Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students read and perform poetry with a partner.  Using the brilliant work of Mary Ann Hoberman, poetry is interactive, fun, and engaging.  You can use this lesson with very little preparation except a few color copies and have the kids begging for more!  When poetry is shared with a friend, it’s irresistible.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-4

Objective:

Together with a partner, each student will prepare and perform one of Mary Ann Hoberman’s poems for two voices.  (AASL 1.2.3, “Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.”)

Suggested Time:

40-55 minutes

Success Criteria:

Students will choose and prepare one of Mary Ann Hoberman’s poems for two voices.  They will then perform this poem with their partner for the class.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Remind your students that they have been studying poetry and painting with words.  Today, they will get to work with the poetry of a very famous poet, Mary Ann Hoberman.  Mary Ann Hoberman is an elderly woman now, but she has been writing poetry for a very long time.  In fact, she was even a U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate!

Show the students one of the photocopies.  Explain how each poem is written for two voices and uses three colors.  One color, often purple, is for the first reader.  The second color, sometimes pink or orange, is for the second reader.  The blue color is used when both voices should read together.

If you can, project one of the poems on a large screen.  Have half of the class read the first voice, and the other half of the class read the second voice.  Read the combined parts together.  Check for understanding and make sure that each student understands how the poems are structured.

2. Main:

Pair students.  I like to give children the chance to choose their own partners, but they should be encouraged to make choices consistent with their teacher’s instructions.

Ask each student to pick up a poem from the poem stack.  Make sure that all the poems you photocopy are different so that every partner group is working on a different poem.  I like to have a few extra photocopies of different poems so that the kids can switch if they don’t like the one they chose, if it is too difficult, or if they have time to prepare two.  Give the students about 15 minutes to practice together.  Encourage them to practice reading the poem with feeling and emotion.  Remind them to use this time to find out what the words mean, how to get their timing in sync, and how to read so that it sounds like one, seamless poem.  If you can round up an assistant or volunteer to help coach some of the groups, that would be helpful.

When about 15 minutes are remaining in the lesson time, pull the kids back together and ask pairs to perform their poems.  Ask for those who would like to present, and request that the others be good listeners.  Go through as many performances as you can during the remaining time.

Take photos or videos for the students’ digital portfolios, if applicable.

3. Conclusion:

Encourage the children to keep learning about and reading poetry.  Because poetry is beautiful and powerful, they may want to continue inquiring into poetry and poets even after the unit wraps up.  Thank them for their work and performances today.  Arrange for some of the more articulate children to share a poem over the school’s loudspeaker or in the next assembly.

Resources:

1. Photocopies of some of the poems from the books listed below. You’ll need one photocopy for every two students, plus a few extras.  The photocopies must be in color so that the children can tell their own part from their partner’s part.  If you can’t make color copies, use highlighters and “color code” the copies.
2. Texts from the “Recommended Books” section.
3. Mary Ann Hoberman’s web site: https://www.maryannhoberman.com/
4. Mary Ann Hoberman’s biography with The Poetry Foundation: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-ann-hoberman

Notes:

I have found that the Scary Tales book has the most challenging vocabulary.  Words like “goblin,” “gremlin,” “demon,” “ghoul,” “ogre,” “zombie,” and “phantom” have proven challenging to a lot of my third graders.  If you are worried about the difficulty or the cultural appropriateness of this material for your kids, save this one for Day of the Dead or Halloween.

The Tall Tales book has a definite Americana theme.  So, if you are at an international school without a large population of students from the U.S., you may wish to pass on this one.

Recommended books for this lesson:

1. You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Michael Emberley.
2. Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Michael Emberley.
3. Very Short Fables to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Michael Emberley.
4. Very Short Mother Goose Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Michael Emberley.
5. Very Short Tall Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Michael Emberley.
6. You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Scary Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Michael Emberley.

Key Terms:

Poems, Poets, Poetry, Children’s Poetry, Mary Ann Hoberman, Choral Reading, Reader’s Theater

 

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students learn how poetry has inspired other works of art.  Using T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and a few video clips, students will understand how poetry has the power to inspire not only common people, but writers, musicians, costumer designers, engineers, and dancers!  Read, discuss, and then lip-sync along with the felines from Cats!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-4

Objective:

Each child will understand that poetry is so inspiring that other art works are inspired by it.   (AASL 1.2.3, “Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.”)

Suggested Time:

40-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Students will know that T.S. Eliot’s poetry about cats inspired a famous musical named Cats.  Students will be able to sing along with the words to Mr. Mistoffelees from Cats the Musical.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Quickly review what your students have learned about poetry.  In Lesson 1, students learned that poetry is meant to evoke emotion and that poets “paint with words.”  They have also looked at nonsense poems (Runny Babbit) and story poems (The Magic Paintbrush.)

Ask your students a few questions to get them thinking:

• Could a poem change the world?
• Could a poem change someone’s life?
• Could a poem or a group of poems help you earn a lot of money?
• Could a group of poems entertain everyone for years?
• Could you dance to a poem?

In this lesson, students discover that poetry has inspired other important works including music and dance.

2. Main:

Show students the cover of Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot.  Tell the children that the collection of poems was originally published in 1939.  How long ago was that?  Yes, the poems are almost 80 years old!

Ask the children if they can think of any other poems about animals.  They should come up with Runny Babbit, perhaps Eric Carle’s Animals, Animals, or perhaps The Fish Who Could Wish.  Tell the children that these poems are just about cats.  Ask:

• What do cats do that the poet might mention?
• What do cats eat that the poet might write about?
• How do cats behave, that the poet might refer to?
• How do cats get along with their humans?
• Where do cats live that a poet might include?

Pass out copies to some of the poems from Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.  I usually reproduce one class set per year and include “Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser,” “Macavity the Mystery Cat,” and “Mr. Mistoffelees.”

Teach “Mr. Mistoffelees.”  I ask a student to read a few lines, then we discuss/clarify meaning, and then continue until the poem is complete.  Tell the students that the language is hard, but it’s worth it so that they will know the words and story.

Show the “Mr. Mistoffelees” video clip from Cats the Musical, found here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF2kjla_NbY

Be sure that the kids have enough light to follow along with the words.

If any of the children know the music from Cats, ask them what their favorite poem (song) is.  I’ve had children say Rum Tum Tugger, and if the kids know one of the poems (songs), play the ones they know.

If there is time, I usually teach about Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser next.  These cats were thieves and played tricks on their humans, and the kids love learning about such a diabolical pair.  Work carefully through the text, then play the video clip found here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=861jN3mKE9Q

Be sure to point out that the original poetry inspired music, costumes, and dance!

I doubt you’ll have time to teach a third poem, but if you do, I’d recommend Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat.  If you don’t have time to work through the poem, explain that this cat lives at a train station and rides the night train every night.  The video clip shows the train being made on stage and it’s wonderfully interesting for the children.  Skimbleshanks from Cats the Musical can be found here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEIiqhx3BSk

3. Conclusion:

Normally the children are so wound up that it’s hard to end this lesson.  Try to conclude by asking:

• Can poetry be fun? (Answer: “Yes!”)
• Can poetry be turned into music? (Answer: “Yes!”)
• Can poetry entertain people? (Answer: “Yes!”)
• Can poetry tell a story? (Answer: “Yes!”)
• Can poetry inspire dancers and composers? (Answer: “Yes!”)

Resources:

1. Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot.
2. Computer for an Internet connection
3. Projector and speakers for video playback.
4. The following YouTube clips of performances from Cats the Musical:
   1. Mistoffelees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF2kjla_NbY
   2. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=861jN3mKE9Q
   3. Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEIiqhx3BSk

Notes:

Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats may not be found in the Elementary or PYP Library.  Be sure to check whether the Middle or High School has a copy before you order a new copy.

This lesson can easily be extended by having the children find facts about cats, especially feline anatomy and movement. They see cat make-up and movement in the video clips, so it would be interesting to have them discover some factual ties.  I’ve always thought that Eliot’s poetry would make a nice class assembly but have never found the opportunity to give it a try.  But, I think that the kids will be interested enough that you could extend this material if you wish.

Recommended books for this lesson:

Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot, illustrated by Edward Gorley

Key Terms:

Poems, Poets, Poetry, Children’s Poetry, T.S. Eliot, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cats the Musical, Cats

 

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, children are introduced to story poems.  Story poems are longer poems that tell a story, complete with characters, a plot, and hopefully a happy ending.  Their form varies, but for elementary students the important thing is that the children recognize rhyme, meter, purposeful word choice, and other basic literary features.  Share a few classics and encourage the children to search the collection for poems that have been paired with pictures to tell a tale.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-4

Objective:

Each child will understand that a story poem is a story told through poetry.  Each child will also be able to summarize The Magic Paintbrush by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Joel Steward.  (AASL 1.2.3, “Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.”)

Suggested Time:

35-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Children will understand that story poems are long poems that tell a story.  The students will also extend their understanding of The Magic Paintbrush by drawing something that they would paint if they were Chen and had a magic brush!

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask the children to tell you what they are learning about poetry.  Have they read a special poem this week?  Have they written a special poem?   Ask how you could describe poetry to someone who does not know what it is.  (One possible answer:  Poetry is painting with words.)

Explain that today the class won’t be looking at Shel Silverstein’s works that use “Spoonerisms” or transposed first letters.  Instead, they’ll be looking at a special kind of poem, the story poem.  Just by the name, “story poem,” ask the children whether they can guess what a story poem does.  (Answer: A story poem tells a story through poetry.)

2. Main:

Share one or two of the story poems in your library’s collection.  I have made some suggestions below, but I would strongly recommend using Julia Donaldson’s The Magic Paintbrush and one of the Lynley Dodd story poems.

First, tell the children to listen for the story elements.  After the first reading, check to make sure that they understand the plot, characters, and setting.

Second, work with the children to make sure that they understand the use of rhythm/meter, alliteration, repetition, and rhyme.  In The Magic Paintbrush, I often use:

Aliteration:

“A hen, a hare, a dancing dog,

A weeping willow tree.”

Write these words on the board if you need to so that the children can identify the h/h, d/d, and w/w alliterative sounds.

Repetition:

“Go and catch some shrimps, Shen.

Go and catch some fish.

Go and gather oysters

To fill the empty dish.”

“The pot is full of shrimps, Shen!

The pot is full of fish.

The pot is full of oysters

To fill the empty dish.”

Not only do the words “Go and” and “The pot” repeat, but the pattern of “shrimps, fish, oysters” also repeats in a later part of the story.

Meter:

The meter varies by stanza, but there are only a few stanza rhythm patterns in the poem.  Here is one example:

“The waves roll in and wash away

The pictures in the sand.

But on a rock there sits a man,

A brush is in his hand.”

The pattern is 8 syllables, 6 syllables, 8 syllables, 6 syllables.  How many other rhythmic patterns  can the children find?

Rhyme:

Give the children these stanzas and ask them where the rhyme falls:

“He slips the brush into her hand

And tells her to be sure

Never to pain for wealthy folk

But only for the poor.”

(Answer:  Rhyme is in lines 2 and 4)

 

“Shen shakes her head. ‘Your Majesty,

I promised to be sure

Never to paint for wealthy folk

But only for the poor.”

Again, the rhyme is found in lines two and four.  This happens to be a repetition of the words “sure” and “poor,” so have the children identify other rhymes from different sections of the poem.

Pass out the student handout and let the children respond to the story poem by showing what they would paint if they had Shen’s magic paintbrush.

3. Conclusion:

Ask the children whether the poet’s words came out of their pen with the right rhythm and rhyme or whether the poet/author must work with the language.  Encourage the children to try a few of the other story poems in the library and to find and share new story poems with their classmates. Have the children share what they have drawn with their elbow partners and be sure that their work goes back to class to be included as a response to poetry in the Unit of Inquiry folders.

Resources:

1. The Magic Paintbrush by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Joel Stewart.
2. Student Handout (attached)

Notes:

I have written this lesson for The Magic Paintbrush, but you could use any story poem so long as it has the elements of rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, and repetition.  Under “Recommended Books,” I have made a few more suggestions in case you do not have The Magic Paintbrush or have the time and wish to share other story poems.

Recommended books for this lesson:

1. The Magic Paintbrush by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Joel Stewart.
2. The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear, illustrated by Jan Brett.
3. Any of the Hairy Maclary or Slinky Malinki books, by Lynley Dodd.
4. A few beginning stanzas of The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Key Terms:

Poems, Poets, Poetry, Expression, Children’s Poetry

Student Handout, Story Poems

 

Lesson Overview:

Runny Babbit by Shel Silverstein will crack even the toughest reluctant reader.  Kids see each poem as a funny puzzle, a hilarious challenge that will draw them out and have them playing with words faster than you can say “Runny Babbit.”  I’ve used Mr. Silverstein’s Runny Babbit in Grade 3 for several years.  The kids cannot get enough of the word play!  For a lesson that is sure to delight and entertain, do not miss Runny Babbit and his language antics.  You’ll have to tear them away from the assignment – it’s that much fun.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-4 

Objective:

Each child will understand Mr. Silverstein’s word play in Runny Babbit and duplicate it in a few sentences of his or her own.  (AASL 1.2.3, “Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.”)

Suggested Time:

35-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each child will correctly identify and explain Shel Silverstein’s word play technique in Runny Babbit.  Each student will also create two “Runny Babbit” style sentences of his or her own.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Show the cover of the book and say, very slowly, “Runny Babbit, a Billy Sook.  What??  What is Runny Babbit?  What is a Billy Sook?  What is Mr. Shel Silverstein talking about . . . . ?”  Give the kids a few minutes to work out the word play.  If they are stuck, ask them the name of the animal on the front cover.  (Not the snake or turtle being used an an umbrella.)  With that hint, they should figure out that “Bunny Rabbit” has been turned into “Runny Babbit.”  With that, they should be able to figure out that “Billy Sook” is a “Silly Book.”  Once they have understood the title, they are ready to go!

2. Main:

Slowly read a few poems from Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook, by Shel Silverstein.  Here are a few I like to use:

1. Runny Bakes a Tath, p. 34
2. Runny’s Nicpic, p. 67
3. Runny’s Heading Rabits, p. 43

Save “Runny’s Heading Rabits” for last since it is a big hurrah for the library!

Next, give the children photocopies of two poems from the book.  I usually use “Runny’s Rittle Leminders” because it has so many short phrases to figure out.  I use that one plus one more of your choosing.  Then, ask the children to use colored markers or pencils to show you how the letters should be switched.

For example, in the phrase, “Rean Up Your Cloom,” the children would circle the “R” and the “Cl” and draw arrows to those those letters switching places.  The result is, of course, “Clean up your room.”  I usually don’t ask the children to rewrite the phrases, only to use a colored pencils, circles, and arrows to show me the letter switches.

After they do that for two poems, ask them to turn their papers over and write two sentences with a Spoonerism.  For example, the phrase, “Sleepovers are fun,” becomes, “Feepovers are sun.”  The phrase, “I love pizza,” becomes, “I pove lizza.”  “My name is Peter Johnson” becomes, “My name is Jeter Pohnson.”

If anyone finishes early, you can ask them to write a short story or a short poem filled with Spoonerisms.  Usually, my kids do not want to stop this activity!

3. Conclusion:

Tell the children that you will send Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook with them back to the classroom.  Encourage them to play with words and to find out which phrases and letter combinations are the funniest.  Try to say “Goodbye” to them using a Spoonerism.  For example, “See you wext neek!”

Resources:

1. Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook by Shel Silverstein.
2. Enough copies of poems from Runny Babbit so that the children can show you how the letters have been moved.  Make a few copies of a lot of different poems.  If they are not all working with the same text, they will share with one another and have more fun in reading/retelling the poems.

Notes:

The name of an error in speech in which consonants are mistakenly transposed is “Spoonerism.”  Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary has a short podcast explaining the word and its history here:  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spoonerism

Recommended books for this lesson:

Runny Babbit by Shel Silverstein

Key Terms:

Poems, Poets, Poetry, Expression, Children’s Poetry, Spoonerisms

 

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students learn what poetry is and that poetry is meant to evoke emotion.  They also learn where to find the library’s poetry collection.  Classroom teachers typically take a more traditional approach to poetry through its forms, number of syllables, rhyme, or structure.  I usually teach a less structured and more literary approach and emphasize that poetry is “painting with words.”  Help your children “paint with words” by connecting them to masterpieces of the genre and showing them how to enjoy a new form of language.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-4 

Objective:

Children will understand that poetry is a special kind of writing designed to evoke emotion, and that poets “paint with words.”  (AASL 1.2.3, “Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.”)

Suggested Time:

35-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each child will understand the poetry is different from prose because the poet uses specially chosen words (according to meaning, sound, and rhythm) to evoke an emotional response.  Each child will understand that poetry is “painting with words.”

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask the children a few of these thinking questions and scribe their responses on a board or flipchart paper at the front of the room:

• What is poetry?
• How is poetry different from regular writing?
• What does poetry sound like?
• What do poets work with? (Answer:  Words or language)
• Who can be a poet? (Answer:  Anyone)

If the teacher has already covered this material in a “tuning-in” lesson, don’t take too long.  Just elicit enough responses to make sure that the kids are engaged.

If they have not yet “tuned-in” with the homeroom teacher, simply collect their ideas in a graphic organizer.  Put the word “Poetry” in the middle and work from there.  If you use Padlet, ask the children to post sticky notes in response to these questions.

2. Main:

Explain to the children that today they will listen to three poems and that they should be able to explain the difference between the poem and the same ideas expressed in non-poetic form.  In other words, talk about the difference between poetry and regular prose or regular spoken language.  Also, explain that after you share three poems, they will have a chance to browse through some of the library’s poetry collection and find a poem to share with a friend or with their families.

I typically choose three poems to share with the children.  I find that we only have time for three, especially given the emotional connection the kids may have to the material.  These are the poems I often use: 

1. The Purple Cow by Gelett Burgess (nonsense poem, rhyming and unusual meaning)
2. Although I Conquer All the Earth, a poem from the Sanskrit (love poem)
3. I Met A Dragon Face to Face by Jack Prelutsky (reading and Imagination)

I start with The Purple Cow because it is hilarious and grabs their interest.  This poem is so short that the kids should be able to learn it by heart in just a few minutes.  After they have heard it and tried it themselves, ask them open-ended questions such as:

• Why do people enjoy this poem?
• Why is it funny?
• What does it make you think about?
• How would someone who is not a poet convey the same idea? Which way is more effective, poetry or normal speech?

I always emphasize the part about non-poets.  In this example, a person who is not a poet might say, “I’ve never seen a purple cow.  I don’t want to be a purple cow.”  That is plain and boring!  But, as a poem, it is delightful!  A poet’s skill with words makes all the difference.

I follow the funny poem with the love poem, Although I Conquer All the Earth.  Explain that they are hearing the voice of a very important and powerful man, a man who is traveled widely, who is probably very rich, and who probably holds political power.  I usually say that this rich, powerful conqueror has one treasure that means more to him than anything in the world, then I leave the kids try to guess what it is.  Usually they guess a jewel or a lot of gold.  Allow them a few guesses, then share the love poem.

Afterwards, ask the children:

• How does this man feel about his wife?
• Do you think he misses her while he is away?
• How could one person be so precious to another person?
• Are people easy to replace? How precious are people?
• Could a person be more precious than jewels and gold?
• How does this poet structure his poem? (Answer: He focuses or telescopes in, from the wide to the narrow.  His words focus our attention on the single woman about whom this poem was written.)

Point out that this poem uses very simple, straightforward language.  A non-poet might have written, “I love my wife more than anything.”  What is more powerful, the poem or the sentence?

Finally, I like to close with I Met A Dragon Face to Face by Jack Prelutsky.  Go through a similar routine of sharing the poem with the children.  Then ask, “What is this poem about?”  (Answer:  How reading can give us imaginary adventures.)  Ask the children, “What is more powerful?  A teacher like me saying, “Hey, reading is really exciting!” or a poem like this one?”

3. Conclusion:

Remind the children that they have heard three poems: a funny poem, a love poem, and a poem about reading.  Ask which they like more, the poems or the same ideas expressed as normal sentences.  What is it about poetry that is so special?

Explain that poetry is like painting with words.  A poet uses carefully chosen words, rhythms, and sometimes rhymes to make the language special.  Poets must work and work with the language to get it to come out just right.  People write poetry in many languages, not just English!

Encourage the children to have a look at the library’s poetry collection and to share a poem with a friend.  When the kids leave, as their exit ticket, ask “What is poetry?”  Each child should give the answer, “Painting with words.”

Resources:

1. Copies of three poems that have touched you and that you feel the children could relate to. I have suggested three, but you should choose three that you feel would best match your own students.
2. Some of the library’s poetry collection, gathered and attractively displayed where the children can easily access the materials.
3. poetry4kids.com by Ken Nesbitt.

Notes:

Try to avoid using a Shel Silverstein poem in this first lesson.  His work is fabulous, but I use it in a following lesson.

Some countries recognize National Poetry Month, National Poetry Day, or a National Poet Laureate.  Check your country to see what poetry celebrations and festivals might be available.  This unit is often taught in the spring.  In the U.S.A., National Poetry month is celebrated in April, so there are even more resources and events then.

The most comprehensive web site for help with teaching poetry to children is Ken Nesbitt’s www.poetry4kids.com.  Ken Nesbitt is a prolific writer and teacher of poetry.  Not only can you find poems, but you can find dozens of lesson plans on poetry!  Here is a link to his lesson plans in case they would help you or your teachers:  http://www.poetry4kids.com/lessons/poetry-writing-lessons/  If you are ever stuck for a poetry lesson or activity, go to Ken Nesbitt!

Some school libraries have quite old and dated poetry collections.  If this is the case in your library, take the time to read a few reviews and update your collection.  In the Recommended Books section, I’ve listed a few of my students’ favorite poetry books.

Finally, I have attached a reflection sheet for the Jack Prelutsky Poem, I Met a Dragon Face to Face.  I find that the children like to follow along, see the words, and perform the poem themselves.  You can use this or not, include the reflection questions or not, depending on your timetable and the kids’ interest.

Recommended books for this lesson:

1. Good Books, Good Times! Collected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Harvey Stevenson.  (Includes I Met A Dragon Face to Face by Jack Prelutzsky.)
2. Links to two of the three poems I have recommended:
   1. The Purple Cow by Gelett Burgess: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/purple-cow
   2. I Met A Dragon Face to Face by Jack Prelutzsky: https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-met-a-dragon-face-to-face/
3. Text to Although I Conquer All the Earth from the Sanskrit:

Although I conquer all the earth,

Yet for me there is only one city

In that city there is for me

Only one house

And in that house, one room only

And in that room, a bed

And one woman sleeps there

The shining joy and jewel of all my kingdom.

4. An assortment of your library’s poetry collection. Pull collections by specific poets as well as anthologies of collected poems.  Remember to include nursery rhymes!  A few of our favorites include:
   1. See You Later, Escalator: Rhymes for the Very Young by John Foster.
   2. The Fish Who Could Wish by John Bush and Korky Paul.
   3. Eric Carle’s Animals, Animals by Eric Carle.
   4. Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin and Lois Ehlert
   5. Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom! by Bill Martin and John Achambault, illustrated by James R. Endicott.
   6. A Pizza the Size of the Sun by Jack Prelutzky.
   7. Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Rex Adam.
   8. Sling a Jammy Doughnut by Joan Poulson (author) and Kelly Waldeck (illustrator)

Key Terms:

Poetry, Children and Poetry, Children’s Poetry, Humorous Poetry, Love Poetry

Reflection Sheet, I Met a Dragon Face to Face