Playing with Poems: Rules, Tools, and Games

Introduction

Something Missing: Fun.

How can I incorporate reading, writing and drawing poetry in my elementary art classroom as a fun and not a scary interdisciplinary approach for my fourth grade students? Students can be intimidated by creating art. Students can feel anxious about interpreting and composing poems. "I can't" is a common statement by those who are afraid of doing something wrong or not as good as others. As teachers we have learned and practiced many strategies and activities for de-stigmatizing new material for our students and through this unit, I hope to de-stigmatize poetry for my students. Through strategies in observation, critical thinking, and collaboration students will recognize poetry and art are both accessible. As an elementary art teacher, my main focus is on visual art – what is seen – whether it is a painting, sculpture, or collage. However, in interpreting these pieces we must use words. This is difficult for anyone let alone the high-needs elementary children that I teach. I believe that poetry could be an easier, less-threatening or intimidating avenue for students to use to develop language skills as well as knowledge of art. In the Colonial School District, there is an emphasis to incorporate Common Core State Standards in every content area. Poetry is a fundamental element of the Common Core State Standards and I aim to build engagement in both poetic literacy and visual illustration in my elementary art classroom through humorous poetry.

As a child, I adored the humor of Shel Silverstein and still laugh today when reading "Something Missing." ¹ In this work, Silverstein creates a character who has forgotten to put something on as he dressed for a dance:

    I remember I put on my socks,
    I remember I put on my shoes,
    I remember I put on my tie
    That was painted
    In beautiful purples and blues.
    I remember I put on my coat,
    To look perfectly grand at the dance,
    Yet I feel there is something
    I may have forgot —
    What is it? What is it?... 2
  

The character carefully chose a tie "that painted in beautiful purples and blues" ³ but what is missing in his preparation and is implied by the absence of what would, based on the pattern, rhyme with dance. The accompanying drawing confirms for the reader what is missing in Silverstein's character's attire – his pants! The structure of this poem allows the reader to fill in the missing piece, and if they cannot match the rhyme, the accompanying illustration featured below exposes the answer. The use of humor and the assistance of illustrations will allow even my most challenged students to find success in reading and interpreting poetry.

⁴

Featured in the collection A Light in the Attic, this poem and picture engage the audience with humor but also demonstrate that the drawing is an integral element in deciphering the riddle questioned in the work, "What is it? What is it?..." Impressionist painter Edgar Degas stated "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see." ⁵ Like works of art, I believe all poems evoke emotions and meanings but not all poems are crafted to explain a riddle. I have chosen poems which have illustrations that unlock their meaning and turn these poems into games the students can play. "Something Missing" inspires me to fill in the gaps in my curriculum to best meet my students' needs. I want to emphasize that learning about art and poetry is fun!

In different ways, all poems offer a riddle for the reader to answer. Silverstein's poems often integrate the drawing to better understand the meaning of the words. In the poem "Something Missing," the drawing alone doesn't explain why the man is standing there with no pants and the poem doesn't reveal the missing apparel. The two parts work together to provide details and meaning. Silverstein's poems that have this interdependent relationship and silly humor will inspire my students to read, write and illustrate similar poems and drawings.

The 2014-15 school year marks my tenth year as an art educator and my fourth year at this school. All students in Kindergarten through 5 ^th grade participate in Art class for a weekly 45 minute class period. Homeroom classes range from 20 to 30 students. Currently, there is no set curriculum, pacing guide or scope and sequence for the visual art teachers in our district. Although at times difficult, this is one of the best parts of my job—tailoring the art lessons to the interests and needs of my students while merging the current school and district goals and choosing a variety of artists, works and concepts I think the children will find captivating. During art class, students at Eisenberg study various artists, art styles and cultures from around the world. Art lessons correlate with the academic core curriculum in English language arts, science, math and social studies as I frequently collaborate with the grade level partners as well as school and district curriculum coaches. Students create art in many mediums – printmaking, watercolors, tempera paint, aluminum relief, papermaking, plaster gauze, colored pencil, collage, crayons, pastels, markers and pencil. All lessons are aligned with the National and Delaware Visual Art Content Standards and are taught using Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) and Learning Focused Strategies (LFS).

I will introduce the students to the funny and quirky poems and drawings by Shel Silverstein. In "The Reading Teacher," Glazer and Lamme describe how poem-pictures are special because "They provide a unique way of looking at a poem, one that combines the art of poetry with the art of illustration. They enhance children's enjoyment of poetry and of art, can stimulate discussion about a poem's meaning and mood, and can encourage children to create and interpret poetry on their own." ⁶ Employing SIOP and LFS, I will break down and combat apprehension to learning about poetry and art. At the time I intend to present this unit, the students will be completing a science unit, "Sky Watchers," exploring the Earth's place in the universe taught by their homeroom teacher. For the culminating activity in art, each student will choose an aspect from their solar system unit to develop a poem and create an illustration to describe their poem. Their poem will use rhyme and figurative language inspired by elements in Silverstein's work.