Fishing for Poems Unit

For detailed directions for teachers, go to Fishing for Poems, Teacher Directions.

Poem Sketching:

This is a technique for collecting and combining words into sentences that "feel" like poems. In a Poem Sketch, we take the four words in a word-group and put them into sentences that fit together to make sense.

Guidelines:

1. Re-combine the word-groups if you like
2. Change the forms of the words if you need to (example: cold can change to coldest, or moon can become moon's)
3. Get the four words into three or more sentences. (you may use words more than once)
4. Do not rhyme.

Example:

Word group was courage, lion, butterflies, father

Like a lion,
my father dozes on the porch,
I was in my room
when he came home.
Has he seen the broken window?
Has my mother told him yet?
My stomach's full of butterflies.
Courage, a lion's courage --
do I have it?
--5th grade class

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Word-group choices:

rooster snow boards cold	harvest beauty horse rows	afternoon flies cows tails	homeless fountain fairies stone	swan butterfly drizzle sleep	traveler spirit body night	barefoot sunrise words green	simple clear angel poem
Emperor children firefly moon	cities ladders dust gold	dogwood homesick blossoms brain	mailbox mile inch snowflake	artwork shadows summer path	light grandchild empty porch	morning breath fingers soul	wall heroes grave spring
firewood tales music axe	childhood woods rust gate	milkweed field wind glory	sky God wire dove	seen unseen distance wild	voice supper stillness grass	dragonfly pond face silence	journey patience kingdom worth
time quiet whiten pines	waves jewels shore queen	mountain carve water stone	crow eternity eye sunflower	thief window shhh moon	insects golden paint life	night father clouds shapes	sleeve hut bowls tears
sun king orchards crown	cloud ants elephant bridge	money petals count touch	clothesline mother wonder sheets	deer fog snap dawn	hearts rules boys breeze	house black winter white	Mozart dust silver rain
knots color river girl	leaf unfold small near	dance spin energy death	blue lake heron dusk	cottonwood breeze horizon sun	hawk coyote thunder hill	combine (tractor) afternoon purple light	windmills hope Depression dust

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