12:3 Biopoems

Where and When Did I Find the Word?: Duggan and Knipper's article "Writing to Learn the Curriculum: Tools for Comprehension in Content Area Classes" (2006) mentioned the term 'biopoems' in this weeks reading.  The text explains, "An excellent strategy to achieve a deeper understanding of a historical figure is a biopoem" (p. 467).

What It Means: According to Dugggan and Knipper, (2006) 'biopoems' are a type of writing strategy that focuses on a key person or figure.  The outline of the 'biopoem' requires the individual to answer specific questions on the person to formulate the poem.  These questions help to generate a better understand of the person and content that surrounds their life and accomplishments. 

Level of Familiarity: I remember reading about 'biopoems' in another reading we had for this class earlier this semester.  It was in the textbook Teaching Reading in the Content Areas: If Not Me, Then Who? by Rachel Billmeyer and Mary Lee Barton.  Durign the reading for that night's chapter, there were multiple new strategies that were new to me but I did not choose to do a vocabulary post on this term at the time.  Since the strategy resurfaced, I feel that I should take the time and reevaluate it's meaning and purpose in the classroom.

Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why?: I do want to learn the term 'biopoems' more closely.  The strategy looks good on paper and makes sense but I would like to have the opportunity to try it within a classroom lesson.  I can see in models and when I or other teachers perform the assignment of a 'biopoem' the content and understanding is there.  I am curious of how well students grasp on the purpose and overall performance of creating a meaningful 'biopoem' would actually be.

Do I Think Others Should Know This Word... If so Who and Why?: Since I am still skeptical on the 'biopoem' I can only suggest that other teachers continue to try out new strategies in their classrooms.  This strategy might be very beneficial for some individual students to truly grasp the concept and understanding surrounding a historical figure while it might fall short for others. 

Duggan, Timothy, J. & Knipper, Kathy J. (2006). "Writing to learn across the curriculum:
               Tools for comprehension in content area classes." The Reading Teacher 59(5):
               462-470.