Understanding Poetry Forms and Structures

Understanding Poetry

• Poetry evokes emotions and stimulates imagination
• Poetry comes in various forms, including nursery rhymes, ballads, epics, lyrics, narrative poems, poems as songs, and rap
• Nursery rhymes are simple and often humorous poems for children
• Ballads are narrative poems telling stories, often in a musical form
• Epics are long narrative poems celebrating heroic deeds
• Lyrics are expressive poems conveying personal feelings
• Narrative poems tell a story
• Poems as songs have poetic structures
• Rap is a modern form of poetry addressing social issues
• Poetry has a specific structure: lines and stanzas
• Rhythm and meter are used to create emphasis on particular syllables in a line
• Poets carefully select and arrange words for their sound to express complex emotions
• Example of a nursery rhyme: Hickory Dickory Dock
• Example of a ballad: The Ballad of Lucy Jordan
• Example of a lyric poem: How Do I Love Thee? by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Understanding Picture Books

• Picture books combine text and illustrations to tell a story
• Illustrations and text work together to tell a story
• Illustrations provide essential details about plot, characters, setting, and mood
• Picture books are usually 32 pages long with illustrations on every page or every other page
• The consistent structure keeps the reader engaged
• Picture books target young children
• Simple language helps develop reading skills while also using vocabulary that is accessible
• Examples include "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle, and "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown

Traditional Literature

• Traditional literature is passed down from generation to generation
• It provides insight into various cultures and offers entertainment
• Primarily meant to entertain while also conveying themes like foolishness, emotional outlets, and cultural values
• Forms of traditional literature include: folktales, fables, myths, epic and legendary heroes, and the Bible
• Folktales are short stories with simple plots and happy endings
• Fables tell short stories with animals as characters to impart a moral lesson
• Myths are stories explaining natural phenomena, origins of things, or cultural beliefs
• Epics tell stories of heroic figures and their adventures
• The Bible tells various stories and parables of Jesus

Modern Fables

• Fables are short stories that convey moral lessons
• They use animals as characters, typically
• Fables show how certain behaviours have consequences
• Examples include George Orwell's Animal Farm, and Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull
• Modern fables can serve as guides in life choices (analogies to GPS)
• They can reflect human behaviors as mirrors and teach morals
• Fables can help students understand and develop crucial life skills

Understanding Modern Fantasy

• Modern fantasy is a genre of literature with characters and worlds outside reality
• Features involve talking animals, magical abilities, etc
• Characters often navigate fantastical worlds and face challenges
• Examples include The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Borrowers, and The Hobbit
• Modern fantasy conveys ideas about friendship, bravery, and morality

Understanding Historical Fiction

• Historical fiction combines historical events with fictional characters and stories
• The genre aims to portray a specific time period or historical event from around 30 years in the past.
• Authors do in-depth research to ensure authenticity of details like daily life, food, homes, clothing etc
• Examples include Catherine, Called Birdy, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, Johnny Tremain
• The time machine analogy can help understand how the setting is an important feature of the genre
• Cooking recipe analogy can help understand how the genre brings the past to life with elements of imagination and reality

Understanding Multicultural and International Literature

• Multicultural and international literature promotes awareness and understanding of different cultures and societies
• It encourages empathy, identity formation, and critical thinking
• It is used to explore diverse cultural backgrounds through characters and settings in books
• Examples include Mirror, My Two Blankets, and Just One Wish
• The cultural tapestry concept helps readers to understand the diversity of cultures in a way that is enriching and inclusive
• A global village analogy is also presented to support the idea of mutual understanding and respect in the world community