A Learning in Motion Top Ten Selection

Favorite Poem Project

Subject Area:

Language Arts

Address/URL:

http://www.favoritepoem.org/

Description:

"Reading a poem silently instead of saying a poem is like the difference between staring at sheet music and actually humming or playing the music on an instrument" said Robert Pinsky, the 39th Poet Laureate of the United States. He discovered long ago that when he asks students to read aloud and talk about a poem they love, something remarkable happens -- their faces and voices change in a way that demonstrates a profound personal connection to the poem.

How You Can Use This Source:

Listen to the poems read on this site. Try to concentrate on the intonation of the voice and the passion of the reader. How does this increase the impact of the poem?
Read some of the poems on the site before listening to the audio. Do you get something different out of the poem after hearing it read?
Pick your own favorite poem and read it to others. How does it feel to be listened to? Does sharing the poem change its meaning for you?

Go to Favorite Poem Project.