Writing Workshop – Page 8 – Blackbird and Company

Posted on October 18, 2010 by BBCo — 1 Comment

Poetry to Enliven Prose

Holding up a red box adorned with a red satin bow I remind my students, “Great writing is a gift.”

I’ve discovered that the Japanese form of poetry, haiku, is a perfect way to teach students that practicing poetry will improve their prose.

Any sentence can be transformed to a haiku:

Three lines, word picture in seventeen syllables, haiku are small poems.

Three-lines, word picture
in seventeen syllables,
haiku are small poems.

5 syllables + 7 syllables + 5 syllables = 17 syllables

We begin our brainstorming:

“What do we see on the outside?”

red box
enormous satin bow
sunshine gleaming

“What do we imagine?”

something small inside
something special

I open the box to reveal a single folded piece of notebook paper. The students’ eyes are wide. I unfold the paper and show them the gift is a poem.

Continue reading Poetry to Enliven Prose

Posted on October 6, 2010 by BBCo

A Closer Look – Pt 2

Here is how to begin an Observation Journal:

Materials:

A binder to collect completed observations
Cardstock for drawing
Lined paper for writing
Pencil
Colored Pencils
Chalk Pastel
Thick and thin waterproof markers
Watercolor Pencils
Watercolor
Magnifying Glass

1. Look at the subject for a while.
Help your students to really look at what they are observing. Pick the object up, turn it around, use a magnifying glass to see texture and detail. Take your time and try to throw out any preconcieved notions about the subject.

2. Talk about what is seen.
Help students to investigate what they are looking at by engaging them in conversation about the details of the object being observed.

3. Draw the object with realistic detail.
Encourage students to look at the lines, textures, and shapes. Have them think about proportions as they translate the three dimensional object to a 2-dimensional object on paper. When the drawing is complete, have them think about the color of the object and try to match the colors as close to the real thing as possible.

4. Read about the object.
Find a book or internet article to find facts about the object being observed. Depending on the student's age, have them take notes on a topic wheel.

5. Explore the object's potential.
What did you learn? What importance does the object hold in our world?

6. Write about the object.
Combine and convey information gained through direct observation and research.

It's as simple as that. The secret is that the framework of the activity allows for the glorious spontaneity that makes education rich. Observations range from a weed picked from the garden to vegetable plants grown specifically to be harvested for observation to insects to kitchen utensils to light bulbs to shoes. The possibilities are endless!

Posted on September 21, 2010 by BBCo

A Creative Challenge

The new CB Fall Challenge is now posted. What do your young artists have to communicate about "City"?

I realized long ago that I am a mentor who cares deeply about protecting and promoting individuality. In my co-op, my foremost goal is to draw out creative genius in my students. Blackbird & Company Educational Press was established as a result of this realization and to further this goal. I simply want to inspire my children, my students and students at large to dig into their imagination because I believe that creativity is a valuable academic pursuit. I believe that creativity fosters passion for learning and critical thinking skills.

Aaron, Best of Show – Painting, 9-12th grade (Fall 2009 Challenge "Freedom Within Boundaries")

It has been my experience that there is very little opportunity for student artists, writers and particularly student musicians to showcase their work. About a year ago CollectiveBanter.com was established for students to have a safe place to develop their craft and to collaborate with artists across creative domains.

Klarence, Best of Show – Drawing, 6-8th grade (Spring 2010 Challenge "Express Yourself Through Color")

There are three ways for students and teachers to participate:

The Creative Banter Challenge is a competition for student artists, writers, and musicians to explore a specific directive within their chosen art form. Winners are awarded cash prizes and their work is published on CB site with the potential to be included in the CB Review.Twice a year a new directive is posted challenging students to express and communicate a specific concept through visual art, music, or writing. The directive is presented in the form of a lesson plan suitable for use by teachers or individuals. The directive is designed to be used as an extended project, enabling students to develop and refine their ideas over a period of time. This is a great opportunity to show that the best work only comes through diligence and devotion.

Collective Banter Review is an annual online and in-print arts journal dedicated to providing an opportunity for student writers and visual artists to showcase their craft.

The Creative Banter Salon is forum where creativity is published in various stages and critiqued constructively by peers.

Please visit collectivebanter.com to see what all the banter is about!

A Choregraphy of Hues

The day was stained with gray
I turned to a blank canvas
Pouring out my fighting hues
Ideas crashing upon my actions

Blue tumbled to a halt
Giggling yellow jumped in his path
Emerging color
Splashing their way together

Green joined the rushing escapade
Living, breathing color
Red crashed upon the surface
Sprinting from corner to corner

White prowled unseen
Consuming a quite nook
She discovered a cherished friend
Seizing a silent embrace

Pink leapt from within
Unfolding the swelling pigments
Twirling across the exterior
Color and rapture collapsing into one

Emotions clear as crystal blue
Joy strong as radiant yellow
Life lived as fearless red
My portrait, feelings, thoughts

Grace, 2nd Place – Poetry, 6-8th grade (Spring 2010 Challenge "Express Yourself Through Color")

Posted on July 15, 2010 by BBCo — 1 Comment

Exploring Haiku & Tanka

What better way to whittle away the sunny summer days than by writing poetry? Even if you don't fancy yourself a wordsmith, haiku and tanka are two short forms that can provide a fun, creative, and addicting challenge.

Haiku and Tanka are very old forms of Japanese poetry.

Haiku are 17-syllable
poems that paint a single image in three compact lines. Haiku were
created for beginnings to a longer work of poetry. Haiku rarely rhyme.

Haiku
is simple: one
short line, one long line, and another short line

first line begins
five
a b o u t 7 s y l l a b l e s
end the poem with
five

crickets, well I have
a lizard named nick who loves
crickets at midnight

– Hunter (age 15)

Tanka are 31-syllable
poems that
paint a single image in five compact lines. While Haiku were created for beginnings, Tankas were created for
endings. Tanka rarely rhyme.

Tanka
is simple: one
short line, one long line, another short line then two long lines

first line begins
five
a b o u t   7   s y l l a b l e s
use five for line
three
a b o u t   7   s y l l a b l e s
a b o u t   7   s y l l a b l e s

dark clouds curl above
sails thrusting through a summer storm
an unexpected
sunset drops behind the splish splash splish
splash splish sounding of the waves
– Jonathan (age 12)

Now pour your children a glass of lemonade, find a shady spot and have fun with haiku and tanka. Their poetry can be about anything at all, just have them take a look around and write! After they have filled a page or two, pick a favorite and share it with us here by leaving a comment.

If you are interested in exploring these fascinating forms of poetry more with your children, we highly recommend the following two books:

Haiku (Asian Arts and Crafts For Creative Kids), by Patricia Donnegan

Cricket Never Does: A Collection of Haiku and Tanka, Myra Cohn Livingston

For a strong introduction to the forms and fundamentals of poetry for 5th grade through high school students, check out our Exploring Poetry unit.