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Poetry,

To an Astronaut

Put this poem in context with our nonfiction feature on page 4.

By Beverly McLoughland
From the May / June 2018 Issue

Learning Objective: In this stirring poem about an astronaut in space, students will learn how questions can be used to create imagery in a poem. 

Topic: Science,
Common Core Standards
  • R.1, R.2, R.4, W.2, SL.1, SL.2, L.5
TEKS Standards
  • 3.2, 3.4, 3.6, 3.10, 3.18b, 3.29, 3.30

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Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Can't Miss Teaching Extras
Photographic Inspiration

Here’s what poet Beverly McLoughland told us inspired her to write this poem: “The poem began with my looking at a photograph of the Earth against the blackness of space. It always amazes me that we can actually see our little planet  floating out there in space - and how beautiful and lonely it looks. Then I began to think about what it must be like for an astronaut in space to see not a photograph, but our actual little planet floating in the distance. I started imagining what this experience must feel like to the astronaut, and then it just felt right to put my imaginings into the form of questions.”

 

Celebrate Poetry All Year!

National Poetry Month is wrapping up, but there’s no reason not to keep celebrating poetry after April is over! A fun end-of-year activity is to collect all 6 poems from this year’s issues of Storyworks Jr. and have students vote on their favorite and discuss they they liked it.

 

Solo in Space

It may be lonely to be an astronaut up in space, but don’t worry—the U.S. hasn’t sent an astronaut into space alone since 1963. Find other cool facts about the final solo flight in this article!

 

More About the Article

Key Skills

imagery, poem of address, author’s purpose, key details, figurative language, inference

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
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1. PREPARING TO READ

Set a Purpose for Reading (25 minutes)

Begin by reading the Questions bubble for the class. Explain to students that this is a “poem of address” because the poet is addressing—or speaking to­—a person, place, or object directly.      

2. CLOSE READING

Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions (15 minutes)

  • How does the poet think astronauts feel about traveling in outer space? (author’s purpose) The author thinks that being in space makes astronauts feel lonely because they are far away from Earth, floating in silence and darkness all by themselves.
  • Which words or phrases in the poem best describe the photograph? Explain. (key details) Answers will vary. Listen for the following: space, so far away, darkness all around, beyond, alone, or endless space.
  • In the second stanza, why would the poet ask if the astronaut misses Earth’s windy sound? (author’s purpose) The poet knows there is no air in space, so the astronaut can’t hear the sound of wind blowing.
  • How does the poet describe space in the third stanza? Why would this make the astronaut feel lonely? (figurative language) The poet refers to endless space as “the neighbor at [his or her] door.” She may imagine that while living in outer space, an astronaut feels alone, because he or she has no real neighbors.
  • Read the last stanza of the poem. Why might an astronaut love Earth even more after being so far away? (inference) Earth is home for the astronaut. After being so far away, and missing his or her life back home, he or she might feel more love for Earth.

3. SKILL BUILDING

  • Call on a volunteer to read the Think and Write box at the bottom of the page. 
  • Distribute our Write Your Own Poem activity. Students will think of questions that reflect their thoughts and feelings about a special person, place, or object. 

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