A Circle of Sun

mood, fluency, text structure, metaphor 

The poem conveys a feeling of joy.     

The poem appears to have an irregular rhyme scheme on paper but sounds like four couplets when read aloud. It includes some internal rhyme.  

The language is conversational. The poem uses alliteration and numerous metaphors.  

No special background knowledge is required.

Have a student read aloud the Up Close box. Invite students to predict what the mood will be based on the illustration. What makes them think that? 

Read the poem aloud for the class one time, or play our audio version. Next, put students in pairs and ask them to take turns reading it aloud to practice fluency. Then discuss the following questions.

• What do all the lines in the poem have in common? (text structure) They all start with I or I’m. They all describe what the speaker is doing or what she’s like. They’re all short; most are just two words.
• Reread the first seven lines. What actions do they describe? How do people usually feel when they’re doing these actions? (mood) They describe dancing, leaping, and so on. People usually feel happy and carefree when they are doing these things.
• In line 8, the speaker compares herself to “Earth’s many colors” by saying she is those colors. This is called a metaphor. Why do you think she compares herself to many colors? (metaphor) Answers will vary. Students might suggest that the speaker feels bright and lively, the way colors liven up the Earth. 
• What are three other metaphors in the poem? (metaphor) Lines 9, 10, and 17-18 are metaphors.
• What is the mood of the poem? Explain your answer with examples. (mood) The mood is joyful. The speaker talks about happy actions, like singing, leaping, and wiggling. She compares herself to things that bring happiness, like honey on toast. 

Get the mood activity to help students explore mood further.