After the students study poetry in reading workshop and write poetry in writing workshop for a month, we celebrate their finished pieces by opening a Poetry Cafe and having students invite their parents and other family members to an evening event.  The student poets read aloud some of the poems they wrote in class and also read one favorite poem by an author that they studied during reading workshop. (Click on the photos below to enlarge them.)

We transformed the LGI room into our Poetry Cafe.  We covered TV trays with black tablecloths, created a stage with a microphone for the student readers, served snacks, and turned the lights down low to set the mood. We also played jazz music and used fake candles to set the mood.

Students were asked to wear black shirts and jeans to honor the beatnik culture in which poetry readings at small coffee shops were popular.

Before the Poetry Cafe opens, students study and write poetry in our classroom for a month.  At the end of the unit, students create poetry books where they publish and illustrate their five favorite poems they wrote in writing workshop and also add two poems from favorite authors they studied in reading workshop.  You can see pictures below of some of the students' books along with some sample poem pages.

One at a time, we called the students' names and announced the title of their poem. They took their place on the stage and read their poem aloud from their book. Instead of clapping at the end of each poem, guests were asked to snap their fingers in honor of the true beatnik culture. Each student read an original poem and one poem by an author he or she studied during poetry workshop in class.

Throughout the student readings we had "open mic" breaks where parents and siblings could read aloud their own poems or read a poem from a favorite author or book.  The students loved when their family members took part in our Poetry Cafe!  Even Principal Brzezinski read a "repeat after me" poem.