Science Poetry: Random Body Parts by Leslie Bulion


BIBLIOGRAPHY: Bulion, Leslie. 2015. Random Body Parts: Gross Anatomy Riddles in Verse. Ill. by Mike Lowery. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree Publishers. ISBN 978-1-56145-737-3

SUMMARY: This book highlights the numerous anatomical body parts that readers know about, but may not know specifically what they do. In this collection, each body part is presented with a riddle as a poem and a scientific text box where readers can see factual information related to the specific body part. Different body parts, such as teeth, stomach, tongue, and alveoli are given a page each on the novel, and readers get to ‘see’ and ‘hear’ as the body parts speak to us, telling us what they do.

ANALYSIS:

USE: Figurative language is present throughout the poem. In the poem “The River of Life,” the speaker states, “Three boats sail / Along the river of life- / A sticky situation. / A breath of wind / Where rivulets bend. / Hoist the red sails!” In this example, the river is really the plasma, which provides nutrients to the body. Using the metaphor to compare the 3 boats with red blood cells, white blood cells, and flat platelets creates a comparison where these three components are navigating through the body, and as they are coursing through the veins and arteries, they provide the body with what it needs.
I would give a copy of the poem to each student. Afterward, I would read it at least twice. Students would then be asked what they think about the poem, and I would be making annotations on the poem. Also, once they are done discussing, I would bring in symbolism and analogies. This way, they can see how there is always symbolic meaning and how comparisons can help us understand things better. Then I would tell students to think about a part of their body and what it could be compared to. Next, I write it on the board, I would let them know that we will be reading poetry based on the one we just read, where the organs and other body parts are given a comparison of sorts.



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