Writings

TWO SIDES
Did you know you have two sides in your brain – a left side and a right side? The left side deals with orderly things like numbers and letters. The right side reacts more to feelings and visual things like understanding a joke or the sight of a smiling face.

Of course, both sides of the brain work together and communicate with each other. In school you use both to help you get your work done. For example, your left side aids you in writing notes for history class, and your right side helps you think of a creative way to present the facts in your report.

A BRAIN BRIDGE
Writing poetry uses both sides of the brain. You explore your emotions and paint word pictures using right brain power. But you need the orderly left brain to write all your thoughts down on the paper.
One fun way to link the two sides of your brain is to write poems that combine word pictures (right brain) with mathematical equations (left brain.) Sound impossible? In Betsy Franco’s book Mathematicles! she provides numerous examples. Here are some additional examples to give you a better idea.

Kitty + Sunshine = Snooze Cruise

Or how about these?

2 Toys - 3 Children = Caring Sharing

1 dog x 1 rope + 1 Kid = Backyard Tug of War

1 Cloud -1000 Drops of Water = Springtime Sprinkles

Are you getting the picture now?

START BUILDING
Okay, now it’s your chance. Which mathematical equations are you familiar with? Addition and subtraction. Multiplication and division. Even fractions could be used for a poetical equation creation. Your poems don’t need to rhyme – but they can if you’d like. You may also want to spice up your poems with alliteration, using words which begin with the same consonant like “Springtime Sprinkles” above.
For an addition poem think of things that can be added together to create something different. Try describing a flapping flag using a mathematical brain bridge.

Wind + Stars and Stripes = Patriotic Wave.

Now try a subtraction poem. What happens when you take leaves away from a tree? You know. Write it as a math equation.

Tree – Leaves = Autumn Skeleton.

Great! You get the picture and the equation. Find a good place to do some fun think-time. Then you can use your brain bridge to create all kinds of calculated poetry.

Right Brain +Left Brain = Poetry Brain Bridge Bonanza