visual_poetry.pdf
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concrete_poetry.pdf
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Do you see how the shape adds to the meaning of this concrete poem?

Let's wrap up April by spotlighting poetry! Poetry is such a fun way to add variety to your daily reading. It also  introduces or reinforces concepts such as rhyme, rhythm and vocabulary.

1. What is poetry? If you're not sure you can put it into words, try looking it up  in the Britannica Kids Dictionary.
2. Shel Silverstein created and illustrated many imaginative, funny, and thoughtful poems  that have been beloved by readers of all ages, including the Giving Tree and the collection Falling Up. Silverstein doesn't only write poems that rhyme, he uses many different poem types. Here are two poem types:
   1. Visual Poems: where pictures (illustrations) add  the meaning of the poem.
   2. ​Acrostic Poems: uses the first letter of the line of each poem to spell a word (kind of like a secret message or code!)
3. Watch and listen to Shel Silverstein read his poem "The Toy Eater" from Falling Up. What kind of poem structure do you think he's using? 
4. Extension Activities:
   1. Watch more Shel Silverstein poems and excerpts at his website. 
   2. Try writing your own visual or acrostic poem! Download Shel Silverstein's guide to each poem linked below the video box. 
   3. Already read all the Shel Silverstein? Try this new collection of poetry ​I'm Just No Good at Rhyming  by Chris Harris! (I included a sneak preview of it in a screencast video to the left)

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