I am so excited to share the cool way that Catherine Flynn’s school, Sherman School in Sherman, CT, is celebrating Read Across America. You might remember that Catherine wrote the activity guide in my book Wacky, Wild, and Wonderful: 50 State Poems. Check out the plans her school has made! I’m honored to think of my book being used across an entire school like this! Despite the fact that my State Poems book has 51 poems rather than 30, I want to share that a big part of the reason I made these collections (almost all) have 30 poems was because I know a lot of teachers are looking for short accessible, easy ways to share more poetry during April, National Poetry Month. So I hope Catherine’s fabulous plan might inspire you to choose a poetry book to share in your classroom this April, one poem per day. Of course, I know many of you already go way above and beyond that, sharing poems year-round (hurray!) and creating elaborate projects and celebrations in April. I love that! But if you have no poetry in your classroom now, sharing one poem per day in April is at least a way to start. Thanks, Catherine, for creating and sharing your plans!

Catherine Flynn
At Sherman School, we make March a month-long celebration of reading. We always pay homage to Dr. Seuss on March 2nd by reading old favorites such as Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat in the Hat. But we also use this day to launch a month-long theme related to reading. What better way to celebrate Read Across America than by doing just that…reading about each of the 50 states.
Each class will choose a poem that supports a topic they have been studying. For example, second grade might choose ?Wisconsin: Catch!? This poem, about a bald eagle’s swooping down to the water of the Mississippi to catch a fish, is a natural to use in their study of food chains. Students could illustrate Laura’s poem or use this as a mentor for their own food chain poem. The form, cinquain, is very accessible for second graders.
We are so excited to be pairing Laura’s poems with Read Across America, and can’t wait to see kids’ responses. We’ll be sharing photos of the doors and the kids? work throughout the month.
–Catherine Flynn
You can check out my Wacky, Wild, and Wonderful: 50 State Poems Pinterest Board to read four poems from the book as well as see a photo that relates to each poem in the collection.
Marvelous plan! Have fun! Can’t wait to see some photos.
Oooh, me, too!
Marvelous plan! Have fun! Can’t wait to see some photos.
Oooh, me, too!
Laura and Catherine,
I posted this to Facebook. One friend, a school counselor, has given it a like already. The word is spreading, hopefully all across America.
Thank you, Linda:>)
Laura and Catherine,
I posted this to Facebook. One friend, a school counselor, has given it a like already. The word is spreading, hopefully all across America.
Thank you, Linda:>)
Wonderful idea for each of the classrooms. I’ll look forward to hearing how this all happens, Laura and Catherine.
Me, too!
Wonderful idea for each of the classrooms. I’ll look forward to hearing how this all happens, Laura and Catherine.
Me, too!
Laura, this is wonderful. Just think of all the subjects derived from one poem – geography, history, climate, food production, language, names and their origins, etc. Toss in a bit of your “wacky, wild and wonderful” and the children will receive a medicinal dose of laughter.
Thank you, Martha–and Catherine, who wrote the activity guide for this collection, will guide them through all sorts of cool ways to connect with the poems!
Laura, this is wonderful. Just think of all the subjects derived from one poem – geography, history, climate, food production, language, names and their origins, etc. Toss in a bit of your “wacky, wild and wonderful” and the children will receive a medicinal dose of laughter.
Thank you, Martha–and Catherine, who wrote the activity guide for this collection, will guide them through all sorts of cool ways to connect with the poems!
This sounds like a wonderful idea – so great for the kids! It will be fun to see what they do with it.
I can’t wait to hear more about it, Donna:>)
This sounds like a wonderful idea – so great for the kids! It will be fun to see what they do with it.
I can’t wait to hear more about it, Donna:>)
Very cool!
Thanks, Michelle–I was very impressed (and a bit overwhelmed!).
Very cool!
Thanks, Michelle–I was very impressed (and a bit overwhelmed!).
All that hard work was worth it, Salas! It’s going to keep getting better and having more and more reach with teachers and students. 🙂
Thanks, Charles!
All that hard work was worth it, Salas! It’s going to keep getting better and having more and more reach with teachers and students. 🙂
Thanks, Charles!