Is the weather cold and snowy where you are? Maybe not, but either way, it's a fun time to spend together with friends and family. For Week 17 our featured poem for the theme "Time Together" is for second grade and is written by Betsy Franco. Enjoy this nugget from her vivid poem.
After Sledding
by Betsy Franco
The kettle sings.
Wheee, heee.
A cocoa treat
fills all our cups.
Shivery cold,
we grab a quilt
and huddle close,
all bundled up.
...
Crackle, spit,
the fire glows.
We sip and giggle,
cozy warm.
[Find the poem in its entirety in The Poetry Friday Anthology on p. 123.]
Take 5 Activities
1. As you read this poem, hold a mug and sip (or pretend to sip) as if the beverage were very hot. Add shivering and huddling motions while reading the poem aloud.
2. Next, read the poem aloud again and invite students to say the “sound” words in the poem (Wheee, heee; Whooo, whooo; crackle, spit) while you read the rest aloud. Cue them by holding up your mug when it’s their turn.
3. For discussion: What are some of your favorite things to do on a cold day?
4. Challenge the students to see if they recognize the sound words in this poem (Wheee, heee; Whooo, whooo; crackle, spit) and talk about what other words the poet might have chosen. Then read the poem aloud again with students chiming in to highlight the sound words again.
5. Share another poem about waiting out a storm, “Stormy Day” by Rebecca Kai Dotlich (Kindergarten, Week 17) or selections from Winter Trees by Carole Gerber.
Look for the whole Poetry Friday crowd hosted by Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Week 16
Are you ready for Week 16 in our school year of celebrating Poetry Fridays? Our theme this week is Holidays and we have a fun and playful poem for second grade written by George Ella Lyon. Here is just an excerpt.
Christmas Is
by George Ella Lyon
Mamaw, Papaw,
Aunt Pepperlou,
Cousin Susan
and Uncle Froggie, too
....
Best china
shining on the cloth
Dinner slower
than a three-toed sloth!
[You'll find the whole poem in The Poetry Friday Anthology on p. 122.]
Take 5 Activities
1. Add a bit of fun to sharing this poem with poetry props—bring a simple placemat (or table cloth), a few dishes, silverware, napkin and cup or glass and dramatize setting the table before you read this poem aloud. Afterward, talk about the family names in the poem and what a three-toed sloth might be.
2. Next, invite students to echo read the poem, repeating each line after you read each line aloud.
3. For discussion: What are some of your family’s favorite holiday traditions?
4. Help students find the (rhyming) pairs of words that sound alike (Pepperlou/too; street/meat; cloth/sloth). Display the poem, then read it aloud again and point to the rhyming word as students chime in to complete each rhyme.
5. Connect this poem with another about food, family, and neighbors, “Mrs. Betty” by Rebecca Kai Dotlich (Kindergarten, Week 14).
Join the whole Poetry Friday crew hosted by Jama at Jama's Alphabet soup.
Christmas Is
by George Ella Lyon
Mamaw, Papaw,
Aunt Pepperlou,
Cousin Susan
and Uncle Froggie, too
....
Best china
shining on the cloth
Dinner slower
than a three-toed sloth!
[You'll find the whole poem in The Poetry Friday Anthology on p. 122.]
Take 5 Activities
1. Add a bit of fun to sharing this poem with poetry props—bring a simple placemat (or table cloth), a few dishes, silverware, napkin and cup or glass and dramatize setting the table before you read this poem aloud. Afterward, talk about the family names in the poem and what a three-toed sloth might be.
2. Next, invite students to echo read the poem, repeating each line after you read each line aloud.
3. For discussion: What are some of your family’s favorite holiday traditions?
4. Help students find the (rhyming) pairs of words that sound alike (Pepperlou/too; street/meat; cloth/sloth). Display the poem, then read it aloud again and point to the rhyming word as students chime in to complete each rhyme.
5. Connect this poem with another about food, family, and neighbors, “Mrs. Betty” by Rebecca Kai Dotlich (Kindergarten, Week 14).
Join the whole Poetry Friday crew hosted by Jama at Jama's Alphabet soup.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Week 15
We're moving on to Week 15 and our theme is "Stuff We Love!" Our featured poem is from third grade and is written by Constance Levy. Here is an excerpt from her clever poem.
Lucky Penny
by Constance Levy
Any penny
I spy on the ground
beckons me
like the wink
of an eye.
...
When it whispers to me:
“I’m your good luck ticket;
quick, pick me up!”
then UP I pick it!
[You'll find the whole poem in The Poetry Friday Anthology on p. 161.]
Take 5 Activities
1. What is the perfect prop for this poem? A penny, of course. Put a penny on the floor, read the poem aloud, and pick the penny up when you reach the final line.
2. Read the poem aloud again and invite students to BE the penny, speaking the lines attributed to the penny: “I’m your good luck ticket: / quick, pick me up!” while you read the rest of the poem.
3. For discussion: What is your favorite lucky token or item?
4. Poets give their poems shape in many ways. Talk with students about each stanza (including the one-line stanza at the end) and what it adds to the poem. Consider the poet’s use of rhyme (eye/by; ticket/ pick it) and dialogue, too.
5. Pair this with another poem by Constance Levy, “Bird Alert: Storm Warning!” (4th Grade, Week 8), or poems from Knock on Wood: Poems about Superstitions by Janet Wong.
Don't forget to check out the rest of the Poetry Friday postings at Read, Write, Howl hosted by one of our PFA poets, Robyn Hood Black.
And there are just a few days left to enter our drawing for a free poetry e-book. See the details below.
Lucky Penny
by Constance Levy
Any penny
I spy on the ground
beckons me
like the wink
of an eye.
...
When it whispers to me:
“I’m your good luck ticket;
quick, pick me up!”
then UP I pick it!
[You'll find the whole poem in The Poetry Friday Anthology on p. 161.]
Take 5 Activities
1. What is the perfect prop for this poem? A penny, of course. Put a penny on the floor, read the poem aloud, and pick the penny up when you reach the final line.
2. Read the poem aloud again and invite students to BE the penny, speaking the lines attributed to the penny: “I’m your good luck ticket: / quick, pick me up!” while you read the rest of the poem.
3. For discussion: What is your favorite lucky token or item?
4. Poets give their poems shape in many ways. Talk with students about each stanza (including the one-line stanza at the end) and what it adds to the poem. Consider the poet’s use of rhyme (eye/by; ticket/ pick it) and dialogue, too.
5. Pair this with another poem by Constance Levy, “Bird Alert: Storm Warning!” (4th Grade, Week 8), or poems from Knock on Wood: Poems about Superstitions by Janet Wong.
Don't forget to check out the rest of the Poetry Friday postings at Read, Write, Howl hosted by one of our PFA poets, Robyn Hood Black.
And there are just a few days left to enter our drawing for a free poetry e-book. See the details below.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Week 14
We're rolling along into Week 14 and our theme is Community. Here we're invited to consider all the people who are part of our day-to-day lives-- whether we always recognize them or not. Guadalupe Garcia McCall has written a beautiful poem for fifth grade that gives us a glimpse into a sometimes overlooked neighbor. It offers an interesting counterpoint to last week's poem about a grandmother and both are by two of our most prominent Latina poets writing for young people today (Guadalupe Garcia McCall and Margarita Engle). Here is an excerpt of Guadalupe's poem.
Doña Pepita
by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Doña Pepita has three sons
Who run away when she needs
Help in the garden.
...
She doesn't understand English.
"Que Chula!" she says
When I come over to help pull weeds
....
Dona Pepita bends over
And with her knife she cuts
The vines that free the calabazita,
A freckled zucchini she has been
Nurturing there all season.
...
"Que bonita, verdad?" she says,
Waiting for my approval.
I nod my head and she hands it to me.
"Llevatela," she says. And I haul it home,
Wondering what I could've done
To deserve such a treasure.
[You will find the poem in its entirety on p. 240.]
Take 5 Activities
1. Read this poem aloud noting that it incorporates a few Spanish words that may need a bit of explaining such as Doña Pepita (Mrs. Pepita), Que Chula (that pretty girl), calabazita (zucchini), Que bonita, verdad (That’s beautiful, right?), Llevatela (Take it). If possible, invite a Spanish speaker to assist you.
2. Share the poem again, inviting two students to pantomime the actions in the garden while you read the poem aloud.
3. Talk with students about practical ways to be helpful to older neighbors.
4. This poem is an example of free verse. It doesn’t rhyme, but guide students in seeing how the lines and line breaks build to create a poem. Talk about how the Spanish words contribute to our understanding of the characters and themes of the poem.
5. A natural companion to this poem is “Abuelita” by Margarita Engle (1st Grade, Week 13) or selections from Juanita Havill’s book I Heard It from Alice Zucchini: Poems About the Garden.
Join the Poetry Friday gathering at the Poem Farm hosted by the wonderful Amy Ludwig VanDerwater.
And don't forget our special poetry e-book giveaway ending Dec. 12. Details below!
Doña Pepita
by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Doña Pepita has three sons
Who run away when she needs
Help in the garden.
...
She doesn't understand English.
"Que Chula!" she says
When I come over to help pull weeds
....
Dona Pepita bends over
And with her knife she cuts
The vines that free the calabazita,
A freckled zucchini she has been
Nurturing there all season.
...
"Que bonita, verdad?" she says,
Waiting for my approval.
I nod my head and she hands it to me.
"Llevatela," she says. And I haul it home,
Wondering what I could've done
To deserve such a treasure.
[You will find the poem in its entirety on p. 240.]
Take 5 Activities
1. Read this poem aloud noting that it incorporates a few Spanish words that may need a bit of explaining such as Doña Pepita (Mrs. Pepita), Que Chula (that pretty girl), calabazita (zucchini), Que bonita, verdad (That’s beautiful, right?), Llevatela (Take it). If possible, invite a Spanish speaker to assist you.
2. Share the poem again, inviting two students to pantomime the actions in the garden while you read the poem aloud.
3. Talk with students about practical ways to be helpful to older neighbors.
4. This poem is an example of free verse. It doesn’t rhyme, but guide students in seeing how the lines and line breaks build to create a poem. Talk about how the Spanish words contribute to our understanding of the characters and themes of the poem.
5. A natural companion to this poem is “Abuelita” by Margarita Engle (1st Grade, Week 13) or selections from Juanita Havill’s book I Heard It from Alice Zucchini: Poems About the Garden.
Join the Poetry Friday gathering at the Poem Farm hosted by the wonderful Amy Ludwig VanDerwater.
And don't forget our special poetry e-book giveaway ending Dec. 12. Details below!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Week 13
This Week 13 it is especially appropriate to focus on our theme of Families. Our sample poem comes from First Grade and is a gem by Margarita Engle. Here is just the beginning and the ending-- to encourage you to search out the rest.
Abuelita
by Margarita Engle
We called her little grandmother
even though she was big.
....
She taught me how to embroider
a garden,
decorating the world
with a sharp needle,
one flowery stitch
at a time.
[Look for the whole poem in The Poetry Friday Anthology on p. 79.]
Take 5
1. Before reading the poem aloud, talk about the different words we use for grandmother, such as abuelita, oma, nana, etc.
2. Invite students to set the stage and read the first two lines aloud together while you read the rest aloud slowly. Display the poem so students can read their lines or invite them to echo you.
3. Invite students to share memories or feelings about their own grandmothers.
4. Sometimes poems rhyme and sometimes they don’t. In this case, the poem doesn’t rhyme but still has a rhythm that emerges through the length of the lines. Challenge students to point out lines that “go together” and have a similar rhythm even though they don’t end in a rhyme (like Her neighbors rode horses / and lived in thatched huts).
5. Pair this poem with “Doña Pepita” by Guadalupe Garcia McCall (5th Grade, Week 14).
And don't forget our free e-book giveaway-- details below.
Now join the Poetry Friday fun hosted by Mary Lee and Franki at A Year of Reading here.
Abuelita
by Margarita Engle
We called her little grandmother
even though she was big.
....
She taught me how to embroider
a garden,
decorating the world
with a sharp needle,
one flowery stitch
at a time.
[Look for the whole poem in The Poetry Friday Anthology on p. 79.]
Take 5
1. Before reading the poem aloud, talk about the different words we use for grandmother, such as abuelita, oma, nana, etc.
2. Invite students to set the stage and read the first two lines aloud together while you read the rest aloud slowly. Display the poem so students can read their lines or invite them to echo you.
3. Invite students to share memories or feelings about their own grandmothers.
4. Sometimes poems rhyme and sometimes they don’t. In this case, the poem doesn’t rhyme but still has a rhythm that emerges through the length of the lines. Challenge students to point out lines that “go together” and have a similar rhythm even though they don’t end in a rhyme (like Her neighbors rode horses / and lived in thatched huts).
5. Pair this poem with “Doña Pepita” by Guadalupe Garcia McCall (5th Grade, Week 14).
And don't forget our free e-book giveaway-- details below.
Now join the Poetry Friday fun hosted by Mary Lee and Franki at A Year of Reading here.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Week 12
This week we shift our focus to House and Home, the theme of Week 12. Our sample poem comes from First Grade and is by Charles Ghigna, also known as Father Goose. Here is just a nugget from the poem to give you a taste.
My Tree House
by Charles Ghigna
Welcome to my tree house,
my free house,
my me house,
....
where the air is fresher,
no pressure,
where treetops swish and sway,
where I come to look at
the books that
take me far away.
[The entire poem is available in The Poetry Friday Anthology on p. 78.]
Take 5 Activities
1. Before sharing this poem, take a moment to encourage students to close their eyes and imagine a big leafy tree, a ladder up high, and a tree house. Then continue by reading this poem aloud.
2. Next, invite students to join you in reading aloud the first stanza. If necessary, write the words tree, free, me (on cards) to cue them to the order of these words in reading the stanza.
3. For discussion: If you could have a tree house, what would it be like?
4. Sometimes poets arrange their words into groups called stanzas. This poem contains 5 stanzas. A stanza can have any number of lines. Help students see that this poem is made up of tercets (3-line stanzas).
5. Follow up with “The Front Yard Where the Maple Tree Stands” by Allan Wolf (4th Grade, Week 12).
* * *
Time to join the Poetry Friday fray hosted by the lovely Anastasia Suen at Booktalking here.
* * *
And don't forget to enter out e-book giveaway contest. Details are BELOW.
My Tree House
by Charles Ghigna
Welcome to my tree house,
my free house,
my me house,
....
where the air is fresher,
no pressure,
where treetops swish and sway,
where I come to look at
the books that
take me far away.
[The entire poem is available in The Poetry Friday Anthology on p. 78.]
Take 5 Activities
1. Before sharing this poem, take a moment to encourage students to close their eyes and imagine a big leafy tree, a ladder up high, and a tree house. Then continue by reading this poem aloud.
2. Next, invite students to join you in reading aloud the first stanza. If necessary, write the words tree, free, me (on cards) to cue them to the order of these words in reading the stanza.
3. For discussion: If you could have a tree house, what would it be like?
4. Sometimes poets arrange their words into groups called stanzas. This poem contains 5 stanzas. A stanza can have any number of lines. Help students see that this poem is made up of tercets (3-line stanzas).
5. Follow up with “The Front Yard Where the Maple Tree Stands” by Allan Wolf (4th Grade, Week 12).
* * *
Time to join the Poetry Friday fray hosted by the lovely Anastasia Suen at Booktalking here.
* * *
And don't forget to enter out e-book giveaway contest. Details are BELOW.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Free poetry e-books
CHECK IT OUT!
We're offering an opportunity to win a copy of one poetry e-book from the PoetryTagTime series:
PoetryTagTime (for children)
or
P*TAG (for tweens and teens)
or
Gift Tag (for all ages)
For more information go to PoetryTagTime. Good luck!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Week 11
It's Week 11 as we continue with our Poetry Friday curriculum and the focus continues on the fun and appealing topic of Food. This week, we offer a poem in its entirety (with the kind permission of the poet) to whet your appetite for more! This one is featured in the Kindergarten section of The Poetry Friday Anthology, but is clearly fun for many grades and ages (although the Take 5 activities are designed for Kindergarten). Enjoy!
Sack Lunch
by Charles Waters
Whole wheat oatmeal bread,
Homemade grape jelly,
Crunchy peanut butter—
A rumble in my belly.
Double chocolate cupcakes—
What a perfect snack!
Ten tiny carrot sticks?
I’d rather give that back.
(From p. 37)
Take 5
1. Bring a paper bag or lunch kit and put a copy of this poem inside it. Then open the bag and remove this “Sack Lunch” poem before reading it aloud.
2. Next, invite students to echo read each line after you, one line at a time.
3. For discussion: What are your favorite foods for lunches and snacks?
4. Show how rhyming words help turn this “list” of foods into a poem. Ask students: What are the words that rhyme (jelly/belly and snack/back)? Read the poem aloud again, but pause before the second word in each rhyming pair and wait for the students to chime in with the correct response (belly, back).
4. For another poem with peanut butter in it, share “Snack Rules” by Robyn Hood Black (1st Grade, Week 10).
Now join the rest of this week's Poetry Friday celebration hosted by Think, Kid, Think here.
Sack Lunch
by Charles Waters
Whole wheat oatmeal bread,
Homemade grape jelly,
Crunchy peanut butter—
A rumble in my belly.
Double chocolate cupcakes—
What a perfect snack!
Ten tiny carrot sticks?
I’d rather give that back.
(From p. 37)
Take 5
1. Bring a paper bag or lunch kit and put a copy of this poem inside it. Then open the bag and remove this “Sack Lunch” poem before reading it aloud.
2. Next, invite students to echo read each line after you, one line at a time.
3. For discussion: What are your favorite foods for lunches and snacks?
4. Show how rhyming words help turn this “list” of foods into a poem. Ask students: What are the words that rhyme (jelly/belly and snack/back)? Read the poem aloud again, but pause before the second word in each rhyming pair and wait for the students to chime in with the correct response (belly, back).
4. For another poem with peanut butter in it, share “Snack Rules” by Robyn Hood Black (1st Grade, Week 10).
Now join the rest of this week's Poetry Friday celebration hosted by Think, Kid, Think here.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Week 10
It's Week 10 and time to tackle a favorite poem topic: FOOD! Our sample poem comes from third grade and is by the Newbery award-winning author Linda Sue Park. Here's an excerpt from her humorous ice cream-themed poem.
Two Scoops
by Linda Sue Park
An ice-cream cone may seem at first
the best of things to eat.
Beware, beware! For danger lurks
within this icy treat.
...
From cone to hand, from hand to wrist,
the drips slip fast, then faster.
Beware, beware the peril of
an elbow-deep disaster
...
For the rest of this delectable poem, go to p. 156. Get your copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology HERE!
Take 5
1. Add a bit of fun to sharing this poem with a poetry prop—a paper ice cream cone with three round scoops.
2. In sharing the poem aloud again, students can say the word beware with great drama each time it occurs. Cue students by raising your fake ice cream cone!
3. Survey students about their favorite ice cream flavors.
4. This poem is another good example of humorous poetry. Talk with students about how the poet creates humor in this poem through describing a funny experience with some exaggeration. Pinpoint examples in the words and phrases the poet uses to create a scene in your mind.
5. Connect this poem with “Who Invented Cookies?” by Joan Bransfield Graham (Kindergarten, Week 10).
Ready for Poetry Friday? Go to MainelyWrite for the latest scoop! See you there!
Two Scoops
by Linda Sue Park
An ice-cream cone may seem at first
the best of things to eat.
Beware, beware! For danger lurks
within this icy treat.
...
From cone to hand, from hand to wrist,
the drips slip fast, then faster.
Beware, beware the peril of
an elbow-deep disaster
...
For the rest of this delectable poem, go to p. 156. Get your copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology HERE!
Take 5
1. Add a bit of fun to sharing this poem with a poetry prop—a paper ice cream cone with three round scoops.
2. In sharing the poem aloud again, students can say the word beware with great drama each time it occurs. Cue students by raising your fake ice cream cone!
3. Survey students about their favorite ice cream flavors.
4. This poem is another good example of humorous poetry. Talk with students about how the poet creates humor in this poem through describing a funny experience with some exaggeration. Pinpoint examples in the words and phrases the poet uses to create a scene in your mind.
5. Connect this poem with “Who Invented Cookies?” by Joan Bransfield Graham (Kindergarten, Week 10).
Ready for Poetry Friday? Go to MainelyWrite for the latest scoop! See you there!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Week 9
This week we turn our attention outdoors to poems about all kinds of weather. Our sample poem for Week 9 is from Fourth Grade. It is by Susan Taylor Brown and is chock-ful of alliteration. Here's an excerpt.
When the Rain Falls
by Susan Taylor Brown
Clouds curl.
Thunder trembles.
Lightning leaps.
Coats cover.
Umbrellas unfold.
Wipers wave.
...
[Look for the rest of this poem on p. 195.]
Take 5
1. Read this poem aloud pausing briefly at the end of each line for extra emphasis. Talk with students about how poets like to “make up” words (like “plash”).
2. Share the poem again displaying the text of the poem if possible and invite students to say three lines together for greater volume and emphasis: Line 2 (Thunder trembles), Line 7 (Rivers rise), and Line 12 (Rainbows reappear).
3. For discussion: What are the best and worst things about a rainy day?
4. Sometimes poets like to use many words that start the same (alliteration) to add to the sound of the poem. Challenge students to notice the use of alliteration (in EVERY line) and talk about how the poet sequences the lines in a logical order. Read the poem aloud together again inviting students to choose their favorite line and chime in when that line appears.
5. Link this poem with “My Dog” by Charles Waters (1st Grade, Week 9) or look for All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon.
For more Poetry Friday fun, go to Teacher Dance here.
When the Rain Falls
by Susan Taylor Brown
Clouds curl.
Thunder trembles.
Lightning leaps.
Coats cover.
Umbrellas unfold.
Wipers wave.
...
[Look for the rest of this poem on p. 195.]
Take 5
1. Read this poem aloud pausing briefly at the end of each line for extra emphasis. Talk with students about how poets like to “make up” words (like “plash”).
2. Share the poem again displaying the text of the poem if possible and invite students to say three lines together for greater volume and emphasis: Line 2 (Thunder trembles), Line 7 (Rivers rise), and Line 12 (Rainbows reappear).
3. For discussion: What are the best and worst things about a rainy day?
4. Sometimes poets like to use many words that start the same (alliteration) to add to the sound of the poem. Challenge students to notice the use of alliteration (in EVERY line) and talk about how the poet sequences the lines in a logical order. Read the poem aloud together again inviting students to choose their favorite line and chime in when that line appears.
5. Link this poem with “My Dog” by Charles Waters (1st Grade, Week 9) or look for All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon.
For more Poetry Friday fun, go to Teacher Dance here.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Week 8
Time to share another poem from The Poetry Friday Anthology. It's Week 8 and our theme is "In the Air." This week's example poem is from Grade 5 and it is a pour quoi poem by Joseph Bruchac. Here is a portion of the poem.
How the Geese Became Chiefs of the Birds
by Joseph Bruchac
Long ago it is said
when the small birds flew
south for the winter
and north for the spring,
sometimes they got lost
and could not find their way.
So Gluskonba
spoke to the geese.
From now on,
you will be the chiefs
of all the birds.
Some of you will go first,
....
And some of you
will be the last
...
[and the poem ends:]
And so it is to this day.
[Read the entire poem on p. 234.]
Take 5
1. Point out to students that many poems are funny, but some are quiet and thoughtful—like this one based on a Native American legend from the Abenaki people. (You may also need to provide background on Gluskonba, known as “the one who helps the people.”)
2. Next, divide the students into two groups—one to read the third stanza and one to read the fourth stanza while you read the rest of the poem, including the final line. Display the text of the poem to provide support.
3. For discussion: Which do you prefer: leading or helping in a supporting role?
4. Talk with students about how many poems rhyme, but not all. This poem is an example of free verse. It doesn’t feature a regular rhyme, but guide students in seeing the rhythm provided by the structure of short lines and key words used to paint a picture in your mind.
5. Pair this poem with “How the Birds Got Their Colors” also by Joseph Bruchac (3rd Grade, Week 20).
Join the rest of the Poetry Friday gathering hosted by Irene Latham (another one of the lovely poets featured in The Poetry Friday Anthology) at Live Your Poem here.
How the Geese Became Chiefs of the Birds
by Joseph Bruchac
Long ago it is said
when the small birds flew
south for the winter
and north for the spring,
sometimes they got lost
and could not find their way.
So Gluskonba
spoke to the geese.
From now on,
you will be the chiefs
of all the birds.
Some of you will go first,
....
And some of you
will be the last
...
[and the poem ends:]
And so it is to this day.
[Read the entire poem on p. 234.]
Take 5
1. Point out to students that many poems are funny, but some are quiet and thoughtful—like this one based on a Native American legend from the Abenaki people. (You may also need to provide background on Gluskonba, known as “the one who helps the people.”)
2. Next, divide the students into two groups—one to read the third stanza and one to read the fourth stanza while you read the rest of the poem, including the final line. Display the text of the poem to provide support.
3. For discussion: Which do you prefer: leading or helping in a supporting role?
4. Talk with students about how many poems rhyme, but not all. This poem is an example of free verse. It doesn’t feature a regular rhyme, but guide students in seeing the rhythm provided by the structure of short lines and key words used to paint a picture in your mind.
5. Pair this poem with “How the Birds Got Their Colors” also by Joseph Bruchac (3rd Grade, Week 20).
Join the rest of the Poetry Friday gathering hosted by Irene Latham (another one of the lovely poets featured in The Poetry Friday Anthology) at Live Your Poem here.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Week 7
The theme for Week 7 shifts to "In the Water" and this poem for Third Grade by Jack Prelutsky is a prime example. It begins...
A Clam
by Jack Prelutsky
A clam is a creature
Of quiet aplomb.
In all situations
A clam remains calm.
....
[Find the rest of this clever, descriptive poem on p. 153.]
Take 5
1. Feeling brave? You can sing this poem to the tune of “On top of old smoky.” Sing it for the students first, then display the words and invite them to join you.
2. Or if you prefer to read the poem aloud, invite students to join in on the word clam each time it occurs in the poem. They can clap their hands together each time they say clam to mimic the opening and shutting of the clamshell, too.
3. Sometimes poets weave facts into their poems. Guide students in noting what information we learn about clams in this poem.
4. This poem is an example of wordplay. Guide students in seeing how the similarities between the words clam and calm inspired the poem.
5. Link this poem with “Fish” by Joy Acey or selections from At the Sea Floor Café; Odd Ocean Critter Poems by Leslie Bulion.
Betsy is hosting our Poetry Friday gathering at her Teaching Young Writers blog this week. See you there!
A Clam
by Jack Prelutsky
A clam is a creature
Of quiet aplomb.
In all situations
A clam remains calm.
....
[Find the rest of this clever, descriptive poem on p. 153.]
Take 5
1. Feeling brave? You can sing this poem to the tune of “On top of old smoky.” Sing it for the students first, then display the words and invite them to join you.
2. Or if you prefer to read the poem aloud, invite students to join in on the word clam each time it occurs in the poem. They can clap their hands together each time they say clam to mimic the opening and shutting of the clamshell, too.
3. Sometimes poets weave facts into their poems. Guide students in noting what information we learn about clams in this poem.
4. This poem is an example of wordplay. Guide students in seeing how the similarities between the words clam and calm inspired the poem.
5. Link this poem with “Fish” by Joy Acey or selections from At the Sea Floor Café; Odd Ocean Critter Poems by Leslie Bulion.
Betsy is hosting our Poetry Friday gathering at her Teaching Young Writers blog this week. See you there!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Week 6
It's Week 6 and time to turn our attention to the topic of creatures "on the ground." Here is the beginning of the "on the ground" poem for Fifth Grade.
Earthworms
by Michael J. Rosen
Soil—that’s our crop. Without our lot,
nothing of yours will grow. We burrow, swallow—
dust, motes of dirt, mold, rootlets—
and cast the sweet earth within your plot.
....
[You'll find the rest of the poem in the book on p. 232.]
Take 5
1. As a poetry prop, bring a jar, baggie, or small pile of dirt. Then read the poem aloud slowly, sifting the dirt as you read.
2. To follow up, display the words and invite students to join in on reading the last two lines of the poem aloud with you.
3. Sometimes poets weave facts into their poems. Guide students in noting what information we learn about earthworms in this poem.
4. Poems usually rhyme at the end of lines, but sometimes they rhyme in the middle too—called internal rhyme. Challenge students to find pairs of words that demonstrate internal rhyme (grow/burrow/swallow)— including “slant” rhymes or “almost” rhymes (crop/lot; motes/mold). Then read the poem aloud again.
5. Check out another descriptive poem by Michael J. Rosen, “Centipede” (4th Grade, Week 36).
Meanwhile, Laura Purdie Salas is hosting Poetry Friday this week at her blog, Writing the World for Kids. Check it out here. (Laura has several wonderful poems in The Poetry Friday Anthology, too!)
Earthworms
by Michael J. Rosen
Soil—that’s our crop. Without our lot,
nothing of yours will grow. We burrow, swallow—
dust, motes of dirt, mold, rootlets—
and cast the sweet earth within your plot.
....
[You'll find the rest of the poem in the book on p. 232.]
Take 5
1. As a poetry prop, bring a jar, baggie, or small pile of dirt. Then read the poem aloud slowly, sifting the dirt as you read.
2. To follow up, display the words and invite students to join in on reading the last two lines of the poem aloud with you.
3. Sometimes poets weave facts into their poems. Guide students in noting what information we learn about earthworms in this poem.
4. Poems usually rhyme at the end of lines, but sometimes they rhyme in the middle too—called internal rhyme. Challenge students to find pairs of words that demonstrate internal rhyme (grow/burrow/swallow)— including “slant” rhymes or “almost” rhymes (crop/lot; motes/mold). Then read the poem aloud again.
5. Check out another descriptive poem by Michael J. Rosen, “Centipede” (4th Grade, Week 36).
Meanwhile, Laura Purdie Salas is hosting Poetry Friday this week at her blog, Writing the World for Kids. Check it out here. (Laura has several wonderful poems in The Poetry Friday Anthology, too!)
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Week 5
It's Week 5 in our weekly sharing of poems on Poetry Friday and the theme is "More Pets."
For a taste of The Poetry Friday Anthology, here's an excerpt from the poem for Grade 5.
Good Dog! Bad Dog!
by Jeannine Atkins
Good dog never wakes us up.
Yip! Bad dog jumps on the bed.
Good dog shakes for a biscuit.
Bad dog snitches jam and bread.
...
[For the rest of the poem, check out p. 231 in the book.]
TAKE 5
1. To kick off this poem, show images of the two masks of drama—comedy and tragedy. Then read this poem aloud using a light and happy voice for lines 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12 and a frustrated voice for lines 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.
2. Next, display the words of the poem and divide the students into two groups—one to say the words Good dog as they occur in the poem and one to say the words Bad dog. You read the rest of the poem, including the conclusion of lines beginning Good dog or Bad dog.
3. Invite students to share their own favorite pet stories.
4. Poets give their poems shape and meaning in many ways. Talk with students about each stanza and what it adds to the poem. Consider the poet’s use of rhyme (bed/bread; chair/care) and how the rhyme depends on the final syllable in one case (heart/apart).
5. Follow up with more dog poems like “Spotty’s Tongue” by Betsy Franco (3rd Grade, Week 5) or “My Dog Jack Thinks Up His Valentine” by Patricia Hubbell (2nd Grade, Week 21) or selections from Betsy Franco’s book, A Dazzling Display of Dogs.
Head on over to Paper Tigers for more Poetry Friday celebrating!
Last chance to submit a paragraph proposal for a Poetry Friday mini-grant and become a Poetry Friday Ambassador. (See details in sidebar on the right.)
For a taste of The Poetry Friday Anthology, here's an excerpt from the poem for Grade 5.
Good Dog! Bad Dog!
by Jeannine Atkins
Good dog never wakes us up.
Yip! Bad dog jumps on the bed.
Good dog shakes for a biscuit.
Bad dog snitches jam and bread.
...
[For the rest of the poem, check out p. 231 in the book.]
TAKE 5
1. To kick off this poem, show images of the two masks of drama—comedy and tragedy. Then read this poem aloud using a light and happy voice for lines 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12 and a frustrated voice for lines 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.
2. Next, display the words of the poem and divide the students into two groups—one to say the words Good dog as they occur in the poem and one to say the words Bad dog. You read the rest of the poem, including the conclusion of lines beginning Good dog or Bad dog.
3. Invite students to share their own favorite pet stories.
4. Poets give their poems shape and meaning in many ways. Talk with students about each stanza and what it adds to the poem. Consider the poet’s use of rhyme (bed/bread; chair/care) and how the rhyme depends on the final syllable in one case (heart/apart).
5. Follow up with more dog poems like “Spotty’s Tongue” by Betsy Franco (3rd Grade, Week 5) or “My Dog Jack Thinks Up His Valentine” by Patricia Hubbell (2nd Grade, Week 21) or selections from Betsy Franco’s book, A Dazzling Display of Dogs.
Head on over to Paper Tigers for more Poetry Friday celebrating!
Last chance to submit a paragraph proposal for a Poetry Friday mini-grant and become a Poetry Friday Ambassador. (See details in sidebar on the right.)
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Week 4
The theme of Week 4 is PETS, always a popular topic among young readers. This week, we feature a "pet" poem for every grade level with subjects ranging from a petting zoo, pet fish, wished-for pets, not-pets, to pet opposites. Here is an excerpt from the poem for second grade. It's "My Pet" by David L. Harrison.
My Pet
by David L. Harrison
See those bats?
In the maple tree?
The one on the left
Belongs to me.
Haven't told him yet
He's my pet.
...
(Read the rest of the poem on p. 110 in the book.)
2. Read the poem again and this time invite students to chime in on the second and final stanzas in whisper voices while you read the rest aloud.
3. For discussion: If you could have any pet (that’s not usually a pet) what would it be?
4. Guide students in identifying the rhyming words in this poem (tree/me; yet/pet; friends/ends; night/flight; skies/flies). Read the poem out loud again and display the poem so students can join in on the rhyming words.
5. Compare this with another poem, “Bat” by X. J. Kennedy (1st Grade, Week 8) or a selection from Fuzzy-Fast Blur: Poems About Pets by Laura Purdie Salas.
***
Don't forget to check out our mini-grant offer (in the sidebar on the right) and please help us spread the word about this opportunity.
Find more Poetry Friday fun at Renee LaTulippe's wonderful blog, No Water River.
My Pet
by David L. Harrison
See those bats?
In the maple tree?
The one on the left
Belongs to me.
Haven't told him yet
He's my pet.
...
(Read the rest of the poem on p. 110 in the book.)
Take 5
1. To set the stage before reading this poem aloud, make an origami bat. A simple model is available here: nickrobinson.info/origami/diagrams/bat.htm. After reading the poem aloud, hang the bat upside down. 2. Read the poem again and this time invite students to chime in on the second and final stanzas in whisper voices while you read the rest aloud.
3. For discussion: If you could have any pet (that’s not usually a pet) what would it be?
4. Guide students in identifying the rhyming words in this poem (tree/me; yet/pet; friends/ends; night/flight; skies/flies). Read the poem out loud again and display the poem so students can join in on the rhyming words.
5. Compare this with another poem, “Bat” by X. J. Kennedy (1st Grade, Week 8) or a selection from Fuzzy-Fast Blur: Poems About Pets by Laura Purdie Salas.
***
Don't forget to check out our mini-grant offer (in the sidebar on the right) and please help us spread the word about this opportunity.
Find more Poetry Friday fun at Renee LaTulippe's wonderful blog, No Water River.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Week 3
It's Week 3 in our weekly sharing of poems on Poetry Friday. What's the topic? Fun and games! Every poem for every grade level focuses on play and recreation. Here's an excerpt from the poem entry for Second Grade. It's "The Winner" by Georgia Heard. The poem begins...
The Winner
by Georgia Heard
Evenings,
we play ball
next to the creek
in our neighbor’s field.
We run so fast
I
can’t
even
catch
my
breath.
...
(You'll have to get the book for the rest of the poem!)
Here are the Take 5 strategies that accompany this poem:
1. This is a poem that lends itself perfectly to full-body involvement while reading it aloud. Try doing some of the actions described in the poem (swinging a baseball bat, running, huffing and puffing, aching feet).
2. In sharing the poem aloud again, students can say the column of words (I / can’t / even / catch / my / breath) breathing deeply between each word to suggest breathless running while you read the rest of the poem aloud.
3. For discussion: What are some of your favorite things to do AFTER school?
4. Discuss with students how many poems rhyme, but not all. This poem is an example of free verse. It doesn’t rhyme, but guide students in seeing how the poet arranges the lines to highlight the column of single words right in the middle.
5. Follow up with an acrostic poem about playing baseball. Look for “Last Try” by Avis Harley (from 1st Grade, Week 31).
And if you haven't yet applied for a Poetry Friday Mini-Grant, please consider it. You'll find more information in the sidebar at the right.
Get your own copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology now!
And don't forget to join the Poetry Friday gathering over at Random Noodling.
The Winner
by Georgia Heard
Evenings,
we play ball
next to the creek
in our neighbor’s field.
We run so fast
I
can’t
even
catch
my
breath.
...
(You'll have to get the book for the rest of the poem!)
Here are the Take 5 strategies that accompany this poem:
1. This is a poem that lends itself perfectly to full-body involvement while reading it aloud. Try doing some of the actions described in the poem (swinging a baseball bat, running, huffing and puffing, aching feet).
2. In sharing the poem aloud again, students can say the column of words (I / can’t / even / catch / my / breath) breathing deeply between each word to suggest breathless running while you read the rest of the poem aloud.
3. For discussion: What are some of your favorite things to do AFTER school?
4. Discuss with students how many poems rhyme, but not all. This poem is an example of free verse. It doesn’t rhyme, but guide students in seeing how the poet arranges the lines to highlight the column of single words right in the middle.
5. Follow up with an acrostic poem about playing baseball. Look for “Last Try” by Avis Harley (from 1st Grade, Week 31).
And if you haven't yet applied for a Poetry Friday Mini-Grant, please consider it. You'll find more information in the sidebar at the right.
Get your own copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology now!
And don't forget to join the Poetry Friday gathering over at Random Noodling.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Week 2
For Week 2, the theme is "More School" since most of us are still helping kids get into the rhythm of school life. Here's a taste from THIRD GRADE with an excerpt of the featured poem by up-and-coming poet Michele Krueger.
Recess
by Michele Krueger
Climbing, sliding,
laughing, skipping,
cherry-flavored
fruit juice sipping
....
walking, talking,
jump-rope turning,
‘til it’s time
to go back learning
This poem is FULL of great action words that describe a variety of recess and playground activities and is fun to perform-- with motions, too.
TAKE 5
1. Try pantomiming some of the action words in the poem while you read it aloud (climbing, skipping, throwing, catching, bouncing, hopping, running, walking, jumping, etc.).
2. Alert the students to all the action words in this poem (climbing, sliding, throwing, catching, etc.). Display the words of the poem and invite students to choose their most favorite action and chime in when that word appears.
3. Talk with students about their favorite recess and recreational activities.
4. Show how rhyming words help turn this “list” of action words into a poem. Ask students: What are the words that rhyme (skipping/sipping; smacking/snacking; singing/swinging/ turning/learning). Read the poem aloud again and pause before the final rhyming word in each pair and invite students to complete the rhyme.
5. Pair this poem with another “Recess” poem by Avis Harley (2nd Grade, Week 2) or with selections from Jack Prelutsky’s Good Sports.
Every single poem in this anthology of 200+ poems includes "Take 5" activities just like these to help you introduce and share the poem and tie in a quick skill focus. Stay tuned for more examples each week. And don't forget to join the Poetry Friday round up at Write. Sketch. Repeat.
Recess
by Michele Krueger
Climbing, sliding,
laughing, skipping,
cherry-flavored
fruit juice sipping
....
walking, talking,
jump-rope turning,
‘til it’s time
to go back learning
This poem is FULL of great action words that describe a variety of recess and playground activities and is fun to perform-- with motions, too.
And here are the Take 5 activities that accompany this poem:
TAKE 5
1. Try pantomiming some of the action words in the poem while you read it aloud (climbing, skipping, throwing, catching, bouncing, hopping, running, walking, jumping, etc.).
2. Alert the students to all the action words in this poem (climbing, sliding, throwing, catching, etc.). Display the words of the poem and invite students to choose their most favorite action and chime in when that word appears.
3. Talk with students about their favorite recess and recreational activities.
4. Show how rhyming words help turn this “list” of action words into a poem. Ask students: What are the words that rhyme (skipping/sipping; smacking/snacking; singing/swinging/ turning/learning). Read the poem aloud again and pause before the final rhyming word in each pair and invite students to complete the rhyme.
5. Pair this poem with another “Recess” poem by Avis Harley (2nd Grade, Week 2) or with selections from Jack Prelutsky’s Good Sports.
Every single poem in this anthology of 200+ poems includes "Take 5" activities just like these to help you introduce and share the poem and tie in a quick skill focus. Stay tuned for more examples each week. And don't forget to join the Poetry Friday round up at Write. Sketch. Repeat.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Poetry Friday Mini-Grants Available
Send us a paragraph proposal saying why you want to instigate Poetry Friday sharing in your school, library, or educational context, along with your name, affiliation, email, mailing address and paperback or e-book preference.
Twenty-five respondents will receive a Poetry Friday start up kit and become Poetry Friday Ambassadors. Send application information to: info at pomelobooks dot com.
Deadline: Oct. 1, 2012
Winners will be announced here, too.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Week 1: School-themed poetry
Here is a sample entry from The Poetry Friday Anthology to whet your appetite.
This is the first poem for SECOND GRADE (Week 1).
Here is the first of the five Take 5 activities that accompany this poem:
1. Arrange a quick visit to the library or bring a pile, bin, or cart of library books on a variety of topics. Show students your public library card and have applications available. Then read this poem aloud; slow down to enunciate each item in lines 5-16.
Take the walk
to the open door,
this is where you
find out more
about the stars,
oceans, quakes,
dragons, cars,
cheetahs, snakes,
unicorns, and
jumping beans,
horses, bugs,
and time machines.
From killer whales,
and free tail bats,
to hammer heads
and kitty cats,
the library has got a book.
Come on in,
take a look.
Learn how to cook
or write a poem.
Read it here
or take it home.
What do you want to learn about?
It’s free!
It’s here!
Check it out!
[Copyright Sara Holbrook, 2012; all rights reserved.]
2. Read the poem aloud again and invite students to read the last three lines in unison.
3. For discussion: What is your favorite book you’ve read (so far)?
4. Select one skill: Help students find the rhyming pairs of “words that sound alike.” Ask students: What are the words that rhyme? (These include: door/more; quakes/snakes; beans/machines; bats/cats; book/look/cook; poem/home; about/out.) Read the poem aloud again, but pause before the second word in each rhyming pair and wait for the students to chime in with the correct response (more, snakes, machines, cats, look, home, out).
5. Follow up with more poetry-- for example, look for another poem in The Poetry Friday Anthology-- “Poems are Out of this World!” by Charles Ghigna (Kindergarten, Week 29) or a poem from Please Bury Me in the Library by J. Patrick Lewis.
If you haven't purchased it yet, get your own copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology here.
This is the first poem for SECOND GRADE (Week 1).
Here is the first of the five Take 5 activities that accompany this poem:
1. Arrange a quick visit to the library or bring a pile, bin, or cart of library books on a variety of topics. Show students your public library card and have applications available. Then read this poem aloud; slow down to enunciate each item in lines 5-16.
The Library
by Sara HolbrookTake the walk
to the open door,
this is where you
find out more
about the stars,
oceans, quakes,
dragons, cars,
cheetahs, snakes,
unicorns, and
jumping beans,
horses, bugs,
and time machines.
From killer whales,
and free tail bats,
to hammer heads
and kitty cats,
the library has got a book.
Come on in,
take a look.
Learn how to cook
or write a poem.
Read it here
or take it home.
What do you want to learn about?
It’s free!
It’s here!
Check it out!
[Copyright Sara Holbrook, 2012; all rights reserved.]
Then follow up with these additional Take 5 activities.
2. Read the poem aloud again and invite students to read the last three lines in unison.
3. For discussion: What is your favorite book you’ve read (so far)?
4. Select one skill: Help students find the rhyming pairs of “words that sound alike.” Ask students: What are the words that rhyme? (These include: door/more; quakes/snakes; beans/machines; bats/cats; book/look/cook; poem/home; about/out.) Read the poem aloud again, but pause before the second word in each rhyming pair and wait for the students to chime in with the correct response (more, snakes, machines, cats, look, home, out).
5. Follow up with more poetry-- for example, look for another poem in The Poetry Friday Anthology-- “Poems are Out of this World!” by Charles Ghigna (Kindergarten, Week 29) or a poem from Please Bury Me in the Library by J. Patrick Lewis.
If you haven't purchased it yet, get your own copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology here.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Take 5
One of the most significant features of The Poetry Friday Anthology is the inclusion of standards-based mini-lessons for each poem at every grade level (K-5). We call that the "Take 5" component with five activities related to the poem. You're welcome to use some, all, or none of these activities, but they provide a starting place for presenting the poem and connecting with curriculum standards. The Take 5 components also follow a regular pattern: they include guidance on reading the poem aloud, a creative way to engage students in reading the poem chorally, a discussion prompt, a skill focus, and a link to another related poem or poetry book. In just five minutes, you can lead a poetry break that is enjoyable, meaningful, participatory, and skill-based.
TAKE 5
Tip #1: This tip pairs the poem with an easy suggestion for how to make the poem come alive as you read the poem aloud by pairing the poem with a prop, adding gestures or movement, trying out specific dramatic reading techniques, singing the poem to a certain tune, etc.
Tip #2: This tip suggests how to engage children in reading the poem aloud together with you. One example is echo reading, asking them to repeat certain words or lines after you. Note: when leading an echo reading, keep the pace moving so the echo reading won’t interrupt a poem to the point of distraction.
Tip #3: You’ll find a fun discussion prompt here, tailored to fit the poem. It’s usually an open-ended question with no single, correct answer. Encourage diversity in responses! Take a moment to hear what students think and invite them to share their thoughts and feelings.
Tip #4: Here we focus on one skill tied to the Common Core (or TEKS) standards. We designed this tip to connect the poem to a specific language arts or poetry skill or concept such as rhyme, repetition, rhythm, alliteration, and onomatopoeia. Also, this is where we point out poetry forms (cinquain, haiku, tanka, acrostic, diamante) as well as explain techniques such as personification and simile.
Tip #5: In this tip we share other related poem titles and poetry book titles that connect well with the featured poem, keeping the cycle of poetry sharing going.
Get your copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology now for Take 5 activities for 216 poems all year long!
TAKE 5
Tip #1: This tip pairs the poem with an easy suggestion for how to make the poem come alive as you read the poem aloud by pairing the poem with a prop, adding gestures or movement, trying out specific dramatic reading techniques, singing the poem to a certain tune, etc.
Tip #2: This tip suggests how to engage children in reading the poem aloud together with you. One example is echo reading, asking them to repeat certain words or lines after you. Note: when leading an echo reading, keep the pace moving so the echo reading won’t interrupt a poem to the point of distraction.
Tip #3: You’ll find a fun discussion prompt here, tailored to fit the poem. It’s usually an open-ended question with no single, correct answer. Encourage diversity in responses! Take a moment to hear what students think and invite them to share their thoughts and feelings.
Tip #4: Here we focus on one skill tied to the Common Core (or TEKS) standards. We designed this tip to connect the poem to a specific language arts or poetry skill or concept such as rhyme, repetition, rhythm, alliteration, and onomatopoeia. Also, this is where we point out poetry forms (cinquain, haiku, tanka, acrostic, diamante) as well as explain techniques such as personification and simile.
Tip #5: In this tip we share other related poem titles and poetry book titles that connect well with the featured poem, keeping the cycle of poetry sharing going.
Get your copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology now for Take 5 activities for 216 poems all year long!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
More on the Core
The Poetry Friday Anthology is unique for two main reasons:
1. It features a year's worth of new original poems for every grade level K-5, with a poem per week by a variety of poets writing for young people.
2. Every poem in every grade level is also paired with learning activities that are anchored in the Common Core standards (or TEKS standards in Texas).
What are the expectations outlined in the Common Core?
In sharing poetry with kindergartners, we capitalize on their developing knowledge of language, their joy in learning and playing with words, and their emerging understanding of how words should be spoken, spelled, read, and written. First we focus on enjoyment and understanding, then we guide students in recognizing and responding to poems. We can explore the rhythm of poetry as well as the power of rhyme and the sounds of words.
With first graders, we shift slightly to guide students in understanding how poets express feelings in poetry and appeal to the senses through language. We can also help them understand and identify the words and phrases poets use to communicate emotions and convey sensory experiences through poetry.
In second grade, we guide students in responding to the rhythm of poetry and recognizing how rhyme is used in poems. We can also explore how repetition and alliteration can help shape a poem and how meaning emerges.
In third grade we support students in responding to poetry in various forms, exploring narrative poems that tell stories, lyrical poems that explore questions and emotions, and humorous poems that make us groan or laugh. We help students understand how poets use lines and stanzas to build poems in distinctive ways.
In fourth grade, we also guide students in responding to poetry in various forms, articulating themes from key ideas and details in the poems. In sharing poetry aloud and in print, we can assist students in understanding how structural elements such as verse, rhythm, and meter help shape a poem.
Finally, in fifth grade, the emphasis is to help students respond to poetry in various forms, articulate themes from key ideas and details in the poems, and explain how the poem’s speaker reflects upon a topic and shapes it with a particular point of view. We can guide students in understanding word meanings and how figurative language such as metaphors and similes function in poetry. We can also discuss how structural elements such as stanzas and line breaks help shape a poem and how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a poem.
In a variety of meaningful and participatory ways, we can celebrate poetry while gently introducing and reinforcing key skills. (FYI: We also specify the TEKS standards in the TEKS edition of this book.)
The keys to remember are:
- A poem should first be enjoyed for its own sake;
- Presenting poems in participatory ways (in various choral strategies) gets your learner
"into the poem;” - The main idea is to help your learner see and hear the poetic elements after enjoying the poem through multiple readings—and to come through the "back door" to skills.
Get your copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology to use all year long-- now.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Why Friday?
Why does The Poetry Friday Anthology focus on Friday?
In 2006 blogger Kelly Herold brought Poetry Friday to the “kidlitosphere.” Much like “casual Friday” in the corporate world, there is a perception in the world of literature that on Fridays we should relax a bit and take a moment for something special.
Why not bring the Poetry Friday concept into your classroom and take five minutes every Friday to share a poem and explore it a bit, connecting it with children’s lives and capitalizing on a teachable moment? Pausing to share a poem—and reinforce a language skill—on Poetry Friday is an easy way to infuse poetry into your current teaching practice.
On Poetry Friday you can find blog posts that include original poems, book reviews, song lyrics, poetry curriculum tips, and more. Each Friday a different blogger volunteers to gather and host a list of poetry posts from participating blogs. We'll try to note who is hosting Poetry Friday here, too.
Yes, of course you can share poetry on other days of the week too—and we hope that you will! But for those who are not already teaching poetry regularly, planning for Poetry Friday makes poetry sharing intentional and not incidental. And once you have celebrated a month of Poetry Fridays, we promise that students will be clamoring for it.
Get your own copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology now-- and tell a colleague about it and about pausing to celebrate Poetry Fridays.
In 2006 blogger Kelly Herold brought Poetry Friday to the “kidlitosphere.” Much like “casual Friday” in the corporate world, there is a perception in the world of literature that on Fridays we should relax a bit and take a moment for something special.
Why not bring the Poetry Friday concept into your classroom and take five minutes every Friday to share a poem and explore it a bit, connecting it with children’s lives and capitalizing on a teachable moment? Pausing to share a poem—and reinforce a language skill—on Poetry Friday is an easy way to infuse poetry into your current teaching practice.
On Poetry Friday you can find blog posts that include original poems, book reviews, song lyrics, poetry curriculum tips, and more. Each Friday a different blogger volunteers to gather and host a list of poetry posts from participating blogs. We'll try to note who is hosting Poetry Friday here, too.
Yes, of course you can share poetry on other days of the week too—and we hope that you will! But for those who are not already teaching poetry regularly, planning for Poetry Friday makes poetry sharing intentional and not incidental. And once you have celebrated a month of Poetry Fridays, we promise that students will be clamoring for it.
Get your own copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology now-- and tell a colleague about it and about pausing to celebrate Poetry Fridays.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Available now: THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY
Coming just in time for the 2012-2013 school year, The Poetry Friday Anthology edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong is available now. It's a new anthology of original poems for children in kindergarten through fifth grade by 75 popular poets including J. Patrick Lewis, Jack Prelutsky, Jane Yolen, Margarita Engle, X. J. Kennedy, Kathi Appelt, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Georgia Heard and Nikki Grimes and many more. [See the complete list of poets in the sidebar on the right.]
The book includes a poem a week for the whole school year (K-5) with curriculum connections provided for each poem, each week, each grade level. Just five minutes every “Poetry Friday” will reinforce key skills in reading and language arts such as rhyme, repetition, rhythm, alliteration, etc.
That's a poem a week every week from August through May!
The new Common Core Standards provide a framework that informs instruction and include a component focused on teaching children about poetry. That provides a central focus for this book. This book is first and foremost a quality anthology of original poetry for children written by 75 of today’s most popular poets. Children in any state (or country) can enjoy, explore, and respond to these poems. However, we have also come to realize that educators, librarians, and parents are looking for guidance in how to share poetry with children and teach the skills within the curriculum as well. Thus, this book offers both. Quality poetry plus curriculum-based suggestions for helping children enjoy and understand poetry more deeply.
Explore a poem, connect it with children's lives and capitalize on a teachable moment. Pausing to share a poem—and reinforce a language skill— for five minutes on Poetry Friday (or any other day) is a simple and effective way to infuse poetry into your current teaching practice or routine.
Get your copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology and start the year off with a poem every Friday. Get it here now!
The book includes a poem a week for the whole school year (K-5) with curriculum connections provided for each poem, each week, each grade level. Just five minutes every “Poetry Friday” will reinforce key skills in reading and language arts such as rhyme, repetition, rhythm, alliteration, etc.
- 36 original poems for Kindergarten (with mini-lessons for each poem)
- 36 original poems for First Grade (with mini-lessons for each poem)
- 36 original poems for Second Grade (with mini-lessons for each poem)
- 36 original poems for Third Grade (with mini-lessons for each poem)
- 36 original poems for Fourth Grade (with mini-lessons for each poem)
- 36 original poems for Fifth Grade (with mini-lessons for each poem)
That's a poem a week every week from August through May!
For teachers, parents, and librarians who live in TEXAS, the learning activities for each poem are tied to the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) curriculum standards. For all the states that have adopted the Common Core standards, we offer tie-in activities with the poetry standards identified in the Common Core.
The new Common Core Standards provide a framework that informs instruction and include a component focused on teaching children about poetry. That provides a central focus for this book. This book is first and foremost a quality anthology of original poetry for children written by 75 of today’s most popular poets. Children in any state (or country) can enjoy, explore, and respond to these poems. However, we have also come to realize that educators, librarians, and parents are looking for guidance in how to share poetry with children and teach the skills within the curriculum as well. Thus, this book offers both. Quality poetry plus curriculum-based suggestions for helping children enjoy and understand poetry more deeply.
Explore a poem, connect it with children's lives and capitalize on a teachable moment. Pausing to share a poem—and reinforce a language skill— for five minutes on Poetry Friday (or any other day) is a simple and effective way to infuse poetry into your current teaching practice or routine.
Get your copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology and start the year off with a poem every Friday. Get it here now!
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