Poetry Recitation

This week, students chose the poems that they will recite from memory at their Gateway Exhibition. This is NOT something that should be left to the last minute. These need to be practiced over and over. And over.

My requirements were that it has to be one of the 96 (ninety-six!!!) poems we've read and discussed this year, and that it has to be at least 8 lines long.

This week we talked about reading poems aloud. I encouraged them to decide where they would pause, which words they would "punch" (stress or emphasize), and which words they would "paint" (say with a flourish). We practiced reading a few out loud, too.

IF they've been saving their poems in their poetry binders (they are reminded to do this every time we read a poem...but you know how that is), then they should have a copy of the poem already. If for whatever reason, they don't have a copy, most poems can be found with a Google search. On Monday, I'll make sure everyone has a copy.

My hope is that some of the poems we've read this year will be things that the children carry with them for the rest of their lives. And hopefully the poem they recite is one they really enjoy and one that has special meaning to them.