Paint Me a Poem: Poems Inspired by Masterpieces of Art by Justine Rowden

April is National Poetry Month.  If you are looking for a great book to model poetry for your child, consider:

Paint Me a Poem: Poems Inspired by Masterpieces of Art is one of my favorite books to read with my children because I like the premise of the book.  As the author walked through the National Gallery of Art one day, she was inspired by the paintings she saw, and in her head began to hear music.  The music became a poem and this book is a collection of thirteen poems inspired by famous artwork.

Activity: Read aloud this book with your child and talk about the pictures and how the author wrote the poetry.  If you have an art museum nearby, consider taking your child to it and peruse the paintings.  Determine a favorite painting and purchase a small postcard in the gift shop of that painting.  When home, encourage your child to write a poem based on the painting.  If your child can’t write yet, ask him to dictate a poem to you. If you don’t have a museum nearby, use a piece of your child’s own artwork to inspire a poem.  Or, use photographs or pictures from magazines.

It’s not the poem that matters, but the experience of relating a picture into words.  “Reading” pictures is a precursor to actual reading, so if your child isn’t reading yet, this is a fun activity to do anytime, but especially during National Poetry Month!

©2011 by Dawn Little for Literacy Toolbox. All Amazon links are affiliate links and may result in my receiving a small commission. This is at no additional cost to you.

Lit World: A Global Poem for Change

Last month, we celebrated World Read Aloud Day with Lit World, striving to read 774 million minutes in honor of the 774 million people who cannot read or write worldwide.  Well, Lit World has done it again!  Read below to find out how you can join in the global effort and take part in a Global Poem for Change:

April is National Poetry Month! Join LitWorld, A Global Literacy Organization, in celebrating the power and spirit of words by helping to compose a Global Poem for Change:

The wonderful poet Naomi Shihab Nye got us started with a first line:

I send my words out into the air, listening for yours from everywhere.

What words do you send out into the air?

What words do you listen for?

Celebrate Poetry Month and create a Global Poem for Change with LitWorld!

What comes next?

Submit a line of your own at litworld.org/poem and watch our Poem GROW at litworld.org/poemblog.
We need Your Words to Change Worlds.

Share our announcement and help our poem soar around the world…

Making Poetry Part of Your Read Aloud Repertoire

April is National Poetry Month, and even though the month is almost over I wanted to write a few posts that touched on poetry.  I think poetry is often an overlooked genre when parents look for a good text for reading aloud.  But, reading aloud poetry can be so much fun and it can help your child’s ability to read as well.  Poetry is a lively use of language and should be read aloud for pure enjoyment.  Here are a few tips on ways to incorporate poetry into your read aloud repertoire:

• Choose poems that will engage your children.
• Read the poem slowly and with meaning.  Emphasize words.  Allow the cadence of the poem to shine through.
• Talk about how the words rhyme and how the poet used the words to convey meaning (depending on the age of your child).
• If your child is able to read, have him or her read aloud a poem or two to you.  This will help build fluency within a reader.
• Just have fun with it!  Be silly and enjoy the poems!

A few poetry suggestions:

Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook by Shel Silverstein

Something Big Has Been Here by Jack Prelutsky

The 20th Century Children’s Poetry Treasury (Treasured Gifts for the Holidays)

If you are interested in a bit more complex poetry or complex ways to incorporate poetry, I’ve been reviewing poetry picture books at Picture This!  Teaching with Picture Books all month.  So far, I’ve reviewed Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes, R is for Rhyme: A Poetry Alphabet, and Poetry Speaks to Children.

©2010 by Dawn Little for Literacy Toolbox. All Rights Reserved.  All Amazon links are affiliate links and may result in my receiving a small commission. This is at no additional cost to you.