Monday, February 8, 2016

Poetry: The President's Stuck in the Bathtub



Title: The President's Stuck in the 
               Bathtub
  
Author: Susan Katz

Illustrator: Robert Neubecker

Copyright: 2012

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt





Reading Level: 

Fountas and Pinnell: W-X

Lexile: NC 1070 L
Accelerated Reader: 6.6 

A Funny, intriguing, informational, exciting, and interactive way to learn about the Presidents of the United States.

Suggested Delivery: independent read or small group read aloud during poetry unit

2 electronic resources to support/extend the text:


       This website contains poems and patriotic songs that students can use to help them create a tune and format for their poems. This website can also help them learn more about the government, presidents, and the different patriotic songs that are important to the United States of America.    


       This website contains interesting facts, videos, and timelines to help students learn more about the presidents to help them write their own poems.

Key Vocabulary:

1. President- The head leader of the United States.
2. Democracy- A form of government where the people choose their leaders by voting.
3. The White House- The place in Washington D.C. where the President lives during
        his presidency.
4. Congress- A formal meeting where representatives or experts discuss important matters.
5. Inaugural Address- A speech given during the inauguration that informs people of
        what they hope to accomplish as their leader.
6. Inauguration- A ceremony that marks the beginning of a presidency.

Before Reading Strategy: 

       Before reading have a discussion about poetry. Ask students what they know or think they know about poetry and any questions they have about it. The book can also tie into social studies so students can have a discussion about the president and the government after having a discusion on poetry. The class can make a KWL chart and fill out the know and want to know section before reading the collection of poems and then filling out what they learned about poetry and the presidents after they have read the collection of poems.

During Reading Strategy: 

       During reading, have students pay attention to what the poems look like, how they are written, and how they are read. Have discussions after reading a few poems to get the students thinking about poetry and how they would write about an important topic in the form of a poem.

After Reading Strategy: 

       After reading, finish the discussion on what the students know about poetry and the presidents by filling in the "learned" section of the KWL chart. Also allow students to write and discuss questions they still have about poems but also about the presidents or the government as well. Have all students write at least on new thing that they learned on the chart to ensure that each student learned something. 

Writing activity to demonstrate inferential comprehension: 

       Have the students draw a president’s name out of a hat. Then have them research the president and create their own original poem about the president with at least one new piece of information that was not said in the poetry collection.

       After students have finished writing, have an “Open Poetry Night” where students can share their poem in front of the whole class to practice reading poetry and so that the students can learn even more information about the presidents. Students should be encouraged to dress up like their assigned president for extra credit and to have fun with the activity. It might help if the teacher models how to read a poem at an "Open Poetry Night" and how the audience should react after someone finishes reading their work. 


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