Poetry in the Classroom - Of Castles and Commoners

My son is enamored of dragons. With this love comes an interest in all things knightly. He builds castles and catapults, wields a plastic sword like a knight of old, and longs to visit a castle one day. Medieval times are often viewed through a romantic lens by children today, but the time was anything but an easy one for most people. There are many great pieces of historical fiction that accurately describe the hardships of medieval life, but poetry can do this too!

Come to the Castle: A Visit to a Castle in Thirteenth-Century England, written by Linda Ashman and illustrated by S.D. Schindler, is a fun, witty and thoroughly educational look at the past. The Author's Note in the back of the book is where I'm going to start and where you should start while reading aloud.

Several years ago, I became curious about life in the Middle Ages. In particular, I wondered what it might have been like to live in a castle at that time. As I focused my research on thirteenth-century England, distinct characters began to emerge in my mind: a wealthy but dim-witted lord; his overworked steward; his beleagured staff; his intelligent daughter, forced to endure the attentions of various unappealing suitors. These characters are fictional, of course, and I've taken some poetic license for the sake of humor an drama (for example, the planning and execution of the tournament is compressed into a matter of days). Still, in writing these poems, I've tried to give a fairly accurate glimpse of castle life during this period.

Readers meet a cast of twelve characters, beginning with The Earl of Daftwood. His poem sets the stage for the action and introduction of folks who live and work in the castle. To remedy the tedium that is his life, he commands his steward to plan a tournament.

The Steward

Steward, plan a tournament?
The Earl is surely daft!
Though he has countless servants,
I am vastly understaffed,
Overworked, and truly weary
Of his constant recreation
(Oh, how I'd love a nice massage
     and several weeks' vacation!)

Next, the herald heads off to deliver the invitation.

A Feast at Daftwood Castle--
Lord and Ladies, come and dine!
We'll keep you fed and entertained
And plied with ale and wine.

We promise jousts and dancing
(And perhaps a messy brawl).
A guarantee of revelry--
Come join us, one and all!

Preparations are made by the lady of the castle, while the cook begins to prepare the feast. The the cleaning servant prepares the hall and the dishes, while the gong farmer cleans the privy. The knight prepares for battle, and once the guests arrive he engages in the joust. The meal is eaten, the jester performs, and all hell breaks loose before the dancing begins. The following day the doctor checks on their aches and pains.

The source of their illness?
A monkey could guess:
They stuff themselves silly and drink to excess.
But it is my duty to see them to health--
And, frankly, it adds to my burgeoning wealth!

It is the Earl who brings things to a close by reviewing the recent events and recommending. . . another tournament!

Illustrated in the style of an illuminated manuscript, the book is a literary and visual feast. The cast of characters are more fully described in the author's note, providing just a bit more information for readers. After reading this one, let your readers explore Kids Castle. While the links to the Great Hall and Tournament relate directly to the poems, kids can click on Lord Sherwood's Rooms, the Chapel, Gatehouse, Royal Apartments, Stables, Dungeon and much more to learn even more about castle life.

While the next book isn't poetry (it's cataloged in plays and drama), it's awfully close. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices From a Medieval Village, written by Laura Amy Schlitz and illustrated by Robert Byrd, is a collection of 21 plays (19 monologues and 2 dialogues) of 23 different medieval children. Most are written in verse. Here's an excerpt from the Foreword that helps set the stage.

I wrote plays about children because I was writing for children. I say children, but the people in these plays are not all the same age. I imagine them being between ten and fifteen years old -- you'll have to decide for yourself how old each character is. Some are the sons and daughters of the nobility; others are paupers. Some of the characters know one another, as they all live in or near the same manor.

The manor is in England and the year is 1255.

Turn the page and you'll find yourself exploring a map, a glorious double-page spread that shows the medieval manor and surrounding lands. The characters are placed on the map and labeled so that you know where they live in relation to the manor house and whether they are inside our outside its walls. Readers then meet the following young people.

• Hugo, the Lord's nephew
• Taggot, the blacksmith's daughter
• Will, the plowboy
• Alice, the shepherdess
• Thomas, the doctor's son
• Constance, the pilgrim
• Mogg, the villein's daughter
• Otho, the miller's son
• Jack, the half-wit
• Simon, the knight's son
• Edgar, the falconer's son
• Isobel, the Lord's daughter
• Barbary, the mud slinger
• Jacob Ben Salomon, the moneylender's son and Petronella, the merchant's daughter
• Lowdy, the varlet's child
• Pask, the runaway
• Piers, the glassblower's apprentice
• Mariot and Maud, the glassblower's daughters
• Nelly, the sniggler
• Drago, the tanner's apprentice
• Giles, the beggar

Just reading through them begs some questions. What's a sniggler? A varlet? A mud slinger? All questions are answered in the voices of the children. Here's how Lowdy's monologue begins.

Father is a varlet, and the varlet serves the lord.
He feeds and tends the master's hounds
   And takes a fair reward.
I've helped clean the kennels,
   Held the puppies on my knees,
I love the dogs, but God's bones!
     The house is full of fleas!

Lowdy, like the other characters, speaks honestly and fearlessly about the life she lives. The words of the speakers are powerful and provide a realistic view of life at the time. While some of the language can be unfamiliar, Schlitz uses footnotes that appear along the margins of the pages to explain vocabulary and provide background readers may be lacking. For example, the footnote for varlet reads:

Varlet has come to mean a scoundrel, but in the Middle Ages it referred to a man who looked after animals.

Breaking up the plays are a series of pages entitled "A Little Background." These pages cover such topics as the three-field system, medieval pilgrimage, the crusades, falconry, Jews in medieval society, and towns and freedom. Readers will learn much from these short informational sections, the footnotes, and the plays themselves.

Here are some resources to extend your castles and commoners explorations.

• Consider reading A Medieval Feast, written and illustrated by Aliki, as part of your study. The feast described in this book took place near the end of the Middle Ages, about 1400.
• BBC Hands-on History - From this page you can download directions for building a model castle, hosting a medieval feast, stitching your own tapestry, and more.
• Try your hand at an electronic joust.
• Design a coat of arms.
  
• Design your own trebuchet and destroy the castle wall.
  
• Take a look at some pages from illuminated manuscripts.
  
• Make your own medieval manuscript.
  
• Life During the Middle Ages - From this site you can learn about education, clothing, bathing, games, music, commerce, festivals, village life and city life.
• Go on a Castle Adventure.
  
• The Heraldry for Kids page has information about castles and medieval life, heraldry games, shields, and a variety of coloring pages.
  
• Find your way through a medieval maze.
  
• Annenberg Learner has an interactive on the Middle Ages.
  
• Use City Creator to build a medieval town.
  

Do you have more ideas on this subject? Please share! I'd love to hear what you think.

Poetry in the Classroom - A Red Wheelbarrow, LOVE THAT DOG, and William

Last year during the month of April I noticed that my son was writing poems in his class journal. When I asked why he told me that he was listening to his teacher read Love That Dog and that as part of the experience she had encouraged the students to find and write poems in their journal. This was my son's first entry.

I was not surprised to see The Red Wheelbarrow. My son does share the author's name (William), and that's a big deal for a kid, so that may have been a motivating factor. However, it is the first poem in the book that Jack talks about. Here's what he had to say.

Excerpt from Love That Dog
by Sharon Creech

September 27

I don't understand
the poem about
the red wheelbarrow
and the white chickens
and why so much
depends upon
them.

If that is a poem
about the red wheelbarrow
and the white chickens
then any words
can be a poem.
You've just got to
make
short
lines.

It only makes sense that a child reading or hearing this would wonder about the poem and might want to learn more. When I asked William why he chose the poem, he simply stated that he liked it, even though it didn't rhyme.

I suppose we could ask that question of any poem. Why do you like it? It's such a personal question and the answers are nearly as varied as the poems themselves. I like this poem for its economy, the rhythm of the words as they roll off my tongue, and for Williams' ability to make something ordinary so very extraordinary.

I think Williams is a perfect poet to introduce to students because of the visual imagery in his poems and his mastery of language. While I love The Red Wheelbarrow, I'm equally fond of Blizzard, Between Walls, Metric Figure, and Winter Trees, all poems that could easily be shared in the classroom.

Williams is a fascinating study, and no teacher introducing his poetry should be without the wonderful picture book biography A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, written by Jen Bryant and beautifully illustrated by Melissa Sweet. (If you are interested in using this book in the classroom you can download a very helpful teacher's guide from the Eerdmans website.) You can even listen to Williams reading some of his poems after exploring the book.

One can't think of W. C. W. without mentioning what some call "the dreaded plum poem." I happen to like This is Just to Say. Was the speaker truly remorseful? It's hard to say. Would I have forgiven the writer? Eventually, but I would have been really aggravated to find and read that note. I can just imagine it scribbled on a Post-It note stuck to the refrigerator. (See, visual imagery!) After sharing this poem there's no way you could skip a reading of Joyce Sidman's incredible book This Is Just To Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness. This book is a direct result of Sidman's work as a writer-in-residence at schools, where she uses the poem as a model. The book is written in the voices of school children and is organized in this fashion.

• Table of Contents
• Introduction written by Anthony K., a "student" Mrs. Merz's class
• This Is Just to Say, by William Carlos Williams
• Part 1: Apologies
• Part 2: Responses

There is a wealth of material here, with seventeen apology and seventeen response poems. The topics and emotions related are those that any child today might deal with. Joyce has provided a particularly useful reader's guide at her web site. You can also listen to her read some of the poems.

So, in a short time I've touched on a verse novel by Sharon Creech, the poetry of William Carlos Williams, a picture book biography by Jen Bryant, and the poetry of Joyce Sidman. Phew! Here are some additional resources to help you put all these ideas together and perhaps come up with some instructional ideas of your own.

• If you haven't read Love That Dog (heck, even if you have read it), you can and should watch this fabulous video performance of Love That Dog featuring Sharon Creech, Walter Dean Myers, Avi, and Sarah Weeks. I promise it will be 14 minutes very well spent. I also dare you to keep a dry eye.
• W. C. W. biography at The Poetry Foundation
• W. C. W. biography at Poetry.org
• Voices and Visions Spotlight on W. C. W.
• Letter from Joyce about writing poetry
• Interview about This is Just to Say at Blue Rose Girls
• Six-Trait Writing lesson using This is Just to Say

If you use any of these books or poems in your classroom, please let me know. I'd love to hear your ideas.

Plans for Poetry - April is Just a Few Hours Away

Lots of people will be highlighting poetry in April since it is National Poetry Month. Over at Kidlitosphere Central you can read about the ways folks in the kidlitosphere will be celebrating. If you're looking for resources to use in teaching poetry, check out this AMAZING post by Elaine at Wild Rose Reader.

Here at The Miss Rumphius Effect I will be highlighting a poem, a theme, a book, or a poet every day and suggesting ways to make poetry a regular part of life in the classroom. I will also be suggesting companion books, web sites and activities to accompany the reading of selected poems. I hope you will join me in exploring poetry for instruction and will consider suggesting your own ideas for sharing poetry with kids.

Today is Opening Day! And So, A Baseball Poem

Analysis of Baseball
by May Swenson

It's about
the ball,
the bat,
and the mitt.
Ball hits
bat, or it
hits mitt.

Read the poem in its entirety.

All hail the return of baseball!

April is Around the Corner

National Poetry Month begins in just 11 days. As much as I had hoped to continue with interviews this year, life and work haven't afforded me much time for blogging. I do have something planned for April, it's just not as big and grand this year, and will share details in the next few days.

In the meantime, here's a little poetry activity that I love. In the past I have mentioned Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord's amazing site Making Books with Children. You can find her this month at Rhythm of the Home where she has posted a fabulous activity to make a PoeTree. Wouldn't this be a great classroom project? I can just imagine a tree where every child has contributed a poem.

Okay, that's it for now. Back soon with my April plans.

Monday Poetry Stretch - In the Trees

On a recent trip to New Jersey I had to smile when we passed the Joyce Kilmer rest stop. While Trees is much maligned, I've always liked it. In fact, the women in my high school choir sang this poem put to music.

Trees
by Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

As spring is busting out all over here, it's the trees that have captured my attention. They are, quite simply, breathtaking. So, let's write about trees. Leave me a note about your poem and I'll post the results here later this week.

Pi Day

Today, March 14th, is Pi Day. No, that's not a typo. It is Pi day, as in 3.14159... you get the idea. The first Pi Day celebration was held at the San Francisco Exploratorium in 1988.

What is pi anyway? I'm sure you remember it from math in some formula you memorized, but do you really know what it is? Pi represents the relationship between a circle’s diameter (its width) and its circumference (the distance around the circle). Pi is always the same number, no matter the circle you use to compute it. In school we generally approximate pi to 3.14 in school, but professionals often use more decimal places and extend the number to 3.14159.

One activity I loved doing with students was to ask them to bring in a can and lid that would soon be recycled. I always brought in a few extras so that there would be a variety of sizes. Each student was given a lid and directed to measure the diameter and circumference. Students then divided the circumference by the diameter. We recorded the results on the overhead and discussed them. Most were amazed to find that the results were nearly the same, allowing for some margin of error in measurement. This is a quick and fun and provides a meaningful way to introduce the concept of pi.

Are you doing anything special for Pi Day? I hope you'll be celebrating in some small way. Perhaps you could make a pi necklace. Since any day is a good day for poetry, you could try reading some pi poems. If you're looking for more ideas, visit the Exploratorium pi site or try this middle school math newsletter.

Reading and Teaching About Earthquakes

Shortly after last year's earthquake in Haiti I posted a thematic book list on earthquakes. I'm republishing that post here for those of you who may be looking for resources. Also, I recommend Teaching Ideas: The Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan, a resource from the New York Times Learning Network. You'll also find Free Resources to Teach Children About Earthquakes and Tsunamis a helpful link.

Given the devastation that follows in the wake of a powerful earthquake, it's hard to see them as constructive, but geologically speaking, that's exactly what they are--constructive forces of nature. Constructive forces (earthquakes, volcanoes, deposition) are forces that build up the earth's surface. Destructive forces (weathering and erosion) are forces that tear it down.

The list that follows explains the science behind earthquakes. You'll find some nonfiction titles, some poetry, and a bit of history, both true and imagined.

Poetry

Earthshake: Poems From the Ground Up, written by Lisa Westberg Peters and illustrated by Cathie Felstead - This collection of twenty-two poems introduces geologic concepts through metaphor and word play in a variety of poetic forms.

Nonfiction

Earthquakes, written by Michael Woods and Mary Woods - Did you know that there is an earthquake somewhere on earth every day? This book in the Disasters Up Close series includes dramatic images and stories of survivors while examining the facts and figures related to some of the world’s biggest earthquake disasters.

Earthquakes: Earth's Mightiest Moments, written by David Harrison and illustrated by Cheryl Nathan - A good choice for younger readers, this book provides a nice introduction to earthquakes. Readers will learn about the layers of the earth, plate tectonics, the scientists that study earthquakes, and more.

Earthquakes, written by Franklyn Branley and illustrated by Megan Lloyd - This book in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series explains why earthquakes happen, where they occur most often, and what to do if one happens near you.

How Mountains Are Made, written by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld and illustrated by James Graham Hale - This book in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series explains the constructive forces behind mountain building.

Jump Into Science: Earthquakes, written by Ellen Prager and illustrated by Susan Greenstein - This series from the National Geographic Society explains the causes and effects of earthquakes.

Time for Kids: Earthquakes!, written by the Editors of Time for Kids - Using simple language, this book is divided into short chapters and includes the topics of The Earth Rocks, Measuring Movement, Monster Quakes, and Stay Safe. A glossary is included.

Earthquakes by Seymour Simon - Full color photographs on every page enhance this clear and concise text that introduces the cause of earthquakes and their effects. Historic information on earthquake events is also included.

Witness to Disaster: Earthquakes, written by Judy Fradin - This book delves into the science of earthquakes and focuses on the more deadly aspects of earthquake disasters, including building collapse, fire, landslides, avalanches, and tsunamis. Also included is a good deal of information on notable earthquakes in history.

The Earth-Shaking Facts About Earthquakes with Max Axiom, written by Katherine Krohn and illustrated by Tod Smith and Al Milgrom - Max Axiom, super-cool scientist and teacher, explains the science behind earthquakes in graphic novel format.

Janice VanCleave's Earthquakes: Mind-boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects, written by Janice VanCleave and illustrated by Ray Burns - This book contains numerous hands-on activities that will help students better understand earthquakes. The science is good and the explanations are particularly clear and accessible to readers.

Historical

If You Lived at the Time of the Great San Francisco Earthquake, written by Ellen Devine and illustrated by Pat Grant Porter - This book takes readers to San Francisco before, during and after the 1906 earthquake.

The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, written by Marc Tyler Nobleman - This title in the We The People series uses photographs and illustrations to describe the events of the San Francisco earthquake. (See a sample at Google Books.)

Fiction

The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, written by Laurence Yep - Told in the alternating voices of two young boys, Yep tells a gripping story about the events surrounding the San Francisco earthquake. Also included are real-life anecdotes and information about earthquakes.

Earthquake in the Early Morning (Magic Tree House #24), written by Mary Pope Osbourne and illustrated by Sal Murdocca - Annie and Jack find themselves in San Francisco shortly before the 1906 earthquake strikes.

Earthquake, written by Milly Lee and illustrated by Yangsook Choi - Milly Lee based this story of a child and her family on the memories of her mother, who was eight years old when the 1906 earthquake devastated San Francisco. When the earthquake hits the family must leave their home in Chinatown and make their way to the safety of Golden Gate Park. Includes an author's note that provides more details about the earthquake and describes what happened to Lee's family.

If you are interested in additional titles about the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, see the annotated list put together at Through The Looking Glass.

In addition to the titles listed above, here are a number of useful sites and resources for teachers and kids.

• For basic background information, the USGS has a page on The Science of Earthquakes.
• The USGS also has a comprehensive site for kids called Earthquakes for Kids.
• Time for Kids has a number of pdf reproducibles, including My Earthquake Fact Book, What Causes an Earthquake?, Earth on the Move (gr. 3-4), I Felt the Earth Move (gr. 5-6), A Whole Lot of Shaking Going On, The Earth's Plates, Forces of Nature (gr. 3-4), and Nature's Fury (gr. 5-6).
  
• The FEMA for Kids site has a section on earthquakes.
• Windows to the Universe has information on Earth's surface and interior at three different instructional levels.
• The PBS site Savage Earth has an animation of an earthquake in action. Additional background information is available at Savage Earth - The Restless Planet: Earthquakes.
• The Exploratorium online exhibit Faultline has a section on Quake Basics.
• The Annenberg Foundation has an online interactive on the Dynamic Earth.
• TheTech museum has an online exhibit about earthquakes.

If you need information on tsunamis, here are some places to start.

• The FEMA for Kids site has a section on tsunamis.
• Time for Kids has a pdf reproducible entitled Tsunami Science.
  
• The International Tsunami Information Centre has an extensive K-6 curriculum guide on tsunamis.
• The Pacific Tsunami Museum has a Student Guide to Tsunami Information.
• The West Coast/Alaska Warning Center has a pdf coloring book for young kids.
• The PBS site Savage Earth has an animation of a tsunami attack.
• The USGS has some information on the life of a tsunami.
  

If I've missed a useful title or web site, please let me know and I will add it to the list.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Fairy Tale Items

While traveling this weekend I took with me a well-worn copy of is The Poets' Grimm: 20th Century Poems from Grimm's Fairy Tales, edited by Jeanne Marie Beaumont & Claudia Carlson. I love this book! Since a Kindle can't be used during the entirety of a plane flight, poetry gets me through my least favorite parts--takeoff and landing.

While reading through some of these poems, I started thinking a bit about fairy tale poetry. We've actually written quite a bit about the stories and characters for stretches, but never really about some of the more memorable items, like the magic mirror, magic beans, a poisoned apple, red cape, golden ball, spinning wheel, and more.

So, let's write about a magical or fairy tale item, one of those things you can't imagine a story without. Leave me a note about your poem and I'll post the results here later this week.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Anaphora

I couldn't stomach Valentine's poems last week, and in deciding what to write about this week, I thought we should go back to form. Anaphora is "the repetition of the same word or phrase in several successive clauses." Whitman uses anaphora in the poem Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking. Here is an excerpt.

Out of the cradle endlessly rocking,
Out of the mocking-bird's throat, the musical shuttle,
Out of the Ninth-month midnight,
Over the sterile sands and the fields beyond, where the child
leaving his bed wander'd alone, bareheaded, barefoot,
Down from the shower'd halo,
Up from the mystic play of shadows twining and twisting as
if they were alive,
Out from the patches of briers and blackberries,
From the memories of the bird that chanted to me,
From your memories sad brother, from the fitful risings and
fallings I heard,
From under that yellow half-moon late-risen and swollen as
if with tears,
From those beginning notes of yearning and love there in
the mist,
From the thousand responses of my heart never to cease,
From the myriad thence-arous'd words,
From the word stronger and more delicious than any,
From such as now they start the scene revisiting,
As a flock, twittering, rising, or overhead passing,
Borne hither, ere all eludes me, hurriedly,
A man, yet by these tears a little boy again,
Throwing myself on the sand, confronting the waves,
I, chanter of pains and joys, uniter of here and hereafter,
Taking all hints to use them, but swiftly leaping beyond them,
A reminiscence sing.

You can learn more about anaphora at Poets.org.

So, your challenge is to write a poem that uses anaphora. Leave me a comment about your work and I'll post the results here later this week.

2011 Green Earth Book Award Winners

The winners of the Green Earth Book Award were recently announced. Given by the Newton Marasco Foundation in partnership with Salisbury University, this award promotes books that inspire a child to grow a deeper appreciation, respect and responsibility for his or her natural environment. You can read about the prize criteria at the Newton Marasco Foundation site.

Picture Book Winner
The Earth Book
written and illustrated by Todd Parr

Nonfiction Winner
Not Your Typical Book About the Environment
written by Elin Kelsey and illustrated by Clayton Hammer

Children's Fiction Winner
Mallory Goes Green
written by Laurie B. Friedman and illustrated by Jennifer Kalis

Young Adult Fiction
Boys, Bears and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots
written by Abby McDonald

Honor Books

• Ancient, Strange and Lovely, written by Susan Fletcher
• Garbage Helps Our Garden Grow: A Compost Story, written by Linda Glaser with photographs by Shelley Rotner
• Get Real: What Kind of World Are YOU Buying?, written by Mara Rockliff
• Let's Save the Animals, written and illustrated by Frances Barry
• The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge, written by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen
• A Place for Frogs, written by Melissa Stewart and illustrated by Higgins Bond
• Seeds Of Change: Wangari's Gift to the World, written by Jen Cullerton Johnson and illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler
• Ship Breaker, written by Paolo Bacigalupi

For more information on this award and its past winners, check out the March 2008 issue of Book Links and the article "The Green Earth Book Award" by Fred Chapel, Sharon James, and J. Cynthia McDermott.

Tuesday Poetry Stretch - Musically Inclined

I've spent the last two weeks reviewing scholarship applicants to the university. These folks are the best of the best, already admitted and standing on mountains of accomplishments. Interestingly enough, the one thread that seems to tie the all together is music.

Music has always been a huge part of my life, whether listening or performing. I still prefer music over television, and am almost never without it. So, let's write about music. Leave me a note about your poem and I'll post the results here later this week.

Nonfiction Monday Is Here!

It is Monday and that means it's time to see what great nonfiction titles folks are reading this week. I'll be rounding up throughout the day, so leave me a note about your post and I'll add it to the list below.

Jone of Check It Out shares a review of Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow.

The Wild About Nature writers share a review of Over in Australia.

Abby the Librarian shares a review of Mythbusters Science Fair Book.

Jeff at North Carolina Teacher Stuff shares a review of Animal Eggs: An Amazing Clutch of Mysteries and Marvels.

Bookish Blather shares a review of Frozen Secrets: Antarctica Revealed.

Lisa of Shelf-Employed shares a review of A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis.

Jennifer of the Jean Little Library shares a review of Not Your Typical Book About the Environment.

Roberta of Wrapped in Foil shares a review of Silk and Venom.

Anastasia Suen of Picture Book of the Day shares a review of The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy).

Mary Ann Scheuer of Great Kid Books shares a review of The Magic School Bus Oceans as an iPad app.

Lori Calabrese shares a review of Where Did Dinosaurs Come From?.

Jeanne Walker Harvey of True Tales & A Cherry on Top shares a review of Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave.

Shirley of SimplyScience Blog shares a review of Beco's Big Year.

The Fourth Musketeer shares a review of Tom Thumb: The Remarkable True Story of a Man in Miniature.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Looking Up

I threw my back out a few weeks ago and have spent a lot of time on my back staring at the ceiling. It would have been so much nicer to recline in the grass and stare at the sky, but alas my immobility and the cold prevented that. Whether you're bird watching, star-gazing, cloud watching, plane spotting, or just plain enjoying the sun on your face, there's a lot to be said for looking up. While looking up literally can be a lot of fun, looking up figuratively has it's benefits too (you know the power of positive thinking and all).

So, let's write about looking up. Leave me a note about your poem and I'll post the results later this week.

Monday Poetry Stretch - In My Shoes

If you saw my Facebook post yesterday you'll have noticed that I went to church wearing two different shoes. Now, lots of folks have gone out with shoes of different colors. I went out looking like this.

In my defense, I did dress in the dark so my husband could sleep in. I reached in, grabbed two pair of slingbacks, slipped them on, and walked out of the house. When I got out of the car and found my feet were cold, I looked down and was shocked.

This story leads me to our writing topic - shoes. There are lots of things we put on our feet. I prefer mine to be bare, but I have had a few well-loved pairs over time. I was particularly fond of a pair of clogs I had in middle school. When I started teaching I bought my first and only pair of red shoes. I have a sparkly gold pair of heels I've only worn once . They're pretty, but they hurt and only match the dress I bought them to match. The dress is long gone, but the shoes remain. Perhaps I'll write about my first pair of skates. There's just so much from which to choose.

So, there's your challenge. Leave me a note about your shoe poem and I'll post the results here late this week.

Check Me Out in the January Issue of Book Links!

This month you'll find me sharing a thematic book list somewhere besides this blog. Check out the January issue of Book Links for my article entitled Classrooms Like Ours: Books about Schools around the World. You'll find picture books, informational titles, and a few broader cultural overviews that include information about schools.

I had a lot of fun reading and reviewing books for this list. I don't mind telling you that after reading about many different kinds of schools around the world, I was particularly grateful for my public education, and even more grateful for all the teachers out there working so hard on behalf of children and young adults today.

Poetry Friday - Monotone

I've been reading Sandburg this week, so I'm sharing a poem I can't seem to get out of my mind.

Monotone
by Carl Sandburg

The monotone of the rain is beautiful,
And the sudden rise and slow relapse
Of the long multitudinous rain.

The sun on the hills is beautiful,
Or a captured sunset sea-flung,
Bannered with fire and gold.

A face I know is beautiful—
With fire and gold of sky and sea,
And the peace of long warm rain.

The round up is being hosted by Irene Latham at Live. Love. Explore!. Do stop by and take in all the wonderful poetry being shared. Before you go, be sure to check out this week's poetry stretch results. Happy poetry Friday all!

Poetry Stretch Results - Lost and Found

The challenge this week was to write about things lost and found. Here are the result.

Lost and Found
by Kate Coombs of Book Aunt

The day loses color
as the sun slides away.
Gold turns to blue
and blue turns to gray.
Gray turns to charcoal
and charcoal to black.
I'll live without color
till dawn brings it back.

--Kate Coombs, 2011, all rights reserved


Lost and Found
by Jane Yolen

I have lost love,
am trying to find it again.
Not like a black ribbed sock,
lost in the washer,
or a puppy unleashed
who has run away,
or a noun once firmly in my head
and now somewhere in the ether
of an aging mind.

My love was lost to the crab,
to a succession of treatments
that prolonged but did not sustain life.
And now I am looking,
like a bad country song,
in all the wrong places—
on the Internet, at conferences,
during dinner parties,
at gray-haired men on Scottish streets,
in the assembly line of old hands
wanting one more chance at the gold ring,

©Jane Yolen 2011, All rights reserved


Lonely
by Amy LV of The Poem Farm

It’s lonely here in lost and found,
one mitten whispered to one glove.
I hope someone will help me find
the child I will forever love.
I miss throwing piles of snowballs
with that hand I used to hold.
I wonder if he has warm pockets.
I hope he does.
It’s getting cold.

© Amy Ludwig VanDerwater


The Changeling
by Diane Mayr of Random Noodling

Okay, so the baby wasn't perfect,
blemished we often wrapped her
in a blanket of myth. But her
constitution was so sweet.
Admirable. She was loved.

The fairies came under cover
of flag and cross. We became
distracted by trinkets. Our thoughts
shut out by constant noise.
We lost sight of our precious baby.

And the fairies had their way.

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved


LOST AND FOUND
by Carol Weis

That single
staggering word
the one you’ve
lifted rugs to find
swirled lusciously
inside your head
while you dawdled
around your day
lost with one
innocent twirl
of spaghetti
sauced spoon
when fixing
dinner last night
only to reappear
split-secondly
as you sank
deep into
paralyzing
sleep.

© Carol Weis, all rights reserved


Susan Taylor Brown of Susan Writes left this poem.

found
on Christmas eve
1 turkey, stuffed
1 bowl of potatoes, mashed with butter
helpings of sweet corn, slices of bread
pumpkin pie, 2 pieces
numerous glasses of wine and champagne

found
on Christmas morning
a stocking full of
fudge, peppermint sticks
a breakfast of bacon, eggs,
biscuits drizzled with butter and honey
more champagne

lost
1 waistline
and most of my willpower

© Susan Taylor Brown, all rights reserved


UPON LOSING ANOTHER EARRING
by Julie Larios of The Drift Record

It’s a long story with lots of losing –
one earring, two earrings, ten, then my hearing,
then the fine hair of my right ear’s interior,
then my balance and my bearing.
Believe me, what’s happening
is the opposite of win-win but why
start whining about the small things?
Soon the lobes will go, and the cartilage after,
as well as what’s larger, what’s between one ear
and the other, then the neck and everything below,
shoulders to toes, breasts, elbows, knees,
God knows there are no safe zones, all of it
will go missing soon enough, just toughen up,
buy another pair and get on with it.


Missing Person
by Toby Speed

I looked for you in the letter you sent.
I looked for you in your chair.
I looked for you in the steam of the soup.
I drew a picture of you, and I looked there, too.
I looked for you in the veins of the leaves.
I made up a song about you, and the song evaporated.
When I looked in my pockets, I found my hands.
When I looked in my hands, I found my face.
I looked for you in half a moon, but you were in the half I couldn't see.
I dreamed you were standing on a hill far away, and the hills kept moving.
I looked for you everywhere,
and I couldn't find you anywhere.

Then I heard your voice on the telephone.
You said some words, and I heard the inside of your voice and not the words.
I looked in the mirror, and I saw you.
I looked in a pile of leaves, and I saw you.
I listened to a chord on the guitar, and I heard you.
I smelled the scent of pine needles, and I smelled you.
I bit into an apple, and I tasted you.
When I looked at the clock, it told me you were coming closer.
I drew your picture in my palm.
I kept that picture in my glove.
I looked for you anywhere,
and I found you everywhere.

My son got a ship in a bottle kit for Christmas. The informational book that came with it was all about tall ships. The USCG vessel Eagle graced the cover. I haven't been able to get it out of my mind since. So, here's my contribution for the week.

Memories of the Eagle

Found
Courage while climbing the main
deep love for the sea
an iron stomach
respect for Mother Nature and her fickle ways
the ability to do almost anything

Lost
Ever so briefly, a fear of heights
clipped on and hanging
more than 100 feet above the deck

It's not too late if you still want to play. Leave me a note about your poem and I'll add it to the list.

Another New Web Site - Math!

I have been putting the finishing touches on my math methods class for spring. This means I'm creating sample assignments, writing rubrics, and launching another new web site. (Yes, I am certifiable!)

Without further ado I give you my new site devoted to math in the elementary classroom. It's called Teaching Elementary Math.
As with the science site, this one is limited right now and definitely a work in progress, but it will grow considerably over the semester. I hope you'll visit and let me know what you think.

Books With Lasting Connections

The January 2011 issue of Book Links features Lasting Connections of 2010, a "list of the 30 picture books, novels, and nonfiction books that most effectively connect to the K–8 curriculum." If you haven't seen the list, you should check it out. There is a wealth of poetry on it (hurray!) as well as many other wonderful titles. Here are a few.

• Borrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C. J. Walker, Marie Curie, and Their Daughters, written by Jeannine Atkins - It took me until mid-summer to finally get my hands on this book, but once I started reading I could not put it down. This one is beautifully written and utterly fascinating.

• Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems about Love, written by Pat Mora - I had the pleasure of hearing Pat read some of these poems at NCTE in November. They are breathtaking.

• Mirror, Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse, written by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Josee Massee - I wrote about Marilyn's work and this book as part of the lead-in to NCTE. What else can I say about this title? Perhaps that I'm still astounded every time I read it. I've read and re-read and it never gets old. (Read my post.)

• Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors, written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Beckie Prange - This one is a perfect combination of science and poetry. How you can you possibly go wrong?
  

There are many other terrific books on the list, so head on over and check out the Lasting Connections of 2010 list.

News for Elementary Science Teachers

I have been putting the finishing touches on my class for spring. This means I'm creating sample assignments, writing rubrics, and launching another web site. Yup, you read that correctly. I was unhappy with the class blog this past semester, as we had a lot of technical problems, so I decided to leave that platform and try something new.

Without further ado I give you my new site devoted to science in the elementary classroom. It's called Teaching Elementary Science. Here's the great thing about this site. It took my only a few hours to create, it's hosted for free, and the ease using of the drag-and-drop features is amazing. It's pretty small right now and definitely a work in progress, but it will grow considerably over the semester. I hope you'll visit and let me know what you think.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Lost and Found

Hello dear friends! Happy 2011. It's been a long while since I've been here with any regularity, but this is a new year and a new start. We could write this week about endings and beginnings, but I've been thinking a lot these last few weeks about things that I have lost and found. Whether they be material things (those darn mittens!) or people we love, surely we've all lost and found things in our lives. Let's write about that.

Leave me a note about your poem and I'll post the results here later this week.

Poetry Friday - Auguries of Innocence

I'm in shock that this is the last day of 2010. I'm also finding myself a little blue and very ready for the promise of a new year. The end of the year always seems to bring this poem to mind.

Auguries of Innocence
By William Blake

To see a World in a grain of sand,
And a Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,
And Eternity in an hour.…

The bat that flits at close of eve
Has left the brain that won’t believe.
The owl that calls upon the night
Speaks the unbeliever’s fright.…

Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine;
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.…

Every tear from every eye
Becomes a babe in Eternity.…

The bleat, the bark, bellow, and roar
Are waves that beat on Heaven’s shore.…

He who doubts from what he sees
Will ne’er believe, do what you please.
If the Sun and Moon should doubt,
They’d immediately go out.…

God appears, and God is Light,
To those poor souls who dwell in Night;
But does a Human Form display
To those who dwell in realms of Day.

The round-up today is at Carol's Corner. Here's wishing you a happy Poetry Friday, and even happier New Year.

Poetry Friday Is Here!

Today I'm sharing a poem by Mary Oliver.

White-Eyes

In winter
      all the singing is in
          the tops of the trees
              where the wind-bird

with its white eyes
      shoves and pushes
          among the branches.
              Like any of us

he wants to go to sleep,
      but he's restless—
          he has an idea,
              and slowly it unfolds

Read the poem in its entirety.

I'm your intrepid host this week so leave me a note about your poetry offering and I'll round up the posts throughout the day.

Honors and Awards

Julie Larios of The Drift Record shares a poem and shares the news of J. Patrick Lewis'selection as the recipient of this year's Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children.

Elaine of Wild Rose Reader shares the complete list of NCTE poetry notables for 2009.

Book Reviews and Excerpts

Laura Purdie Salas shares an excerpt from the Bob Raczka book Guyku.

Laura of Author Amok shares a scat review of When Louis Armstrong Taught Me Scat.

Carol of Carol's Corner shares some thoughts on two decidedly different versions of the classic poem The Night Before Christmas.

Jeannine Atkins shares a review of Salley Mavor's book A Pocketful of Posies.

Anastasia Suen of Picture Book of the Day shares a snippet of Dinosaur's Night Before Christmas.

Original Poetry

Amy VanDerwater of The Poem Farm shares an original poem and a sneak peek at the NCTE poetry notables.

Charles Ghigna (Father Goose) shares Christmas is Coming! at his Father Goose blog and the poem Hands That See at his Bald Ego blog.

Melissa of through the wardrobe shares a poem entitled Colloquy (for Emily).

Andi of a wrung sponge shares some "cheer-up" haiku.

You'll find lots of original poetry in Laura Purdie Salas' post of 15 Words or Less Poems.

Kyle of The Boy Reader shares some winning poems from a school district poem competition.

Heidi Mordhosrt of my juicy little universe ruminates on the Gingerbread man and shares a poem entitled Half-Baked.

Posting at The Blue Rose Girls, Elaine shares two poems for Jack, her daughter's rather frisky dog!

April Halprin Wayland of Teaching Authors shares the poem Beware of Books! and a bit of a writing workout.

Poetry of Others

Jone of Check It Out shares The Coming of Light by Mark Strand.

Tabatha Yeatts of The Opposite of Indifference shares some poetry from Brian Jacques' Redwall series.

Ruth of There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town shares the poem Dawn Dreams by Rachel Hadas.

Mary Lee of A Year of Reading shares the poem The Woodcutter Changes His Mind by David Budbill.

Diane Mayr of Random Noodling shares the poem Dust of Snow by Robert Frost. She also shares a quote of Frost's at Kurios K's Kwotes.

Over at Kurios Kitt's Kurio Kabinet, Diane shares the poem Distances by Michael Hettich. All the snow and birds this week are making me happily dizzy! I love it when so many of us are on the same wavelength.

Tara of A Teaching Life shares the poem Mimi's Fingers by Mary O'Neill.

Susan of Chicken Spaghetti shares some poetic thoughts on dads who cook.

Sally Thomas of Castle in the Sea shares Poem in Advent from the Life and Times of LSM: A Living History.

Music and Other Poetic Diversions

Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup shares thoughts about Joni Mitchell's song River.

B.C. of The Small Nouns shares some thoughts on poetry in the movies and a clip from The Royal Tennenbaums.

Happy poetry Friday all!

Monday Poetry Stretch - Inspiration

During David Weisner's CLA talk he said that in creating art you can't wait for inspiration to come to you. Instead, you must get to work and focus on the process. Truer words have not been spoken. I know I can't just stare at the blank page and wait for the words to come. I have to put pen to paper and write. That said, I've never been one to easily "free write." Those were dreaded words in my high school English class. I did often stare at the page because I needed some parameters within which to write. That's why I like poetry stretches--they give me something to focus on and think about. They may be a minor inspiration, but they do help me get started.

This week, let's write about something that inspires you. Leave me a note about your poem and I'll post the results here later this week.

Quick Update - NCTE and Thanksgiving

NCTE has been amazing! The panel presentation on Friday went very well. The poets were terrific, as were Sylvia and Elaine. Did you know that Elaine and I started our e-mail and blog correspondence in the spring of 2007 and now I can say we've finally met! I also had the opportunity to meet Heidi Mordhorst and Amy Ludwig Vanderwater. Hurray! I heard Gary Paulsen, Carole Boston Weatherford and David Weisner speak. I shipped a box of books home to the tune of $40+!

I have lots to tell, but since my family arrived yesterday, the next few days will be devoted to family vacation. In the meantime, here are a few pictures of NCTE.

Amy Ludwig Vanderwater and Heidi Mordhorst

Three of the Four Poets on the Panel
Pat Mora, Lee Bennett Hopkins, and Jame Richards

Elaine Magliaro and Mary Lee Hahn

Centerpiece from the CLA Breakfast and David Weisner's Talk

Once my NCTE obligations ended I hit the pool with my son. It's called the "Dig Site" and sports a Mayan temple!
We're having fun so far, so I may not update much until we return home. If I don't see you before then, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

William hamming it up!

Monday Poetry Stretch - Finding the Right Adjective

I've been inspired by reading Marilyn Singer's poems these last two weeks and want to try writing poems that mirror a poem of which I am particularly enamored. Here's the poem.

What Water Can Be
(from How to Cross a Pond: poems about water)

A furrow that's filling
       Water, collective
Your face in the puddle
       Water, reflective
A network of rivers
       Water, connective
Your boat drifting downstream
       Water, directive
A storm in the city
       Water, objective
One drop on your eyelash,
       Water, selective

For me this challenge will be all about finding the right adjectives for the poem's topic. I hope you'll join me. Leave me a note about your poem and I'll post the results here later this week.

Poem ©Marilyn Singer. All rights reserved.

Marilyn Singer and Footprints on the Roof

I've been a facilitator for Project Learning Tree for some time now. When I lead workshops I always read this poem from Marilyn Singer's book Footprints on the Roof.

Go-Betweens

Trees are go-betweens
        listening to the stories
of both earth and sky
           the conversations
of vireos and star-nosed moles
       of eagles and worms
Trees know the soft secrets of clouds
       the dark siftings of soil
The hear the high keening of squalls
           the deep rumbling of rocks
Trees whisper for the sky's damp blessings
       and the earth's misty kisses
They issue warnings
They offer praise
       This is trees' work
and they do it with such uncomplaining grace
       it never seems like work at all

Here's what Marilyn had to say about this book.

It's obvious that I'm a nature-lover. I'd done several books of poems about the natural world before FOOTPRINTS, but I'd say that the poems in it are more sophisticated. FOOTPRINTS represents my reflective side. One reviewer wrote that my work is the poetry of questions. I really, really like that because, in terms of the natural world, I think I'm always asking myself questions, trying to puzzle out what things mean , how they work and what our place is in relation to them. I like feeling a small part of a large universe.

FOOTPRINTS is part of a series of three books which focus on those questions. The others are HOW TO CROSS A POND: Poems about Water and CENTRAL HEATING: Poems about Fire and Warmth. These books represent a kind of intersection of science and poetry. I write both nonfiction about the natural world and poetry. To me, both are about curiosity and wonder. Nonfiction can explain things we take for granted or things we find mysterious and make us appreciate them. Poetry can take these same things and make them mysterious or relatable in surprising ways. The excitingly strange can become intriguingly familiar, and vice versa, all leading to that sense of wonder. That's what I've tried to do with these poems--give the reader a bit of a surprise, make him or her curious, and encourage him or her to take delight in the wonders of our world.

The three books in this series are wonderful little packages full of surprises. The trim size is small, but don't let that fool you. These little gems are filled with Meilo So's gorgeous India ink drawings on rice paper (grays in FOOTPRINTS, blues in HOW TO CROSS A POND, and reds in CENTRAL HEATING) and poems that in turn will make you laugh then nod and smile in agreement. Here are two favorites from the other books in the series.

What Water Can Be
(from How to Cross a Pond)

A furrow that's filling
       Water, collective
Your face in the puddle
       Water, reflective
A network of rivers
       Water, connective
Your boat drifting downstream
       Water, directive
A storm in the city
       Water, objective
One drop on your eyelash,
       Water, selective


Holidays
(from Central Heating)

Holidays are marked by fire:
Sparklers in summer,
Jack-o'-lanterns in fall.
Menorahs, luminarias,
Christmas lights mimicking flames
       of yuletides past.
Paper lanterns afloat
       in Japanese harbors,
           sending departed spirits on their way.
Clay lamps shining
       in Indian streets,
           greeting goddesses and each new year.
So much light and warmth,
So much hope reflected
       in watchful eyes,
           joyous or solemn,
           pale or dark,
All year long in our brilliant worldwide
           gala.

If you are interested in seeing Meilo's work, visit her blog Meilo So Illustration.

Unfortunately, finding these books in print can be difficult. I've done particularly well with Abebooks and found nice copies of Central Heating and How to Cross a Pond.

All poems ©Marilyn Singer. All rights reserved.