I have just finished creating the sixth (and final, for now, at least) book in my 30 Painless Classroom Poems series. Most of you probably already know my collaborator for this one, but if not, I’d like to introduce you to Mary Lee Hahn, who created a fantastically thoughtful activity guide for Why-ku: Poems of Wonder About the World.
Mary Lee Hahn
Teacher and poet Mary Lee Hahn is Superwoman! She teaches. She innovates. She writes gorgeous poetry. Here’s a recent one I like that reminds me I need to go put some Icy Melt stuff on our driveway! Anyway, it’s been wonderful to see her identify herself more and more as a poet grow over the past several years. She blogs. She joins or runs literary award committees. She wrangles the Poetry Friday calendar. She does it all. And, she does it well!
On top of that, she’s an excellent presenter (I was so glad she was part of the CLA Master Class: Reading Poetry Across the Curriculum session at NCTE last fall) and an all-around fun person to be around!
I don’t know exactly how she manages this, but it’s very impressive. Mary Lee’s blog posts about her classroom are both thoughtful and practical, and I knew her activities for Why-ku would be, too. I’m thrilled she agreed to collaborate on this book with me by writing these activities.
Bio: Mary Lee Hahn is a 5th grade teacher with more than 25 years’ experience in the classroom. She is the author of Reconsidering Read-Aloud (Stenhouse, 2002) and has poems in the Poetry Friday Anthologies (K‑5, 6–8, and Science) and the anthology Dear Tomato: An International Crop of Food and Agriculture Poems.
She is a member of NCTE and is active in NCTE’s Children’s Literature Assembly. She is also a member of IRA and NCTM. When she’s not teaching or writing poetry, Mary Lee can be found reading, blogging, gardening, baking, fly fishing, or swimming.
Check out her website (and here’s where she stores her lovely poems, in her Poetrepository):
www.maryleehahn.com
Visit her blog with Franki Sibberson: A Year of Reading:
http://readingyear.blogspot.com
Follow her on Twitter:
@maryleehahn
Here is Mary Lee’s introduction to her activity guide. It gives you a peek into her philosophy and approach:
?Answers are closed rooms; and questions are open doors that invite us in.? — Nancy Willard
Constantly asking, ?Why?? is the sign of a curious mind, and one of the most important traits you can help your students to develop is curiosity. Curiosity lasts a lifetime and keeps a mind learning long past schooling.
Each of the Why-Kus in this collection begins with an observation of the natural world. Noticing is the first step towards curiosity. Next comes the question, just as it would in a curious mind. The ?answer-kus? in each pair are not the ?closed room? answers in the Willard quote above. They are more like a poetic peek in the direction of an answer that the reader might go on to explore in his or her own way.
The activities that accompany each Why-Ku were also chosen not to close the door on learning with a pat scientific answer, but rather to extend student thinking about each of the questions. And of course, they are completely optional. First and foremost, enjoy the poems and the wonderful wondering they embody.
–Mary Lee Hahn
I’ll be sharing a couple more why-ku from my new book this week (I shared my first pair on Friday). I hope you enjoy them! If you do, check out Why-ku and Mary Lee’s awesome activities! It’s available for Kindle and in paperback–and if you buy the paperback, you get the Kindle version free. Thank you, Mary Lee, for adding your wisdom, classroom experience, and creativity to this collection!
36 Responses
Dynamite duo! Wishing you both all the best.
Thanks, Linda!
Dynamite duo! Wishing you both all the best.
Thanks, Linda!
You’ve had some amazing collaborations with these book series, Laura. Stellar teamwork across the board! And now Mary Lee? woohoo! Her invitation to “wonderful wondering” says it all.
Thanks, Michelle. My collaborators have added SO much to these books with their insight and creative thinking:>)
You’ve had some amazing collaborations with these book series, Laura. Stellar teamwork across the board! And now Mary Lee? woohoo! Her invitation to “wonderful wondering” says it all.
Thanks, Michelle. My collaborators have added SO much to these books with their insight and creative thinking:>)
Best wishes for the book to both of you! And Mary lee’s right — ‘noticing’ IS the first step!
My favorite poems start when I look more closely at something…
Best wishes for the book to both of you! And Mary lee’s right — ‘noticing’ IS the first step!
My favorite poems start when I look more closely at something…
I have been using the theme of wonder in my classes this year. I look forward to adding a third book to my collection. Mary Lee rocks!
That is so true!
I have been using the theme of wonder in my classes this year. I look forward to adding a third book to my collection. Mary Lee rocks!
That is so true!
This sounds like a fab project, and indeed, you couldn’t have a better partner.
Thanks, Tanita!
This sounds like a fab project, and indeed, you couldn’t have a better partner.
Thanks, Tanita!
Congratulations, Laura & Mary Lee! I can’t wait to read more why-kus and get a peek at Mary Lee’s activities. I’m sure they’re terrific.
Oooh, yes. I should share a sample of her activities. I’ll will add that to Friday’s PF post. Thanks!
Congratulations, Laura & Mary Lee! I can’t wait to read more why-kus and get a peek at Mary Lee’s activities. I’m sure they’re terrific.
Oooh, yes. I should share a sample of her activities. I’ll will add that to Friday’s PF post. Thanks!
It’s still another terrific idea, Laura, & to have Mary Lee add in the lessons is wonderful. I know the book will be helpful to teachers who want students to do some thinking about and appreciating poetry. I liked the introduction last week & look forward to more!
Thanks, Linda. I love it when teachers encourage curiosity, so the emphasis on wondering in classrooms (and researching the answers) is one I am really fond of!
It’s still another terrific idea, Laura, & to have Mary Lee add in the lessons is wonderful. I know the book will be helpful to teachers who want students to do some thinking about and appreciating poetry. I liked the introduction last week & look forward to more!
Thanks, Linda. I love it when teachers encourage curiosity, so the emphasis on wondering in classrooms (and researching the answers) is one I am really fond of!
Great partnership, Laura and Mary Lee. The Why-Ku invites curiosity and investigation to satisfy that curiosity. Best of luck with the book!
Thanks, Laura. I have VERY low expectations on this indie-published series, but I’m glad I’m sharing them, at least!
Great partnership, Laura and Mary Lee. The Why-Ku invites curiosity and investigation to satisfy that curiosity. Best of luck with the book!
Thanks, Laura. I have VERY low expectations on this indie-published series, but I’m glad I’m sharing them, at least!
**blushing**
Thanks for inviting me to be a part of this fabulous project! I am honored!!
You are the kind of teacher I wanted to be and hope I would have grown into if I had stayed a teacher, Mary Lee!
**blushing**
Thanks for inviting me to be a part of this fabulous project! I am honored!!
You are the kind of teacher I wanted to be and hope I would have grown into if I had stayed a teacher, Mary Lee!