONE LAST SCAR has been nominated for the 2011 Quick Picks list as well.



Sorting out the Details

Depending on your point of view, 2012 is almost half over—or just about halfway getting started. Whatever your perspective on June, the end of the month marks the middle point of the year, making it the perfect place to set your own reading goals and then get started on them. Some websites such as Goodreads.com feature the 2012 Reading Challenge through which you can decide how many books you want to read in a year and then track how close you are to reaching your goal. If your friends get involved, you can even support each other while trying to meet the expectations you have set for yourselves. Sometimes all it takes is a little nudge to start reading for pleasure again. Then again, you might want to hone your read aloud skills with some new shorter texts. Whatever your goals, to help you in making some reading choices for your to-read pile and insure that you don’t experience any reading slump during the summer, members of the International Reading Association Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) offer their thoughts on some recent titles that captivated them this year.

GRADES K-3

Coombs, Kate. (2012). Water sings blue: Ocean poems. Illus. by Meilo So. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Many folks are often drawn to the ocean during summer vacation season, and this themed poetry book of 23 poems is a nice complement to the season. The short poems vary rhyme and rhythmic patterns alongside illustrations that enhance each poem, making this great reading for individual readers or for reading aloud. From whales to shipwrecks, jellyfish to sea turtles, waves to ebbing tides, this poetic and beautiful ode to the ocean is a real pearl in the oyster. Teachers might enjoy pairing the lesson “Slippery as an Eel: An Ocean Unit Exploring Simile and Metaphor” with these engaging poems. The lesson can be found at ReadWriteThink at www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/slippery-ocean-unit-exploring-832.html.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Judge, Lita. (2012). Bird talk: What birds are saying and why. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

As young readers leaf through this book, not only will enjoy beautiful pictures but they will learn a great deal about birds. Who has not stopped to listen to a bird singing without realizing exactly what message the bird was communicating? Judge, whose grandparents were ornithologists, has given young readers an inside look at what birds are “saying” through their chirps, cheeps and caws in addition to explaining the significance of their movements from preening to swooping as they greet, woo or communicate danger to other birds. Over 28 avian species are introduced to young readers with additional information about each bird and habitats at the back. The author’s website offers even more information at www.litajudge.com/BirdTalk.html. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Lane, Adam J.B. (2012). Stop thief! New York: A Neal Porter Book/Roaring Brook Press.

One evening after dinner a little boy, Randall McCoy, stands up and declares that he is a big boy now. This is news to his parents who ask if he will continue to need a booster seat or a kiss good night anymore. Randall says, “No, thank you.” He even thinks he is too old for Mr. Pigglesworth, his favorite stuffed pig, and puts him on a high shelf for safe keeping. Later that night, Randall can’t fall asleep. When he silently creeps down the stairs to retrieve Mr. Pigglesworth, he discovers a burglar stealing his pig. Randal screams, “Stop thief!” but the robber slips out a window. Thus begins a long chase all around town with Randall trying to catch the burglar. They run through the zoo, Wunda Chocolate Company, a Museum and a fair. Children will love following the yellow dotted lines with their fingers and reading aloud Randall’s continuous cry of “Stop Thief!” Eventually the robber doesn’t realize where he is headed, resulting in a hilarious ending. Children will beg to hear this story again and again in part because of the comic-like features in the illustrations. 

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Roop, Connie & Peter. (2012). Baby whale’s long swim. New York: Sterling Children’s Books.

This nonfiction paperback is part of the American Museum of Natural History Easy Readers Series. Through beautiful photographs beginning readers will learn about a baby gray whale’s life. He swims alongside his mother so that he can drink her milk. Later, the mother pushes her calf to the top of the water so that he can breathe. The text compares the baby’s blowhole to the nostrils of humans. When it is spring the mother and son travel to Alaska where there is food. A map shows the gray whale’s journey. The family travels with a pod, and just as is the case with human children, the calf gets tired of swimming all day and sometimes must rest against his mother.  Eventually mother and son make it to Alaska where they catch tiny plants and animals in their mouths.  Different vocabulary words such as breaching, splash, roll, and wave are introduced throughout the text. 

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver 

Sutton, Sally. (2012). Demolition.  Illus. by Brian Lovelock. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Preschoolers, kindergarteners, and other truck-obsessed readers will love this new look at what big machines and a wrecking ball can do. Big sounds and big trucks are readied as men and women workers put on their hard-hats as the wrecking ball begins to swing. This book goes a step further to give children an ecological look at what to do with the building debris once the trucks have completed their demolition. As the piles are sorted and recycling decisions are mad, readers may notice how building materials are reusable. A special treat waits at the end when a playground is built on the very spot where the building was demolished. Teachers may want to pair this title with Eve Merriam’s Bam Bam Bam (1998) and explore the sounds of demolition through onomatopoeia. Both books could make for a very fun, and LOUD, choral or response reading.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Wardlaw, Lee. (2012). Red, white, and boom! Illus. by Huy Voun Lee. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 

Celebrations of the nation’s birthday will begin shortly, making this a perfect read aloud to commemorate the holiday. In simple rhyming verse the picture book begins with a parade marching through town, “Bugles call / Marchers tall.” Everyone is dressed in red, white and blue and waving patriotic flags. In the afternoon families fly kites, eat picnics or splash in the waves. Cut-paper collage illustrations show, “Melon grins / Juicy chins.”  In the evening the night sky lights up with, “Peacock plume / Sunburst bloom / Star flakes spill / Heart-thump thrill.”  Firecrackers burst with the colors of red and white and the sounds of boom while spectators exclaim with oohs and ahhs. Slowly, the children’s eyes close, and it is time for bed. The fun-packed holiday finally comes to a quiet close. 

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

GRADES 4-6

Applegate, Katherine. (2012). The one and only Ivan. Illus. by Patricia Castelao.  New York: Harper.

Summer is a great time to visit the zoo where children often have favorite animals to view. This story, based on a real silverback gorilla, is a heart-wrenching tale of friendship between two animals. It might give children a new way to look at animals in captivity. For 27 years, Ivan has lived in his small cage at The Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. Before his elephant friend Stella passes away from neglect, she begs a promise from Ivan to help the new baby elephant, Ruby, escape so she won’t have to endure a life of imprisonment. Ivan makes good on that promise, and with the help of a few other friends such as Bob the stray dog and Julia the custodian’s daughter, he orchestrates their escape. This story was inspired by the true-life story of the real Ivan who now lives in Zoo Atlanta. Readers are sure to enjoy checking out the website devoted to this book and also learn about “the real Ivan” at http://theoneandonlyivan.com.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Bell, Juliet. (2102). Kepler’s dream.  New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Spending part of summer vacation with a relative or grandparent is not an unusual occurrence, but it can be if you are from a divorced family and have never met the grandmother you are visiting. Ella considers it “Broken Family Camp.” Her mother is going to receive chemotherapy treatment for leukemia, which means Ella must spend the summer in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Upon her arrival at the sprawling adobe hacienda, Ella calls it the House of Mud. Her grandmother’s prim and proper ways, especially when it comes to grammar, in addition to the pride she has in her extensive book collection, make life difficult for Ella at first. As she gets to know her grandmother and becomes friends with a neighbor girl, life appears to get better, although her mother’s health is always in her thoughts. During Ella’s visit, the most valuable book in her grandmother’s library collection disappears. Ella finds out that her grandfather was an astronomer and the missing book, Kepler’s Dream, causes her grandmother much anguish because she cherished that book as a remembrance of her husband. Ella sets out to recover the missing book. While tracking down this mystery, Ella uncovers much about her own family history. This is the author’s debut children’s novel. She writes books for adults as Sylvia Brownrigg. Readers may want to explore her website at http://julietbell.com and view the book trailer. They can also listen to the author discuss Kepler’s Dream in a podcast on West Coast Live at www.wcl.org/podcast-list.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Jenkins, Steve. (2012). The beetle book. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. 

Summer brings out the bug collectors in kids who use anything from butterfly nets to jars with holes in the lids to capture them. As he has done previously in his earlier books Actual Size, Move, Living Color, Life on Earth, among others Steve Jenkins creates detailed cut-paper illustrations so that readers can see his subjects up close. His latest work delves into the vast world of beetles, beginning with the incredible fact that every fourth living thing is a beetle. Scientists have named over 350,000 beetles to date and believe there are even more yet to be identified. Jenkins has presented dozens of beetles and accompanying information. His black silhouette illustrations often show the actual size. Facts about numerous species, habitats, physiology and unusual characteristics coupled with beautifully detailed illustrations make this a bug-lovers’ delight. Youngsters might want to try writing some buggy poetry from a lesson at ReadWriteThink: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/multipurpose-poetry-introducing-science-69.html. Curious readers can learn more about this author on The 7 Impossible Things before Breakfast blog: http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?p=1112 or visit the author’s website at: www.stevejenkinsbooks.com. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 9-12

Fogelin, Adrian. (2012). Summer on the Moon. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers. 

Although the mean streets of his urban apartment complex are tough to navigate, eighth grader Socrates (known as Socko to his friends) has mixed feelings when his family leaves them behind. If his hard-working mother agrees to take care of Socko’s curmudgeonly great-grandfather from whom she has been estranged, he will buy them a house in a new housing development. Although he knows the move to Moon Ridge Estates during the summer will keep him safe from his old neighborhood’s gang violence, Socko worries about leaving behind his friend Damien. Although the family has problems working out their issues at first, eventually Socko and his great-grandfather become closer, even while swallowing their disappointment that no one else seems to live in the housing development. Things improve when Livvie, the developer's daughter, moves in with her family, too, and then other, down-on-their-luck folks arrive to save the development. Meanwhile, Damien seemingly has made his own choices and has thrown in his lot with Rapp, the leader of the neighborhood street gang. Or has he? Filled with humor, hope and reminders that there are caring folks around us and seeds sure to grow with a little nourishment, the novel asks hard questions about surviving against obstacles while offering glimpses of a brighter future for many of the characters. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Moon, Sarah (Ed.). (2012). The letter q: Queer writers’ notes to their younger selves. New York: Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine Books. 

Although books featuring gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered teens are much more frequent than they were 20 years ago, coming of age today is still difficult when others perceive you as being different from the norm. In this advice-filled title, sixty-four authors and illustrators craft letters to their younger selves, providing inspiration and insight. In a sort of "If I'd known then what I know now" fashion, the brief entries provide peeks into the contributors’ lives as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered individuals. All of the pieces are reminders that life improves after high school, and many provide perspectives across the decades. While some of the entries such as Paige Braddock’s are filled with humor, others such as Mayra Lazara Dole’s describe heartbreaking periods of isolation and bullying. Brian Selznick responds to a letter he wrote to his future self when he was 13, and Arthur A. Levine describes the different prejudices he faced when he was junior high. Reminding readers that the line between the bully and the person being bullied is thin, one author, David Levithan, even owns up to owing an apology to his science teacher. In the book’s concluding letter, David Ebershoff relates how he burned the gay-themed books he read one summer in order to keep his sexual identity a secret. Although some of the authors who write for adults will be unfamiliar to teen readers, they’ll recognize other literary friends. This is a wonderful collection of advice shared through text and drawings, not just for the queer or questioning teens in our lives, but for all of us to read, share, and ponder the infinite variety of humans and the nature of love and resilience. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Ritter, John. (2012). Fenway fever. New York: Philomel. 

Baseball fans and those who root for the underdog will love this book, perfect for a summer’s day.  The plot revolves around Stats Pagano, born with a heart defect, and his Boston family, all rabid Boston Red Sox fans. The family has had season tickets to the Red Sox games for 72 years, and they run a concession stand, selling hot dogs at the games. The team heads into a losing streak, and Stats's favorite baseball player, pitcher Billee Orbitt, is removed from the team’s roster for a brief time. Billee and Stats figure that too much is going wrong for it to be a coincidence. Certain that the harmony of Fenway Park has been disrupted, the two take steps to put things back into the proper order so that the Sox will win again. After all, if the baseball team isn’t winning, nothing in Stats's world can be right. Call them coincidences or call them miracles, but things suddenly start turning around for Billee and the Sox and even for Stats. Love for the sport dubbed “America’s pastime” fills the book’s pages, reminding readers what the game of baseball is really all about. With its moments of pathos, heroism, mysticism, and wonder from a master craftsman, this seamlessly-written book will make readers believe in all sorts of miracles and maybe prompt a trip to the ballpark. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Saldin, Erin. (2012). The girls of No Return. New York: Scholastic. 

Troubled sixteen-year-old Lida has been sent to a reform school in the wilderness of the northern portion of Idaho, far from civilization. The school is filled with strange adults and even stranger girls with histories of violence. As Lida adjusts to the school’s rules, she realizes that some of the girls are more troubled than others. Before she knows it, Lida is caught in the middle of a conflict between Boone, the school's teen queen and resident bad girl, and Gia, the beautiful but mysterious new girl to whom the other girls flock. Lida desperately wants Gia’s approval while being fearful of Boone. When Boone shares a secret with Lida, she inadvertently reveals the secret to Gia. The consequences of that one betrayal lead to a series of betrayals and ultimately to unexpected violence. The author turns readers' expectations around cleverly, gradually revealing truths about each of the girls and their choices as they test themselves in the rustic setting and prepare to return to the real world. As is often the case in situations such as this one, there are many lies and secrets as well as recognition of uncomfortable truths played out against the austere beauty of rural Idaho. The author describes the setting vividly while forcing readers to ask difficult questions about Lida’s actions. Clearly, the need for love and acceptance may lead to unspeakable—and perhaps unforgivable—actions. Readers will eagerly turn the book’s pages to find out what happened to Lida during her journey of self-discovery. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Teachers looking to bring some excitement into writing poetry need look no farther than Theme Poems, an interactive computer tool on ReadWriteThink.org .

Theme Poems uses colorful shapes to inspire students to write about subjects they love or topics that align with classroom lessons. The interactive is also a fun way for parents to keep creative writing skills fresh after school or during the summer.

The Theme Poems interactive begins with a lively animation that asks students to type in their name. When the students click on “Continue,” they are instructed to select a theme. Theme Poems features 32 objects divided into five categories: nature, school, sports, celebrations, and shapes. The objects include sun, raindrop, flower, tree, leaf, fish, cloud, moon, apple, book, bus, computer, bell, softball, football, pom-pom, basketball, tennis, soccer, volleyball, sneaker, heart, balloon, flag, gift, cake, square, circle, triangle, diamond, rectangle, and star. Students can click “Back” to redo a step at any point.

After students select a theme, they are asked to type words that remind them that this object inspires. This step encourages students to develop brainstorming and planning skills used in creative writing. 

When students click “Continue,” the Theme Poems screen shows a picture of the object, the words that they entered on the previous screen, and spaces to write the poem text and title. Students simply type in these fields to write their poems. 

When finished, Theme Poems creates an 8 ½” by 11” document with the students’ name, poem title, and poem in the object that the student chose. The magnifying glass icon enlarges the image of the document for previewing ease. This document can be printed, downloaded, shared via e-mail, or saved for later. ReadWriteThink produced an instructional video about saving files for those who need assistance. 

Theme Poems offers many lesson ideas for teachers interested in including poetry in their plans or incorporating poetry into other subject areas. The shapes can be used to write poems about geometry for math units. Nature objects can be used for science units. Sports objects can be used for Field Day, and the flag object can be used for Memorial Day, Flag Day, and the 4th of July.  Teacher and parents can use celebrations objects such as the balloon, heart, or cake for birthdays, Father’s Day, anniversaries, or Valentine’s Day. As mentioned before, it is a fantastic interactive for fighting the “summer slide” along with the Poetic Memories of Summer activity from ReadWriteThink’s Bright Ideas for Summer initiative. 

Lessons:

ReadWriteThink also offers lesson plans from teachers using poetry interactives. Illinois teacher Janet Beyersdorfer shared a lesson entitled “Theme Poems: Writing Extraordinary Poems About Ordinary Objects,” and Michigan teacher Lisa Domke posted her “Theme Poems: Using the Five Senses” lesson. 

Teacher Jennifer Altieri presented many ways to use ReadWriteThink poetry activities in interesting ways in her session entitled “Creating Powerful Poetry Using Mathematical Concepts” at the 2012 IRA Annual Convention. 

To produce poems in the shape of a diamond, visit ReadWriteThink’s Diamonte Poems interactive.

The International Reading Association partners with the National Council of Teachers of English and Verizon Thinkfinity to produce ReadWriteThink.org, a website devoted to providing literacy instruction and interactive resources for grades K–12. ReadWriteThink presents teachers with effective lesson plans and strategies, a professional community, and engaging online interactive student tools.