Help Your Students Write Original Poetry
Encourage your students to explore their own creative definitions of growth. Younger students may wish to write about concrete subjects such as watching a pet get bigger, planting tomatoes in a garden, celebrating a special birthday, growing out of their favorite shoes, or nurturing a plant from seed to flower. Ask younger students to brainstorm about all the things that grow: trees, hair, a mess
in a bedroom. Older students can explore more mature themes such as learning to sleep away from home, the growth of friendships, or feelings of independence. Encourage children to come up with their own unique ideas as well. Talk to them about the importance of taking pride in their words and ideas. Define plagiarism for them and explain why they should avoid it.
How to Enter
• Each poem must be the original work of a student in grades K-8. (Only one poem per child, please.)
• Poems may be of any length, and in any style. Each poem must have a title. Staple a completed copy of this form to each poem you submit.
• Mail poems and entry forms by January 15, 2003, to Poetry Contest, Instructor Magazine, Scholastic Inc., 524 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
• Entries will be judged on the basis of originality, creativity, and artistic quality. Winning poems and runners-up will be chosen for each of two age groups, K-3 and 4-8, and will be featured in our April 2003 issue and on our Web site.
Winners will each receive a signed copy of the forthcoming book Plum, written by Tony Mitton and illustrated by Mary Grandpr� (Scholastic, 2003). Runners-up will receive unsigned copies. All submissions become the property of Scholastic Inc. and cannot be individually acknowledged or returned. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.
