Listening to poetry before writing

In order for young writers to compose poetry, they have to listen to poetry. They have to feel the rhythms, sense the surroundings, and make the shift away from prose. 

I like to begin our poetry unit with a “listening field trip” across the United States, powered by our imaginations.  For me, the best resource for this transition into poetry is a wonderful collection called My America.

To learn more about this and to read sample of the poems read and generated by students, click on the hyperlinked text above. (From Kevin Hodgson on MiddleWeb)