The Poetry Window 

Submitted by: jaetom@aol.com

First if you have not read Georgia Heard's book Awakening The Sun do it!  There are many fabulous ideas for poetry centers in it that I use. It will inspire you to incorporate poetry into your classroom with unbridled enthusiasm.

HERE IS ONE FOR YOU TO TRY:

You can construct the poetry window as easily as taping four pieces of masking tape (making a square) onto a window in your classroom to make a mini window or you can be more elaborate.  I actually got an old discarded window, painted it and I even added a window box to the bottom with some flowers in it.  Then you set it in front of a window in your classroom.

The idea is to create a discovery center where students can go, look out at a specific part of their world, pick one thing and make a list poem that describes it.  Another time you could also have them make a T chart labeling one side ordinary and the other side poetic.  The ordinary side has things that come to your mind when you look, under the poetic side you revise these words into poetry using metaphor and simile.

You should also provide examples of poetry written on nature by other poets such as Mary Oliver.

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