Social Studies Poetry: A World of Wonders

Bibliography:

Lewis, J. Patrick. 2002. A World of Wonders: Geographic Travels in Verse and Rhyme. Ill. Jay, Alison. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0803725795

Review:

J. Patrick Lewis has written poems that cover a wide variety of geographical concepts in his book A World of Wonders. The first poem, Places and Names: A Traveler’s Guide, entices readers to learn more about interesting places around the world:

So many places have fabulous names,/Like Fried North Dakota,/The Court of St. James,/Siberia, Nigeria, Elyria, Peru/…

Who knew there was a place called Fried, North Dakota? I didn’t but hey, I do now. The list of fabulous, unique places goes on and readers will delight learning about them. Lewis’ poems also cover famous explorers, (Columbus, Magellan, Marco Polo) , places found on the map such as Italy, Angel Falls, The Arctic and Antarctic, the globe, the different oceans of the world and many other topics. In addition, a few poems are meant to urge readers to take care of the earth and to notice how people impact the environment. Lewis uses a variety of poetic forms including a cute acrostic poem about Christopher Columbus. The poems have a natural rhythm that will appeal to readers. Some of the poems rhyme in very interesting ways which make the poem very fun to read. All of these poems make learning about geography much more interesting that a textbook. These poems will “stick” and help students retain the lesson-and probably even share it with someone! A World of Wonders is illustrated by Alison Jay. She uses oils overlaid with crackle varnish that gives the art an aged look-the effect of an old map. These illustrations use bold color and are very appealing to the eye. The details will help students remember what they have learned. This book can be used by many grade levels-all of the poems are accessible to students of all ages. This book would best be used by introducing one poem about the topic you will be covering since the topics vary so widely. This book should be next to the teacher’s geography textbook! I think I would even mark in my TE next to the specific lesson which poem from this book would extend the lesson. That way when you are planning lessons, you will not forget! The poem that I have chosen to highlight is “How to Tell Latitude from Longitude.” As a child, I was always having trouble remembering the differences between these two terms. Reading this poem prior to your lesson on this topic and your students will always remember! (and think of porcupines too!)

Poem Selection:

How to Tell Latitude from Longitude

Lines of Latitude

Have a flatitude.

Longitudinal lines

Rise like porcupines.

Here are some great website to learn more about geography:

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Places/

Here is a game to learn about latitude and longitude.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/reproducibles/profbooks/MessageinBottle.pdf

http://www.winthrop.k12.ma.us/Center/geography_webquest.htm

Biographical Poetry: Your Own, Sylvia

Bibliography:

Hemphill, Stephanie. 2007. Your Own, Sylvia: a verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath. New York: Alfred A. Knoph. ISBN: 9780375937996

Review:

This book is about the life of famous poet, Sylvia Plath. It is told in free verse poetry through the voices of people who knew Sylvia, from when she was a young child until she took her own life in 1963. This book is classified as fiction. Hemphill points this out in her letter to the reader on page 247. Even so, it has a heavy grounding in fact. Hemphill’s footnotes at the end of each poem and the extensive information regarding source notes and bibliography located at the end of the novel help readers to understand that this book, although fiction is grounded in solid research.

The story starts with Sylvia’s adoration of her father, chronicles her through her manic highs and lows in college, her endless boyfriends, her marriage and eventual divorce. The poetry is beautiful and carefully constructed. Although some of the poems make readers feel happy, most of the poems are haunting. Readers will find themselves feeling multiple emotions regarding Sylvia Plath. Each of the voices that “speak” the poetry attributes these emotions. For example, in Dearest, Darling, First Born, in the voice of Aurelia Plath, Sylvia’s mother: the emotions of love and protectiveness are illustrated “When you cry/I will rock you and rhyme you,/feed you milk of my breast,/ give you my diligence, my contract of love.”

All of the poems in this verse novel create an attachment to Sylvia-even to a reader who has not been familiar with Sylvia Plath. In addition to the feelings of love, readers will find themselves wanting to talk to Sylvia about the choices she makes and to help her see that she is truly a remarkable person. I do not think that she truly saw herself. I wanted to protect her and support her to achieve more. Readers sense that the end of Sylvia’s life is always near-and yet hope and pray that reality of suicide will not rear its ugly head.

This book would be an excellent complement and introduction to a poetry curriculum or a study of Sylvia’s writings.Sylvia's poetry collection: The Collected Poems won a Pulitzer Prize. It would also be an excellent book to discuss the subject of relationships and suicide in a safe way with students.

Poem Selection:

Sylvia Begins to Tell the Truth

Sylvia looks as though she’s been hit

by a hailstorm.

Nick gurgles in his carry cot.

She speaks fast

and loud, no sun in her tone.

She can’t feed Nick, her milk

has dried up, her milk

is gone. Nick will starve. She drops

the baby in the front hall,

shakes off her outer garments, glove,

scarf, hat, overcoat

as she marches into the palor.

She weeps, “Help me.” Her eyes never

stop flowing tears.

Ted loves another woman, Assia.

Ted lies to her.

I grab her hand, don’t know what to say,

don’t know how to calm her.

She flinches at my touch. I stick my finger

in Nick’s mouth

so at least the baby soothes, becomes quiet and calm.

I tell Sylvia that she should stay the night

with us, then haul out

the guest linens, tuck Sylvia

into bed like a child.

She stares blankly, eyes swollen red,

her nose drips.

She says, “When you give someone

your whole heart

and he doesn’t want it, you cannot

take it back.

It’s gone forever.”

**Sylvia’s quote at the end of this poem if from “Sylvia in Devon: 1962,” written by Elizabeth(Compton)Signumd in Sylvia Plath: The Woman and the Work, edited by Edward Butscher.

(pg 188-189)