ReadWriteThink: November 20, 2009: <i>Where the Sidewalk Ends</i> by Shel Silverstein was published in 1974.

November 20, 2009

		Children’s favorite Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein was published on this day in 1974. While Silverstein’s rhymes may have been simple and catchy, his complex and thoughtful themes stick with his readers long after childhood. Silverstein was also a songwriter of such hits as “A Boy Named Sue” and “The Cover of The Rolling Stone.” image © 2009 www.clipart.com

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein was published in 1974.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY

Everyone remembers Shel Silverstein. Ask seniors in high school who their favorite poet is and half will give his name. This activity can begin for middle and high school students by asking them what they remember about Silverstein. For lower grade levels, introduce them to a short verse of his poetry like the one below, and ask them for their general impressions:

If you had a giraffe . . . and he stretched another half . . . you would have a giraffe and a half . . .

One quality of Silverstein’s work is that even though it is often fantastical, it tends to be quite visual. Ask students to draw what they imagine when they read such lines as “If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire” or “Some whatifs crawled inside my ear.”

After students have presented their drawings, ask them to write a line or two of their own that continues the passage and matches the flow and style of Silverstein’s work. Then have students paraphrase the author’s purpose in writing the poem. This is where they will find that though the words of a Silverstein poem are easy enough, the ideas are often difficult to communicate.

Lesson Plans

Seuss and Silverstein: Posing Questions, Presenting Points
This lesson plan from ReadWriteThink invites high school students to revisit the Silverstein stories they enjoyed as children to discuss relevant social issues.

Poetry: A Feast to Form Fluent Readers
In this lesson from ReadWriteThink for grades 3–5, students examine elements of fluent reading through oral poetry performance.

Choosing One Word: Summarizing Shel Silverstein’s “Sick”
In this lesson for grades K–2, students select what they believe to be the most important word in the poem “Sick.” They justify their choice by using examples from the text.

Web Links

Shel Silverstein
This entry from the Academy of American Poets includes a biography, bibliography, and samples of Silverstein’s poetry.

Shel Silverstein.com
This site includes resources related to Silverstein’s poetry for parents and teachers, as well as an area “For Kids Only!”

KidsReads.com: Shel Silverstein
This site includes an easy-to-read biography of the author and analysis of his work.

Shel Silverstein Poetry Kit
HarperCollins, publisher of Silverstein’s books, offers a guide to using Silverstein’s poetry in the classroom. The guide includes printable sheets for students.

Texts

Silverstein, Shel. 1974 . Where the Sidewalk Ends. HarperCollins Juvenile Books.
The best-selling book of children’s poetry ever, this collection of Silverstein’s poems has sold more than four and a half million copies.

Silverstein, Shel. 1964 . The Giving Tree. HarperCollins Juvenile Books.
This simply illustrated book tells the story of a life-long relationship between a boy and a tree.

Silverstein, Shel. 1981. A Light in the Attic. HarperCollins Juvenile Books.
This collection of humorous poetry explores such imaginary characters as a Quick-Digesting Gink and the Polar Bear in the Frigidaire.

Silverstein, Shel. 1996. Falling Up. HarperCollins.
This volume captures the same nonsense of rhythm and rhyme in poems that explore the unexpected.