Blog
Hickory Dickory Dance: A Need to Feed Poem
Hi teachers! Here’s another poem from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, A Need to Feed: Poems of Predators and Prey. Note: Chimpanzees like to poke anthills and termite mounds with a stick (from an arrowwood plant, not a hickory tree!). Ants run up the stick, and the chimpanzees slurp them right off! A
Wolf: Death Dance [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! I’m in Florida visiting family for a few days, and I’m a bit out of the loop–but I’m glad you’re here! Here’s another poem from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, A Need to Feed: Poems of Predators and Prey. Note: In the Arctic tundra, wolves chase huge caribou herds across
Crabby [15 words or less poems]
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)! Saw this display while grocery shopping (OK, it was really just a donut run) earlier this week. This image makes me think of: 1) crabgrass–hahaha! 2) barbed wire 3) coat of armor And here’s my?first draft. I did a cinquain this week.
Reading=Victory! Actors and Athletes Aren’t the Only Stars
I wish our culture celebrated reading and book-makers in the same way that it does sports and movies. So, I decided to celebrate us myself! At NCTE, I took some pictures of folks mimicking the poses of sports stars and award-winning actors. Some were enthusiastic–thank you, Leslie Bulion for being my first guinea pig and
Brotherly Love: A Need to Feed Poem
I’m going to share a few poems this week and next from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, A Need to Feed: Poems of Predators and Prey. They may be a little too bloodthirsty for some of you, especially in this lovely holiday season. :>) But for the rest of you, I hope you
poetryaction for Flight School
I shared Flight School before as a Bookalikes for Flat Rabbit, but I ended up doing a poetryaction for it, too:>) One of the things that can make a list poem interesting–more than a simple list, like a grocery list–is a twist. That briefly-flying penguin is so cute and such a surprise that I
The View [15 words or less poems]
Starting your holiday shopping? If you’re looking for a nonfiction book, click here to see the signed, personalized books? (including a few rhyming ones, alphabet ones, and color-based ones) I sell through Amazon. Great gifts for teachers/classrooms:>) Thanks! Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)! Here’s a picture I took
poetryaction for Monday, Wednesday, and Every Other Weekend
I didn’t want to rhyme here, but I did want a bit of a swingy rhythm… —————————————————————————————————————————– Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It could be inspired by the entire book, the setting, a character, or even just a tiny detail
NCTE!
I had a fabulous time at NCTE the week before Thanksgiving. I can’t begin to share all the lovely moments there, but here are a some highlights and a few pics. * Riding the SuperShuttle with Cynthia Alaniz, her husband, and several other wonterful educators. * Dinner at a noisy sports bar with all my
poetryaction for Silly Doggy!
Two fun and funny books! —————————————————————————————————————————– Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It could be inspired by the entire book, the setting, a character, or even just a tiny detail in a picture or a single phrase from the text. I’m
poetryaction to Pierre in Love
Happy Poetry Friday! I hope you all had a terrific Thanksgiving! I’m very thankful for my online community of teachers, writers, and friends who gather around the cozy campfire we build of words and books and poems. My husband is having kidney stone surgery today, so your good thoughts of health would be appreciated! He
Silk [15 words or less poems]
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I’m thankful for this enthusiastic, brave, wonderful group who gathers to share poems and feedback every week. Whether you’re a regular or just an occasional visitor, thank you. I’m glad you’re here! Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)! Here’s a picture I took in the woods on
poetryaction for Trains Go
Starting your holiday shopping? If you’re looking for a nonfiction book, click here to see the signed, personalized books? (including a few rhyming ones, alphabet ones, and color-based ones) I sell through Amazon. Great gifts for teachers/classrooms:>) Thanks! Now, on to today’s poetryaction! I got this book as a surprise birthday present from a lovely
poetryaction for What There Is Before There Is Anything There
NCTE was an amazing, overwhelming, exhausting time! Met, saw, heard so many fabulous poets, educators, writers, and editors. I’ll share some pics and highlights next week:>) I like scary stories and dark and quirky picture books. I had fun thinking about what happens to my own fears…where they might go next. —————————————————————————————————————————–
poetryaction for When the Wolves Returned
I love how When the Wolves Returned shows how the entire ecosystem of Yellowstone is interdependent. Great text! (Images…not so much, in my opinion.) —————————————————————————————————————————– Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It could be inspired by the entire book, the setting,
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