Learning Through Poetry

Poetry related to unit topics can be used to help students learn information, appreciate various types of writing, learn to do effective oral reading, and write verses of their own. What would students learn from the following poem?

A Reading for Two Voices

Two people take turns reading. One person reads the column at the left while another reads what is directly opposite or immediately following in the column on the right.

If the same words appear in both columns at the same time the words are read in unison. If different words are directly opposite, one voice serves as a background sound for the other.

Milking by Hand

The soft, warm cow

stood still in the barn.

She waited and munched

Munch - crunch

on hay from the farm.

Munch - crunch

The clank of a pail

Clink, clank, clink

and the thud of a chair

Thud

soon gave her to know

the farmer was there.

the farmer was there.

She turned her big head

and rolled her soft eyes

and moo-oo-ed a soft sound

Moo - oo - oo - oo - oo

and swished off some flies.

Swis - ssss - sss - h

The farmer sat down

on a chair to begin

and soon filled the pail

Sceer - ceer - ceer - ceer

right up to the brim.

Sheer - shheer - shhheeer

A pussy sat near

and begged for a drink.

Me - ow, me - ow

The farmer aimed milk

Speeeee - speee - eee

and what do you think?

She opened her mouth

and quick as a wink

she drank and then left

to wash her wet fur;

then curled up and smiled

and started to purr!

Purrr -rrrr -rrr -rrr - rrr

The farmer got up

and carried away

the creamy white milk

he'd gotten that day.

The cow just continued

The cow just continued

to chomp and to chew

to chomp and to chew

on sweet smelling hay

on sweet smelling hay

as cows always do.

as cows always do.

Loretta Kuse


Written by Dr. Loretta Kuse and Dr. Hildegard Kuse