Place Poems with Prelutsky
By Melissa S. Martin
GENI, Lafayette, IN (Available at http://www.iupui.edu/~geni/lsort/PlacePoems.doc)
Purpose: To have the students develop a better
understanding about different places around the world through writing poetry.
Estimated Time: varies depending on unit (could
be one day or a week)
Grade Level: 5 – 9
National Geography Standards Addressed:
Standard 4: The physical and human characteristics of
places.
Standard 6: How culture and experience influence people’s
perception of places and regions.
6.3.3, 6.3.4, 6.3.5
7.3.4,
Objectives: Upon completion of this
activity/unit, students will…
1. identify the characteristics of a place in a poem.
2. be familiar with various locations and places
throughout the world.
3. be able to write a poem using their notes.
Materials Required:
·
One or more of
Jack Prelutsky’s books such as…
o The Frogs
Wore Red Suspenders
o Beneath a Blue Umbrella
o Ride a
Purple Pelican
·
Paper and
Pencils
·
Journal notebook
for students to keep notes
·
Use the website http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/jack_home.htm
for
helpful poetry hints from Jack Prelutsky
Procedures:
1. Begin by reading a few of Prelutsky’s
place poems to the class.
2. Have the students choose a place they wish to write
their poem and sign up for that place so there are few duplicates.
3. The students should brainstorm about their place and
keep notes in their journal.
4. Once they have enough information, they may begin to
write a rough draft of their place poem.
5. After the rough draft has been approved, the students
may type the poem. Be sure to save it.
6. Draw a picture to accompany the place poem.
7. Exhibit the place poem and picture together on a
piece of construction paper or poster board.
8. Share with the class.
Adaptations/Extensions:
1. Create an interdisciplinary unit with the Language
Arts teacher.
2. Depending on the grade level, have the place poems
about certain towns/cities or an entire country.
3. Have a poetry day.
Have the students recite their poems to the team or class.
4. Publish your own class book of place poems.
Assessment:
Teacher discretion. Check for comprehension of the place in the
poem and
completion of project.
Examples of Jack Prelutsky’s
poetry…
Jason
Johnson left
Just to dig for gold,
He tried in
But he did not like the cold.
Nevada was much warmer,
But he found no golden ore,
So Jason Johnson headed home,
No richer than before.
In
In
An elephant perched on a sycamore tree,
Sipping warm milk through an oversized
straw-
In
In
We danced on the green with a blue
kangaroo.
The elephant sneezed, so we ran off and
hid-
In
Timble Tamble
Lived in
Went to
To see the fishes play,
The fishes were in
For they had runaway,
So Timble Tamble
Went back to