Oh, Teddy Bear
By Jack Prelutsky
Prelutsky, Jack. The new kid on the block. New York: Scholastic. 1984.
Introduction: Read the following poem to students. Pay attention to line breaks and comma�s. Read with enthusiasum and have a tattered teddy bear for a prop (preferably one of yours from childhood) Talk about your bear for a few minutes. Tell students that you will be reading a poem about a person who no longer has their favorite teddy bear.
Oh, Teddy Bear
By Jack Prelutsky
Oh, Teddy Bear, dear Teddy,
Though you�re gone these many years,
I recall with deep affection
How I nibbled on your ears,
I can hardly keep from smiling,
And my heart beats fast and glows,
When I think about the morning
That I twisted off your nose.
Teddy Bear, you didn�t whimper,
Teddy Bear, you didn�t pout,
When I reached in with my fingers
And I tore your tummy out,
And you didn�t even mumble
Or emit the faintest cries,
When I pulled your little paws off,
When I bit your button eyes.
Yes, you sat beside me calmly,
And you didn�t once protest,
When I ripped apart the stuffing
That was packed inside your chest,
And you didn�t seem to notice when I yanked out all your hair-
It�s been ages since I�ve seen you,
But I miss you, Teddy Bear.
Extension: Talk with the students� about their favorite bear or stuffed animals that they may or may not have anymore. Re-read the poem.