"Rap a Tap Tap: Here's Bojangles-Think of That!" by Leo and Diane Dillon is a terrific book that I found at my local public library and I plan to utilize it soon in my classroom. The book shares a slice of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson's life, focusing on his street dancing. A simple afterward tells a short biography of Robinson's life. The repetitive rhyme, "Rap a Tap Tap- Think of That!" lends itself to many musical extensions. One of the many great aspects of including children's literature in music is that there are limitless ideas that we can use in each book. Each teacher is going to think of different activities they can implement so that the book not only reinforces reading skills, but also supports our music curriculum. Our students will often lend their own creative ideas when given a chance, so don't forget to ask them! Here are some of my ideas on how I will include this book in music class: The book is used best in kindergarten, first, or second grade Younger students can clap the rhythm of "Rap a Tap Tap-Think of That!" each time it repeats, and they can also play the rhythm on instruments. Older students can use iconic or musical notation to represent the rhythm of the repeating rhyme. Students can devise a body percussion pattern to accompany the rhyme. Enlarge some of the images and pages from the book, so that the high frequency words become part of the environmental print in your music classroom. My district uses the "Making Music" series from Silver Burdett, and this ties in nicely with tap dancing which is explored in the Grade 2 book. "Making Music" goes in depth with an interview of a cast member from "Tap Dogs". Children could explore the comparison/contrast between Bojangles' style of tap dancing and the more modern "Tap Dogs", after viewing some excerpts from each, easily obtained from YouTube. A really positive aspect of the introduction of these two different generations of tap dancers is that all of the performers are male. Many of my student's only experiences with tap dance leave them with the impression that tap dance is only for girls and dance recitals. Seeing the dancers in these groups in action reinforces the statement from our series, "Male dancers are great athletes." Tap Dogs video: Bill "Bojangles" Robinson video: Do you have other ideas for using this book in your music classes? If so, please share!
Happy Saturday! I can’t believe I’ve been back at school for three weeks! The time has just flown by! Tuesdays in my class is a day without Specials (music, art, Spanish) so I’m able to have a longer
Runny Babbit lent to wunch And heard the saitress way, “We have some lovely stabbit rew—I Our Special for today.” So if you say, “Let’s bead a rook That’s billy as can se,” You’re talkin’ Runny Babbit talk, ...
This week I thought it would be a good idea to talk about my favourite adults in Blyton’s books. As with my favourite characters post I have decided to do a top three. 1. Aunt Fanny Now who c…
and When I taught 2nd grade, I began every morning with a poem from one of these two books. The kids grew to love his work and appreciate his humor. I really love his book, "The Giving Tree", even though there is some funny controvery over it, it is just a simple story and when too much is read into it, it can become constroversial. The tree gives and gives until he has nothing left to give, but in reality, he provides "Rest" from the old man's labor. Reminds me of something I read in a book, actually from one of the greatest books of all times! (The Bible) This summer has been hot! Today is Autumn. Welcome Autumn. Welcome FALL. I'm glad your here, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE MY AIRCONDITIONER JUST WENT OUT. (It really did, and of course it is the weekend.) This poem just makes me smile. There are too many kids in this tub, There are too many elbows to scrub. I just scrubbed a behind that I'm sure wasn't mine. There are too many kids in this tub. -Shel Silverstein When I was a kid, this is how my bath time was. We all got a bath at about the same time and there was less bath that kids. I taught this poem to my kids years ago and they still remember it. I have a daughter named Cynthia and a sister named Sarah and so this next poem hits home as well. SARAH CYNTHIA SYLVIA STOUT WOULD NOT TAKE THE GARBAGE OUT Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would not take the garbage out! She'd scour the pots and scrape the pans, Candy the yams and spice the hams, And though her daddy would scream and shout, She simply would not take the garbage out. And so it piled up to the ceilings: Coffee grounds, potato peelings, Brown bananas, rotten peas, Chunks of sour cottage cheese. It filled the can, it covered the floor, It cracked the window and blocked the door With bacon rinds and chicken bones, Drippy ends of ice cream cones, Prune pits, peach pits, orange peel, Gloppy glumps of cold oatmeal, Pizza crusts and withered greens, Soggy beans and tangerines, Crusts of black burned buttered toast, Gristly bits of beefy roasts. . . The garbage rolled on down the hall, It raised the roof, it broke the wall. . . Greasy napkins, cookie crumbs, Globs of gooey bubble gum, Cellophane from green baloney, Rubbery blubbery macaroni, Peanut butter, caked and dry, Curdled milk and crusts of pie, Moldy melons, dried-up mustard, Eggshells mixed with lemon custard, Cold french fried and rancid meat, Yellow lumps of Cream of Wheat. At last the garbage reached so high That it finally touched the sky. And all the neighbors moved away, And none of her friends would come to play. And finally Sarah Cynthia Stout said, "OK, I'll take the garbage out!" But then, of course, it was too late. . . The garbage reached across the state, From New York to the Golden Gate. And there, in the garbage she did hate, Poor Sarah met an awful fate, That I cannot now relate Because the hour is much too late. But children, remember Sarah Stout And always take the garbage out! Shel Silverstein, 1974 This is definitely the way thing get in my house sometimes, I'm embarrassed to say!!!!! All Things Shel Silverstein 08.12.2011 Just remember, when your feeling down and out, that "HUMOR is our BEST FRIEND". A big thanks to Shel Silversein for making me laugh........
Do you hate to teach poetry? Do you want your students to learn and enjoy poetry? Try these simple ways to learn how to teach poetry...
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Good Morning, This fortnight we are looking at Acrostic Poetry. This is a form of poetry often taught in schools. Below is a description and a simple example. As we head towards Easter perhaps you …
Whilst researching poems that might work well as artwork along the path of a woodland walk I came across the poem above. I thought this idea of poetry having branches that reached out across the land was really nice. I had already played around with the idea of creating artwork using a line of a poem - and then hanging it between trees. For last year's Cowslip Sunday, as part of art installation along a secluded woodland path, I produced a piece of artwork in the form of laser cut artboard surrounded by hand-cut leaves. Before installing this work I had attempted to seek the permission of the farmer who the land belonged to – and was assured by an individual that it wouldn’t be a problem. Unfortunately it transpired that the farmer was in a dispute with his neighbour and he (bizarrely) assumed that the artwork was an attempt at a wind-up on behalf of his neighbour and subsequently took the work down. After I had the opportunity to explain the situation he was quite contrite – to the extent that he offered to be involved in the installation of the work this year. So building on this piece from last year's event - and taking this idea of the 'poet tree' it was a natural progression that this new artwork should take the form of stylised tree 'branches'. The 'poet tree' made the idea of poetry being displayed in woods seem entirely natural. Provisionally I am working on using two lines from the Shel Silverstein poem, to make two different branches - and then having these hanging between two trees that lend themselves to the piece. The location I have in mind (assuming I can get permission from the landowner - which I'm guessing might require a financial outlay) would mean producing a piece of artwork of a reasonable size - perhaps 20 feet across. But I think the size of the work might add to it's impact. I'm quite excited about the potential for this 'poet tree' idea. It may very well be a project that could be extended - perhaps with the involvement of an organisation like The Woodland Trust - to install work in woods the length and breadth of the country, using poems selected by the public: The branches of the poet tree reach from the mountains to the sea.
It's been exactly a year since I first hosted the Poetry Friday Roundup, and I am so thrilled to be a part of this great community! (For the curious, click here to see last year's linkup.) Quick introduction: My name is Katie, and I am a language arts and social studies teacher in Wisconsin. I have taught third and fourth grade for many years and am making the big jump up to middle school this fall (yikes!). I have been holding weekly Poetry Friday time with my students for several years now, and it is one of my favorite things about teaching. I am very much looking forward to exploring weekly poetry with my middle schoolers as well. (Tips and leads much appreciated!) You can read more on my thoughts about The Power of Poetry Friday here. The Novel as Poetry The novel-as-poetry has a long, long history that predates written books, back when stories and tales were meant to be sung or whispered around the fire. Poetry, rhyme, and meter aided in the memorization of such stories, as they spread through repetition. Nowadays there seems to be a renaissance of the idea of the poem as novel, but rather than the epic poems of great battles and heroes, many of today's novels in verse for children feature a range of free-verse expressions and imaginative use of words and imagery. As part of my preparation for teaching middle school next year, I am working to familiarize myself with the literature of Latin America and East Asia (the Social Studies regions of focus for the year). One of my most recent reads along these lines is The Poet Slave of Cuba: a biography of Juan Francisco Manzano by Margarita Engle and illustrated by Sean Qualls [winner of the Pura Belpré and Américas Awards]. Poetry is the perfect vessel to convey the early life of Juan Francisco Marzano, born into slavery in Cuba, who overcame his lack of education and many hardships to become an admired poet. Right from the beginning, this novel surrounds you with the power of poetry: "Poetry cools me, syllables calm me I read the verses of others the free men and know that I'm never alone Poetry sets me aflame I grow furious dangerous, a blaze of soul and heart, a fiery tongue a lantern at midnight" (page 4). The story is told through poems in Juan's voice as well as those of other characters around him, providing addition insights and perspectives. There are many disturbing events related to slavery and the treatment of slaves in this story, making it suitable for older readers. The back matter includes more historical information about Juan, as well as selections of his actual poetry (both in the original Spanish and translated into English by the author). Other Novels in Verse May B. a Novel by Caroline Starr Rose is a novel-in-verse set during pioneer times in the US featuring a character with struggles with dyslexia. Silver People: voices from the Panama Canal by Margarita Engle gives voice to the builders of the Panama Canal as well as the surrounding environment. Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse is set during the Dust Bowl in the southern/western US and portrays the hardships of the time period. Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton is a novel-in-verse set during all of 1969, following Mimi Yoshiko Oliver who had just moved to Vermont with her black father and Japanese -American mother. Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhhà Lại shares the story of a young girl who must leave her home in Vietnam during the war and emigrates to America [Newbery Honor Book, National Book Award Winner]. Caminar by Skila Brown. This historical fiction novel in verse tells the story of young Carlos, living in 1981 in Guatemala. Heartbeat by Sharon Creech is the story of a 12-year old girl named Annie who loves to run but does not understand the appeal of a track team and who is working through her feelings about her grandfather's growing dementia and her mother's impending pregnancy. Love that Dog and Hate that Cat by Sharon Creech. These two charming novels each chronicle a year in the writer's notebook of a reluctant poet named Jack. Two of my all-time favorite books! (Read more about how I teach poetry using Love that Dog.) The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is a contemporary story that features the inside perspective of eighth grade Josh Bell. Josh and his twin brother are basketball stars and take after their father [Newbery Award Winner]. Booked by Kwame Alexander is a contemporary story told from the perspective of twelve-year old Nick Hall, an up-and-coming soccer star, plagued by his wordsmith father's book, Weird and Wonderful Words. The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan is told through the collected poems of a class of students facing the imminent closure of their elementary school, as they learn about the power of the written and spoken word. Memoirs in Verse Enchanted Air: two cultures, two wings: a memoir is Margarita Engle's memoir about her childhood growing up in the 1950s and 60s [Pura Belpré Award Winner and finalist for the YALSA-ALA award for excellence in Young Adult nonfiction]. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson is an incredible memoir told in vivid poems that are rich with history and imagery [Newbery Honor, National Book Award Winner, Coretta Scott King Award Winner]. Do you have a favorite novels in verse? Poetry Friday Linkup Please keep checking back during the day for more poetry goodness - or get started now by jumping into the links and comments! (Never participated in a linkup before? Please click here for a more detailed step-by-step.) I look forward to getting around and reading all your amazing poems and contributions. (Those sharing after Friday, it may take me some time, as I am off for #nErDcampMI shortly, whoo-hoo!) Happy Poetry Friday! ** Apologies to participants from Australia: if you are having problems leaving a link in the linkup, please leave it in the comments, and I will be sure it gets added. ** An InLinkz Link-up
OK, Something very fishy is happening to my blog today. Earlier my entire post vanished! So, I fixed it. Then as dark clouds began to loom overhead (not really but it helps my mood) today's Poetry post mysteriously jumbled itself up. I think it is crazed garden gnomes tampering or my fonts have gone ballistic and have taken over my blog. Woe is me. I will try one more time to correct it. I recently jumped on Jen and Kellee's bandwagon over at Teach Mentor Texts and started writing a weekly blog post for It's Monday! What are You Reading? They were inspired by Sheila at Book Journeys. This past week, I introduced a poetry unit to my Pre-Kinder three year old class - Kinder class. Poems that Rhyme I began with the stunning poetry book "In the Wild" and I asked the students to listen for words that rhyme. Sometimes I would pause before the end word in the rhyming pattern and the kids would shout out their best guess. They did a great job. If you do not have this book in your collection, get it asap! It is visually stunning and a great way to introduce poetry to young readers. In the Wild by David Elliott Illustrated by Holly Meade Publisher: Candlewick Press Publisher description: From the lion standing alone on the African savannah to the panda in a bamboo forest, from the rhinoceros with its boot-like face to the Arctic polar bear disappearing in the snow, the earth is full of curious and wonderful animals, each more extraordinary than the next. David Elliott’s pithy, lyrical verse and Holly Meade’s stunning woodcut and watercolor illustrations reveal a world of remarkable beauty and wonder — and offer an enticing introduction to both favorite animals and poetic forms. Lyrical Poems Mother Goose and Friends selected and illustrated by Ruth Sanderson Publisher: Little Brown and Company Next, we reviewed some nursery rhymes we have been reading this year. I wanted to include lyrical forms of poetry and nursery rhymes were familiar to this age group as I had already provided them with a good foundation in the genre. We formed a circle and held hands and sang "Ring Around the Rosy" ending in a big tumbled heap on the carpet as we "all fall down" amid an avalanche of giggles. Next, I plopped down a big old fake bush in the middle of the story-time carpet and we walked in a circle singing "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush". I threw them a bit of a challenge by alternating the direction of the circle with each changing verse. We pretended to wash our hands, wash our faces, brush our hair, and brush our teeth along with each corresponding verse. This movement and song activity allowed us all to shake some wiggles out and prepare for our next few books. Non-Rhyming Poems and The "awwww" Factor Then I hit 'em with a powerful weapon. Nothing gets a kid quicker than a cute little puppy face and the next two books had major "awww" factor. I Didn't Do It by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest Illustrated by: Katy Schneider Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books After wowing the kids with the puppy faces, I spoke to them about poems that do not use rhyming words. Instead, these poems make you think about what is happening in the poem. Poems where you need to use your imagination and think like a dog. They loved pretending to think like a dog. The favorite poem in this book was Pretty Puppy. I was very impressed that even the three year olds were able to grasp that Pretty Puppy was looking into a mirror. Once I Ate a Pie by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest Illustrated by: Katy Schneider Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books Browse inside "Once I Ate a Pie" My favorite poem to perform was Wupsi because it was so darn cute. The kids loved Pocket, an adorable poem about a little dog so small that he could fit inside a coat pocket. They thought it was hilarious when I whispered the repeated word "tiny" throughout the poem. The text was normal size but each use of the word tiny was written in very teeny tiny text. Pocket the dog was so sweet looking and she doesn't understand why everything she owns is so tiny because she sees herself as HUGE! Haiku Poems Dogku by Andrew Clements Illustrated by Tim Bowers Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers Dogku grabs you from the very first page. A lovable stray peers through a kitchen door at a pink bath-robed mom cooking the morning breakfast for her family. Will she shut the door and send him away? How could anyone refuse those precious eyes begging to be loved? "There on the back steps, the eyes of a hungry dog. Will she shut the door?" This charming dog's tale is the perfect book for introducing the poetry form of Haiku. In fact, every page with text is made up of a haiku. After explaining what a Haiku poems was, I asked students if they knew how to count the number of syllables or word parts for the word "puppy" Yes, they knew how to count word parts and puppy had two word parts. We then practiced sounding out syllables of commonly used words and then I read the first page as kiddos held up a finger for each syllable they heard. We counted the syllables in the first line and sure enough we counted five syllables. Next, we counted the second line and heard seven syllables. Then we listened carefully as I read the third line and we were back to five syllables. We all agreed that the first page was a Haiku poem. We then read the second page with text and applied the same test again determining it was a haiku. Rather than drag out the lesson with such young children, I read the rest of the story straight through and focused on other aspects of the story. I just wanted to provide a brief introduction to Haikus. Really terrific Dogku resources: Use this Eduscapes Power Point slide show for teaching the process of Haiku. Visit Simon and Schuster's site for a peek into the book. Dogku dogku ppt Found at ebookbrowse.com Here are some other books that I finished this week: I really enjoyed Scarlet, the sequel to Marissa Meyer's Cinder. Which is Round? Which is Bigger? by Mineki Mamada Publisher: Kid Can Press I really loved this surprising gem of a book. It was originally published in Japan and has been translated into English. Terrific for Preschool lessons. So many good literature connection activities come to mind. Miracle Mud Lena Blackburne and the Secret Mud that Changed Baseball by David A. Kelly Illustrated by Oliver Dominguez Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group I really loved the bright bold illustrations and the story was very entertaining. Kids will be searching their yards digging up their own miracle mud after reading this one. Hmmm, I think a possible science experience in the library might be in order. Messy yes, but cool. I actually read a ton of books this week but it's hard to keep up with them all. I have added 217 new books to our school library since March 1st and manually cataloged and processed them all. Today, I stopped in at Barnes and Noble to pick up a book for my son and ended up with ten more books for the library. Here I go again!
When the victims talk back, they stop being victims. Gerald Vizenor For centuries, in cartoons, stories, songs and paintings, Native Americans have been culturally invented and represented from the…
Poetry books for children are one of those rich resources that I think parents often overlook. Many of these make for wonderful gifts!
Frank Morrison is the illustrator of over 20 children’s books, including the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winners Standing in the Need of Prayer and R-E-S-P-E-C-T, the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award winner Jazzy Miz Mozetta, and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor books, Little Melba and her Big Trombone and Let the Children March. Frank was a Society of Illustrators' Original Art Silver Medal Honoree two years in a row, for The Roots of Rap and R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Bring back fond memories and celebrate National Poetry Month with our favorite children's poems.
When Bao Phi was a child, there was little literature about Vietnamese refugees in the U.S. Phi hopes to change that with his new poetry book Thousand Star Hotel and a forthcoming children's book.
The Literary Maven is a blog about teaching, books, & teaching books. Find tips and resources for English Language Arts instruction.
