Prepositional Poetry
Submitted by: Barbara Colvin
Review prepositions and prepositional phrases as students prepare for this activity. Give students examples of prepositional phrases such as "over the river" or "under the table." Have students write a class poem using only prepositional phrases. Help students choose an activity to describe, such as washing the dishes, finding a treasure chest, going for an airplane ride, etc. Have students suggest about eight prepositional phrases to describe that activity from start to finish. (See example below) Remind students not to repeat a preposition more than once and that the poem doesn't have to rhyme. After the poem is finished, add a title; then let students work individually or in pairs to write original prepositional poems. Have students copy their finished poems on construction-paper cutouts that represent the activity. Post the cutouts on a "Prepositional Poetry" bulletin board.
Example: This would be written on a cutout basketball.
On the Court
around the opponent,
down the court,
to the top of the key,
between the forwards,
toward the basket,
above my head,
near a victory,
in the hoop,
SWISH!
Taken from Mailbox Magazine Oct/Nov 1993