Module 6- Janeczko Collection

Janeczko, Paul, Raschka, Chris ill. A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2005. ISBN 9780439862165

Review:
A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms by Paul Janeczko is a collection of 29 different poetic forms. Each poem is accompanied by an illustration and a brief description of the poetic form. A section called Notes on the Forms is included as a glossary of poetic forms. Raschka's watercolor, ink, and torn paper illustrations colorfully decorate the pages and poems throughout the book. There is also a clever mnemonic memory device located above each form type. Raschka placed a clever illustration to help readers remember each form's rule. For instance, the riddle poem's mnemonic device is a thought cloud with a question mark in it. The answer to the riddle is hidden throughout the illustration as well. The collection of poems represent classics from William Blake to contemporary poets like Georgia Heard. Students will enjoy the many poetic forms represented in the book and will have a better understanding of each form. A definite must for every classroom and library.

Introduction:
Play a game of "Guess Who", ask some simple trivia questions, or riddles to activate students minds. Read the poem and have students try to solve the riddle.
Poem: excerpt from A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms

(A Riddle Poem)

The beginning of eternity
The end of time and space,
The beginning of every end,
The end of every place.

Anonymous

Extension:
Have students choose a poetic form from the book and write a poem in that form. Then have students illustrate their poem using map colors and torn paper. Make a poetry art wall to display student work. Create a Non-electronic Twitter Board for comments and post next the wall for students and teachers to "tweet" about the poems and illustrations.
To make a non-Electronic Twitter Board-
1. Create a PowerPoint slide
2. Change the page layout to Portrait
3. Add a Border
4. Add WordArt for your title- i.e. Poetry Twitter Board
5. Print- Make into poster size for the wall and laminate
6. Hang next to the display and have sticky notes and pencils available for "tweeters"
(The answer to the riddle poem is "e".)