Summer Poetry

This summer, we're going to be trying something new. Every week, the kids are going to memorize a poem. Their reward for this hasn't been decided yet, but I'm thinking about ice cream or water ice. Maybe a "make your own sundae" treat at home.


I have to credit my son's fourth grade teacher for this idea. Last year, in fourth grade, his teacher had them memorize poems. Some were long. Some were short. And at the end of the year they had the option of memorizing a very long poem - Sick, by Shel Silverstein. Their reward, if they could do it, was breakfast with the teacher, her treat!


When my youngest was in preschool, they were asked to learn a poem a week. For the most part, the kids had no trouble doing it, and they enjoyed the thrill of reciting the poem to their teacher on Fridays. I think if they could do it they got a piece of candy, like a Tootsie Roll or lollipop.


I remember memorizing poems and other things when I was in school, and I'm shocked at how little kids are asked to memorize anymore. From Sunday School plays to introducing songs at concerts, the kids read their parts.


I vented to my husband about this, and I told the kids they were memorizing poems this summer.


Today, I had time so I did some research. I found several references to why memorizing poems is good for children.


Five Benefits of Memorizing Poems
A Year of Living Poetically on Mensa for Kids
A post about Poetry Memorization on a blog Walls of Books
12 Best Poems All Kids Should Know  (these would be more appropriate for teens, but they might be good to read to younger children, especially "Casey at the Bat.")


I scoured the online resources, and I came up with 12 poems my kids are going to learn this summer. Some are long. Some are short. I expect my 11-year-old will have no problem, if he wants to. My nine and seven year old might find it a little more difficult to memorize the longer ones, but I'm sure they can do it.


Here are our poems:
The Arrow and the Song - Henry Longfellow
Oh, Captain! My Captain! - Walt Whitman
My Shadow - Robert Louis Stevenson
The Spider and the Fly - Mary Howitt
Keep a Poem in Your Pocket - Beatrice Schenk de Regniers
Sea Fever - John Masefield
No Man is an Island - John Donne
Hope - Emily Dickinson
Nothing Gold Can Stay - Robert Frost
It's Hot - Shel Silverstein
Wind on the Hill - A. A. Milne
One, Two - Shel Silverstein


I'm not giving links to the poems or reprinting them because of copyrights, but I did find them all online and I'm sure you can, too.


As far as the order of memorizing them, I think we'll start with "Keep a Poem in Your Pocket" because that sets the tone. I hope to visit a Civil War battlefield this summer, so that week we can do "Oh, Captain! My Captain!" We don't have a trip to the shore planned, but if we can go near the end of summer I'll save "Sea Fever" for then. Also, "It's Hot" would be a great one for August.