Douglas Florian-Poetry Break

Introduction:
This poem would make a great introduction to a science unit on seeds. Before you read aloud- have a variety of seeds placed on the different table groups.

Spring Seeds
By: Douglas Florian

Spring Seeds

We tilled the earth,

Took out the weeds,

Then in the soil

Planted seeds:

Pumpkin,

Parsely,

Carrot,

Pea,

Spring succeeds ex-seed-ing-ly.

Extension: Let the students pick out a seed and draw an illustration of what their seed will turn into and how watching something grows makes them feel.

from Handsprings by Doulas Florian, Greenwillow Books, 2006.

Multicultural Poetry Review

Poems to Dream Together
by: Franciso X. Alarcon

This collection of bilingual poetry is based on childhood dreams of having a better life and the pure innocence of dreaming big. Alarcon takes readers on a journey that celebrates family, future, and magical encounters.

Alarcon intertwines dreams through the eyes of a young Latino boy. Who shares his dreams both awake and while sleeping. He shares with readers simple ideas in a poem titled Questions real questions/have no answers/ just more questions. Alarcon points out the importance of supporting a family’s dream, in the poem titled Family Garden where the phrase – all in our family/ take time to tend/ each other’s dreams.

This culturally, rich book pays honor to past migrant workers that have enabled our country to prosper. In Blessed Hands he shows his appreciation, without the hands/ of farmworkers/ who in long days/ of hard labor.

The author’s free verse poetry has a catchy appeal in both Spanish and English text. Alarcon presents his poetry with the absence of capital letters and punctuation. He leaves his readers expressing his desire for a bright future , in Dreaming together- a dream/ we dream/ alone/ reality/ we dream/ together.

Paula Barragan has beautifully illustrated the pages with vibrant pictures that literally jump off the pages. Her collages bring dreams to life for the readers. Her colors dance with the cultural authenticity.

Teachers will love to have this bilingual resource to share with their students

Alarcon, Francsio X . Poems to Dream Together. ill. by Paula Barragan. New York, NY. Lee & Low Books 2005.

NCTE Poet -

Introduction:
This poem would be a great poem to introduce a unit on animal adaptations. It would be neat to have pictures of different types of mystery animal teeth posted around the room. You could let the children guess all week about what animal they think the teeth belong to.

About the Teeth of Sharks
By: John Ciardi

The thing about a shark is-teeth,
One row above, one row beneath.

Now take a close look. Do you find
It has another row behind?

Still closer-here, I’ll hold your hat:
Has it a third row behind that?

Now look in and ….Look Out! Oh my,
I’ll never know now! Well, goodbye.

Extension-
Have the children research to find out if sharks have a third row and have them add a new ending to the poem.

From Poetry Speaks to Children by John Ciardi, Sourcebooks, 2005.

Hopkin's Anthology Review

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 1997. Marvelous Math : A book of poems. Illustrated By Karen Barbour. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0689806582.




Marvelous Math
A Book of Poems


Selected By Lee Bennett Hopkins
Illustrated By: Karen Barbour

Hopkins has compiled collection sixteen Math related poems. He presents these math poems with the help other writers such as; Janet Wong, Karla Kuskin, and Lee Bennett Hopkins. He shares a range of math poetry along with vibrant pictures over thirty-one pages.

He presents poetry in playful manner expressing the world’s connection to Math. He shares with readers that we can’t live without Math in the Poem titled Take a Number – Imagine a world /Without mathematics:/ No rulers or scales/ No inches or feet/ No dates or numbers/ On house or street. While he also commiserates with the difficulties math presents students in a poem “SOS: /Sammy’s head is pounding/ Sammy’s in pain/ A long division’s got / Stuck in his brain/.

Writers demonstrate different writing styles using both rhyming and free verse in variety of peoms. In Near the Window, student can pick up on the rhyming style, Is six times one a lot of fun?/ Or eight times two?/ Perhaps you./ Unhinges me/ . The poems are visually displayed on two page spreads.

Barbour is equally playful with her bright, vivid, watercolors as the poetry is. The children will love to examine each and every picture looking for a math connection, as well, as enjoying the illustrations alone.

Educators will enjoy having a specialized content anthology of poetry focusing on Math. The integration of math with language arts will excite any teacher.

School Poetry Break

Introduction: This poem is written from the perspective of the "class pet" about the giants that roam in his habitat.

This poem would be a great opportunity to get the students excited if they have a "class pet". You could have a hand scrawled note attached to their cage and get the kids all excited reading a poem from the class "hammy".



Giant Children

Psst! Listen very closely,
There's something you should know.
It's all about a giant school
Where giant children go.

Pages turn at giant speed
As giant children learn to read.
And giant brains are rally quick
When working with arithmetic.

They pound the beat on giant drums
And finger paint with giant thumbs,

Sing giant songs with giant lips
And boogie-dnace with giant hips,

Giant shoes on giant feet
And gaint giggles when they meet.
I watch them hour after hour,
Giant kids with giant power.

I'm just the classroom hamster
But I promise you it's true-
This is the school where giants go,
And the giant kids are You!

Bagert, Brod.(2002). Giant Children. New York, NY : Dail Publishing for Young Readers

Extension: You could encourage this natural excitement of writing back to the class pet. This could be an honor that each child could have each week.

African American Poetry Choice

African American Poetry Break

“Honey, I Love” by Eloise Greenfield from Honey, I Love and Other Love Poems by Eloise Greenfield , pictures by Diane and Leo Dillon, from Harper Collins Publishers, New York, NY. 1978.


Introduction: This poem is about all the things a little girl loves. She recounts all the special memories and people in her life.

Ask the children, What do you think Love Is? Start reading the responses of 8 year old children that have been asked what they think love is. Example: Love is…when my mom saves the last biscuit for Daddy because she knows their his favorite.

Honey , I Love

I love
I love a lot of things, a whole lot of things
Like

My cousin comes to visit and you know he’s from the South
Cause every word he says just kinda of slides out of his mouth
I like the way he whistles and I like the way he walks
But honey, Iet me tell you that I LOVE the way he talks
I love the way my cousin talks
And
The day is hot and sticky and the sun sticks to my skin
Mr. Davis turns the hose on, everybody jumps right in
The water stings my stomach and I feel so nice and cool
Honey, let me tell you that I LOVE a flying pool
I love to feel a flying pool
And
Renee comes out to play and brings her doll without a dress
I make a dress with paper and that doll sure looks a mess
We laugh so loud and long and hard the doll falls to the ground
Honey, let me tell you that I LOVE the laughing sound
I love to make the laughing sound
And
My uncle’s care is crowded and there’s lots of food to eat
We’re going down the country where the church folks like to meet
I’m looking out the window at the cows and trees outside
Honey , let me tell you that I LOVE to take a ride
I love to take a family ride
And
My mama’s one the sofa sewing buttons on my coat
I go and sit beside her, I’m through playing with my boat
Honey, let me tell you that I LOVE my mama’s arm

And
It’s not so late at night, but still I’m lying in my bed
I guess I need my rest, at least that’s what my mama said
She told me not to cry ‘cause she don’t want to hear a peep
Honey, let me tell you I DON’T love to go to sleep
I do not love to go to sleep

But I love
I love a lot of things, a whole lot of things
And honey
I love you, too.

Extension:
Have children create their own Honey, I Love poems. If you have the children look at her poem than can find many patterns that 3-5th graders can manage. Have them come up with a list of five things they love and one thing they don't enjoy. You them have them go back and add in details about each of their loves. The poem unfolds beautifully.