Using Narrative Poetry and Prose

Based on reading Shelley Peterson's work on writing across the curriculum, there are many incredible reasons why poetry and prose can be used across the curriculum in a variety of subjects.  Of course, it is assumed that poetry and prose will be used in English and Language Arts classes,  but there are many uses for poetry and prose in other subjects.  Writing stories or poems allows students to comprehend the information they receive in a new and more memorable way.  If a history, geography, or social studies teacher is teaching a lesson about World War I, students could be asked to write a reflection, story, or poem based on the facts they are receiving.  By writing their own narrative, students will be able to understand what they are learning and they will have an easier time storing it into memory and recalling it later rather than the classic "memorize and forget".

Writing a narrative poem or story in science and math can allow students to comprehend the subject matter more effectively as well.  Students could turn their math problems into stories, or write personal reflections about when they use math in their own lives.  By using narratives in a science class students could explore relationships between the elements on the periodic table.

With these few examples, it is evident that narrative could be used in numerous subjects in so many different ways.

As I have previously stated in other posts, my teachable is English.  There are endless opportunities to use narrative in this subject.  It would be hard not to use narrative!  A specific poem I focussed on today was the use of Robert Frost's poem called, "Nothing Gold Can Stay".  Students could use this poem to understand the novel "The Outsiders" in more depth.  By analysing, rewriting, or acting out this poem, students will understand the theme and meaning behind it in order to comprehend why it is such a major influence in S.E Hinton's novel "The Outsiders" and what it means when Ponyboy is told to "stay gold".

Narrative and writing (especially poetry and prose) are important tools to utilize in every subject across the curriculum in order to allow students to use their creativity to apply what they are learning through a different medium than what they are typically used to.