Ideas & Content

The idea for Spy Tree was initially just a portrait of a neighborhood. Anne Marie’s story wasn’t a part of it yet, I “found” this part of the story only after several revisions. I just wrote about things I noticed in my own neighborhood with my own kids.

Read:

“The Cat Lady” (p.18)

“Bubblegum in Braces” (p.21), “Tasting”(p.37)

*Take your writer’s notebook outside, around your neighborhood, and write short poems about people, pets, or activities you see.

Voice

Anne Marie has faced a lot of change fast. It affects the way she sees EVERYthing. The things she chooses to write about and the way she describes them.

Read:“Across the Back Fence” (p. 9), “Dad’s Roses” (p.24),“Stepdad” (p. 34)

Which words and phrases give you the clue to Anne Marie’s feelings in each poem?

Organization

After several revisions, I was stuck on the order of the poems. So, I wrote each title on colored index cards based loosely on their theme- nature, portrait, conflict, being a twin. Then, I made a timeline on my floor.  I “walked” the story and made sure bunches of the same color weren’t together.

 Can you identify which poems were filed under each theme? (conflict, portrait, twin, nature)

How does an author introduce characters without boring the reader? Do you like to be dropped into the middle of a story or slowly let in the front door? Why?

Fluency

Fluency and free verse are best friends. I read every single syllable aloud as I worked. Over and over again I would try to make the words flow. This was critical. I also tried to repeat sounds as poetry does with alliteration, assonance and consonance.

Read:

“And She Does” (p. 14)

“A Dare” (p. 28) I really tried to make this sound like one kid egging on another.

Read aloud your current draft of any piece to a partner. You will be surprised at how many changes you make!

Word Choice

Every word counts double in poetry. Verbs count the most. In each poem I really tried to make the verbs active (no linking verbs!)

Read: “Nightmare” (p.44)

“Not to Brag, but” (p.22)

Have students raise their hand each time they hear an active verb.

Writing Conventions

People say that poetry has no rules, but it’s not entirely true. Punctuation, capitalization and spelling in poetry is about not tripping up your reader.

I followed standard conventions and only played with line breaks.

Read: “Perspectives” (p. 53)

How is the dialogue handled differently here than in a novel? Why?

Mini-lesson: punctuating and capitalizing dialogue