Monday, April 28, 2008

Science Verse


Title: Science Verse
Author: Scieszka, Jon
Illustrator: Smith, Lane
Publisher and Date: Scholastic, Inc., 2004
Genre: Poetry
Age Range: 2nd-5th

Science Verses is such a fun collection of poems! The book starts out with Mr. Newton, their science teacher, telling them to listen closely and try to hear the science of poetry. Our narrator feels he has been zapped by Mr. Newton and now he hears the science of poetry in everything! In fact he can’t seem to stop rhyming. This poetry anthology covers a broad range of scientific topics from Evolution and anatomy to dinosaurs and black holes. This book is so catchy that it’s sure to have students learning and laughing at the same time. What a fun way to study science!

My favorite poem from the Science Verse is…….

LOVELY

I think that I ain’t never seen
A poem as ugly as a spleen.

A poem that could make you shiver,
Like 3.5…..pounds of liver.

A poem to make you lose your lunch,
Tie your intestines in a bunch.

A poem all gray, wet, and swollen,
Like a stomach or a colon.

Something like your kidney, lung,
Pancreas, bladder, even tongue.

Why you turning green good buddy?
It’s just human body study.


This is such a funny, yet gross poem. I could have never imagined creating a poem about a spleen. I just love it because it’s so unique. When reading through the elements of good poetry in the Temple textbook I noticed that this science verse fits two of them. The first element I noticed was rhyme. Every poem in Science Verse had an ending line rhyme to it. I think rhyme is an important part of poetry because it gives it a musical quality, which in turn makes it easier to read and more memorable to the reader. The second element I noticed is imagery. Can’t you just picture the human spleen from the visual imagery descriptions in this poem? It describes it as weighing 3.5 pounds and being wet, gray, and swollen. These poems are such a treat! Be sure to check them out….just don’t eat any lunch first!
Here's a great site with lesson plans and all for Science Verse!

2 comments:

B. Frye said...

I am glad you enjoyed this book of poetry! Don't you love the author's notes in the back of the book? Did you listen to the CD...it is a hoot!!
And the poem you chose to share...a wonderful connection to Joyce Kilmer's Trees. Here is a link to that poem:
http://www.poetry-archive.com/k/trees.html
Thanks for sharing Kerry!

Jeana Link said...

haha! I LOVE THIS! :) so much fun!

I have to go check it out!