Science Poetry Pairings - Nocturnal Animals

As a child I hated going to bed in summer because my bedtime was early (8:00 pm) and it wasn't even dark yet! I'd lie in bed for what felt like hours waiting for darkness to come, listening to the sounds around me. The woods behind our house were home to fox, woodchucks, all manner of birds, snakes, and more. With my window wide open and facing the woods, I'd sometimes peer out into the dark and wonder what it was like to be active at night.

Today's book pairing gives readers a glimpse into the habits of nocturnal animals.

Poetry Book

Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night, written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Rick Allen, is a collection of 12 poems that highlight nocturnal animals and events in the forest. The hand-colored relief prints are composed of muted colors and heavy dark lines, beautifully capturing the forest after dark, drawing readings into the woods at night. Each double-page spread contains an illustration, a poem, and informational text about the subject of the poem and the life of the forest.

Here are the first two stanzas from the introductory poem.

Welcome to the Night

To all of you who crawl and creep,
who buzz and chirp and hoot and peep,
who wake at dusk and throw off sleep:
Welcome to the night.

To you who make the forest sing,
who dip and dodge on silent wing,
who flutter, hover, clasp, and cling:
Welcome to the night!

On the facing page the informational text begins this way.

As night falls, the nocturnal world wakes. Mice begin to stir, moths flutter into the star-light, and deer step out from hidden places to roam and forage. Having rested all day in a hollow tree, the raccoon lumbers down at dusk to search for food.

Poem and Text ©Joyce Sidman. All rights reserved.

Both the poems and illustrations are lovely, giving readers a real sense of the nighttime forest. The informational text is clearly written, engaging, and interesting. A glossary is included that defines some of the science terms using in the text. Readers will be engaged from start to finish, beginning with the double-page spread of the forest as night falls, a wealth of poems and information in the middle, and a double-page spread of the forest at sunrise at the end. 

Nonfiction Picture Book

Forest Bright, Forest Night, written by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by Jamichael Henterly, is a short rhyming text that explores the daytime forest from the front, and then when the book is turned around and flipped upside down, explores the nighttime forest from the back. Sandwiched between these two sections is a page of informational text that explains what animals do by day (or night) and what an animal counterpart is doing at the same time. The illustrations will certainly capture the attention of readers, as Henterly has cleverly hidden animals throughout the pages.

The daytime section begins this way:

Sun light, forest bright,
After sleeping through the night, 

Leap and flash . . . deer splash

Climb and stumble . . . bear cubs tumble

In the illustration for the deer page, readers will find the number one cleverly "etched" into the tree with an owl fast asleep in the branches. In the illustration for the bear page is the number 2 and two porcupines can be found sleeping inside holes in the tree. The counting aspect to the illustrations will give readers something extra to look for as they read the simple text.

This section ends with these words:

Sun sinks,
Moon winks,
Hello, forest night.

The informational text that accompanies day describes the animals found in the illustrations.

By day...

While a deer leaps through the forest, an owl sleeps in a tree.
While bears climb and tumble, porcupines sleep in a tree or burrow.

The nighttime section begins this way:

Moon bright, forest night,
After sleeping through the light,

Hoot and perch . . . owl eyes search
Parade and plod . . . porcupines trod

The counting format holds true in this half of the book as well, with the the number one cleverly "etched" into a stone on the owl page with a deer fast asleep on the forest floor. In the illustration for the porcupine page, two porcupines walk over a den in which a pair of bear cubs slumber.

This section ends with these words:

Moon goes down,
Sun grows round,
Hello, forest day.

The informational text that accompanies night also describes the animals found in the illustrations.

At night...

While an owl is awake and hooting, a deer sleeps in a thicket.
While porcupines plod around the forest, bears sleep in a den.

There is a wonderful symmetry to this book and a good deal of information about nocturnal and diurnal animals. Readers will learn that in the forest, no matter the time of day, some animal is awake while another is asleep.

Perfect Together

The simple text of FOREST BRIGHT, FOREST NIGHT makes it a good book to start with. Many of the animals in the illustrations are described more fully in Sidman's poems and Allen's illustrations. In reading through the FOREST NIGHT half, I would stop periodically to include Sidman's poems and informational text.

For additional resources, consider these sites.

• BBC Nature has a series of pages highlighting nocturnal animals.
• Sheppard Software has a game where students search for nocturnal animals.
• The Cat in the Hat web site has a Nocturnal Hat Hunt game where players use characteristics of nocturnal animals to search for the hat.
• Use this template to allow students to create a book on nocturnal animals.

Finally, for a bit of fun, consider adding this book to your reading list.

Good-Night Owl, written and illustrated by Pat Hutchins, opens with an owl trying to sleep up in a tree. While trying to, owl is disturbed by the sounds that the animals around it begin to make. First, it's the bees that “buzz, buzz.” Then comes the squirrels that “crunch, crunch,” on nuts. A total of ten different creatures, from jays to cuckoo to doves, disturb owl during the day. At the end the when “the moon came up,” the “Owl screeched, screech screech, and woke everyone up.” 

Science Poetry Pairings - Birds

Some of my favorite sights while walking to work are the birds. There are always a large number of geese and ducks, but it's the heron (if I see him) and the cormorants that really capture my attention. Birds have inspired my nature journals, my poems, and reading for many years.

Today's pairing (okay, it's a sextet really) is inspired by our feathered friends.

Poetry Books

Jane Yolen and her son Jason Stemple have collaborated on a number of poetry books with birds as the subject. To get a feel for the depth and vibrancy of the images in these books, be sure to check out some of Jason's bird photos. Here's an overview of these books.

Wild Wings: Poems for Young People - The first collaboration between Jane and her son focused on birds, this collection of 14 poems was inspired by the stunning photos.

Fine Feathered Friends: Poems for Young People - The second book on birds in the Yolen-Stemple collaboration includes even more gorgeous photographs and inspired poems in a variety of forms.

An Egret's Day - This third collection focuses exclusively on the egret. That neck! Those feet! Photos get up close and personal and allow readers to see this magnificent bird from every angle. Poems full of metaphor and keen observation tell us much about these birds. Also included is factual information. 

Bird's of a Feather -  The most recent book in the bird collaboration, contains 14 poems in a variety of forms, each accompanied by a brief bit of informational text.

One of the features I particularly like about BIRDS OF A FEATHER is the Foreword by ornithologist Dr. Donald Kroodsma. It begins this way.

As an ornithologist and obsessed with the details in the daily lives of birds, I know these eagles and chickadees and kingfishers and the other fine birds in this book. But after absorbing the poems and photographs here, I'll never see these birds again in the same way.
. . .
Scientists collect numbers and study the details, but these poems and photographs give us another angle, reminding us that birds are far more than an accumulation of facts.

Here's a poem and the accompanying informational text.

A Solitary Wood Duck

In the green scene,
in the emerald setting,
where pondweed chokes
the green, green waters,
one thing is not green.
A solitary wood duck—
          face glowing,
          flag face showing
          its colors,
          like an admiral's warship—
sails unconcernedly through all that green.
          We surrender,
          we surrender,
          we surrender to your beauty.

The wood duck (Aix sponsa) can be found in wooded swamps and in streams, ponds, and lakes. One of the few North American ducks that nest in tree holes, the wood duck also uses man-made nesting boxes. The day after wood ducklings hatch, they jump to the ground and often waddle many yards away to find a body of water, because they already know how to swim.

Poem and Text ©Jane Yolen. All rights reserved.

Nonfiction Picture Books

Bird Talk: What Birds Are Saying and Why, written and illustrated by Lita Judge, focuses on methods of communication, both verbal and nonverbal, for 28 different birds around the world. Gorgeous watercolor illustrations are carefully placed on the page with text blocks situated in a way that draws attention to both. The text is carefully researched and infinitely readable, presenting surprises and what will surely be new information to readers. Exceptionally well-organized, the communication messages are broken into sections that are carefully sequenced. 

It begins this way. 

Chirp, warble, quack,
coo, rattle, screech!

In backyards, meadows, and forests, the air is filled with bird talk.
But what are they saying?

Answers include "Pick me!," "I'm the strongest," "Greetings," "I'm not here," and more. For each message communicated, Judge then follows each meaning with specific examples from a number of different species. Here's an excerpt.

Come on, fly!
A mother's call encourages her young.

A young Peregrine Falcon is nervous to take his first flight from high on a cliff nest. Mother sits in a nearby tree calling sharply with food. Eventually he flaps toward her. She continues the training until he can grab prey in mid-air.

A Blue Jay listens for the call of his hungry youngster. The fledgling has left the nest, but isn't ready to fly. Her parent answers with tender feeding calls as he brings her next meal.

Kuk, kuk, kuk. A Mother Wood Duck summons her chicks just after they've hatched. They can't fly, but they can swim and find food once they leave their tree nest.
Jump!

Text ©Lita Judge. All rights reserved.

Back matter includes a listing of the birds in the book (with additional information about the birds, their habitats and range), a glossary, short list of references, web site, and an informative Author’s note on Judge's inspirations for the book.

What Bluebirds Do, written and photographed by Pamela Kirby, is the story of a pair of nesting Bluebirds and their young. In the Author's Note that precedes the text, Kirby describes how the story came to be.

As I sat in the blind that spring and watched those marvelous Bluebirds raise their families, I wanted to share their wonderful story with young readers. The story happened as it is written. The behaviors and events are actual. The Bluebirds lived the story. I took the images and lots of notes.

The book opens with a gorgeous full-page photo of a pair of Bluebirds and the accompanying text on the facing page.

This is a story of a pair of Eastern Bluebirds that built a nest in my backyard.

They laid eggs, hatched the eggs, and raised their chicks.

Text ©Pamela Kirby. All rights reserved.

On the next double-page spread readers are introduced to the male and female birds (mom and dad). Closeup photos of each highlight the physical differences between the two. The following spread provides information about other birds that are blue and explains how the Indigo Bunting and Blue Jay are different from the Bluebird. From this point readers learn about the Bluebirds' courtship, their nest building, egg laying, hatching and growth of the chicks, first flight, and growth of the fledglings into little Bluebirds.

The text is written in simple, yet precise language. There is a glossary to help with difficult and/or unfamiliar terms, such as brood, fledgling, instinct, and roost. The text and photographs work extremely well-together, with photos providing clear, vibrant illustrations of the action. For example, on the page describing what baby Bluebirds ate ("mostly insects, worms, and berries") there is a photo of the female holding several mealworms and a caterpillar in her mouth, preparing to enter then nest.

Following the text is extensive back matter. Two pages are devoted to describing the three species of Bluebirds that live in North America: the Eastern Bluebird (chronicled in the book), the Mountain Bluebird, and the Western Bluebird. Two more pages are devoted to Bluebirds Through the Year, which detail a bit more of Bluebird behavior. Next are two pages devoted to Bringing Back the Bluebirds (did you know they were once in danger of disappearing?) and Bluebirds in Your Yard, which briefly describes where to find information about attracting Bluebirds to your yard. Finally, the author provides of a list of books and web sites where readers can learn more. She also lists some places to order mealworms for Bluebirds.

Kirby has done an outstanding job telling the Bluebirds' story while teaching readers a lot along the way. The final page contains the heading Bluebirds Rock! and a full-page image of a bluebird, up close and personal. Readers young and old alike will close this book echoing the sentiment.

Perfect Together

The poems in Yolen's books are a good starting point for exploring additional factual information about birds. For example, the poem on the wood duck makes reference to nesting in trees, as does the excerpt in Judge's book. Students might use the poems to generate questions they would like to investigate regarding bird behavior. While Judge's book will whet their appetites with additional tidbits of information, Kirby's book will give them specific examples of how a particular species courts and raises a nest of young. I'd use all three together, as the illustrations in Judge's book make a nice counterpoint to the photographs in the other titles.

For additional resources, consider these sites.

• The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a wealth of resources at their All About Birds site.
• Birds of America at the University of Pittsburgh is a web site that contains digital reproductions of John James Audubon’s Birds of America and his Ornithological Biography.
• The National Geographic Society has an extensive site on birds.
• The San Diego Zoo has a kids site on birds.
• Charlesbridge has a nice set of birdwatching fact cards.
• Mother Nature Network has two very cool infographics on birds. 

Monday Poetry Stretch - Homophoem

Back in 2012 I received a message from J. Patrick Lewis in which he shared a new poetic form. We have him to thank for our stretch this week.

A homophoem is a two- to ten-line poem that contains at least one homophone, preferably as the surprise end-word.  

If you haven't studied grammar in a while, homophones are words that share the same pronunciation, irrespective of their spelling, but differ in meaning.  

Here are some examples of the form, all written by Pat.

Imaginature

   No one understood
genetics until Mendel
     went to take a pea

*  *
Zen Football

      The quarterback folds
his hands under the center—
“18, 6, X, haik-! “  

*  *
Not Aloud

A horrid fifth-grader named Nate
Was a bully to every classmate.
     When she sent him to school,
     His mother—no fool—
Made certain Nate’s jacket was strait.

*  *
Foul Ball

When the high school band took their places
In the stands for the Rams vs. Aces,
     A kid hit a home run,
     But confused by the sun,
He kept running around all the basses.

*  *  *  *  *

So, the challenge for the week is to write a homophoem. Won't you join us? Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Science Poetry Pairings - Dinosaurs

What is it about dinosaurs that so captures the attention of children and adults alike? Is it their size and the fact that so many grew to be so very large? Is it the mystery of their extinction? I suppose for me the interest comes from the fact that every time a new skeleton, nest, or coprolite is unearthed our ideas change and are challenged as we learn something new.  

Today's pairing celebrates of our longstanding fascination with dinosaurs.

Poetry Book

Dinothesaurus: Prehistoric Poems and Paintings, written and illustrated by Douglas Florian, is a collection of 20 poems chock full of information about dinosaurs. Each double page spread contains an illustration and a poem. The illustrations were done with gouache, collage, colored pencils, stencils, dinosaur dust, and rubber stamps on primed brown paper bags and are full of interesting little tidbits. For example, the pages for the poem Iguanodon has a female dinosaur (Iguano-Donna) who is wearing bracelets and a pearl necklace. Before, during, and after reading the accompanying poems they beg to be looked over carefully. The poems themselves are laced with puns, word play, and made-up words. A pronunciation guide for each dinosaur name and the name’s meaning are included below each title. Here's an example.

Pterosaurs
TERR-oh-sawrs (winged lizards)

The pterrifying pterosaurs
Flew ptours the ptime of dinosaurs.
With widespread wings and pteeth pto ptear,
The pterrorized the pteeming air.
They were not ptame.
They were ptenacious--
From the Ptriassic
Pto the Cretaceous.

Poem ©Douglas Florian. All rights reserved.

You can check out some of the artwork and read additional poems from the book at Florian Cafe.

Nonfiction Picture Book

Born to Be Giants: How Baby Dinosaurs Grew to Rule the World, written and illustrated by Lita Judge explores how dinosaurs hatched from eggs grew and survived to become some of the largest creatures that ever walked the earth. The watercolor illustrations do a fine job of depicting these beasts, giving readers a clear sense of what they may have looked like, what their coloration may have been, and how their nests may have been constructed.

Judge uses evidence discovered by paleontologists and uses that information to hypothesize how dinosaurs may have behaved. She also describes dinosaurs by making comparisons to living animals. Here's an excerpt that shows just how deftly she combines these two approaches.

Some plant-eating dinosaurs kept their nests safe by grouping into large colonies. Over a thousand fossilized nests of HYPACROSAURUS, a duck-billed dinosaur, were found in one area!

Penguins, pelicans, and many seabirds gather at huge nesting sites today. The nests are clustered with just enough space to fit babies and adults. The parents work together, alerting each other if a predator comes near.

There are many comparisons to modern-day birds here, and given the view that some species of dinosaurs may have evolved to become today's birds, these are reasonable comparisons to draw.

Judge doesn't shy away from difficult vocabulary in the text, using words like altricial and precocial. However, readers are supported in understanding these words through simple, explanatory sentences, as well as the inclusion of a glossary. Here's an example.

Most bird species today are altricial. Their babies are helpless when they hatch, with wobbly, undeveloped legs and weak necks. The hatchlings must stay in the nest until they grow stronger and older. It is likely that Maiasaura were altricial—like robins today.

Eight species of dinosaur are explored in the book. Early on readers are introduced to Argentinosaurus, a dinosaur that likely weighed as much as 17 elephants. Imagine for a moment just how large this dinosaur must have been. Now juxtapose this with the knowledge that the largest dinosaur eggs ever found were only 18 inches long. As Judge tells readers, "These mothers probably couldn't protect their tiny babies without trampling them underfoot." Judge continues:

A herd of Argentinosaurus was an earth-shaking, bone crushing stampede of feet. Their tiny babies probably hid under forest cover. Hungry, meat-eating dinosaurs stalked them for a bite-sized meal. Huge crocodiles ate them. Even little mammals ate them. The babies were hungry all the time and had to find their next meal without becoming one! Only a few survived.

Dinosaurs may have been giants, but surviving to adulthood was no easy task. The text leaves readers much to ponder while also providing a wealth of factual information. There are some brief notes in the back matter about each of the dinosaur species, including pronunciation (always important with dinosaur names), approximate size, location of fossils, and period of appearance.

Perfect Together

While Florian's pomes may be whimsical, they do open up insights into dinosaurs and can raise questions for readers. A good question to ask is, "Do you think that's true?" Together you can look for those answers, some of which may come from Judge's book.

For additional resources, consider these sites.

• Learn all about Sue at The Field Museum. (You DO know who Sue is, right?)
• The Dinosauria at the University of California Museum of Paleontology has a wealth of information about dinosaurs and the fossil record.
• The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History has a dinosaur site with a great deal of information and interactive resources.
• BBC Nature Prehistoric Life is the companion to a number of BBC shows. You'll find a wealth of information here.
• The Natural History Museum (UK) has a great dinosaur site for kids.
• The Scholastic teachers site has an interactive whiteboard ready guide to dinosaurs that is packed with materials for students and teachers. 

One Additional Book
If you want to combine your exploration of dinosaurs with ideas about the nature of science, considering adding this wonderful book.

Boy, Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs!, written by Kathleen Kudlinski and illustrated by S.D. Schindler, not only describes our changing ideas about dinosaurs, but also makes it clear to readers that as more evidence is unearthed, our ideas are likely to change again. Readers will enjoy looking at the illustrations that compare "old" ideas about the way dinosaurs looked to the views held today, and will marvel at the images of dinosaurs with feathers. This is a great introduction to dinosaurs and a wonderful treatment of the work scientists do as they work to expand our understanding of the world.

Science Poetry Pairings - Going Green

How do you celebrate Earth Day in your home or classroom? (I know it's not Earth Day yet, but I'm posting this selection of books well in advance in case you are inspired to use them!) I believe that Earth Day should be every day, so going green at home or in the classroom should be a value that is instilled early and often.

For many kids and families, going green is a new way of thinking about the world, our place in it, and the choices we make. Today's trio of books offers simple suggestions for acting in a way that is Earth friendly.

Poetry Book

The Green Mother Goose: Saving the World One Rhyme at a Time, written by Jan Peck and David Davis and illustrated by Carin Berger, presents 30 well-known nursery rhymes and children's songs, rewritten as parodies with an eco-friendly twist. Collectively these poems promote both healthy living and conservation activities. The rhymes deliver positive messages in an inventive and catchy way, though some readers may find a few of the poems didactic. The illustrations support the notion of going green in that they are composed of recycled materials, scraps of paper, and other ephemera. The book opens with this poem.

Green Mother Goose

Together we’ll do it—
We’ll help save the Earth,
Our emerald home,
The place of our birth.
Come now, rhyme with me,
Let’s turn our hearts loose,
And fly ‘round the world
With Green Mother Goose.

The rhymes cover a range of topics, including solar energy, reusable shopping bags, carpooling, organic gardening, replacing incandescent lightbulbs, and much more. Here's one more example.

Three Wise Mice

Three wise mice,
Three wise mice,
See how they save!
See how they save!
They search for clothes at the thrift store shops,
Recycle the treasures at yard sale stops,
Catch water from rain and use all the drop.
Three wise mice!

Poems ©Jan Peck and David Davis. All rights reserved.

Poetry and Informational Book

What Can You Do With An Old Red Shoe?, written and illustrated by Anna Alter, is a green activity book that focuses on reusing household items in creative ways. This title is a wonderful combination of poetry and crafting for kids. Here's how the book begins.

This book is all about the ways in which you can reuse and recycle. Each project introduces an art activity that reuses materials you can find in your home. Some of the activities require the help of an adult.

Reusing is a fun way to reinvent worn items. It's also a great way to help conserve our natural resources (like the trees used to make paper) and create less trash to store in landfills. By finding new ways to use old things instead of throwing them away, we can help to keep the environment clean and healthy. If we share in the responsibility of taking care of our world, we can all enjoy it together!

There are a total of 12 activities for recycling old materials, 8 of which require some form of adult assistance. Materials given new life include a flip-flop, bits of old crayon, a worn blanket, empty tin cans, and more. Each double-page spread begins with a poem. Here's the one from the page that asks "What can you do with bits of old crayon?"

Trina is an artist
who doesn't like to stop.
She's colored the walls in her art room,
the bottom to the top.

The walls are one big canvas
and never look complete.
She's worn out all her crayons—
a great artistic feat.

After this readers will find a list of materials that are needed for the project. In this case Trina gathers:

• Lots of used crayons
• An old metal bowl or pot (used only for crafts)
• An ice cube tray

Next there are illustrated, step-by-step instructions for carrying out the project. The directions are clear, concise and simply written. For this project adult help is needed to heat the oven and to pour the hot, melted crayons into the ice cube trays.

At the end of the book readers will find tips for kids and grown-ups on reuse and recycling. Overall, this book is a terrific choice for simple, creative art projects at home and in this classroom. The materials needed are easily accessible and the steps are not complicated and do not require extraordinary amounts of time to complete. Kids will enjoy giving new life to worn materials and may even dream up their own crafty ideas for old stuff as a result of working through the projects in this book.

Text ©Anna Alter. All rights reserved.

Nonfiction Picture Book

10 Things I Can Do to Help My World: Fun and Easy Eco-Tips, written and illustrated by Melanie Walsh, is not only about being eco-friendly, but serves as an excellent model. There is not one bit of wasted paper or space in this book. There is no front matter to the book, and the copyright information is included on the back cover. As soon as the book is opened the reader is launched into the text.

As soon as you pick up this book you will be struck both by the light bulb cutout on the cover and the recycling symbol and statement indicating that the book is made from 100% recycled material. When the cover is opened the reader finds a page in black except for where it is bathed in light from the bulb and four insects are basking in its glow. The text reads “I remember . . . ” When the page is turned readers find a double-page spread bathed in black with only white text and eyeballs staring out at them. The text on the left page reads “to turn off the light when I leave the room.” On the right page the bulb is outlined in a bit of concrete text that reads “Turning off lights and using more efficient lightbulbs saves valuable energy.” There is quite a bit of this concrete text throughout the book. It comes running out of the faucet and can be found around the edges of trash cans and trees. It’s not poetry, but it is a wonderful bit of design. (To get a feel for what these pages look like, view an inside spread at the Candlewick site.)

The tips in the book include:

• turning off lights
• turning off the faucet while brushing teeth
• throwing away trash
• feeding birds in winter
• using both sides of a piece of paper
• unplugging the television when not in use
• making toys from objects that are often thrown out
• walking to school
• planting seeds
• sorting materials for recycling

The acrylic illustrations are refreshing and often appear on pages where edges have been cut or shaped for an interesting effect. The final set of pages includes the text “I help . . . ” on the left hand side, accompanied by illustrations of sets of objects such as bottles, cans and food scraps. The right hand page pictures a variety of receptacles with cutout openings. The beauty of this double-page spread becomes apparent when you turn the page, for what appears are labeled receptacles with the appropriate items insides. Readers will find cans, glass, compost, plastic and paper bins filled to the brim along with the text that completes the sentence begun earlier “sort the recycling.”

The final endpaper is a black page covered with stars and a semicircular fold that reads “All because . . . ” When readers fold the flap down they find the earth and the words “I love my world.”

Perfect Together

All three of these books are wonderful resources for elementary classrooms studying recycling and caring for our world. The poems are sure to encourage students to want to know more, while the books by Alter and Walsh will give them concrete ideas for action.

For additional resources, consider these sites.

• Anna Alter has created a terrific web site to support her book. You can read about how the book was created, download coloring and activity sheets (under free stuff), and find some fabulous teacher resources and activity ideas for using this book in the classroom.
• MeetTheGreens.org is a kids' guide to looking after the planet. Kids can watch The GREENS' cartoon adventures and discover related green games, news, downloads, a blog, action tips, links, and much more.
• TimeForKids has an Earth Day mini-site with a wealth of information and resources on protecting the environment.
• Use this journal page to get kids writing about green living.

Science Poetry Pairings - Volcanoes

In teaching earth science topics I often found kids to be confused about constructive and destructive forces. Destructive forces wear away the surface of the Earth, while constructive forces help to build it up. It's very hard for kids to understand that an event like a volcanic eruption can be a constructive force, creating new islands (Galapagos, Hawaii, Iceland) and land masses.

Today's book trio looks at the positive impact of volcanic activity.

Poetry Books

An Island Grows, written by Lola M. Schaefer and illustrated by Cathie Felstead, is book-length poem that describes how a volcanic island is formed It begins this way.

Deep, deep

beneath the sea . . .

Stone breaks.

Water quakes.

Magma glows.

Volcano blows.

Lava flows

and flows

and flows.

Poem ©Lola Schaefer. All rights reserved.

The rhyming text continues to describe how the lava builds up unit it breaks through the water's surface. Eventually seeds, plants, and animals, come to the newly formed island. Later, sailors and traders came, settlers stayed, and soon there exists a "Busy island in the sea, where only water used to be." The book concludes by coming full circle and discussing how the cycle starts from the beginning, where “Another island grows.” The last page of the book describes a bit more of the science of island formation.

Volcano! Wakes Up, written by Lisa Westberg Peters and illustrated by Steve Jenkins, is a collection of poems that describe a day in the life of an imaginary Hawaiian volcano. Ferns, lava flow crickets, a small black road, and the volcano itself all speak in these poems. Here's how it opens.

Volcano

I'm the baby.

I'm much smaller than my

big sister volcanoes. I'm a little sleepy

now, but when I wake up, watch out! I throw

nasty tantrums. It always works--I get the most attention!

Here's what the ferns have to say when they realize the volcano is awake.

Ferns

Fire-maker's awake!

She's about to 

make

this caldera

a lake of fire and

lava. Ah, the

party

must be over.

Put away all the

streamers.

Say 

good-bye,

honeycreepers.

But wait . . . it's

not

hot yet. It's 

not even warm

yet. What a 

lucky

delay on this

beautiful day. Hey,

everybody, let's 

party!

Poems ©Lisa Westberg Paters. All rights reserved.

The back matter of the book describes Hawaiian volcanoes, ferns, lava flow crickets, the road and trail signs that direct visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and the best time to watch hot lava enter the ocean.

Nonfiction Picture Book

Volcano Rising, written by Elizabeth Rusch and illustrated by Susan Swan, looks at volcanoes as constructive forces of nature, building up the surface of the Earth. Beautifully illustrated in mixed media with lots of examples and labels, this book uses two levels of text to engage readers. The first level of text provides readers with basic volcano information. This is accompanied by detailed informational text that provides more comprehensive information on volcanoes. Both levels of text are well-written and make the concepts accessible for readers across a range of ages. Together the text and illustrations offer a dramatic introduction to volcanic activity.

Here's a brief excerpt.

Pow! Gases blast lava out in an
explosive eruption.

HISSSSS! Gases and lava slowly seep out
in a creative eruption.

Gas determines whether an eruption creates or destroys.
Rising gas pushes lava out of a volcano. In destructive
eruptions, gases get trapped inside thick magma or are
blocked by plugs in the vents. Pressure builds until lava, ash,
and gases explode all at once, like soda from a shaken can.

Text © Elizabeth Rusch. All rights reserved.

Rusch introduces readers to 8 different volcanoes around the world and explores their impact when found in what some might consider unusual places, like under a glacier or on the seafloor. Back matter includes a glossary of 30 volcano vocabulary words and an extensive bibliography.

Perfect Together

Here in Virginia volcanoes are studied in 5th grade. While the poetry books may seem too simple for this age, I wouldn't hesitate to use any of these titles with older students. You might consider reading the mask poems in VOLCANO WAKES UP! and using the glossary and informational text in Rusch's book to help students better understand the vocabulary. Regardless of how you use them, all three provide terrific introductions to volcanoes as constructive forces. 

For additional resources, consider these sites.

• View the 60 Minutes Nature video on Volcanoes (about 12 minutes).
• Reading is Fundamental has an extensive set of guides for VOLCANO RISING.
• Play Shape It Up!, an activity on forces that change the shape of the Earth.
• Check out the Scholastic Study Jam on Volcanoes.
• Volcano World has a wealth of information for kids and adults.
• OneGeology has a kid-friendly page on volcanoes.

Poetry Friday - Quatrains for a Calling

I'm always on the lookout for good sources of poetry online. I was recently reminded of the wonderful offerings of poetry from PBS NewsHour, where you'll find audio, video, and a wealth of poems. Today's poem comes from this site.

Quatrains for a Calling
by Peter Cole

Why are you here?
Who have you come for
and what would you gain?
Where is your fear?

Why are you here?

You’ve come so near,
or so it would seem;
you can see the grain
in the paper — that’s clear.

But why are you here

when you could be elsewhere,
earning a living
or actually learning?
Why should we care

why you’re here?

Is that a tear?
Yes, there’s pressure
Behind the eyes–
And there are peers.

But why are you here?


Read the poem in it's entirety. You can also listen to the poet read this piece.

Do check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater at The Poem Farm. Happy poetry Friday friends.

Science Poetry Pairings - Nature of Science

Every time I begin new class with preservice teachers or work in elementary classrooms I ask my students (young and old) to define the word science. I always get interesting responses. Most kids define science as a subject they study or facts to memorize. Some of the adults I teach answer in the same manner. This tells me a lot about how they've been taught. Even though many highly educated folks define science as a body of knowledge, it is so much more than this. Science is a way of knowing the world around us. It is a human endeavor, characterized by shared beliefs and attitudes about how the work of scientists is done and how scientific knowledge is developed.

While science may not be easy to define, today's book pairing tries to help readers better understand science as a complex human endeavor.

Poetry Book

What Is Science?, written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa, is a book length poem that asks and answers the question, "What is science?".

It begins with these words.

What is science?
So many things.
The study of stars
and Saturn's rings.
The study of rocks,
geodes and stones,
dinosaur fossils,
and old chipped bones.


And ends in this way.

So into the earth
and into the sky,
we question the how,
the where, when, and why.
We question,
we wonder,
we hunt and explore
the secrets of caves,
the dark ocean floor.
The oldest of rivers,
the tombs of kings.
What IS science?
So many things!

The short, rhyming verse and vibrant illustrations in this book combine nicely in this kid-friendly introduction to the world of science.

Nonfiction Picture Book

Q Is for Quark: A Science Alphabet Book, written by David Schwartz and illustrated by Kim Doner, is a thoroughly researched collection of science facts and tidbits that cover a range of topics in an accessible and interesting manner. Beginning with A is for Atom and ending with Z is for Zzzzzzzzzzz, the text and illustrations introduce readers to the wonder that is science. Schwartz has carefully selected each of the 26 topics to cover life (clone, DNA, rot) earth (black hole, fault, universe), and physical science (element, light, pH) topics. These are largely multi-page entries that explore the topics in more depth than is found in a traditional textbook, and with more engaging language.

Schwartz is at the top of his game here, writing with wit and precision. Here's an example from the entry C is for Clone (p.10).

Warning: Do not read this. . . yet! Read D is for DNA first. Yes, we know that C comes before D, but you have to understand DNA before you can understand what a clone is. Hey, we didn't invent the alphabet.

From here Schwatrz goes on to introduce Dolly. In the next paragraph he defines clone.

A clone is a living thing that has exactly the same genes as it's parent. Genetically speaking, Dolly is an identical copy of her mother. That's not true for you. Like everyone else in the world, you get half your genes from your mother and half from your father.

Each entry also contains a list of other words the letter stands for. In the case of C, the additional words are cell, chemical bond, chemical reaction, cold-blooded, compound, condense, and covalent bond. These additional words are defined in the glossary of the book. Including these additional words is a good way to pique the interest of readers and may encourage them to explore other topics.

The illustrations are quirky, highly entertaining, and nicely complement the text. Altogether, this is a terrific volume that is student-friendly and jam-packed with information.

Perfect Together

Many entries in the Schwartz book talk about the work that scientists do. For example, in the section on K is for Kitchen, readers are encouraged to solve some problems. A number of questions about solubility are posed and experiments are suggested. Once they complete them, readers are congratulated for doing "real science." After reading WHAT IS SCIENCE?, share some of these excerpts that highlight science as a process.

For additional resources, consider these sites.

• Read the NSTA position statement on Nature of Science.
• The Understanding Science site from the University of California Museum of Paleontology offers "a straightforward presentation of science, as an intensely human endeavor—a multifaceted process that both students and scientists can use to better understand the natural world. Instead of oversimplifying science into a five-step recipe, the site emphasizes the dynamic and iterative nature of the process, as well as the roles of creativity and community in scientific progress."
• The Science Learning Hub at the University of Waikato (New Zealand) has an extensive set of resources on teaching the Nature of Science.
• The Butterfly Project involves students in an observational study of Painted Lady Butterflies while helping them learn about the nature of science.

Science Poetry Pairings - Frogs and Toads

When was the last time you held a frog or toad in your hands? I do it every spring when my son and I catch tadpoles, watch them swim in a big bowl for a bit, then release them. We never bring them home, as state law requires you keep them as pets once you remove them from the wild. I've also been known to chase down a toad or two when I'm with the neighborhood kids. It's good for them to get up close and personal with these creatures, and many of them won't touch, so I do!

Today's book pairing is inspired by my fascination with these amazing amphibians.

Poetry Book

Toad by the Road: A Year in the Life of These Amazing Amphibians, written by Joanne Ryder and illustrated by Maggie Kneen, is a collection of 26 poems about the life cycle of the toad. Grouped by season—Spring-Summer, Summer, Late Summer-Fall, and Winter-Spring—each section contains from five to seven poems. On nearly every page readers will find a poem, illustration and brief bit of informational text. Most poems are told in the voice of a toad or group of tadpoles or toads.

The book opens with a counting poem. Here's an excerpt.

The Pond's Chorus

One toad,
One song.
Two toads
Sing along.
Three toads,
Better yet.
Four toads,
A quartet.

Here is one of my favorite poems from the book.

Zap, Zap

My tongue is a tool—
Far better than most—
For catching my breakfast,
Though I shouldn't boast.
It's long and it's swift
And it's covered with goo.
I flick it at cricket
And stick him like glue.

This poem is accompanied by the following bit of informational text.
A toad waits and watches an insect or worm creep near. Then it flicks out its sticky tongue to catch it prey. The toad swallows its meal whole and then wipes its mouth clean.

There is beautiful poetry here and a wealth of information to boot.

Poems and Text©Joanne Ryder. All rights reserved.


Nonfiction Picture Book

Frogs, written and photographed by Nic Bishop, provides readers with a thorough introduction to members of the order Anura. Found on every continent, frogs and toads (which are just a type of frog) come in every imaginable size and color. Bishop does an outstanding job presenting this variety in the photographs and text.

It is clear that Bishop has his readers carefully in mind. Scientifically, he doesn't talk down to them, but rather helps to make the mystery that is life and science more understandable. The conversational tone hooks readers and keeps them interested, making the book inherently understandable.

Every page is filled with scientific information, amazing and sometimes quirky facts, and those gorgeous photos. In terms of layout, somewhere on each page is a main (or important idea) written in large font, a paragraph of information, and a short section in small font with an additional fact or two. Here's an example.

Some people are confused about the difference
between a frog and a toad, but you do not have to
be. A toad is just a kind of frog. It usually has drier
skin than other frogs and can live farther from water.
It also has shorter legs, so it hops rather than jumps.
Toads can live a long time. 
A pet toad in England was famous for living for thirty-
six years. A bullfrog, by comparison, may live for
about twenty years in captivity.

Toads are often found in forests or even in backyards. 
Some people think they look ugly, but toads can produce 
the most beautiful trilling calls during springtime.

Text ©Nic Bishop. All rights reserved.

The text as a whole is thoughtfully laid out and proceeds in an orderly and reasonable fashion through a variety of topics, from where frogs live, to what they look like, how their bodies are constructed and adapted, their eating habits, means of escaping predators (camouflage and those incredible legs and jumping skills), the sounds they make, reproduction, and much more.

Perfect Together

Consider introducing amphibians with one or two of the poems in Ryder's book. After reading the informational text that accompanies each poem, dig further into the content by pairing the poem with the appropriate section from Bishop's book. For example, Ryder's poem Escape (p. 11) and the related informational text focus on eyes. In FROGS (p.15) you'll find even more information about frog eyes. Did you know that frogs use their eyeballs to swallow? You'll also find terrific photos throughout the book to examine frog and toad eyes more closely.

For additional resources, consider these sites.

• PBS Nature has a very cool infographic on frogs.
• BioKids at the University of Michigan has a good bit of information on the American Toad.
• Play the Frog Life Cycle game.
• Learn to fold an origami frog with directions here (advanced) or here (beginner).

Finally, for a bit of whimsy, consider adding this book to your reading list.

Tuesday, written and illustrated by David Wiesner is a Caldecott medal winner. In this wordless picture book (almost!), frogs riding lily pads like magic carpets sail over the countryside and into an unsuspecting town for an evening of fun.

Science Poetry Pairings - Darwin and the Galapagos

If I could travel back in time and accompany someone on a journey, I would want to spend time on the HMS Beagle with Charles Darwin. Well, maybe not all those years sailing, but certainly the time in the Galapagos. I've always been fascinated by the geological history of the islands and with the flora and fauna found there. 

Today's book pairing is inspired by my love for all things Galapagos.

Poetry Book

An Old Shell: Poems of the Galapagos, written by Tony Johnston and illustrated by Tom Pohrt, is a collection of 34 poems in which Johnston pays tribute to the wonder that is the Galapagos. I'll begin at the end of the book and share an excerpt from the author's note.

After reading about them for a lifetime, in 1995 I visited the Galapagos. When you stand in this place, wild and vast and stark, looking out over the endless and shining skin of the sea, you hear the flutter and roar of Creation, feel the stir of your own beginnings upon the delicate chain of life. Here, you are at the core of the mystery and poetry of Nature.

These islands symbolize the peril that the entire earth faces. We can take it apart, sea turtle by sea turtle, shell by shell, but we cannot put it back together.

Meanwhile, as we struggle with our humanity, the sun bakes their old backs, the wind caresses the salt grass, the waves wash the Galapagos.

The book opens with a two-page map of the islands. The poem topics include the sea, the islands, animals, plants, and more. Here is one of my favorites.

Small White Flowers

At night the lava cactus blooms
In small white flowers. Its faint perfume
Floats upon the quiet dark
Along the lava still and stark
Where lone owl, old cold shadow, glides
While rice rat hugs the dark and hides.
When dawn comes up and darkness goes
Silently the petals close.
No one sees them in the gloom,
Small white flowers to please the moon.

Poem ©Tony Johnston. All rights reserved.

Most of the poems in this collection are written in free verse, though a few are written in haiku.

Nonfiction Picture Book

What Darwin Saw: The Journey That Changed the World, written and illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzer, is a colorful, oversized graphic novel that follows Darwin on his 5-year+ voyage aboard the HMS (Her Majesty's Ship) Beagle. Meticulously researched, the text features abridged quotes taken from Darwin's diaries, letters, books, and scientific papers. These quotes are written in a different font and cover the pages and thought bubbles of the book. There is SO MUCH information here, packed into the text and illustrations. There are a few pages of follow-up on his later life, with a final double-page spread with large map showing the Beagle’s route  and a final bit of text entitled Evolution on the March that highlights the impact of his life and work on us today. Also included are an index, extensive bibliography, and author's note.

Here are two Darwin quotes from the text.
p. 30.
"This archipelago seems to be a little world within itself; the greater number of its inhabitants, both vegetable and animal, being found nowhere else."

p. 31.
"I never dreamed that islands, about 50 or 60 miles apart, and most of them in sight of each other, formed of the same rocks, placed under a similar climate, rising to a nearly equal height, would have been differently tenanted."

You can learn more about how Schanzer created this book at the Ink Think Tank post The Evolution of a Book.

Perfect Together
I would use these books together to study observation and the processes of scientists. You can compare what Darwin saw and wrote about from a scientific point of view, to how Johnston wrote from poet's point of view. Both poets and scientists are known for looking closely and capturing the details, so there is much to be learned from both these perspectives.

For additional resources, consider these sites.

• You can take a look at Darwin's notebooks and papers at Darwin Online.
• Charles Darwin and Evolution is a site that celebrates the life, work and impact of Charles Darwin. Be sure to check out the pages for teachers, as well as the pages for kids.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Haiku Riddles

This week's stretch is inspired by Laura Purdie Salas, who for her National Poetry Month project will be sharing a riddle-ku (riddle haiku) every day in April.

If Not For the Cat, written by Jack Prelutsky and illustrated by Ted Rand, is a collection of poetic riddles about members of the animal kingdom. Here's an excerpt.

I, the hoverer,
Sip the nasturtium's nectar
And sing with my wings.

Poem ©Jack Prelutsky. All rights reserved. 

For some additional examples, browse inside the book.

I also rather like this haiku found in A Hippopotamusn't, written by J. Patrick Lewis and illustrated by Victoria Chess.

Suddenly Spring wings
into the backyard, ready
to play tug-of-worm.

Poem ©J. Patrick Lewis. All rights reserved.

So, the challenge this week is to write some haiku riddles. Won't you join us? Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

National Poetry Month - Poetry Lovers, Start Your Engines ...

I'm revving up for tomorrow's kickoff of my National Poetry Month project. This time around I'm going to focus each week on a subject area and offer pairings of poetry and children's books that support the topic. Inspired by the Book Links article Sylvia Vardell asked me to co-author, Nonfiction Monday meets Poetry Friday: Linking Genres, I've been thinking quite a bit since then about offering up carefully selected book pairs.

This means that beginning tomorrow, and starting with SCIENCE, I'll be off with a month-long look at books of poetry (or in some cases very special poems) and their perfect (I hope!) partners.

I can't wait for April to begin! I hope you'll stop by to see what I've thrown together.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Just the Right Word

Since I'm not quite clever enough to write a decent reverso, I've been using this poem of Marilyn Singer's as a model for form.

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

Poem ©Marilyn Singer. All rights reserved.

Writing poems in this way is all about finding just the right words (adjectives) to describe the subject. It's hard, but I'm enjoying it immensely. Won't you join in trying a poem of this form? Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Poetry Friday - Is It Spring Yet?

I failed to post a poetry stretch this week. Suffice it to say that a snow day on St. Patrick's day in VIRGINIA took me by surprise.

It still doesn't look like spring yet. I so hope it gets here before we head straight on into summer. Here's a little Emily Dickinson to usher in the season.

Dear March, come in!
How glad I am!
I looked for you before.
Put down your hat—
You must have walked—      
How out of breath you are!
Dear March, how are you?
And the rest?
Did you leave Nature well?
Oh, March, come right upstairs with me,      
I have so much to tell!

I got your letter, and the bird’s;
The maples never knew
That you were coming,—I declare,
How red their faces grew!      
But, March, forgive me—
And all those hills
You left for me to hue;
There was no purple suitable,
You took it all with you.      

Who knocks? That April!
Lock the door!
I will not be pursued!
He stayed away a year, to call
When I am occupied.      
But trifles look so trivial
As soon as you have come,
That blame is just as dear as praise
And praise as mere as blame.


Do check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Julie Larios at The Drift Record. Happy poetry Friday friends.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Dogs!

I've been reading Mary Oliver and any other dog poetry on can get my hands on. This weekend I read this gem at American Life in Poetry.

Dog in Bed 
by Joyce Sidman

Nose tucked under tail,
you are a warm, furred planet
centered in my bed.
All night I orbit, tangle-limbed,
in the slim space
allotted to me.

If I accidentally
bump you from sleep,
you shift, groan,
drape your chin on my hip.

Read the poem in its entirety.


It hasn't been a week yet, but I'm particularly inspired by the newest addition to our family. Say hello to Hemingway.

He's very sweet and in need of lots of love and affection. He'll get all of that and then some! Right now we're just trying to put some weight on his skinny frame. His hips and ribs are visible, but we'll have him right as rain in no time.

Since I'm home today for another snow day (this makes 9 so far this year!), I'm reading and writing do poetry. Won't you join me this week? Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Postcards and Letters

Since my mother entered a nursing home last fall I've been writing more cards and letters. Letter writing is a lost art. I wish I could say my short missives are interesting or important, but they're more like the grade-school version of the "how I spent my summer" paper.

I've been pondering writing, postcards and letters and think this might be a good topic for a poem. (My choice is serendipitous, as today's Poem-a-Day from the American Academy of poets is the poem Postcards by E. Ethelbert Miller .)

I hope you'll join me this week in writing about writing. Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Fairy Tale Props

I've been re-reading my 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 because I'm particularly fond of poetry that reimagines fairy tales.

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. Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Poetry Friday - A Valentine

I know I'm a week early, but I read this poem a few days ago and just had to share it.

A Valentine
by Laura Elizabeth Richards

Oh! little loveliest lady mine,
What shall I send for your valentine?
Summer and flowers are far away;
Gloomy old Winter is king to-day;
Buds will not blow, and sun will not shine:      
What shall I do for a valentine?

I’ve searched the gardens all through and through
For a bud to tell of my love so true;
But buds are asleep, and blossoms are dead,
And the snow beats down on my poor little head:      
So, little loveliest lady mine,
Here is my heart for your valentine!


Do check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Renee at No Water River. Happy poetry Friday friends.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Clerihew

Haven't you heard that Tuesday is the New Monday? No, it wasn't a Super Bowl hangover. Between hosting Poetry Friday and the work that had piled up, I completely forgot to post!

Since I'm feeling a little blue (it's the time of year and lack of sun), I'm in need of poetry for the funny bone. A clerihew is a short verse that is biographical and humorous. Here are the rules for writing a clerihew.

• The poem must be four lines long.
• The rhyme scheme must be a/a/b/b.
• The first line should consist of the name of a person.
• The poem should be biographical and humorous. Often times clerihews poke fun at famous people.

You can learn more about clerihews at Poetry for Kids and Wikipedia. You can get some advice on writing clerihews at Giggle Poetry. Here's an example.

The enemy of Harry Potter
Was a scheming plotter.
I can't tell you what he's called; I'd be ashamed
To name "he who must not be named."

So, what kind of clerihew will you write? Will your subject be literary or political? I hope you'll join me this week in writing one (or two!). Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.