{"id":18883,"date":"2018-04-06T10:01:43","date_gmt":"2018-04-06T14:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mapofthemonth.com\/site\/?p=18883"},"modified":"2022-10-26T13:24:54","modified_gmt":"2022-10-26T17:24:54","slug":"maps-national-poetry-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mapofthemonth.com\/site\/maps-national-poetry-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Fun Ways to Use Maps in National Poetry Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why not use maps to help celebrate National Poetry Month in your classroom? \u00a0 Your students can travel locally and in the larger world, combining maps and poetry in the month of April.<\/p>\n

(Illustrations and map images copyright 2018, Map of the Month)<\/h6>\n

As the children’s favorite poet says–<\/p>\n

The more that you read, the more things you will know. <\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
\n<\/em>\u00a0~Dr. Seuss<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Choosing a map for Poetry inspiration!<\/h2>\n

There are many ways to use geography and maps as a starting point for writing a poem. \u00a0Add a map to enlarge a topic you are studying in class. \u00a0Then make poetry be a part of it! \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Children have a natural affinity for rhyming. \u00a0Choose a map– ask if they can think of verse to go along with it!<\/p>\n

Have students use verse in a non-rhyming way to express a mood or feelings. \u00a0Encourage their poetry to be light and easy.<\/p>\n

Encourage kids to add appropriate geographic terms! \u00a0Poetry can be fun as well as a way to use map-related words!<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Here are some examples we have come up with. \u00a0We are sure that you too can encourage students to use maps as inspiration!<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Your State map<\/h3>\n

When studying your state in class in April, there are many ways to use it to make a poem.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Is there a way to describe the state’s shape, and regions in an interesting way? \u00a0\u00a0Is the native topography of your state unique? \u00a0If so, what about writing a poem about a special characteristic: mountains, lakes, desert or coastline<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    2. Pick the names of cities and towns<\/strong> in your state to include in a funny poem!<\/p>\n

    3. Can your student describe what a bike ride across your state would be like? \u00a0Include some geographic words<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    USA and USA Regions<\/h3>\n

    Most 4th grade teachers teach USA and the Regions of the USA. \u00a0Students learn \u00a0how different areas of this large country are. \u00a0Poems that envision new places are a way to use imagination, combined with facts that have been learned!<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Have your students choose a region which is not their own.\u00a0\u00a0They can write about what it would be like to live in an area that is very different from where they live! \u00a0Can they make comparisons to home?\"\"<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      2. The regions can inspire a poem that includes names of states! \u00a0Combining state names from your region in a poem in an unusual way is a challenge! \u00a0One approach is to be silly– you can quote the famous “state” rhyme —<\/p>\n

      “If Mississippi wears her New Jersey, what does Delaware? Idaho, Alaska!” \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

      3. Another way is to group names by sound or alphabetical order!<\/p>\n

      World Explorers<\/h3>\n

      When studying the exploration of the world, use a map showing voyages and journeys to inspire a poem.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. \u00a0Can your students imagine what the World Explorers<\/a> <\/strong>felt when they traveled to unknown places? \u00a0Have each student imagine they are an explorer and write poem about one aspect of a famous journey. \u00a0A ship? \u00a0A trek across unknown land? \u00a0Encounters with native people.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        2. How is a journey across land different than one by sea? \u00a0Can your students imagine this in a poem?\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

        <\/h3>\n

        Colonial America<\/h3>\n
          \n
        1. Have your students imagine themselves in a specific colony of the early days of America. \u00a0Can they write poem about a job– being a farmer, or a cooper, or a blacksmith, or a shop-owner? \u00a0 What would the day of one of these people be like?\"\"<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          2. How would your students travel in the early days of America? \u00a0Can they write a poem imagining what it would be like to move by wagon train? \u00a0Or a Mississippi river boat? \u00a0Or how to travel across large lakes by canoe?<\/p>\n

          \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

          \"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

          <\/h3>\n

          Japan’s Haiku<\/h3>\n

          When studying with a map of Asia or Japan in particular, writing poems in the haiku structure is a perfect way to celebrate poetry. \u00a0Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry in three lines. The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the last line has 5 syllables.<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Describe the shape of the country of Japan in haiku form.\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            2. Choose a geographic feature of Japan, like coastline or mountains. \u00a0Is there a way to describe it in 3 lines?<\/p>\n

            3. The city of Tokyo is famous for producing monster movies! \u00a0The Japanese call these monsters kaiju<\/strong><\/em>— can your students write some haiku about kaiju? (That is almost a rhyme, isn’t it?).\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

            <\/h3>\n

            Animals of the Arctic<\/h3>\n

            So many wonderful animals and birds live in Arctic areas. \u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. When studying the\u00a0polar desert of Antarctica, have your students write poems that feature the animals of a region. \u00a0Various kinds of penguins? \u00a0Humpback whales along the coast? Antarctic Fur seals?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              2. Can your students use both geography terms for this unique area as well as descriptions of animal(s) in their poem?<\/p>\n

              \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

              <\/h3>\n

              Treasure map!<\/h3>\n

              Few things are as exciting as imagining a found treasure! \u00a0We all know many famous books, like TREASURE ISLAND, have been written about this.<\/p>\n

              Have your students design a map that is in the shape of an island, with varied coastline, and unique terrain, like our maps shown HERE<\/a><\/strong>. \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

              Perhaps the island has marshland, or mountains, or a river that cuts through it. \u00a0 Be sure to have them use geographic features to describe the island. \u00a0After this is done, they can write a poem that describes areas of the island, and how they would traverse it to find treasure!<\/p>\n

              <\/h3>\n

              CONTINENTS!<\/h3>\n

              Since so many classroom activities often include maps of the individual continents, why not use these maps to inspire some poetry? Continents are BIG– can you inspire students to work with the theme of SIZE?<\/p>\n

                \n
              1. Have students choose one LARGE geographic feature of a continent and write something SMALL about it. \u00a0Contrast is the theme of this poetry!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                For instance, \u00a0the\u00a0ALPS of EUROPE are large mountains– compare them to a small thing that lives there? Alpine Marmot?\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

                The GOBI DESERT is a huge tract of land in ASIA– what is a small element of that area? \u00a0A spec of sand? \u00a0An oasis?<\/p>\n

                The huge island continent of AUSTRALIA has many unique animals that a really small. \u00a0Big next to little–a poem about a tiny kiwi bird in the continent of Australia?\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                HAVE FUN WITH POETRY IN APRIL!<\/h2>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                <\/h3>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                Why not use maps to help celebrate National Poetry Month in your classroom? \u00a0 Your students can travel locally and in the larger world, combining maps and poetry in the month of April. This post has 8 super creative ways to tie geography with poetry …. from creating silly poems about regions of the USA to creating a haiku about Japan. Check it out!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4988,"featured_media":18885,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[203],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-geography-blog","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"yoast_head":"\nFun Ways to Use Maps in National Poetry Month - Maps for the Classroom<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Use maps in your classroom to celebrate National Poetry Month! 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