Blog
Defining the Seasons #ClassroomConnections
While writing Snowman-Cold=Puddle, I thought about the many different ways seasons are defined, including agriculturally, by temperature, by planetary alignment, etc. Many regions of the world have rainy and dry season instead of our four North American seasons. For me, as a kid and then a teacher, summer always started on the first non-school day,
Bringing Home with You (Books and Moving) #ClassroomConnections
We’ve just moved–third time in five years. I’m exhausted, and I don’t know where anything is! Since I read so many books, I largely rely on library books (and novels are usually on Kindle) to feed my habit. But there are still those owned, physical books that must come with me. They’re old friends. A
An Awesome Production of Clover Kitty from YourClassical Storytime! #ClassroomConnections
Howdy, friends. This never posted last week, and in the busy-ness of moving, I didn’t realize it. So–ta da! Check out this amazing new profession readaloud production of Clover Kitty Goes to Kittygarten! Just click below to watch, or click here to go to its YourClassical Storytime page, where you can scroll down and watch
A Summer Poetry Journal Project #ClassroomConnections
It’s almost the end of the school year, which makes me think of both summer writing projects and What I Did This Summer back-to-school projects. Ugh. Those projects result in boring summaries, in my experience. Wouldn’t it be fun to ask students to pick one small moment each week and write an equation poem or
The Dance of Being Human [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) It’s still moving chaos in the Salas household! Today (Thursday), we closed on both our old place and our new place. Now we’re in a hotel nearby this coming week as we get some work done in the new place and do some
National Cancer Survivors Day #ClassroomConnections
Did you know the first Sunday in June is National Cancer Survivors Day? I didn’t, either. But it is. Like just about everyone, my life has been touched by cancer, and an editor friend who is smart and wonderful and compassionate is going through treatment right now. I’m re-sharing this poem from quite a few
Happy Retirement to Mary Lee Hahn! #PoetryFriday
Happy Poetry Friday! And, more importantly, happy retirement to Mary Lee Hahn, longtime unofficial leader of our Poetry Friday community. (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I was so tickled to get Irene Latham’s note about honoring Mary Lee today. Here’s how I feel about you, Mary Lee: If I were still a student,
Getting Ready for the End of the School Year #ClassroomConnections
It’s almost the end of the school year, which feels a little hard to believe! Here’s my end-of-year celebration poem from Stampede, which is now out of print. When I read this with kids, I have them stomp their feet and trumpet loudly, like stampeding elephants, at the end of the poem. Does this poem
More Fantastic Student Equation Poems #PoetryFriday
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) PF friends, I can’t remember if I’ve already told you, but we’re moving at the end of this month (still in the Twin Cities), and our home and schedules are buried in boxes and question marks. I am posting some things I still want to
Spring Green! #ClassroomConnections
Here in Minnesota, the world has gone green! And it’s almost time for us to get out our inflatable kayak and hit the water! Spring is an awesome time to look at plants and bodies of water. Check out A Leaf Can Be… and Water Can Be… and all their accompanying resources (just click to
Student Equation Poems #PoetryFriday
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Well, all during April I shared an equation poem daily. (You can see them all here.) Now I’m exhausted :>) Luckily, I have some student poems to share. Back in March, I did several virtual Family Literacy Nights with Lebanon Junction Elementary School in Kentucky.
Keeping It Real for Mother’s and Father’s Day #ClassroomConnections
It’s that time of year when many classes and groups are talking about Mother’s and Father’s Day. And many behind-the-scenes conversations happen around what to have students do who don’t have or aren’t in contact with their mom or dad. Or maybe they have two of one or the other. In a world where the
#EquationPoem 30
It’s my last National Poetry Month post–thank goodness! As much as I love it, I feel like I’ve run a marathon and I’m just barely stumbling over the finish line. April has been incredibly stressful with home hunting and now packing, but I’m so glad I could keep up (barely) with my daily equation poems.
#EquationPoem 29
For National Poetry Month 2021, I’m posting an equation poem each day. Maybe with an image, maybe without. I needed something very accessible and doable this year! Maybe you feel the same way? I’d love for you to join me, and here are several options for sharing your own or your students’ equation poems: in
#EquationPoem 28
For National Poetry Month 2021, I’m posting an equation poem each day. Maybe with an image, maybe without. I needed something very accessible and doable this year! Maybe you feel the same way? I’d love for you to join me, and here are several options for sharing your own or your students’ equation poems: in
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Are You Looking For?
Go to my Poetry page for:
- National Poetry Month projects through the years
- Small Reads Roundups (poems grouped by topic)
- Introductions to several favorite poetry forms