April is a great time to celebrate poetry reading, writing and a poetry cafe! I've worked with the youngest of authors to create list poems and rhyming couplets. I often work with older students who are writing diamante, haiku and shape poems. Once our writing has been completed, students are asked to select a few poems to read aloud. My goal is to transform the class into a fun cafe setting. Here's the plan:
1) Have students choose the poem they are proudest of. Place the poem in a folder. Have the students decorate the folder. This can include hand drawn images or paper crafting activities (origami is always fun when you glue the creations onto the folder).
3) Talk about voice projection! I usually have students stand opposite a partner across the room. They can project their voice. Then the partner moves to the halfway point of the room. Voices are then projected to the halfway mark. The partner moves close enough (within an earshot) for the last reading. Voice projections are important. I start with a warm up such as "Today is a wonderful day." Students are encouraged to put on their best voices.
4) Create some handwritten invitations for students from other classes to attend. Invite some parents or grandparents to attend. You can even make this a community partnership. Invite some of your local community members to attend.
4) Prior to the poetry cafe launch, make sure you have some tealight candles. These must be the ones that you don't have to use a lighter to light. I bought mine around Christmas when they were readily available. They are distributed around the room. Our desks are transformed into cafe tables. You may choose to turn off most of the lights.
6) Students will come up and read their poems. No clapping after that! We use our snapping fingers.
7) End with some cafe treats. I often serve baked goods and juice boxes.
Here are some great free posters to help students comprehend literary devices and how they can be embedded in their written poetry creations:
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