Poetry at NSTA

March 30, 2017, 9:29 pm

Janet (Wong) and I are in Los Angeles for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) conference all set to share POETRY with this gigantic group of science teachers. This is our third or fourth time to join an NSTA conference and we’re always so pleased about how open they are to infusing poetry into the science curriculum. After our first NSTA conference, the editor of SCIENCE AND CHILDREN invited us to submit an article which resulted in this article HERE. We really tried to make the case for how many wonderful works of poetry lent themselves to the teaching of science.

The next conference led to a spot on the Science Friday radio program. So cool! Poetry Friday meets Science Friday! Then we scored a monthly “Poetry of Science” column in SCIENCE AND CHILDREN. Here's just one recent example:

I share this not to brag, but to highlight how science folks are actively seeking ways to connect science content and promote literacy too. So cool! (I find it harder to convince reading and language arts teachers to share science-focused poetry than it is to get science teachers to consider sharing poetry! What?)

Here are a few highlights of our upcoming presentation at NSTA. We’re particularly connecting with the very popular Picture-Perfect series by Emily Morgan and Karen Ansberrythat suggests using picture books as anchors for science lessons—and we’re adding poetry to that mix! Science-focused picture books + science-focused poetry!

Here's on example from ONE of the first three books in the series, More Picture-Perfect Science Lessons:

This sample lesson focuses on the human heart and how it works and what things affect it. The educational objective for their lesson is:

The pair of science-focused picture books that Ansberry and Morgan selected for this topic are:

What poetry book might you connect with this topic and with these particular picture books?

And what poem from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science might extend this lesson even further?

Ansberry and Morgan also just launched two new books in this Picture-Perfect series with a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics):

STEM topics in these two books include:

Poetry to match with some of those science topics might include:

Finally, my Book Links article for April suggests poetry to match with their selections of science picture books in each of the Picture-Perfect resource books. You’ll find that HERE.

That's just a sampling of what we shared. The main point is: if you're using picture books with a science focus for a science lesson, why not include a science poem (or poetry book) to extend the lesson even further? Start or end the lesson with a poem. Or offer another way of viewing a science topic through the eyes of a poet!

Now go see what Amy Ludwig VanDerwater has in store for us this Poetry Friday over at the Poem Farm.

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Learning from students: I am

March 31, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Number poems

≪ Previous: Poetry at NSTA

To paraphrase an ancient proverb, I like to think that the students of my students are also my teacher! I learn from them—as well as from my own students. And this April, my graduate students who are teachers and librarians are trying poetry activities with their students and allowing me to share them here so we can all see what kids are thinking and writing and sharing. In a nutshell, they tried the interactive activities in the Poetry Friday Power Books, You Just Wait and Here We Go and I'll be featuring their work with students all month long in celebration of National Poetry Month.

First, we focus on You Just Wait,a Poetry Friday Power Book for tweens and teens, features 12 PowerPack sets that combine: 1) a diverse outside poem from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Middle School; 2) a new original response poem and mentor text by Janet Wong; 3) a PowerPlay prewriting activity; and 4) a Power2You writing prompt. We're also so pleased that You Just Wait was selected as a NCTE Poetry Notable book.

The twelve poems from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Middle School (also an NCTE Poetry Notable) were written by Robyn Hood Black, Joseph Bruchac, Jen Bryant, Margarita Engle, Julie Larios, Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, Charles Ghigna, Avis Harley, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, Charles Waters, and Virginia Euwer Wolff.

The way they are joined together here with twenty-four new poems by Janet Wong, they form a story featuring Paz, an Asian-Latina soccer player with dreams of stardom in college, the Olympics, and ultimately the World Cup; Lucesita, her feisty movie-loving cousin; and Joe, an older brother with dreams of the NBA.

What follows is a sample poem from PowerPack #1 along with one student’s responses in the interactive PowerPlay and Power2You activities. Thank you, Erica, and thank your students too. First, a student checked the boxes that described her in this PowerPlay activity that starts the PowerPack.

Then, Erica shared this digital graphic she created for the mentor text poem, "I am" by Janet Wong.

Then, a student responded to this text with a poem of her own.

See how this girl shares a bit of herself in her poem and in her colorful, graphic creation of her poem? She"loves to play in the rain even when there's thunder" and "is proud to be Tongan." All in rainbow colors. Lovely!

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Learning from students: Number poems

April 2, 2017, 6:59 am

≫ Next: Learning from students: Cinquains

≪ Previous: Learning from students: I am

Here's the second installment in my series on learning through my students and THEIR students.

Here, Karis uses YOU JUST WAIT with young Hayden who experiments with writing a "phone number" poem. In this form, you write a phone number vertically with each number starting the line of the poem. Then, each line of your poem has as many words as that number. For example, 4 would have 4 words, 7 would have 7 words, and so on, all presented vertically like an acrostic poem.

First, my student, Karis, created a visual image for the mentor text poem by Janet Wong:

Then, Karis's student, Hayden, created a phone number poem:

My dog is
named Cooper
He barks at my Mom
and at
Dad.
He thinks
he
is the best guard dog.
But he is not always brave.
When the phone rings, he runs and hides.

Sometimes the form or structure of the poem (number limits per line) pushes us to choose each word carefully while still building the story we want to tell or moment we want to share. Hayden communicated quite a bit about her dog, Cooper, in just 35 words!

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Learning from students: Cinquains

April 3, 2017, 10:55 am

≫ Next: Learning from students: Dracula

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Number poems

Here's the next installment in my series featuring my students sharing poetry with THEIR students.

Here, Charlotte focuses on PowerPack 4 of YOU JUST WAIT and shares the mentor poem she used and her students' writing efforts in response to that mentor text. Plus, she includes related poetry books that offer additional resources for student writers.

First, here's the poem by Janet Wong, "Any Tongue," and the digital picture postcard that Charlotte made to accompany the poem:

Next, here are response poems by two different students as they think about Janet's "Any Tongue" poem.

Texas
A wonderful
place for great burritos
and an awesome place for tacos
Yummy!

Donuts
Sweet and yummy
Everywhere there's donuts
Sparkles, icing, different flavors
Donuts!

And finally, Charlotte recommended these additional poetry books, so that students could have more examples of poetry about food and about place.

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Learning from students: Dracula

April 3, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Pause for a poetry Twitterchat

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Cinquains

Here's another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

We're looking at how they interacted with You Just Wait: A Poetry Friday Power Book using each PowerPack to see how young writers responded.

Here, Adriana got the students involved in the PowerPlay prewriting exercise for PowerPack 5 of You Just Wait with amusing results.

Then she also created fun digital poem postcards for the poems. Here's one she made for "Dracula" by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand.

Finally, she gathered some other collections of "monster" poetry that students would enjoy as they explored this topic.

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Pause for a poetry Twitterchat

April 4, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Concretely

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Dracula

If you're on Twitter or want to try Twitter, First Book is holding a Twitter Chat tomorrow, Thursday, April 6 at 6pm (Central) focused on how poetry can help build a sense of community. There will be several poets participating including Alma Flor Ada, Joseph Bruchac, Nancy Bo Flood, Isabel Campoy, Irene Latham, Charles Waters, and Janet Wong. It can be a fun way to hear from a lot of different people in a very short time (and in short nuggets of info too), so come join us if you're so inclined. Just be sure to look for and use #FirstBookChat in all your tweets. See you online!

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Learning from students: Concretely

April 5, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: School Library Month

≪ Previous: Pause for a poetry Twitterchat

Here's another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

We're looking at how they interacted with You Just Wait: A Poetry Friday Power Book using each PowerPack to see how young writers responded.

Here, Lauren got the students involved in PowerPack 6 of You Just Wait and I love what she did with it.

First, here are all the components of PowerPack 6 in her opening slide:

Next, she tried the PowerPlay activity with students. The student described what the inkblot looked like and then created a new inkblot and described what that represented. Here:

Then Lauren created original digital poem postcards for each of the three poems in PowerPack 6. First, here is her slide for the "anchor" poem by Joseph Bruchac:

Then, she created a digital postcard for the response poem by Janet Wong:

She created another digital postcard for the mentor text poem (also by Janet Wong):

Then, she shared the response poem the student wrote in relation to the mentor text poem-- in the shape of a donut!

I think it's a pretty great poem by the student (a concrete poem WITH rhyme!) AND a fun, visual interpretation of it in the slide MY student, Lauren, created.

Finally, Lauren also recommended another book of concrete poetry that students might enjoy in her resources slide:

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School Library Month

April 6, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Acrostic poems

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Concretely

April is National Poetry Month, of course, but it's also time to celebrate LIBRARIES with both School Library Month and National Library Week, April 9-15, 2017. So what better way to combine all these than with a poem about the library? Here's one of my favorites:

It's from The Poetry Friday Anthology (K-5), so it has a Take 5 mini-lesson to accompany the poem (just like ALL the poems in the book). Here are those steps:

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.

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. 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. Look for “Poems Are Out of This World!” by Charles Ghigna (page 55), or a poem from Please Bury Me in the Library by J. Patrick Lewis.

And you can find more poems about libraries (and reading, books, and school) in The Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations.

Even More Poems about Libraries

Poets have been writing about the power of reading, libraries, and books for generations. With a focus on books and reading, these poems are the perfect way to open up a storytime, lesson, or read aloud session. In fact, a favorite book-related poem can become the ritual that gathers the children together, brings a lesson to closure, or welcomes parents and adults. Here is just a sampling of selections from The Poetry Teacher's Book of Lists.

Bagert, Brod. 1999. Rainbows, Head Lice and Pea-Green Tile; Poems in the Voice of the Classroom Teacher. Gainesville, FL: Maupin House.

Dakos, Kalli. 2003. Put Your Eyes Up Here: And Other School Poems. New York: Simon & Schuster.

George, Kristine O’Connell. 2002. Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems. New York: Clarion Books.

Glenn, Mel. 2000. Split Image. New York: HarperCollins.

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Ed. 2004. Wonderful Words: Poems about Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Ed. 2011. I am the Book. Holiday House.

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Ed. 1990. Good Books, Good Times! New York: HarperTrophy.

Lewis, J. Patrick. 1999. The Bookworm's Feast: A Potluck of Poems. New York: Dial.

Pearson, Deborah. Ed. When I Went to the Library. Toronto: Groundwood Books.

Prelutsky, Jack. 2006. What a Day It Was at School! New York: Greenwillow.

Rich, Mary Perrotta. Ed. 1998. Book Poems: Poems from National Children’s Book Week, 1959-1998. New York: Children’s Book Council.

Salas, Laura Purdie. 2011. BookSpeak!. Ill. by Josee Bisaillon. Clarion.

Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn. 2009. Steady Hands: Poems About Work. New York: Clarion.

And for a list of poems about libraries:

Vardell, Sylvia M. (2006). A place for poetry: Celebrating the library in poetry. Children and Libraries. 4, (2), 35-41 and Vardell, S. M. (2007). Everyday poetry: Celebrating Children’s Book Week with book-themed poetry. Book Links. 17, (2), 14-15.

Now the lovely Irene Latham is gathering our Poetry Friday posts, so don't miss her blog post today HERE.

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Learning from students: Acrostic poems

April 7, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Sequencing

≪ Previous: School Library Month

Here's another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

We're looking at how they interacted with You Just Wait: A Poetry Friday Power Book using each PowerPack to see how young writers responded.

Here, Lauren S. got the students involved in PowerPack 7 of You Just Wait and I think you'll enjoy what she did with it.

Lauren created original digital poem postcards for both of the response poems by Janet Wong in PowerPack 7.

Then, she shared the response poems (acrostic poems) the students wrote in relation to the mentor text poems.

Finally, Lauren also recommended additional books of acrostic poetry that students might enjoy in her final resources slide:

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Learning from students: Sequencing

April 8, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Found poetry

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Acrostic poems

Here's another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

We're looking at how they interacted with You Just Wait: A Poetry Friday Power Book using each PowerPack to see how young writers responded.

Here, Heather did all the activities herself in PowerPack 8!

First, she created an original digital poem postcard for the "anchor" poem by Charles Ghigna:

Then, she created a digital postcard for one of the response poems by Janet Wong:

Then, she shared the response poem SHE wrote in relation to the mentor text poem.

Heather also recommended other school-themed books of poetry that students might enjoy in her final resources slide:

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Learning from students: Found poetry

April 9, 2017, 11:30 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Internal rhyme

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Sequencing

Here's another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

We're looking at how they interacted with You Just Wait: A Poetry Friday Power Book using each PowerPack to see how young writers responded.

Here, Gena got the students involved in PowerPack 9 of You Just Wait and they had fun with "found" poetry.

First, she tried the PowerPlay activity with students-- making paper airplanes since the anchor poem references making paper airplanes in English class.

Then Gena created an original digital poem postcard for the "anchor" poem by Virginia Euwer Wolff:

Then, she created a digital postcard for one of the response poems by Janet Wong:

Then, she shared the response (found) poems the students wrote in relation to the mentor text poem.

Finally, Gena also recommended additional resource books on found poetry and on flight.

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Learning from students: Internal rhyme

April 10, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Odes

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Found poetry

Here's another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

We're looking at how they interacted with You Just Wait: A Poetry Friday Power Book using each PowerPack to see how young writers responded.

Here, Beatriz got the students involved in PowerPack 10 of You Just Wait.

First, she tried the PowerPlay activity with students. The student considered the "PROS" and "CONS" of being new. Here:

Then Beatriz created original digital poem postcards for each of the three poems in PowerPack 10. Here's one for a response poem by Janet Wong:

Then, she shared the response poem the student wrote experimenting with rhyme in nontraditional ways:

Finally, Beatriz also recommended additional books of sports-themed poetry that students might enjoy in her resources slide:

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Learning from students: Odes

April 11, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Family

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Internal rhyme

Here's another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

We're looking at how they interacted with You Just Wait: A Poetry Friday Power Book using each PowerPack to see how young writers responded.

Here, Joy tried doing the activities in PowerPack 11 of You Just Wait herself!

First, she tried the PowerPlay activity using sketch noting:

Then Joy created original digital poem postcards for each of the three poems in PowerPack 11. First, here is her slide for the "anchor" poem by Jen Bryant:

Then, she created a digital postcard for the response poem by Janet Wong:

She created another digital postcard for the mentor text poem (also by Janet Wong):

Then, she shared the response poem she wrote in relation to the mentor text poem-- a ode!

Finally, Joy also recommended more books of sports poetry and fun websites that students might enjoy in her resources slide:

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Learning from students: Family

April 12, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: 13th annual TLA Poetry Round Up

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Odes

Here's another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

We're looking at how they interacted with You Just Wait: A Poetry Friday Power Book using each PowerPack to see how young writers responded. Here's the final PowerPack in this book.

Linda tried the activities in PowerPack 12 of You Just Wait herself!

First, Linda tried the PowerPlay creating a kind of family tree and looking at linked relationships.

Then Linda created original digital poem postcards for each of the three poems in PowerPack 6. First, here is her slide for the "anchor" poem by Charles Waters:

Then, she created digital postcards for each of the response poems by Janet Wong. Here's my favorite:

Then, she shared the response poem she wrote in relation to the mentor text poem. Readers are encouraged to experiment with any poem form or poetic device. Linda tried haiku!

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13th annual TLA Poetry Round Up

April 13, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Repetition

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Family

It's time again for the annual conference of the Texas Library Association-- one of my favorite events of the year! We're gathering in San Antonio, some come join us, if you're in the neighborhood!

I'll be hosting the 13th Annual Poetry Round Up featuring a wonderful line up of poets:

We'll be collaborating to perform excerpts from their works in a readers' theater approach with audience participation. (Let me know if you want to volunteer!)

And here is a list of works by these wonderful poets, FYI:

Janet (Wong) and I will also be presenting on Friday morning-- along with author and friend, Shirley Duke. Our topic is: Building Blocks of Language Learning (bright and early at 8:30-9:30am). What role does the librarian play in building readers? This session focuses on using a rich poetry toolbox that supports ELAR and ELL TEKS to acquire language skills. Learn to teach educators to celebrate language with humor and meaning. I hope to share more about this session next week.

Meanwhile, it's Poetry Friday, so head on over to Dori Reads where the lovely poet Doraine Bennett is wrangling all our posts!

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Learning from students: Repetition

April 14, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Similes

≪ Previous: 13th annual TLA Poetry Round Up

Here comes another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

Now we're switching gears and looking at how my students and their students interacted with Here We Go: A Poetry Friday Power Book using each PowerPack to see how young writers responded.

Adrianna created original digital poem postcards for each of the three poems in PowerPack 1. I'll share one example that she created for a response poem by Janet Wong:

Then, she shared the response poem the student wrote in relation to the mentor text poem featuring repetition.

Finally, Adrianna also recommended resource books about writing poetry in her resources slide:

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Learning from students: Similes

April 15, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Question poems

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Repetition

Here's another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

Now we're switching gears and looking at how my students and their students interacted with Here We Go: A Poetry Friday Power Book using each PowerPack to see how young writers responded.

Here, Wendy got the students involved in PowerPack 2 of Here We Go and I'll share a few nuggets from her work.

First, here is the PowerPlay activity and the Power2You poem writing activity for one student. The focus is learning about similes.

Then Wendy created original digital poem postcards for each of the three poems in PowerPack 2 using photographs that she took herself. Here's one example:

Finally, Wendy also recommended additional titles of poetry featuring Latino/Latina poets that students might enjoy in her resources slide:

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Learning from students: Question poems

April 16, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Rhyme

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Similes

Here's another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

Now we're switching gears and looking at how my students and their students interacted with Here We Go: A Poetry Friday Power Book using each PowerPack to see how young writers responded.

Here, Christine got the students involved in PowerPack 3 of Here We Go beginning with this PowerPlay activity that asks students to circle the questions that interest them, cross out those that do NOT, and generate a big question that concerns them.

Next, she created original digital poem postcards for each of the three poems in PowerPack 6. Here is her slide for the "anchor" poem by Carole Boston Weatherford:

Then, she shared the response poem the student wrote in relation to the mentor text poem-- a question poem.

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Learning from students: Rhyme

April 17, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Cinquains

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Question poems

Here's another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

Here, Veronica and Natasha both got the students involved in PowerPack 4 of Here We Go and they had fun with it.

First, they both tried the PowerPlay activity with students. Here is Natasha's student's responses:

And here is Veronica's student's responses:

Then they both created original digital poem postcards for each of the three poems in the PowerPack. Here's Natasha's postcard for the anchor poem by Kate Coombs:

Here is a digital postcard for a response poem by Janet Wong created by Veronica:

Then, Natasha shared the response poem a student wrote in relation to the mentor text poem:

Finally, Veronica also recommended additional resource books that students might enjoy in her final slide:

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Learning from students: Cinquains

April 18, 2017, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning from students: Opposites

≪ Previous: Learning from students: Rhyme

Here's another example from my adult students sharing poetry with young people in my "learning from my students' students" series.

Here, Judith got the students involved in PowerPack 5 of Here We Go and they had fun with it.

First, she tried the PowerPlay activity with students.

"Trace the outline of your left hand. Then fill in the area with doodles and drawings that reflect things about you and your wishes for the future."

"Then trace the outline of your right hand and fill in the area with words that reflect things about you and your wishes for the future." [On each finger: Dogs, snakes, cats, lizards, ferrets. On the palm: baker, family, basketball]

Then she created original digital poem postcards for each of the three poems in the PowerPack. Here is a digital postcard for the anchor poem by Margaret Simon.

Then, she shared the response poem the student wrote in relation to the mentor text poem.

Best Friends

My friends
are funny and
make me laugh out loud. They
give me feelings of love and joy
always.

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