Spoken word for kids?
December 12, 2011 9:25 PM Subscribe
Favorite spoken words/performed poems for kids?
My sixth grade English classes are finishing up a poetry unit and we have a Poetry Slam coming up this Friday where students will perform original poems.
I'd like to inspire the kids with a few Youtube clips of some age-appropriate (no swearing!) and powerful poetry performances.
Any favorites I can share? Extra points for direct links!
My sixth grade English classes are finishing up a poetry unit and we have a Poetry Slam coming up this Friday where students will perform original poems.
I'd like to inspire the kids with a few Youtube clips of some age-appropriate (no swearing!) and powerful poetry performances.
Any favorites I can share? Extra points for direct links!
I will not play at tug o' war
I'd rather play at hug o' war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses
And everyone grins
And everyone cuddles
And everyone wins.
-shel silverstein
posted by Nickel Pickle at 10:00 PM on December 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'd rather play at hug o' war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses
And everyone grins
And everyone cuddles
And everyone wins.
-shel silverstein
posted by Nickel Pickle at 10:00 PM on December 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Andrea Gibson's Letter to A Playground Bully is fantastic.
"I know that mermaids never ever miss their legs in the water, because there are better ways to move through an ocean than kicking."
posted by karminai at 10:23 PM on December 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
"I know that mermaids never ever miss their legs in the water, because there are better ways to move through an ocean than kicking."
posted by karminai at 10:23 PM on December 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
This may not be quite what you are looking for but my children LOVED Odds Bodkin - especially Giant's Cauldron and The Odyssey. Jack Prelutsky was another favorite, especially the poems with a twist at the end.
posted by LiverOdor at 10:32 PM on December 12, 2011
posted by LiverOdor at 10:32 PM on December 12, 2011
Ok, hoisting my nerd flag high on this one...
Some of the animated Dr. Seuss specials are pretty awesome, though probably a bit baby-ish for 6th graders. Then again, maybe you can find something here like
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better. It's not.
-- DS, The Lorax
How about some Tolkien poetry/language from The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, or (in a real language nerd stretch) the Silmarilion?
There's just so much awesomeness to be found in Tolkien's world, a personal favorite that might work for some:
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
-- JRRT
Oh yea, and apparently it exists, there's Dark Tower (Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came) Minecraft fan vids.... I kid you not.
Related,
I will show you something different from either
Your shadow at morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.
-- T.S. Eliot
In conclusion the most awesome dog poem ever:
With eye upraised his master's look to scan,
The joy, the solace, and the aid of man:
The rich man's guardian and the poor man's friend,
The only creature faithful to the end.
-- George Crabbe
posted by RolandOfEld at 10:47 PM on December 12, 2011
Some of the animated Dr. Seuss specials are pretty awesome, though probably a bit baby-ish for 6th graders. Then again, maybe you can find something here like
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better. It's not.
-- DS, The Lorax
How about some Tolkien poetry/language from The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, or (in a real language nerd stretch) the Silmarilion?
There's just so much awesomeness to be found in Tolkien's world, a personal favorite that might work for some:
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
-- JRRT
Oh yea, and apparently it exists, there's Dark Tower (Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came) Minecraft fan vids.... I kid you not.
Related,
I will show you something different from either
Your shadow at morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.
-- T.S. Eliot
In conclusion the most awesome dog poem ever:
With eye upraised his master's look to scan,
The joy, the solace, and the aid of man:
The rich man's guardian and the poor man's friend,
The only creature faithful to the end.
-- George Crabbe
posted by RolandOfEld at 10:47 PM on December 12, 2011
I haven't listened to this whole clip to judge its, but Noah St. John, whom I heard on a Snap Judgment episode, is impressive.
posted by knile at 5:03 AM on December 13, 2011
posted by knile at 5:03 AM on December 13, 2011
You are the bread and the knife,
the crystal goblet and the wine.
You are the dew on the morning grass
and the burning wheel of the sun.
You are the white apron of the baker,
and the marsh birds suddenly in flight.
-- Billy Collins, US Poet Laureate
as recited (from memory!) by the most adorable 3 year old ever.
posted by idlethink at 5:40 AM on December 13, 2011
the crystal goblet and the wine.
You are the dew on the morning grass
and the burning wheel of the sun.
You are the white apron of the baker,
and the marsh birds suddenly in flight.
-- Billy Collins, US Poet Laureate
as recited (from memory!) by the most adorable 3 year old ever.
posted by idlethink at 5:40 AM on December 13, 2011
I'm a huge fan of Sarah Kay: this is the first piece of her work I ever heard but there's plenty more to look through. She also did a TED talk (first part poem, second part talk) that was super entertaining and interesting.
posted by brilliantine at 6:24 AM on December 13, 2011
posted by brilliantine at 6:24 AM on December 13, 2011
The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert W. Service was often performed by the fire at my summer camp. There are some great videos of it on YouTube. It seems like the kind of thing a sixth grade boy would enjoy.
Or if you're me, the kind of thing that would enchant a creepy seven year old girl.
posted by elsietheeel at 6:56 AM on December 13, 2011
Or if you're me, the kind of thing that would enchant a creepy seven year old girl.
posted by elsietheeel at 6:56 AM on December 13, 2011
Response by poster: I'm looking for spoken word that teaches the kids how to PERFORM poems, specifically.
Hope that helps clarify.
posted by brynna at 4:08 PM on December 13, 2011
Hope that helps clarify.
posted by brynna at 4:08 PM on December 13, 2011
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posted by jessamyn at 9:30 PM on December 12, 2011 [2 favorites]