Scott Foresman Reading Street

Poetry

Examine features of a poem.
Practice a test-taking strategy.
Compare and contrast across texts.

PREVIEW/USE TEXT FEATURES

As students preview “Nathaniel’s Rap,” have them identify the point of view and the punctuation. Ask:

How do you know the poem is written in the first person? (The use of words such as me, I’m, my, and I.)
There are no commas or end marks in the first part of this poem. As a reader, how do you know when to pause? (You pause before lines that begin with capital letters.)

Link to Reading

Provide children with examples of children’s poetry. Encourage them to pay attention to the punctuation when reading a poem aloud.

Whole Group Discuss the Question of the Day.

Group Time
Differentiated Instruction

"Nathaniel's Rap." See
pp. 332f–332g for the small
group lesson plan.

Reading

Language Arts
Use pp. 353e–353h and
353k–353m.

Whole Group Use pp. 353a
and 353j.

Grouping Options

POEM

Use the sidebar on p. 352 to guide discussion.

A poem has rhythm and may or may not include rhymes.
When you read a poem, emphasize the rhythm. The author often uses punctuation to help you know when to pause.
Discuss with students how a rap sounds.

AudioText

CONNECT TEXT TO TEXT

Reading Across Texts

Encourage discussion about the artistic expression in both selections. Record the "messages" in a list on the board for the Writing Across Texts activity.

Writing Across Texts Explain that there is not a right or wrong answer. We all appreciate art in different ways.

Demonstrate how clapping or toe-tapping helps you read the poem with the correct rhythm.

Punctuation in Poetry

Explain that poets often use punctuation to help readers recite and understand a poem. Suggest that students read the first part of a poem and look for punctuation. Each line may not be a sentence. Use punctuation and capitalization to help you read the poem correctly.

by Eloise Greenfield

Rested, dressed and feeling fine
I’ve got something on my mind
Friends and kin and neighborhood
Listen now and listen good
Nathaniel’s talking
Nathaniel B. Free
Talking about
My philosophy

Rested, dressed and feeling fine
I’ve got something on my mind
Friends and kin and neighborhood
Listen now and listen good

Poetry can be a way
to express feelings.

Genre

I'm gonna rap, hey! Gonna rap, hey! Gonna rap, hey! I'm gonna rap!

It’s Nathaniel talking
and Nathaniel’s me
I’m talking about
my philosophy
About the things I do
And the people I see
All told in the words
Of Nathaniel B. Free
That’s me
And I can rap
I can rap
I can

Text Features

Poems are a mixture
of words with
rhythm, which may
or may not rhyme.

I gotta rap Gotta rap Gotta rap, rap, rap

Till your earflaps flap
Gotta talk that talk
Till you go for a walk
Gotta run it on down
Till you get out of town

Been thinking all day
I got a lot to say
Gotta run it on down
Nathaniel’s way
Okay!

I can talk that talk
Till you go for a walk
I can run it on down
Till you get out of town

Till your earflaps flap

Writing Across Texts
Write the message that means
the most to you and tell why.

The selection about murals and
this rap poem tell of different
forms of expression. What is one
message you learned from each selection?

Reading Across Texts

Link to Reading

There is very little
punctuation in this
poem. Why do you
think the writer chose
this approach?

This poem is written
in the first person.

With a partner, search
the library for a poem
or rap that you enjoy.
Together, recite your
choice to the class.

Snap your fingers or tap your toes as you read. Does it help?

Rhythm