Recently I was directed to Amy Ludwig VanDerwater's new blog, The Poem Farm. Amy's poetry, photos, and insights are inspiring. You'll find yourself filled with ideas for making poetry come alive in your classroom, as well as your fingers itching to write a poem. Hop on over and visit The Poem Farm soon.
Category: poetry
You Be the Poet!
My husband and I spent last week visiting our families in the NY Metropolitan Area. When we returned to our home in Central Pennsylvania, we were greeted by bursts of yellow on our street. The forsythia bushes had bloomed while we were gone. In the past five days, I've noticed April springing into action with… Continue reading You Be the Poet!
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Teach Students How to Grow Theories About Poems (During National Poetry Month & All Year Long)
Just as I have to think about how I can mentor myself after poets when I want to write vivid poems, I encourage children to make reading-writing connections with the poems they encounter. Young poets can be taught how to develop theories, or hunches, about what they’re noticing poets do in poems they admire. Teaching… Continue reading Teach Students How to Grow Theories About Poems (During National Poetry Month & All Year Long)
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Topic Choice Mentors
Sometimes, when we offer students choice during a poetry unit of study, they get come up empty. One topic that all kids have something to say about is school. Whether they love it or hate it, enjoy writing or shy away from it, all children have opinions and unique experiences about school. Reading, Rhyming, and… Continue reading Topic Choice Mentors
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Color & Poetry
Color poems are popular things to have students craft, especially in elementary school Writing Workshops. There are many books that provide examples of color poems for young writers to emulate. Some are fantastic, allowing readers to think about colors in new ways, and some are mediocre, at best. I was fortunate to be one of… Continue reading Color & Poetry
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Fresh Poetry Links
I've taken class trips for the sole purpose of having students write poetry. My students have written poems atop the Prudential Center in Boston, from the Top of the Rock, next to the animals at the Bronx Zoo, and in the lush gardens at the NY Botanical Garden. I've urged students to take their notebooks… Continue reading Fresh Poetry Links
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A Fuzzy Poetic Mentor Text
Last week I wrote about a book with very different types of acrostic poems, after which students can mentor themselves. Since National Poetry Month is rapidly approaching, I thought I'd stick with poetry for the next few Thursdays. Ever since I learned about Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, UT, I've been hooked on stories… Continue reading A Fuzzy Poetic Mentor Text
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Writing Different Kinds of Acrostic Poetry
I had the pleasure of being part of the round two judges for the 2009 Cybils Poetry Panel. I really enjoyed all five of the books we had to judge, including the winner. One of the books that made it to the final round was called African Acrostics: A Word in Edgeways with poems written… Continue reading Writing Different Kinds of Acrostic Poetry
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Snow Day Poetry Activity
Schools from Indiana to Pennsylvania (and beyond) are closed today. While I'm spending time working on the book we're writing, I've also spent close to a half hour on Facebook. As a result, I've noticed a lot of people are feeling trapped indoors with their kids because the wind gusts are pretty strong. Sledding doesn't… Continue reading Snow Day Poetry Activity
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A Daily Dose of Poetry
I recently learned about Jane Jaudon Ferrer's site called Your Daily Poem, which posts a new poem by an accomplished poet daily. The site mixes classic and contemporary poetry and includes a great archive. If you're looking for some poetic inspiration, then hop on over to Your Daily Poem and subscribe to receive a new… Continue reading A Daily Dose of Poetry
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Poetry Party
Sylvia Vardell chaired "Poetry Party! Celebrating 2009 NCTE Poetry Award Recipient Lee Bennett Hopkins," which Ruth blogged a little bit about on Friday. This was by far the most fun I've ever had at an NCTE Session since it was complete with food, party favors, and distinguished children's poets who all read original poetry paying… Continue reading Poetry Party
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Cybils 2009
Voting for the Cybils starts today! Be sure to cast a vote for your favorite new books of 2009. Nominations are open from October 1st – 15th, 2009. At that point, the first round of judging will begin. (I’m delighted to be part of the second round of judging for Poetry this year, along with… Continue reading Cybils 2009
