A Little Reading & A Little Writing

Librarians can help the classroom teacher with standardized tests by making the content engaging and fun! This past week fourth grade has been making comparisons between expository text and poetry.  Next I describe my library lesson where I mixed in database research, reading expository text and writing a bit of free verse; and of course sharing.  My lessons are 45 minutes or less (including checkout time) and I wasn't sure I could pull this one off, but it was a hit with both teachers and students!  Here's what I did...

     1.  Using the book shown, I did a bit of poetry reading.  We looked at the form of free verse and rhyming poems; line length, word choice, cadence, main idea/theme, caps and punctuation.  I created a PowerPoint where I took pictures of the pages I was using so the students could see them poem.

     2.  I demonstrated using our online database; reading and taking short notes.  We subscribe to Worldbook Online, but others would work.  If you don't have access to one, I always like www.enchantedlearning.com.
     3.  After taking notes, I modeled (by thinking aloud) my thoughts of trying to figure out what I wanted my poem to focus on. I really tried to model looking at something that catches my attention and then using descriptive words to express simple facts.  (Yes, I know my poems in the below examples do not match the notes.  This is a picture of the 2nd poem I wrote for another example.)

     4.  Then it was their turn.  They dove right in.  I only gave them about 10 to 15 minutes of actual reading and taking notes.  It is important to think about finding a short/simple online resource so they can read quickly and easily.  In the Worldbook Online I had my students use the Kids version.  There is a great World of Animal feature that works well with this lesson. Download handout here.

Each student pair had a printout of this page.

     5.  Once the time was up for reading, I modeled writing another poem in a bit of a different format. Then I had them close their computers and start writing.  It was amazing to see how enthusiastic most were.

     6.  After some time, I had student partners start sharing their poems (on a volunteer basis).  I found they ALL wanted to share! Check out these student examples...

Looking at what they were able to create in a very short amount of time was more than I expected.  There were some that were just a list of facts or a short paragraph, but there were many that "got it".  I gave the poems to the teachers.  They plan to follow up with using them for revision.  Here are ways to follow up with this lesson...
       #Look at the fact filled or paragraph formed ones and use descriptive words or phrases to say the same thing.
       #Did they start lines correctly?
       #Where would we punctuate and why?
       #How does the poem say the same thing as the expository text?
       #Check out standardized tests and ask similar questions.
       #Can you see this becoming a literacy center in the classroom?
       #Take it further with an APP that you can "perform" the poem; like Show Me or Screen Chomp.

So many possibilities!

I will definitely use this lesson again!