Activities for Elementary School Students
Simile poem
Brainstorm adjectives to describe details in a work of art (such as
the colors, action, or mood). Use these words as the beginning of a
simile, adding either the word "like" or "as" after each. (For example,
"Brave like _____," "Fast as _____," or "Red like _____.") Looking at
the work of art, fill in your phrases. Select your favorite similes and
arrange them into a simile poem.
Suggested Works
Poems and images together
Artists sometimes combine poetry and images in a work of art. In
Celebration of the Wedding of Manohar and Madhumalati, the artist
chose a well-known poem and illustrated it with images. In
Reeds and
Geese, a poem and painting share the theme of a wish for comfort
in old age. Taking inspiration from one of these works of art, either
choose a theme to illustrate with a poem that you write, or select an
existing poem that you like and illustrate it. Look at the works of art
to take inspiration from how these artists incorporated the words and
images together.
Suggested Works
A limerick is a five-line poem in which lines 1, 2, and 5 contain three
beats and rhyme, and lines 3 and 4 contain at least two beats and
rhyme. Typically, limericks are humorous, have a first line that begins
"There was . . . ," and a last line that brings a twist or punch line.
(Suggestion: Clapping while reciting a line can help determine the
number of beats.)
Suggested Works
Onomatopoeia poem
What sounds would you hear if a work of art came to life? Onomatopoeia
poems celebrate sounds. Select a work of art that includes many
people or things that would make noise. Brainstorm what these noises
would be and how the words should be spelled (examples include
"buzz," "hiss," and "ka-boom"). Discuss the visual clues that tell you
about these sounds. Using these words, create poems that capture
the noises of the work of art and bring it to life when you read the
poems aloud.
Suggested Works
