4.1 Poetry Reading Journal

Reading Poetry Journal

You will write regular journal entries based on poetry you are reading. Your entries aren't meant to be an essay! 5-10 sentences long is good.

Here is a list of general sentence starters to use in responding to your daily independent poetry reading.  DON'T USE THEM ALL IN ONE JOURNAL ENTRY! Pick one or two per journal entry. Use at least seven different prompts throughout your journal.

1. Describe an experience you (or someone else you know) had that the poem reminds you of.
2. Explain why you think the author wrote the poem.
3. What would you ask the author about the poem if you could?
4. Sketch an image that a poem you read brings to mind and explain why you chose to draw this scene. If you are completing your journal on a computer, you could scan your sketch into your journal or hand it in separately.
5. Describe a feeling or emotion that you experienced as you were reading your poems and what caused this feeling.
6. Write about a connection to another poem, book, or movie you have read. (Think of similar poems or themes. The poem, _____, reminds me of __________. I think this because ______________.)
7. Write down a quote or line that appeals to you. Describe why you like it or what you like about it.
8. Give your opinion of an author’s writing style. What images captured your interest? How did the author use rhythm, rhyme, or images to make their poetry better?

9. What is the overall emotional feeling (mood) of this poem? What words did the author use to cause you to believe this?

10. What two things did you like and/or dislike about a poem or poems you read? Explain why you think this way.

After you've written about the poems (or one poem) you've read, you can also write about other things you have been up to or other things about you. Feel free to ask your teacher questions, too, about reading or even something you would like to know about.