The "Art" of Poetry
Lesson 3
Poetry and Art
Grade Levels: 4-12
Materials:
Original poetry, sidewalk chalk
Lesson description:
This lesson is known as "Sidewalk Poetry." After a unit
on writing poetry, students choose their best poem
from their portfolio. (They can also use favorite quotes,
favorite inspirational lines from famous poems, etc.)
Each student submits a poem (which must be previewed by the
teacher). After the student and teacher agree
on the student's best work, the students and teacher go outside
(make sure it's a warm day). Using sidewalk
chalk (which can be purchased at any office supply store) the
students illustrate their pre-selected poem on the
school sidewalks. Make sure they write the poem title or poem
beside their illustration.
(Note: You may want to get administrative permission first!)
Note: I have used dark blue paper on my bulletin board
or in sections on the floor and the chalk worked fine on the dark paper.
Students have activities on their page that will complement this
lesson and provide more practice with this skill.
Show how illustrations accent poetry.
Illustrations are pictures. Similar to pictures, poetry paints ideas using words and pictures uses images to paint our ideas.
Visit a link to an illustrated poetry site. See how the author and illustrator complement each other's work.
Write a poem about the picture.
Now choose a media
and make an original illustration for one of the poems found at a
link on Lesson 2.
Make sure your media portrays the same mood as your poem.
For example: A limerick is funny. A cartoon is funny. The moods
would be similar and appropriate.
Media
1. pen and ink
2. watercolor
3. collage
4. mobile
5. colored pencil
6. photographs
7. computer graphics
8. mosaics
9. rubbings
10. cartooning