Thursday, February 24, 2011

Audio Poem: Smart

This week, Mrs. Yollis' class is learning about poetry! 



 
When reading a poem aloud it is important to:
1. Practice reading the poem in a clear voice.
2. Change the sound of your voice to help express the idea of the poem.
3. Pause a little at the end of each line. Pause longer at punctuation marks.
4. Look up at your listeners whenever you can.
 
 

Have a listen as we recite the humorous poem Smart by Shel Silverstein




Smart

My dad gave me one dollar bill
'Cause I'm his smartest son,
And I swapped it for two shiny quarters
'Cause two is more than one!
And then I took the quarters
And traded them to Lou
For three dimes -- I guess he don't know
That three is more than two!
Just then, along came old blind Bates
And just 'cause he can't see
He gave me four nickels for my three dimes,
And four is more than three!
And I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs
Down at the seed-feed store,
And the fool gave me five pennies for them,
And five is more than four!
And then I went and showed my dad,
And he got red in the cheeks
And closed his eyes and shook his head--
Too proud of me to speak!




Reciters:  Jaden, Nicolas, Miriam, Grace, and Adia


How did you like the poem?

Which was your favorite stanza?

 

7 comments:

  1. Dear Jaden, Nicolas, Miriam, Grace, and Adia,

    I really enjoyed listening to your recitation of Shel Silverstein's "Smart" poem. I loved how expressive all of you were as you recited. You all conveyed so well the enthusiasm that the narrator felt thinking that he was clever in all his transactions. I especially enjoyed that I could tell you were all enthusiastic about the poem yourselves. I guess my favorite stanza was the first one, since it is the one in which we first learn that the "smart" narrator isn't so smart.

    When I was young, I memorized a lot of poems, and I still enjoy remembering them today. Two of my favorite collections were Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne and A Child's Garden of Verse by Robert Louis Stevenson. i

    Enjoy the rest of your poetry unit.

    Sincerely,

    Jane Lofton
    Teacher Librarian
    Mira Costa High School
    Manhattan Beach

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Mrs Yollis & students,

    I have five pennies. Would any of you like to trade with me? :-)

    My favorite is the Googies. But - just between yourself and I -
    They never buy the bad ones! (My brother is safe.)

    Which other poems do you like?

    SG Em

    ReplyDelete
  3. @ Jane,

    Thanks so much for such a fabulous comment! We had fun recording it. Yes, you can really feel how "smart" the narrator felt as he was fooling everyone!

    I love hearing poetry. Sometimes I listen to Garrison Kellor's Writer's Almanac. He shares about important literary events of the day and then...reads a poem aloud. I'll have to get back to listening to that!

    Your friend,
    Mrs. Y♥llis

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Adia,Grace,Miriam,Nichlas and Jaden.

    What an outstanding job you all did reciting this wonderful "Smart" poem.

    I, too like Jane Lofton loved how you voices would change with a bit of seriosness and then with hit of laughter. This is a poem I have not ever heard of before and truly enjoyed listening to you all.

    I don't have a favourite stanza as I really thought the whole poem was great.

    Well done everyone!
    From your blogging buddy,
    AA.

    This poem is truly wonderful and I loved all the different

    ReplyDelete
  5. @ So sorry everyone I signed off with out realizing I did'nt finish my last sentence.

    This poem is truly wonderful and I loved all the different paragraphs in the poem. Poems is another wonderful way of writing.

    From AA.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I really enjoyed Smart by Shel Silverstein. I was glad that you copied the words down, so I could recite it with the reciters.

    My favorite stanza was the last one. It's funny because the boy says that his dad was too proud of him to speak, but actually he was red in the cheeks because he was mad!

    Your student,
    Hannah

    ReplyDelete
  7. DearMrs. Y♥llis
    I predict that the kid has not studied his money. The dad gave him the dollar because he was the smartest son. In the end, he still didn't get it. Is he really the smartest son?
    My favorite stanza is the last stanza because it is hilarious.

    Sincerely,
    ♥Ilenna♥

    ReplyDelete

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