Shel Silverstein "Where The Sidewalk Ends"

Shel Silverstein is a well-known author and illustrator of children books which are poetry formatted. Shel Silverstein’s style of illustrations are cartoon-like images that are simple black and white drawling’s while they have a fun and funky expressive quality. Shel’s style of writing in most of his pieces are wildly funny rhymes. Each poem and/or story are accompanied by his perfectly illustrated cartoon-like drawling. The simple lined illustrations are representationally equivalent; silly and entertaining in nature

Motivational Activities:

Teach children how to breakdown and find the underlining truths behind funny poems.

Have children create their own silly poem.

Have the children create a cartoon like drawling that reflects the poem.

Have the children create their own journal of poems and rhymes.

Use Shel's poems in the classroom to teach a daily or weekly lessons.

Personal Response:

Excellent poetry consists of catchy, rheumatic rhymes and allows children to easily understand its compelling liveliness. There are many benefits of reading poetry; for it allows children to express themselves in emotional ways that they may find difficult to communicate out loud, it can explore language and can use of a variety of words in new ways. Poetry is not limiting when it comes to education for it is an excellent teaching tool. It provides a fun way for children to learn new words and understand new material. Children are challenged to find words that fit a specific style and/or function of the poem.  Best of all children learn to rhyme, compare and contrast and follow a pattern of verbiage being used in poetry.