Living Verse: Language Arts in Poetry Curriculum Volume 1

Poetry is everywhere—in songs and hymns, advertisements, children’s books, and in Scripture—and, therefore, it’s a wonderful genre to study. I’ve also found that poetry’s conciseness, as well as its alluring lyrical qualities make it a perfect genre to help students strengthen multiple language arts skills while not feeling overwhelmed. This 28-week language arts curriculum engages multiple ages at 4 lessons per week. You and your children are guided to study one poet each month, beginning and ending with an author focus (including a short biography). Throughout the month, follow a pattern of 7 additional goals: experience (reading, illustrating or writing what the poem elucidates), mark, discover, interpret, copy, express, and model the poem.

Over the school year, students will engage with writings from Mary Howitt Botham; Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; Edward Lear; Eleanor Farjeon; Isaac Watts; Rachel Field; and William Blake. Charlotte Mason approaches are used repeatedly throughout: children will respond to the literature selections by drawing, narrating and rephrasing, illustrating, and writing copywork. They will learn how to read aloud, interpret and reflect on the poem, imitate the author’s style, and write their own poems based on their imagination. While engaging with the poetry, students will learn to mark lines, stanzas, rhyme schemes, identifying new-to-them words, learn about points of view, mood, parts of speech, interpreting meaning, and rhythm. Periodically, students may celebrate the author’s work with a poetry tea time—what a fabulous idea! The publisher calls this a gentle approach to language arts. However, this course does not include reading instruction and you’ll want to add full texts from varied types of literature. Answers in back. Nonreproducible, 200 pgs, pb. Scriptures taken from the NKJV, ©1982.