This month, our 5th graders embarked on an inspiring journey into the world of poetry, using Sharon Creech's novel Love That Dog as their guide. Love That Dog serves as the perfect launching point for our poetry study. This unit blends literary appreciation with creative expression, allowing students to explore poetry as both readers and writers.
Poetry is a timeless form of literature that distills emotions, stories, and ideas into carefully chosen words and structures. It encourages readers to look beyond the surface and interpret meaning through imagery, symbolism, and rhythm. By studying poetry, students develop critical thinking skills, learn to appreciate linguistic beauty, and gain insights into different cultures and perspectives.
In this poignant and humorous novel written in free verse, a young boy named Jack discovers his voice through poetry. The book introduces readers to a range of celebrated poets, including William Carlos Williams, Robert Frost, and Walter Dean Myers. Our students followed Jack’s journey as he explores what poetry is, why it matters, and how it resonates with each of us in different ways.
The 5th Graders are discovering that poetry is not just about rhymes but about capturing emotions, telling stories, and sharing perspectives in powerful, creative ways. From haikus to free verse, they are learning how poets play with rhythm, imagery, and word choice to make readers feel, imagine, and think deeply.
Our students have become poets themselves! They are experimenting with a variety of poetic forms, each offering a new way to express their thoughts and feelings.