Mood, text features, key details, interpreting text, rhyme, supporting an opinion

Set a Purpose for Reading (10 minutes)

• Begin by reading the explanation of the skill focus—mood—with the class. As students read, they should look for words that create the special mood, or feeling, of this poem.
• Point out the comic-strip-style panels of the poem. Ask: How does this poem look different from other poems you’ve seen?
• As they read, students should think about what the pictures in each panel add to the experience of reading the poem
• Some of the lines in this poem rhyme. Ask students to look for the rhyming words at the ends of the lines as they read.

• Read the poem to the class, play the audio version, or use text-to-speech.
• Next, ask students to take turns reading aloud each panel in the poem.
• Discuss the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions.

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

• Look at the first two panels. How does the art in these panels help you understand what is happening in this part of the poem? (text features) The pictures show two children performing the actions described by the poem.
• Which words in the first two panels describe the children’s actions? (key details) dancing, leaping, skipping, gallop, grin, giggle, shout
• How do the children probably feel as they perform these different actions? (mood) They probably feel very happy and playful.
• Look at the third panel. Why does the speaker compare him- or herself to “Earth’s many colors” and to “morning and night” in these lines? (interpreting text) Answers will vary. Students may say that the speaker feels like a part of nature—like all the colors that exist in the world and like day and night.
• Look at the fourth panel. What feeling do you get about the speaker from reading the words “I’m honey on toast”? (mood) Answers will vary but may include: You get a feeling of someone sweet and good.
• Which words in the last three panels rhyme? (rhyme) swinging, singing; run, sun
• What is the mood of the poem? Discuss the words and pictures of the poem in your answer. (mood) The mood is joyful and carefree. The actions described in the poem and shown in the pictures are fun, like skipping, grinning, and running. The speaker seems to be a happy, active person who is glad to be a part of nature.
• How is the poem different from other poems you’ve read? Do you like the way this poem is set up? Explain your answer. (text features/supporting an opinion) The poem is set up as a comic strip. The pictures in the panels show what’s happening in the poem. Answers will vary for the rest of the question.

• Distribute our Mood Skill Builder.
• Look online for a template that students can use to create their own graphic poems!