WE'RE POETS AND WE KNOW IT!

Ask the children, “What do poets do?” As they respond comment, “You know, we can do that, too. We can all write poems and be poets!!!” Here are some simple activities to start your students on the road to writing poetry.


ACROSTIC
An acrostic is an easy way to begin writing poetry. Model how to do this on the board by writing a word vertically. Have children to think of a word that begins with each letter. Read over what you have written, and you have a poem.

Name Acrostic – Children think of a word that describes them for each letter in their name.


Holiday or Season- Write the holiday or season and then add an adjective that begins with each letter.

Non-fiction – Write a vocabulary word from a unit or theme and then
challenge children to write a word that begins with each letter.

Hint! Make banners or puzzles from poems that the children create.


BLANK POEM
Write several lines of poetry, leaving blanks at the end of each line. Encourage the children to fill in words that rhyme. Have them help you sound out the words as you write them. For example:

I saw a pig
Who could ______.
I saw a cat
Who could ______.
I saw a sheep
Who could ______.
And I can rhyme
Any time!

*Use similes for blank poems. For example, children could fill in the line to “Hungry as a _____. Quiet as a______. Sleepy as a ______. Mad as a _______. Good as _______. Sweet as ______.” And so on.


PREDICTABLE POEMS
Give children predictable sentences similar to the ones below. All children have to do is fill in a missing word, and they’ll have a poem.
Hint! They can use words that rhyme, nonsense words, or words that don’t rhyme.

I like_____.
I like _____
I like _____.
Do you like____?

I can _____.
I can_____.
I can_____.
Can you_____?

*I know….I wish….My mom is…Dogs can….Spring is….Green is…. And so forth!
*Write predictable poems using the five senses. It looks like…It sounds
like…It tastes like… It smells like…It feels like…It’s a ….


Poetry Quilt
Give each child a square and let them write an original poem or rhyme on the square. Let them decorate a frame around their poem with crayons. Glue the children’s squares to a large sheet of bulletin board paper. Be sure to leave at least an Inch between the squares. Take 12” pieces of yarn and tie them in bows. Glue the bows between the squares so it will look like a quilt.

Windsock
Give children a sheet of paper 12” x 8”. Let them illustrate or write an original poem on the paper. Next, glue 12” x 1” tissue paper strips on the bottom of the paper. Bring the edges together to make a cylinder and staple. Punch 3 holes in the top and tie on 12” pieces of string. Bring the ends of the string together and knot.

NUTTY TO THE RESCUE

Here's a new story/poem created by Alex May.

YouTube Narrated:

https://bit.ly/drJPipNarrated

YouTube Silent

https://bit.ly/drJPipSilent

A POEM FOR YOUR POCKET

Pocket Poem
Seal an envelope, cut it in half, decorate, punch holes, tie on a piece of yarn, and let children choose a favorite poem or nursery rhyme to tuck inside.

Here's a poem for your pocket that my daughter Holly wrote.

A Poem

By Dr. Holly 

A poem, a poem 

Is a very special thing. 

It takes the words 

And makes them sing. 

A poem is a present, 

A poem is a treat 

With words piled like ice-cream 

In your bowl to eat! 

A poem, a poem 

Is a treasure and an art 

So always carry one 

With you in your heart. 

Visiting Poet
Invite a poet from your community to visit and read poetry. Encourage the children to generate questions to ask the author before her visit.


Poetry Café
How about a poetry party where you serve hot chocolate instead of coffee. Let children choose favorite poems for you to read or encourage them to recite nursery rhymes or finger plays. Explain that in the coffee houses instead of clapping, the audience would “snap” their fingers for the poets.

POEMS FROM MY PAST

MY WHISTLE
I bought a wooden whistle,
But it wouldn’t whistle.
I bought a steel whistle,
But it still wouldn’t whistle.
I bought a tin whistle,
And now I “tin” whistle!

THE MOON
I see the moon,
And the moon sees me.
God bless the moon,
And God bless me!

WISH UPON A STAR
Star light,
Star bright.
First star I see tonight.
Wish I may,
Wish I might,
Have this wish come true tonight!

FIND A PENNY
Find a penny.
Pick it up.
All day long
You’ll have good luck!
But if you give
It to a friend
Then your luck
Will never end.

LADY BUG
Lady bug, lady bug
Fly away home.
Hour house is on fire
And your children are lone.

WORMS
Nobody loves me,
Everybody hates me.
Guess I’ll go eat worms.
Short, fat, squishy ones,
Long, skinny, slimy ones,
See how they wiggle and squirm.

POETRY = READING SKILLS

Are you (and your students) tired of skills, skills, skills? Well, take a look how poetry can "camouflage" those skills in a meaningful and engaging way.


Syllables
After reading a poem with your students, read it again clapping the number of syllables in each word. You could also snap, stomp, hop or make other movements for the syllables.




Rhyming Words
Following a reading, mention that you heard words that sounded alike at the end. Repeat two of the words that rhyme. Let’s read the poem again and see if you can listen for other words that rhyme. As children find words that rhyme, highlight them on the poem with highlighting markers or tape. Write sets of words that rhyme on the board. Underline the letters that are the same. Have children think of other words that have the same sound at the end. Write the rhyming words on the board as the children call them out.

Alliteration
Read poems that have strong alliteration. Ask children to identify words with the same beginning sound. Highlight the words in the poem or list them on the board. Can children add other words to the list that begin with the same sound?

Sound Scramble


Just for fun, choose an initial consonant sound and alliterate each word in a rhyme. For example: Bumpty Bumpty Bat Bon Ba Ball. Bumpty Bumpty bad ba breat ball…

Decoding Skills
As you come to unknown words in poems, stop and model how to sound them out by blending the sounds.

Predicting
Before reading a poem, encourage the children to look at the title or illustrations and predict what the poem might be about.

High Frequency Words
Highlight word wall words that are in poems. Pass out flash cards with words and challenge children to match them with words in the poem.

Parts of Speech
Ask children to identify verbs, nouns, and other parts of speech in poetry.

Comprehension
After reading a poem, ask appropriate questions that will develop comprehension skills. Is there a main character? What was the setting? When did the poem take place? What happened at the beginning? Middle? End? Was there a problem or resolution? What will happen next? What was the main idea?

Genres of Literature
Help children recognize different types of literature through poetry. Could the poem really happen or is it pretend? Poems and books that are pretend are called “fiction” and those that are real are called “non-fiction.” Is the poem humorous or serious? Does it tell a story (epic) or is it just a rhyme?

Mental Imagery
Being able to visualize what is happening in a story, poem, or text is a strategy for improving comprehension. Have children close their eyes as you read different poems to them. Encourage the children to make a picture in their brains to go along with what they hear. After listening to the poem, encourage the children to discuss the pictures that they made in their heads.

Hint! Cut a pocket off an old pair of pants and staple it to a bulletin board. Store favorite poems in the pocket and use them to reinforce your reading skills.

POETRY MONTH

When your give children a song and rhyme,

You give them a gift that will last for all time!

It’s true! We keep songs and poems that we learn when we are young in our hearts and minds all of our lives. Since April is National Poetry Month, I’m going to focus my blogs the next few days on poetry.

Here are eight great reasons for integrating poetry in your classroom:

Poetry develops oral language.
Poetry develops auditory memory.
Poetry helps children make print connections.
Poetry develops phonological awareness (rhyme, rhythm, alliteration).
Poetry enhances fluency.
Poetry develops vocabulary.
Poetry sparks children’s interest in reading.
Poetry helps children fall in love with language.

With all the emphasis on standards and assessment, poems can be like a breath of fresh air. They can add joy, imagination, creativity, and FUN to your classrooms!

Here are some ways to celebrate poetry month in your classroom or in your school.

Poetry Club
Write “Poetry Club” on a poster and decorate with glitter. Explain that anyone who stands up in front of the class and recites a nursery rhyme or poem can be a member of the poetry club. (You might want to model reciting a poem for them.) After they’ve recited their poem, let them sign their name on the poster.



*Design a membership card for the poetry club and run off on card stock. Present one to the children after they’ve recited a poem for their classmates.


Laurel Wreath
Just for fun, let children make laurel wreaths out of paper plates and leaves. The Greeks awarded these in Olympic events for sports as well as poetic meets.

Parents and Poems
Ask children to interview their parents about poetry using some of the prompts below:

Do you like poems? Why? Why not?
What’s your favorite poem?
Do you have a favorite poet?
Did you learn any poems when you were a child?
Do you have a poetry book?


Poet “Tree”
Use an old Christmas tree or stick several large, dry branches in a pot of dirt. Invite children to write or illustrate a poems on index cards and then attach to the tree with clothespins. Encourage children to “pick a poem” and read!

NAME YOURSELF DAY

Have you ever wished that you had a different name? Well, according to holidayinsights.com  April 9th is the day we can all change our names. And, wouldn’t your kids get a kick out of changing their first name on Wednesday?

Tell them about it on Monday so they’ll have time to make their decision. (They’ll probably sort through dozens of names before choosing one.) Start Wednesday morning by having each student tell their classmates their new name and explain why they chose it.

Sing this good morning song to the tune of “Good Night, Ladies” using their new name.
Hello, (new name).
Hello, (new name).
Hello, (new name).
We’re glad you’re in our room.

Let them make nametags, necklaces, bracelets, or crowns with their new name. Their new name could also be the catalyst for a story about an adventure they might have.

And you should probably change your name tomorrow as well. How about Queen ___ or King ____?

SEEDY STUFF!

Seed Hunt
Have children hunt for seeds in their kitchen at home. Bring these in and plant them in clear plastic cups filled with potting soil. Be sure to label. Water and watch.


Seedy Snack
Popcorn, sunflower seeds, pickles, and strawberries! What do they call have in common? They could all be part of a seedy snack. Let the children brainstorm all the things they eat that have seeds.


Planting Jelly Beans
Invite children to think of other things they would like to plant, such as jelly beans or pennies. Place a paper towel around the inside of a clear plastic cup and fill with soil. Plant the jelly beans and pennies between the cup and the soil so the children can observe what happens. Water and place in a sunny window.

Veggies
Purchase carrot seeds, radishes, and other vegetable seeds that germinate quickly and plant.  (My daughter likes to use cardboard egg cartons to start seeds.)  Water, set in a sunny window, and have the children record the plant growth.
*Transfer to your school garden or a container garden when the plants are several inches high.


Newspaper Tree
My kids always loved to watch me make this newspaper tree. Open three sheets of newspaper and lay on the floor as shown. Roll up and tape. Cut down several strips from the top about 8” long. Reach into the middle of the roll, grab the center, and slowly pull up. Tae daa!

      

THE PLANTING SONG

Spring is in the air and it's time to do a little planting!

The Planting Song (Tune: “Farmer in the Dell”)
Let’s all plant some seeds, (Pretend to dig with a shovel.)
Let’s all plant some seeds.
Hi, ho, it’s spring you know,
Let’s all plant some seeds.

The rain begins to fall… (Have fingers fall like rain.)

The sun warms the earth… (Hands over head in a circle.)

The seeds begin to grow… (Make a fist with one hand and bring the other hand up through it.)


Dig a Hole  (Finger Play)
Dig a hole. (Make a hole by making a fist with right hand.)
Plant a seed. (Stick left index finger in the hole.)
Up comes a flower. (Bring left hand up through right fist.)
Pull out the weed. (Pretend to pluck a weed.)


Growing, Growing!
What does a seed need to grow? Brainstorm with the children and write their responses on the board. Take five cups and draw the following as shown:

soil, water, sun, air
soil, water, air
soil, water, sun (Put in a jar so it doesn't get fresh air.)
soil, sun, air
sun, air, water

Plant several bean seeds in each cup. Encourage the children to predict what will happen. Observe. Evaluate predictions after several weeks.




Dirt Cake

Give each child a clear cup. Let them put a layer of chocolate pudding in the cup, then sprinkle with crushed Oreo cookies. Add a gummy worm and a paper flower stapled to a straw. (Yeah, I know it’s junky, but it would be fun for a birthday party or if you’re a grandparent!)

RAINHAT STORY

RAIN HAT STORY

*Note! You can watch me tell the story on this video:

https://youtu.be/WhRYKyxRosg

Once there was a very creative and resourceful teacher. There was a huge thunderstorm one night and when she got to school the next morning the whole classroom was flooded. The only thing left were newspapers on the top shelf. So, the teacher gave each child a newspaper and they looked for words they could read and talked about the pictures. After a while she realized the children needed some exercise, so they turned the newspapers into rain hats so they could go outside. 

(Fold the paper in half. Open. Fold one top corner to the middle crease. Fold the other top corner to the middle crease. Fold up the top bottom edge. Turn over and fold up the other bottom edge.)

The children had fun wearing their rain hats, but then they heard a “RRRRRR” sound coming down the road. It was a fire truck, and the teacher showed the children how to turn their rain hats into fire helmets.
(Put your thumbs in the corner of the hat and bring them together. Flatten. Fold up one bottom point.) 

The children even used their fire helmets like scoops to help put out the fire.

All the water reminded the teacher of boats and pirates, so they turned their fire helmets into pirate hats.
(Bring the other bottom point up to the top.)

Now, all pirates need boats, so they turned their pirate hats into boats.
(Grab the top two points and gently pull out to make your boat.)

They went floating down the stream and ran into a rock and the front of their boat came off.
(Tear a little off the front of the boat.)

They went floating down the stream and they ran into a tree and the back of their boat came off.
(Tear off a little from the back of the boat.)

They went floating down the stream and they went under a bridge and the top of their boat came off.
(Tear a little off the top.)

Anybody else would have been a nervous wreck, but that teacher knew the children all had life preservers, so they put them on and swam safely back to school.
(Open and hold up as shown.)

And when they got back to school they drew pictures and wrote stories about all of their adventures!


Rainy Day Reads
Make a special place to read on rainy days by opening a large umbrella and putting it in a cozy corner in your classroom. Put some books and stuffed animals under it and your children won't be able to resist!
Note! Limit two at a time and they'll be lining up for their turn!

IT'S RAINING! IT'S POURING!

Rain on the housetop,

rain on the trees.

Rain on umbrellas,

but not on me!

Rain (Traditional Tune)
It’s raining, it’s pouring, (Make rain by wiggling fingers
The old man is snoring. in a downward motion.)
He went to bed,
And he bumped his head, (Pretend to bump hand with palm.)
And he couldn’t get up in the morning. (Shake head “no.”)


Make Rain
Make “rain” as a transition activity to quiet children. Hold up one palm and tap with one finger from the other hand. Next, slowly add another finger and tape with two, then three, four, and five. (At this point you can also stomp your feet to make thunder.) Reverse the process by tapping with five fingers, then four, three, two, one. Quietly place your hands in your lap. It will really sound like a rain storm is coming and then going away.

Rain in a Jar Experiment
Fill a large glass jar with very hot water. Set a pie pan full of ice cubes on top of the mouth of the jar and observe what happens. Encourage students to draw observations.


The Water Cycle (Tune: “My Darlin’ Clementine”)
Evaporation (Push palms up.)
Condensation (Hands together in air.)
Precipitation all around (Wiggle fingers down.)
Accumulation (Sweep arms in circle.)
Evaporation (Push palms up.)
The water cycle goes
Round and round (Make circles with arms.) 

Rain Bracelet
Children will be able to retell the water cycle with this bead bracelet. Have them string on the following beads as they repeat the water cycle:
Evaporation - clear bead
Condensation - white bead
Precipitation - blue bead
Accumulation - brown bead
Evaporation – yellow bead (sun) to evaporate the water

NO FOOLIN - JOKES FOR APRIL

No Joke!

I've got some great jokes to fool you today!

Why did the egg go to school?
To get "Egg-u-cated".

What kind of jokes do eggs tell?
Egg yolks!

What did the mommy egg say to the baby egg?
You're "Egg-stra special".

How do eggs stay healthy?
They "Egg-cercize".

What happened to the egg when he was tickled too much?
He cracked up.

What kind of plants do eggs keep?
Eggplants

What flowers grow on faces?
Tulips (Two-lips)!

What is a bunny's motto?
Don't be mad, be hoppy!

How do you catch a unique rabbit?
Unique up on it.

How do you catch a tame rabbit?
The tame way. Unique up on it.

What is a rabbit's favorite dance style?
Hip-Hop!

Why are rabbits so lucky?
They have four rabbit's feet?


Some “bunny’s” got some knock knock jokes for you!

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Ether.
Ether who?
Ether bunny.

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Justin.
Justin who?
Justin other Ether Bunny.

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Notta.
Notta who?
Notta nother Ether Bunnies.

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Stella.
Stella who?
Stella nother Ether bunny.

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Juan.
Juan who?
Juan more Ether bunny.

Knock, knock
Who's there?
Chuck.
Chuck who?
Chuck-olate bunny!

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Dewey.
Dewey who?
Dewey have to listen to any more Ether bunny jokes?

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Some bunny.
Some bunny who?
Some bunny is eating all my Easter eggs!

Knock, knock!

Who's there?

Noah.

Noah who?

Noah body . . . April Fool's

HUMPTY DUMPTY'S TROUBLES

How about some new Humpty Dumpty rhymes?  Thank you Alex May (webmaster)!

Click to view

Here's a version where the children can fill in the missing rhyme.

Click to view

EGG EXPERIMENTS

There's more to eggs than dying them!

Rubber Egg
Materials: clear jar with lid
vinegar
raw egg in its shell

1. Put a raw egg in a jar and then cover it with vinegar. Screw on the lid and set it aside for 3-5 days.
2. Observe the egg each day and describe what is happening to it.
3. After 3-5 days, the eggshell should be almost invisible. Remove the egg, rinse it off, and hold it up to the light. How does the shell feel? Hold the egg several inches from the table and drop it. Does it break?

EggStra Special
Materials: 2 clear cups
1 brown egg
1 white egg

1. Pass around the eggs for the children to gently hold and observe.
2. Discuss how the eggs are alike and how they are different.
3. Ask the children to predict if they are alike or different on the inside.
4. Break each egg into a different cup and compare.
5. How are people like the eggs? Do people look alike on the outside? Are people the same on the inside?
*They made good scrambled eggs, too!


Happy Teeth
Materials: 4 raw white eggs
4 clear cups
tea, coffee, cola, water

1. Place each egg in a different cup and cover with one of the liquids.
2. Observe the eggs for several days to see what happens.
3. Remove the eggs and encourage the children to describe what happened to each egg and why.
4. How are teeth like the eggs? What will happen to your teeth of you drink tea and coffee all the time?
*Brush the eggs gently with toothbrush and toothpaste and see what happens.

Note! Brushing the egg with toothpaste didn't work too well. I might have left the egg in the coffee too many days. Or, maybe it was the toothpaste???

What’s in an Egg?
Materials: plastic egg
small toy animal that would hatch from an egg (fish, bird, alligator, frog, spider, snake, etc.)

1. Put the toy in the egg? Let the children shake it and try and guess what it is.
2. Have them make a list of all the animals they can think of that hatch from eggs.
3. Open the egg to confirm their guess.
*Make a t-chart of animals that come from eggs and animals that do not hatch from eggs.


Natural Dyes
Did you know you could dye eggs with berries, vegetables, and spices? There are many ideas on the internet if you want to give it a try.

EGG-CELLENT AND EGG-CEPTIONAL LEARNING TOOLS

WORKING ON LESSON PLANS FOR APRIL THIS WEEKEND?

If you can remember where you put all those plastic eggs from last year's hunt, then I've got tons of learning activities where you can recycle them.

Letters
Write an upper case letter on one half with a permanent marker and the lower case letter on the other half.

*Children can match letters. They can also write words or draw pictures of things that begin with that sound and put them in the egg.

.

Word Families

Write onsets (consonants or blends) on one half and rimes (word endings) on the other half. Children twist around and read words. You could also ask children to write the words.

Two Letter Sight Words

Practice making and reading two letter words by writing a letter on each half. Ask children to write the words or use them in a sentence.

Numbers and Sets

Write numerals or number words on the eggs. Children fill with the appropriate amount of beans or paper clips.
Can they write all the different ways they can make five?

Compound Words

Make compound words with eggs.

Science

Let children draw pictures of all the animals that come from eggs.

Writing

Write a poem about spring on a small sheet of paper. Fold it up and put it in the egg.

Math Facts

Practice addition and subtraction with eggs.

Puzzles

Write sight words or spelling words on the eggs. Write the same word on a 1” x 4” sheet of paper and cut between the letters to make a puzzle. Place puzzle pieces in the egg. Children shake and then open and put the pieces together to make the word.
*You can also put random letters in the egg and ask children to see how many words they can make and write from the letters.