Informational Poetry

Informational poetry offers a creative way for writers to share information. It weaves facts into poems, and is a unique way to incorporate more informational texts into the classroom. Not all poetry has to be rhyming, but at an elementary level, a lot of poetry seems to be. This is great, though, since it is proven that rhyming poetry helps students with fluency. Poetry can be used to teach in any content area, depending on its subject. The flow and rhythm of poetry helps students to pay more attention to what they are reading. Poetry can have many uses in the classroom. It can help activate prior knowledge, establish theme, explore language, focus on facts, set a scene, inspire writing, see new perspectives, ignite curiosity, provide pleasure, and capture character. Since many students may not have prior experience with poetry, it will also be important to offer appropriate scaffolding when introducing this genre. Finding informational poetry books as opposed to non-fiction poetry can be difficult. When looking for good poetry books for children, it is important to find books that have facts and illustrations that appear alongside the verse.

Some of my favorite book choices:

Heroes and She-roes: Poems of Amazing and Everyday Heroes
By: J. Patrick Lewis

Lewis, J. Patrick. (2005). Heroes and she-roes: poems of amazing and everyday heroes. New York, New York: Dial Books for
Young Readers.


Interest Level: 4-8 years
Grade Level: Preschool-3
Lexile: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not Available

There are twenty-one poems in this book about the good that people have done for others. Some of the poems are about more generic occupations, while others are about particular individuals such as Gandhi, Rosa Parks, and Cesar Chavez. Each poem includes an illustration and additional factual material. This book would be an excellent addition to the classroom library to use during a Social Studies unit about people from history or to explore the legacy of human generosity in yesterday's heroes.


National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry
By: J. Patrick Lewis

Lewis, J. Patrick. (2012). National geographic book of animal poetry.  Washington, D.C.: National Geographic. 

Interest Level: Ages 4 and up
Grade Level: K-3
Lexile: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not Available

Like all National Geographic books, this one is no exception when it comes to the amazing photography included. One of the best children's books of 2012, this book of poetry celebrates the animal world. Well-chosen poems are paired with breathtaking photos of the featured creatures, both wild and domesticated. A variety of poetry genres are included: limericks, haiku, short lyrics, shaped poems, and free verse. The poems vary from playful to thought-provoking, and the book has the perfect mixture of word and visual image. This book of poetry can be used to inspire students in elementary school to write their own poem about their favorite animal.
 


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