Inside a Poet's Mind

INSIDE A POET'S MIND
Writer's Workshop
Program for Grades 3 - 5
1 hour

We begin by discussing what a poem is (and isn't). Next,
students get a peek inside a poet's mind as I introduce several
poetic forms, talk about inspiration/ideas, and model a process
for writing a poem. Then, I encourage students to use this
same process to write a poem on their own as I circulate,
providing feedback and support. Most students will have time
to finish brainstorming and begin a rough draft of their poem.

Finally, I use examples from my own writing to show how a poet may revise her work—emphasizing concepts such as
word choice, line breaks, action verbs, and punctuation. If time permits, student volunteers are invited to share their work aloud.

Students should complete this workshop with a greater understanding of and appreciation for poetry.

"I really enjoyed having Mrs. Sklansky visit us. She taught me a lot about poetry and I was surprised at how well I did with it. I think she opened the world of poetry up to me more than I expected. The way she brainstorms poetry was a lot like how I brainstorm for writing narratives and non-fiction. It never occurred to me that poets plan in some of the same ways that I already do." —4th Grader, The John Cooper School

"I've never met a real published author before, and it was neat to not only hear an author speak to us about her writing, but to actually come in and work with us and teach us some techniques she uses to write poetry. It was really amazing."
—4th Grader, The John Cooper School