Welcome to Writing Poetry!

Poetry is like painting a picture, but instead of using a paintbrush and paint, you use words! In this chapter, we will learn how to gather your best ideas and turn them into wonderful poems. Whether you are writing about a tiny ladybird or a giant spaceship, poetry is a chance to let your imagination run wild.

Did you know? Poems don't always have to rhyme! Some of the best poems are just about how something looks, feels, or sounds.

Step 1: Planning Your Poem

Before you start writing, you need a plan. In Year 2, we practice planning and noting down ideas and key words. This helps you remember all the "sparkly" words you want to use.

Try these steps to get started:

  1. Pick a Topic: Choose something you know well, like your pet, the weather, or your favorite toy.
  2. Use Your Senses: Think about what your topic looks like, sounds like, and feels like.
  3. Say it Out Loud: Before you pick up your pencil, try composing a sentence orally. Say your poem ideas to a friend or a teacher first!

Key Takeaway: Good poets always plan their ideas and say them out loud before they write them down.

Step 2: Using "Sparkly" Words

To make your poetry interesting, you can use special types of words. The national curriculum asks us to use expanded noun phrases to describe things.

Adjectives

An adjective is a describing word. Instead of saying "the dog," you could say "the fluffy dog."

Noun Phrases

A noun phrase is a group of words that acts like a name for something. When you add adjectives, it becomes an expanded noun phrase.
Example: "The big, bright, yellow sun."

Quick Tip: Use your favorite words and phrases to make your poem unique to you!

Step 3: Patterns and Rhymes

Many poems use patterns to make them fun to read. Here are two things you can try:

1. Rhyme: This is when words have the same ending sound, like cat and hat, or blue and shoe.
2. Repeating Phrases: You can use predictable phrases that appear more than once. This gives your poem a nice rhythm, like a song.

Example of a repeating phrase:
"In the garden, I saw a bee.
In the garden, I saw a tree."

Don't worry if this seems tricky at first! You don't have to rhyme every line. Sometimes just one or two rhyming words at the end of a line are enough.

Step 4: Writing and Checking

Once you have your ideas, it is time to write! As you write your poem, keep these rules in mind:

  • Sentences: Even in a poem, your words should make sense. Check how your words combine to make sentences.
  • Capital Letters: Always use a capital letter for the word I, for names of people and places, and for the days of the week.
  • Punctuation: Use full stops, question marks, or exclamation marks to show the reader how to read your poem.

Check Your Work: After you finish, re-read your poem. Does it make sense? Did you use the right tense (like past or present)? This is called evaluating and proof-reading.

Summary Checklist:
- Did I plan my ideas first?
- Did I use adjectives to describe things?
- Did I re-read my poem to check for mistakes?
- Is my punctuation (like full stops) in the right place?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Forgetting the Capital "I": When you write about yourself, the word I must always be a capital letter!

2. Rushing the Ending: Don't forget to proof-read. Sometimes we leave out a word by mistake when we are excited to finish.

3. Only Rhyming: Remember, a poem is about description. Don't worry so much about rhyming that you forget to use great describing words!

Note: For more help with writing about your own life or stories, check out the chapters on "Narratives" and "Writing for different purposes."