Inside a Poet's Mind

INSIDE A POET'S MIND

Grades 2 - 5
40 minutes

Get a peek inside a poet's mind as I answer these 3 questions
about poetry:

What is a poem?
Where do poets find inspiration?
How do you write a poem?

In this interactive program, students help me analyze
     what makes a poem a poem. I introduce a few different
poetic forms. We find common ground with sources of
   inspiration. And then I explain my 4-step method for
     writing a poem, illustrating this accessible method with
     one of my own poems. (Hint: writing can be a messy process!)
I also walk through the art of revision.

The program concludes with Q & A.

Students will complete this program with a greater
  understanding of and appreciation for poetry and the
writing process in general.

"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 in The Woodlands, TX