Category: Poetry

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The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science

Although I got carried away and did a full review at Growing with Science, I also want to share this wonderful new resource here.

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Reading poems to children throughout the year has many benefits. It increases their vocabulary, makes them more comfortable reading, and can make topics more memorable. The new book, The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science (Teacher’s Edition): Poems for the School Year Integrating Science, Reading, and Language Arts by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, gives you the tools to do so.

The K-5 Teacher Edition has 218 science-related poems by 78 poets. It is set up so the teacher can read one poem a week for a 36 week school year, for each of grades K through 5.  Every poem has a 5-step (“Take 5!”) mini-lesson with connections to the new Next Generation Science Standards.

student-editionsSeparate student editions are also available for each grade that have 36 poems (plus a few bonus poems).  Each poem is on a separate page and illustrated with line drawings.

For budding scientists, hearing science poetry might increase their interest in language arts. For budding poets, reading science poetry will make them realize that any topic can be fodder for a poem. The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science is win-win!

Be sure to visit the publisher, Pomelo Books, for printables and additional resources. Also, Poetry Friday is an ongoing blogger celebration of poetry for children. Check the Kidlitosphere Central website to find out more about it.

Paperback: 308 pages
Publisher: Pomelo Books (February 28, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1937057976
ISBN-13: 978-1937057978

Disclosures: The book was supplied by the publisher for review purposes. I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at not extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

 

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. Join us at the new Nonfiction Monday blog.

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Treasure for Toddlers/Preschoolers: How to be a Pirate

Yesterday I saw an adorable toddler tell his brother he was sending his paper boats to “Davy Jones’ Locker.” How to be a Pirate (Little Golden Book) by Sue Fliess and illustrated by Nikki Dyson would be a perfect book to share with this pirate-obsessed youngster because it is tightly packed with similar pirate talk as well as swashbuckling adventure.

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As she proves once again, Sue Fliess is a master of the fun-filled, fast-paced rhyming text that is so appealing to little ones.

Ahoy, landlubber! Come with me.
Board me ship upon the sea!
Not a pirate? Don’t know how?
Ye can learn to be one now!

The text is paired with Nikki Dyson’s illustrations, which are full of bright colors and movement. Check out the official trailer:

 

 

Looking for treasure? Reading How to be a Pirate will reveal the gold is not only on the binding of the book, but also inside.

Activities to accompany the book:

1. Make a paper boat and float like a pirate.

If you don’t have a favorite pattern, Paper Boat has instructions, more links and stories.

 

paper-boatGrowing with Science has a bathtub buoyancy challenge for older kids. Just try not to send your boats to Davy Jones’ Locker!

2. Dig for buried treasure

What youngster doesn’t love to play in sand? It is also an important sensory/tactile activity. You can add to the enjoyment by burying some pirate treasure a small sandbox or plastic bin full of sand for your child(ren) to find.  Supply plastic sand toys to help with excavation.

Suggestions for treasures for over three year olds (some of these might be choking hazards for children younger than three):

  • gold-painted rocks
  • marbles
  • fake coins
  • plastic gems
  • buttons
  • colorful sea shells
  • bead necklaces

Older kids might enjoy a treasure map and treasure hunt in the sand.

For more ideas, visit:

The Stuff for Junior Pirates page at the Official International Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19) website

My Pirate Activities for Toddlers/Preschoolers Pinterest page

Age Range: 2 – 5 years
Series: Little Golden Book
Hardcover: 24 pages
Publisher: Golden Books (January 7, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0449813096
ISBN-13: 978-0449813096

Disclosures: This book was provided by the publisher for review purposes. I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at not extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

 

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The Earth is Painted Green

The Earth is Painted Green: A Garden of Poems about Our Planet edited by Barbara Brenner and illustrated by  S. D. Schindler is an older collection of poetry for children that is a wonderful choice to tie Earth Day and National Poetry Month. painted-green

The poetry comes from such diverse poets as David McCord, Shel Silverstein and Margaret Wise Brown.

The illustrations are lush and mostly gently old-fashioned, which suit the poetry well. Some have rich detail and others are slightly silly, as the poems warrant.

My recommendation is to grab the book, find a quiet spot out in nature and share the poems with some children. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Earth Day.

Age Range: 4 and up
Paperback: 81 pages
Publisher: Byron Preiss Publications (March 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0590451359
ISBN-13: 978-0590451352

 

Come visit the STEM Friday blog each week to find more great Science, Technology, Engineering and Math books.

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Book of Animal Poetry

You may pick up National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar! (compiled by J. Patrick Lewis) for a quick look through for National Poetry Month, but once you delve into it you will probably want to have it handy to read again and again.  animal-poetry

J. Patrick Lewis is currently our Children’s Poet Laureate. For this book, he combines some of the best poems written about animals with phenomenal photographs, many from National Geographic’s own archives. Starting with a chapter called “Welcome to the World” and moving through “the big ones,” the little ones,” “the winged ones,” etc., Lewis has arranged the poems in such a way that they feel like a coherent whole, even though they are by poets as diverse as D.H. Lawrence, Ogden Nash, and Jane Yolen.

I already have some favorites from the collection. “What is the Opposite of Pillow?” by Richard Wilbur struck my funny bone. “The answer, child, is armadillo.” The aerial photograph of a flock of flamingos on page 118 forms the shape of a flamingo the way the shape poem by J. Patrick Lewis does. Very cool!

In the back are two pages about writing poems the describes the various forms with humorous examples and encourages children to write their own poetry.

The best part is, this book just begs to be shared. Looking for child-friendly poetry appropriate for Poem in Your Pocket Day, April 18, 2013? Look no further than National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry.

Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: National Geographic Children’s Books (September 11, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1426310099
ISBN-13: 978-1426310096

 

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. We invite you to join us. For more information and a schedule, stop by Booktalking to see who is hosting each week.

This week’s round-up can be found at NC Teacher Stuff. Stop by and see Jeff’s new book!