Jenny Maehara believes poems are wonderful as a launching point for writing because students can write many poems in a unit and feel like prolific writers from the start. Find out how students can learn the habits of writers and the routines of writing workshop while crafting meaningful pieces using a balance of different details and thoughtful structure in Jenny's guest blog post.
Category: poetry
Where is Poetry? It’s Everywhere! {Guest Post by Betsy Hubbard}
I'm happy to host Betsy Hubbard today with some of her thoughts about poetry. During one of my first memorable experiences with poetry I was asked to memorize a poem of my own choosing. MY CHOICE? What poems did I even know…I knew no poets. I went home anxious. When I told my mom she… Continue reading Where is Poetry? It’s Everywhere! {Guest Post by Betsy Hubbard}
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I hope you’ll join CHALK-A-BRATION
On the last day of each month, Betsy hosts CHALK-A-BRATION. This is a celebration of chalk art and poetry. If you want to play (and I hope you do), the deal is simple: Write a poem with chalk on a sidewalk or street or driveway. Take a photo and post it online. Share it with… Continue reading I hope you’ll join CHALK-A-BRATION
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Throwback Thursday: Poetry
Browse our past posts about poetry instruction in the classroom. Also, get a few ideas for crafting some of your own poems.
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Behind the Scenes of I Haiku You + a Giveaway
Betsy Snyder shares a behind-the-scenes process for writing and illustrating I Haiku You, her newest picture book published by Random House. Read through her post and then leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of this book.
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Talking Poetry with Lynne and Rose + a Giveaway
Poetry Mentor Texts: Making Reading and Writing Connections, K-8 is the latest gem from Lynne Dorfman and Rose Cappelli. Not only does their book help you hone your poetry workshop instruction using mentor texts, but it also provides suggestions with ways to infuse poetry throughout the school day. Just like their previous books, Poetry Mentor… Continue reading Talking Poetry with Lynne and Rose + a Giveaway
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The Intersection of Poetry and Informational Writing + a Giveaway
When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders can be used as a mentor text to help students craft poems, instead of biographies or informational reports, about people they read about and research.
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Crafting a Tribute Poem
Did you read Katherine Sokolowski's Slice of Life post this past Tuesday? She crafted a poem that was a tribute to a dear family-friend, Vel, who passed away. Crafting the poem was a way for Katherine to practice what she preached, by writing beside her students during independent writing time. The poem she wrote was… Continue reading Crafting a Tribute Poem
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Wish Poems
“Poetry breaks through the skin of suffering in which children are often imprisoned: silent, confused, and scared. A child’s poetry is an intimate, trusting gift to her parent or to anyone who wishes to ‘read’ her heart.” --Alice Walker (Cited in Heard, 1999, 3) Last week I led a poetry exploration with my students. First,… Continue reading Wish Poems
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Mentor Texts and Journal Articles and Professional Books… Oh My!
A BIG thank you to the people who graciously responded to the post I wrote in March when I was compiling the book list for the graduate course I'm teaching. The titles you suggested were great additions to the rough draft of the book list I had compiled. Unfortunately, some of the books were not… Continue reading Mentor Texts and Journal Articles and Professional Books… Oh My!
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Wow. Just Wow.
Awhile ago I was a 7th grade language arts teacher. My last year in the classroom I had one of the coolest classes that may have ever been compiled. It was the last block of the day. There were 22 of them, and they all came from very different walks of life. Outside of the… Continue reading Wow. Just Wow.
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Talking with Taylor Mali + a Giveaway
On a tough day in the classroom, all of us have turned to Taylor Mali's poem "What Teachers Make" for some solace. Last month Taylor published a book, What Teachers Make: In Praise of the Greatest Job in the World, which is the kind of book you want to have around when a tough day… Continue reading Talking with Taylor Mali + a Giveaway
