The Poetry Café Is Open! Teaching Literary Devices of Sound in Poetry Writing

A six‐week long intervention that introduced second graders to poetry writing is described in this article, ending in a classroom “poetry cafe” culminating event. This article details the established classroom “writing workshop” structure and environment and the perceptions and observations of how students responded to the instruction. Four poetry writing minilessons on rhymed verse, repetition, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and collaborative poetry are highlighted. Poetry trade books were used as models. An intervention used to meet the needs of a struggling writer is explained. Finally, the article showcases the celebratory “Kovalcik Café” where second graders read aloud their published works to family and friends.