Holiday Reading Fun

What do you get when you mix poetic picture books, holiday music, a few snacks, and kids?  Our Picture Book Holiday Read-In!  On Monday, I filled several tables in our media center with picture books. My middle school students were allowed to choose which books they wanted to read.

I loved hearing their excitement as they recommended a book to a classmate, bragged about the number of books they read during our Read-In, and told me their favorite details from their books.   The students are in my six reading intervention classes. They don't usually list reading as their favorite activity.  Yet, there they were enjoying books!  

Many of the kids commented about how relaxing the time the read-in was. It was like they suddenly discovered READING!  I encouraged them to find a book and have their very own read-in at home. 

I thought I'd share a few photos. You might recognize some of these books! 

Another fun holiday activity this week was watching my granddaughter, Evie,  decorate her Christmas tree.  All the decorations ended up on one side, but it was the most beautiful tree I've ever seen.  Then we baked cookies!

Happy Holidays!

Head on over to Buffy's Blog for more poetry fun!

Poetry Friday: The Meaning of Christmas

I had a wonderful time at NCTE, and the highlight was meeting some of my favorite poets. It was a magical three days, and I wanted to share my excitement. I planned a blog post, but time slipped away from me. From the minute I got home, I hit the ground running and before I knew it, I was knee-deep back in the daily rush!   Maybe that's why it's been so hard for me to get into the holiday mood this year.

I love Christmas. I love baking, addressing cards, wrapping presents, and putting up the tree.   Yet, this year, the joy wasn't  there.  It felt like I was just going through the motions to get things done. 

Then while rushing home from work today, "Away in a Manger" came on the radio.  Outside my car window, snow was falling, and  the world seemed to slow down.  As I listened, I could feel my spirit lifting. I could feel Christmas.

"Away in a Manger" is the first Christmas carol I learned as a child. I don't know how I learned it(maybe from my mother), and I love singing it every year.  It so simply, yet so perfectly reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas. It was the song I needed to hear.

It's amazing how a song can change your mood.  So, what song gets you in the holiday spirit?  I hope you'll share it in the comments. I'll be taking a break from posting for a few weeks so I'll see you again in the new year!

Have a blessed and joyous holiday, and remember to take a little time for yourself! 

Paul, one of my new friends I met at NCTE, is our host for Poetry Friday at These 4 Corners.

Lunch with Jacqueline Woodson!

Ok, so Jacqueline Woodson won't actually know I'm in the room, but I am going to hear her speak at a luncheon next week at NCTE, and I'm so excited!  I've been a fan or her books for many years. She writes with such heart, and warmth that reading her books feels like she's sitting next to me telling the story.



I first came to know her work when I read Locomotion, a novel written in verse written in the voice of eleven year old Lonnie.  Every poem is so touching that I couldn't stop thinking about Lonnie and all the sadness he experienced at such a young age. I love how a fifth grade poetry assignment helped him find his voice and gave him a way to tell his story.



A few years ago, I used Miracle's Boys in my reading class with a group of eighth grade boys.  They told me it was the best book we read all year. Like many of Jacqueline Woodson's books, this story of three brothers is heartbreaking yet hopeful.



 I just finished reading her memoir-in-verse, Brown Girl Dreaming.  I loved reading about her childhood and discovering her voice as a writer.   She and I are from the same generation so the songs and events mentioned in the poems brought back memories of my own childhood.  You can read an excerpt from Brown Girl Dreaming on the NPR blog, and learn more about how Jacqueline came to poetry.  Another connection I share with Jacqueline is that Langston Hughes is the poet who led her to love poetry. I believe readers of all ages will identify with her story.



In addition to novels, Jacqueline Woodson also writes picture books. My favorite is  Each Kindness, the story of a young girl who is unkind to the new girl in her class. .  I see this scenario play out all the time at school, and it's heartbreaking.  I read it to my sixth grade students, and many of them shared their own experiences of being treated unkind.  A few of them even shared their regrets over treating someone or something unkind.

There are still a few of Jacqueline Woodson's books I haven't read, but I plan on changing that!  If you're looking for realistic fiction with characters so believable, you'll worry about them, Jacqueline is the author for you!  Just be sure to have a box of tissue nearby.   :  )

This is just a brief overview for a few of Jacqueline Woodson's titles. Check out her website to learn more.

Keri at Keri Recommends is hosting Poetry Friday this week.

Poetry Heroes

Today is Halloween, and my students are filled with excited anticipating all the delicious treats they'll receive tonight. I'm filled with anticipation too, but I'll have to wait a few more weeks for my special treat because I'm going to NCTE for the first time ever! 

I'm especially looking forward to attending many of the poetry sessions.  Some of my favorite poetry heroes will be there, and I can't wait to see them.  After years of reading their books and blogs, getting to know some of them online, and following their careers, it will be a thrill to meet them in person. Here are just a few of the poets I'm hoping to meet.

Ralph Fletcher
I have heard Ralph speak twice.  The first time was over twenty years ago, after his first book of poetry Water Planet was published, and again about three years ago at a conference in Virginia. I love the conversational voice in his poetry.

Joseph Bruchac
I had the pleasure of interviewing him fifteen years ago for a magazine article. I love his stories and poems reflecting Native American traditions.

Jacqueline Woodson
I've been a fan of her books since I read Locomotion. I just finished brown girl dreaming and loved every word!

Naomi Shihab Nye
Love, love, love her work!

Most of all, I'm looking forward to meeting our own Poetry Friday folks.

Sylvia Vardell
Author of many wonderful resources for teachers including: The Poetry Teacher's Book of Lists and co-compiler of the popular Poetry Friday Anthology series.  I never miss one of her Poetry for Children posts because they are always filled with ideas and resources for poets, children, and teachers.

Janet Wong
She is an expert in finding just the right voice for each of her poems.  I have most of her books, but  my favorite is her first collection Good Luck Gold.   Many of my students love Behind the Wheel , and it's a great mentor text for encouraging boys to write their own poems.  Janet is also the co-complier of the popular Poetry Friday Anthology series.

Laura Purdie Salas
I "met" Laura online about ten years ago. I've followed her poetry career since then.  I'm so proud of her success, and it couldn't happen to a nicer, more generous person! She is an amazing poet who blends nonfiction and poetry in the most brilliant ways. If you haven't read a  A Leaf Can Be and Water Can Be , you must add them to your wish list.  I'm pre-ordering her next book in the series, A Rock Can Be which is due to be published March 2015.

Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
I'm drawn to the gentleness and sense of wonder in Amy's poems.  Her blog The Poem Farm is a fantastic resource for teachers and students. Her first collection of poetry Forest Has a Song is one of my student's favorites.

Irene Latham
Irene is a versatile writer of two novels, collections of  poetry for adults and a wonderful new collection for children, Dear Wandering Wildebeest. Her poems are filled surprising imagery sure to delight readers young and old!
,
If you know of other poets attending NCTE, I would appreciate it if you would leave a comment. I don't want to miss the chance to attend their sessions.  I'm also looking forward to meeting many of my online teacher friends too, so if you'll be there I'd love to know. I'll be on the lookout for you!

The lovely Linda is hosting Poetry Friday over at Teacher Dance.

Happy Halloween!

Poetry Friday: Fly South!

Several years ago, I lived across the street from a community pond.  It was a popular rest stop for geese.  I would often wake up to the sound of them honking their way to warmer climates. I loved watching them fly over my house as I imagined the teamwork involved in such a long flight. The memory of them inspired this tanka.

 

 

 

 

               Fly South

Fly south geese go— soon

        the earth will be covered in
               ice and snow—it’s time
                      to leave for warmer winds so
                               go—before winter begins.
                                                                           
                                                                              -Linda Kulp Trout , all rights reserved.
             

 

Last Sunday, my husband and I went in search of autumn. The air was crisp, the sky was bright blue, and the trees were at their peak.  We didn’t see any geese, but we did see a gorgeous lake.  This picture isn't very good, but it helps me remember our early morning walk and this beautiful autumn scene.

Be sure to stop by Merely Day by Day where Cathy is hosting this week's Poetry Friday!

More Student Poems

This is a post I meant to share at the beginning of the month, but I never got to it. I've been devoting all of my writing time to a special project.  The days have flown by, and now here we are at the end of September! 

Thank goodness for a day off!  I'm writing this on Thursday afternoon because school is closed in honor of Rosh Hashanah so I'm doing my best to catch up on my "To-do" list.

This week I'm sharing two more students poems that were modeled after Janet Wong's poem "Another New Year" published in The Poetry Friday Anthology for Middle School. Reading my students' poems taught me about their hopes and dreams for the new school year. 

Knowing their interests also helps me choose texts for my classroom.  I'm saving these poems to use for another activity. At the end of the year, they'll write another poem and compare the two to see if their interests have changed or remained the same.

You can read more about the writing activity I used with my students here.

Another New Year

Another new year:
another new start.

I'm thinking I should
take a drawing class.                                 
                                                                                      
And try out                                                                              
for basketball.

and not be so shy
meeting new people.

For fun I could learn
to play an instrument.

(Pull friends into
an band club?)

Our drawing club
is meeting today.

I guess I could join.
I'd need to practice
coloring again.

This is the year
I want to get all A's!

-C.

Another New Year

Another new year:
another new start.

I'm thinking I should
dye my hair blue.

And try  to read
a whole book for once.
                                                                                       
and not dress
like the 80's.

For fun I could learn
how to change my look.

(Pull friends into
a fashion show?)

Our theater group
is meeting today.

I guess I could join.
I'd need to be cool.

This is the year
to be awesome!

-V.

Another New Year and Resources for Teachers

This week was the first week back for students.  There are five elementary schools that feed into our middle school. Lots of new faces for our sixth graders to get to know.  They come with a mix of anxiety and excitement.  All teachers know the importance of beginning the year with icebreakers to help build a sense of community in the classroom. Today, I'm sharing two that worked well with my students.

I teach six classes of Reading Intervention.  My students are not only struggling readers, most of them also have special needs. They don't like to read, and they aren't shy about letting me know it.  Short, high-interest texts work best for them.  The Poetry Friday anthologies compiled by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong have become my go-to resource. Having the elementary, middle school, and science editions make it easy to find just the right poem to complement my lesson.



This week I used two poems from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Middle School edition. I made a power point presentation of "The First Week of School" by Janet Wong. The poem begins:

First week here: it's like a show.
Lots of kids that I don't know.
Where am I supposed to go?

Janet Wong all rights reserved. 

After reading the poem, I asked the  "Take 5!"  question: What are the best and worst parts of the first week of school?

This question gave students an opportunity to share their feelings about starting middle school.  My hope was to help them feel connected to their classmates by discovering that they were all feeling the same mixed emotions.  I heard a lot of, "Me, too!" comments so I think my objective was achieved!


The next day, I read aloud "Another New Year" also by Janet Wong.  My objective was to encourage students to think about trying something new this year.

I used the "Take 5" prompt: Brainstorm a list of in-school and after-school activities that are offered on your campus for students to consider.  Next, I gave them a poetry frame using parts of Janet's poem, but leaving space for students to write their own responses. My sixth graders really loved this activity,  and I love how they put their own spin on it!   Several of them volunteered to have their poem projected onto the screen and proudly read it aloud to the class.

Below is one of my favorite examples by a young man who claims he doesn't like poetry (the underlined sections were written by the student). I'll share more of their poems next Friday.


Another New Year

Another new year:
another new start.

I'm thinking I should
get to class on time.

And try to open
my locker

and not fall down
in the hallway.

For fun I could learn
to do visual arts.

(Pull friends into
a homework group
or theatre group?)

Our chess team
is meeting today.

I guess I could join.
I'd need to practice.

I'll play every night
till I go to sleep.

This is the year
I do my best!
 
            -A.

Isn't that great?  The Poetry Friday anthologies make it easy for me to motivate students to read and write poetry, AND to practice much needed listening and speaking skills. With all the demands on my time, I am extremely grateful to Sylvia and Janet for compiling these teacher-friendly, student-friendly volumes.  More of their fantastic resources (including pocket poem cards and poetry movies)  from the Poetry Friday series can be found here.

Jone is hosting Poetry Friday this week, be sure to Check It Out.