These are the things that will happen

When I stand up to give my report:

 

Reader 2:

I'll trip on my way to the front of the class.

 

Reader 3:

My voice will come out as a snort.

 

Reader 1:

My buttons will all come unbuttoned.

 

Reader 2:

My face will turn red as a rose.

 

Reader 3: 

I'll forget just how to speak English.

 

Reader 1:

Stuff will come out of my nose.

 

Reader 2:

My index cards will be upside down.

 

Reader 3:

My mind will go totally numb.

 

Reader 1:

My knees will knock together.

 

Reader 2:

Tthe whole class will know that I'm dumb.

 

Reader 3:

My oral report is finished!

Looks like I actually survived.

I might even get up and do it again

In the year three thousand and five.

 

Shields, Carol Diggory. 2003. Almost Late to School and more school poems.  New York:  Dutton Children's Books.  ISBN 0525457437.

 

This poem was divided into 3 reading parts to suit class participation.  This is a fun poem to do as a class because it pokes fun at the fear of oral presenations yet it gives the children a chance to gain more courage and experience in giving them - though they might not realize that is what is happening.  Have fun with this poem - act it out or use it to discuss other fears that are very real but not life threatening.