Birds on a Wire
Publication Information
Author:  Lewis, J. Patrick & Paul Janeczko	Illustrator:  Lippincott, G.
Title:  Birds on a Wire	Date:  2008
Publisher:  Wordsong	City:  Honesdale, PA
ISBN, paperback:  9781590783832	ISBN, hardback:
Recommended audience:
ABE/ABLE:   Yes	ESOL:
Family:   Yes	Young Adult:   Yes
Picture:   Yes
General Information:
Book Type(s):    easy reading, poetry
HSE Descriptor(s):    language arts - reading| social studies
Summary:
Renga poem (meaning linked verse in which one poet writes a verse and the other poet adds another verse, and so on) built around the day to day happenings of a small town. The authors trade stanza and bounce around the town as though they were observing the events from the elevated perspective of birds on a wire. Interesting use of form and descriptive language.
Teaching Ideas:
The renga could be used to get students to work together to develop their writing skills. Ask students to work in pairs to write a renga about some aspect of their lives they have in common. Ask students to keep a journal of a day/week and take one particular time and turn it into poetry.
Teaching Strategies:
Copy Change    http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/copy_change.pdf
Fluency Activities    http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/fluency_activities.pdf
Helping Students in the Writing Process    http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/help_writing_process.pdf
Reader's Theater    http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/readers_theater.pdf
(Write and Share) 2    http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/write_share2.pdf
Keywords: select any link below for a list of resources which also have that keyword
Communities > rural > small town life Communities > rural > villages Communities Literature and Language > language Literature and Language > poetry

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