Classroom Connections with Kip Wilson

TODAY'S READ

White Rose

Kip Wilson, Author

Versify (April 2, 2019)
ISBN: 978-1328594433

For ages 12 and up

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SYNOPSIS

Disillusioned by the propaganda of Nazi Germany, Sophie Scholl, her brother, and his fellow soldiers formed the White Rose, a group that wrote and distributed anonymous letters criticizing the Nazi regime and calling for action from their fellow German citizens. The following year, Sophie and her brother were arrested for treason and interrogated for information about their collaborators. This debut novel recounts the lives of Sophie and her friends and highlights their brave stand against fascism in Nazi Germany.


A PEEK INSIDE

SELFLESSNESS
Letter to Fritz, June 1940

Dear Fritz,

People shouldn’t be
    ambivalent
about the world around
them simply because
everyone else
is ambivalent.

People who
    refuse
to open their eyes
are more than ambivalent—
they are guilty.

How can we expect
    justice
in this world
if we’re not prepared to
sacrifice ourselves
for what’s right?

Copyright © 2019 by Kip Wilson, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kip Wilson is the Poetry Editor of the Young Adult Review Network and holds a Ph.D. in German Literature. In 2017, she won the PEN/New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award, and her work has appeared in several children’s literary magazines.

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

Why is bringing poetry into the classroom important?

Poetry is a form of writing and reading, but it’s also a form of art. It’s a great way to get kids to notice the world around them and to say more with less. Because poetry is generally less wordy, it’s also a great way to engage less enthusiastic readers. They’ll find they can make it through an entire novel in verse with much more ease than a comparable prose novel, giving them a sense of accomplishment. Also, with so many easily definable forms of poetry to try out, everyone can write something.

How might your book be incorporated into an educational curriculum?

Because White Rose is a historical novel based on true events as well as a novel in verse, it fits in well both to the ELA and Social Studies curricula. My publisher created a fantastic educator guide (available at http://www.kipwilsonwrites.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/WhiteRose.NotBeSilent.pdf), which can be used to teach White Rose alongside We Will Not Be Silent, an award-winning work of nonfiction about the group. Beyond all that though, the message of the White Rose to speak up for marginalized groups is an especially important one today for teens getting involved in social justice.

Can you suggest a specific classroom exercise related to your book?

I loved Nikki Grimes’ book One Last Word, in which she uses lines from poems from the Harlem Renaissance to create new, timely poems using the Golden Shovel poetic form. In a Golden Shovel, each line in the new poem ends with a word from the original poem, so that, for instance, each of the words in Jean Toomer’s line, “Thunder blossoms gorgeously above our heads,” from “Storm Ending” appear as the last words in each line of Nikki Grimes’ poem, “Truth.”

Students should use the first line from the above poem from White Rose to create a Golden Shovel poem of your own, so that each line ends with the following words:

people
shouldn’t
be
ambivalent
about
the
world
around
them
simply
because
everyone
else
is
ambivalent

What is a simple, practical tip for teachers when it comes to incorporating poetry in the classroom?

I love “The Slowdown” podcast with Traci K. Smith. She delivers a bit of commentary along with a poem (each weekday by a different author) that forces me to take five minutes out of my day to slow down and listen and reflect. I love that it arrives in my inbox in the morning right as I’m getting ready for my day. The content of this particular podcast is aimed at adults, but the idea would transfer well into the classroom: once everyone’s settled at their desks to begin the day, give them a little commentary and then read them a poem.

Can you recount a specific instance of when poetry impacted a student or group of students in a positive way?

I have been loving the reactions around the country to students reading The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. This award-winning novel in verse is revolutionary in so many ways. I’ve seen Elizabeth perform her poetry, so I can attest to the way her words energized the entire audience, but more than that, the way she was able to get her own experience on the page for girls like her to be able to see themselves is simply incredible. What a way to empower students! 


CONNECT WITH KIP WILSON

Website: http://www.kipwilsonwrites.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kiperoo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kipwilsonwrites



Please help me thank Kip for participating in our Classroom Connections series for National Poetry Month by leaving a comment below.

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Check out the other Classroom Connections posts and giveaways on offer this month by clicking the names below!

• Eric Ode (Otters, Snails and Tadpole Tails: Poems from the Wetlands)

Digital art © 2018 by Miranda Barnes,
based on a line from "Ghazal" by Tracy K. Smith.

TO FOLLOW:

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