Compare Cactus Hotel with poetry

• Read The Cactus by Ramendra Kumar

• Use a T-chart to record the details that are revealed by each text.

• locate a copy of Cactus Poems by Frank Asch (RAE,  Harris County Library and Fort Bend County Library have copies)

Compare Chocolate Fever and/or Chocolate Touch with poetry

• Chocolate Math a poem by Grandpa Tucker

• The Chocolate Caper a poem by Grandpa Tucker

• Create a magnet summary.  Use some of the descriptive words and phrases from each text to describe "chocolate".  Use your magnet summary to write a response poem about chocolate.

Compare Class Clown with poetry

• Read Class Clown

• Read "Talking" from If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries by Judith Viorst

• Think about the things Lucas is interested in and talks about.

• Try rewriting the poem as if you were Lucas, listing the things he can’t stop thinking and talking about.

(click web above to link to a Kidspiration template -
available only on a KISD campus)

Compare Dandelions to poetry
 

• Read “Big Mud Puddles and Sunny Yellow Dandelions”

• The poet shows how adults and children look at the same thing, yet see it differently.

• How did Zoe and her mother see moving to the prairie differently?

• How do her father and her mother see it differently?

• For each part of the poem, record how you think Zoe and her parents would see each of those things.
   

Compare Dandelions to color poetry

• Read Dandelions by Eve Bunting

• Read “What is Yellow?” from Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O'Neill

• Do you think Zoe’s mother would agree with the poem’s line, “Yellow’s the color of happiness.”?

• If you lived on the prairie, what color would you pick to write a poem about? Why?

• Having trouble choosing your color?  Check out the names of paint colors for inspiration.

• Try writing your poem. See this lesson plan with templates to help you get started.

• Check the other color poems in Hailstones and Halibut Bones for examples or see these student examples

• Use this idea sheet from the R Drive to start your example (available only on KISD Campus computers)
   

Use a 2 column note to compare Grandfather's Journey with poetry. 

• In column 1, list all the things Grandfather missed about Japan

• Read “Lying in Bed on My First Night in America”

• In column 2, record the things this author misses about China.  You may have to use your reread and infer some of the ideas.

(click 2 column notes above to link to a template -
available only on a KISD campus computer)

Compare Lon Po Po with poetry. 

Compare Max Malone with poetry

• Read Max Malone

• Read Read "If I Were in Charge of the World" from If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries by Judith Viorst

• Max and his friend are trying to make money, but things always seem to go wrong. If Max were to re-write this poem, what do you think he’d have to say?

• You can use this online form to help you get started

Compare Pioneer Cat with poetry.

• Read the first 3 pages of Pioneer Cat

• Read “Since Hanna Moved Away”

• Imagine that the poet is Kate Purdy’s friend, Doris, and the poem is now “Since Kate Moved Away” How would the poem change?