When introducing poetry, it is always beneficial to start by reciting a poem! A Birthday Wish is a video poem to do just that! It is a sign of our current pandemic times, and in due time I am hopeful you will need to choose a different poem for an introduction.
Simply allow budding poets to fill in what are meant to be blanks found within the following poem. This can be completed as a group or individual project. The title of the poem is the last step and is established once the poem has been completed. By doing so, new poets learn the connection and the relationship of a title to a body of writing. Blue denotes fill-in the-blank or multiple choice options, and green denotes one half of a rhyme pair. Anything in parentheses should be considered a “blank” to be filled in by the poet.
For a lower skill level, an adaption presents a fill-in-the-blank, two word choice option. The fill-in-the-blank turns the task into an easier multiple choice task. Of course, you may always create your word combinations based on your poet's skill level.
Once the poem is complete, have the poets pick out the rhyme pairs. (dream/ice-cream,tall/all,floor/anymore, yell/fell,ears/tears, see/me)
Don't forget to title the poem.
TITLE TO BE DETERMINED…
As I (slept/played), I had a bad dream.
It was about yummy (ice-cream).
I had a huge cone, it was (any number) feet tall.
Lick after lick I would finish it (all).
But it dripped and (melted/walked) onto the floor,
and I no longer had my ice cream (anymore)!
I woke up and gave a very (loud/whisper) yell,
Thinking my ice cream actually (fell)!
Then I heard a familiar sound with my (ears/nose)!
One that immediately (stopped/whined) those tears!