Teaching Tools: Poetry & Creative Writing (Charles River)
|
Shape of the River
Have students write poems shaped by the river's course.
Ideas:
Write a poem that traces the same shape as the course of the river.
Write a poem of eighty syllables--one for each mile of the river.
Arrange the names of the twenty-three communities through which the Charles River flows to form a free-verse poem.
Have students look at the photo of the upper Charles River that appears below. Have them interpret the photo by composing a poem or story inspired by the image. (Yes, for classroom purposes, you may print out and/or reproduce this photo.)
|
 |
| Charles River outlet at Echo Lake (Dam is visible in background). Photo: C. Swain. |
|
|
Cloud Stories (greenteacher.com)
Cloud watching is a great way to help kids look for and describe shapes and patterns. Take your class outside on a partly cloudy day and encourage them to see patterns and stories in the clouds. Back inside, encourage students to dictate or write a story about of the scenes they observed.
|
Teaching Tools: Poetry & Creative (Lake Champlain)
|
Life Like a Lake (greenteacher.com)
Discuss the concept of watersheds and the idea that lakes (and rivers) develop characteristics, which reflect the `journeys' of the water flowing into them.
Extend this concept to consider "cultural watersheds." How did people`flow' into the Champlain Watershed? What experiences did they have in getting here? How does the community reflect the characteristics of the people living there? Have students visit the Lake or a tributary stream and compare in writing the role and growth of the river with their own.
Begin with questions such as, how old is the lake? What are the signs of its age? What does it look like? Who depends upon it? Ask them to compare and contrast what they have observed about the lake with their own growth and responsibilities. Have them ask themselves: "At this point in my life, how am I viewed? What are my responsibilities? Who depends on me?
Mythical Beast
Many of us are intrigued by the idea of a mythical beast in Lake Champlain ("Champ" or "Champie" as he/she is commonly known). Have students write a story or poem or essay about Champ. Encourage them to answer questions like, How did Champ enter the Lake? Does he have a family? What does he eat? Where does he sleep? Where in the Lake does he live? What does he think about? Look like? Smell like?
Start With an Image
Have students write a poem or story inspired by the photo of Mallets Bay (located in Colchester, VT on Lake Champlain) shown below. (Yes, you may reproduce this image for educational purposes.)
|
 |
| Mallets Bay, Lake Champlain. Photo: C. Swain |
|
|
Teaching Tools: Poetry & Creative Writing (Hudson River)
|
 |
| Lake Tear of the Clouds, Summit Water of the Hudson River. |
|
Shaped Poetry
Have students write a poem in the shape of a tear or a cloud using facts about the Hudson’s highest source, Lake Tear of the Clouds (You can look at our fact sheets by clicking the “Media Info” button). Have students write a poem in the shape of a bridge using facts about a bridge of their choice. Have students write a poem in the shape of a fish using facts about fisheries.
The Last One (greenteacher.com)
Have the students write a story that casts them in the role of a human watching the very last member of a soon-to-be-extinct species of animal. In addition to describing the animal's movements, have students describe the thoughts and emotions that they feel as they watch.
Acronym Poem (greenteacher.com)
Have the students each choose an animal native to the Hudson Watershed. Print the letters of its name vertically on a page; beside each letter write a line of a free verse poem about that animal. For example:
Dancing
Effortlessly around green meadow
Endlessly scanning for danger-- then,
Running like the wind.
Hudson River Haiku
Have students write (or dictate) haiku poems individually or as a class. A haiku is a three-line poem with 5 syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second line, and five syllables in the third line. It need not rhyme. Here’s an example:
Storm King Mountain sky (5)
Pulls purple from hemlock leaves (7)
Silver from sturgeon (5)
Use the form below to send us a haiku that your class has written. We’ll include a selection of poems in our student showcase.
|
|
|