National Poem in Your Pocket Day-April 29th

Tomorrow...National Poem in Your Pocket Day.   Our school literacy committee has been promoting this day.  We created a "pocket" template for each student to write or copy their favorite poem on and keep it in their pocket all day.  It's something to bring an awareness to poetry (National Poetry Month), an awareness to poetry analogies and books, and an awareness to literacy.

Fifth graders took flip cams around the school and shot clips of students and teachers reading their poems.  They've been sharing them on the morning announcements live video feed all week.  Primary and intermediate buddies got together to work on their poems for the day.  At the end of the day on Friday, we're having a Poem In Your Pocket Pop!  A time where the whole school is focused on reading and sharing poetry.   I'm excited to see so much enthusiasm for something so little, so small, but can reap great rewards.

I've been thinking about what poem will be in my pocket and I chose bubble wrap because I LOVE popping it.  We are forever receiving packages at our home because of my husband's work and my favorite thing is to lay the bubble wrap on the kitchen floor and dance on it.  My children enjoy hearing the popping sound and join in.  A little elementary, I know, but it makes me sooooooo happy.  I laugh. I smile.  I live in the moment.

Bubble Wrap, Bubble Wrap

Bubble wrap, bubble wrap,
pop, pop, pop.
Wrapped around my bottom.
Wrapped around my top.

I'm double-wrapped in bubble wrap
It's covering my clothes.
It's wrapped around my fingers.
It's wrapped around my toes.

I've wrapped myself in bubble wrap
exactly as I'd planned.
But now I'm tied so tightly,
I can barely even stand.

I'm having trouble walking.
I can hardly even hop.
I guess I'll have to roll today.
Pop, pop, pop.

Have a great Poem in Your Pocket day tomorrow!!! 

I am the Weather Goddess!

Today is our very first Snow Day of the season!!  They are becoming few and far between because of new state guidelines, but this was not a normal storm.  Others doubted my prediction that we would have at the very least a 2 hour delay and emailed me last night that they would see me tomorrow.  (I'm not naming any names, but you know who you are!)  I am very in tune with the national weather, see what is heading our way, and knew that we would get a huge hit.  Even when it began yesterday with early dismissals, a delay or cancellation was in our forecast.  Beginning at 5:15am, I began checking online and by 5:30am, I knew that we would have a snow day!!   I AM THE WEATHER GODDESS!!!

As we began our first week, my class and I started looking at recurring themes in our reading and writing.  Our school will be hosting Lester Laminack at the end of the month, so I used his Snow Day picture book as a mentor text for our poetry study.  We looked at various forms of poetry and began writing some of our own with a snow theme. 

 Our literacy committee would like for each classroom to have a display, where they used Lester's thinking for read alouds or his picture books as mentor texts.  During my drives on vacation, I thought of an artistic expression piece that interweaves reading and writing.  Using marbles and white paint, each student "rolled" a snow scene on blue background.  Next week, they will sketch the scene with markers and use that picture as inspiration for writing poetry.  So far, they have enjoyed using a theme as inspiration for their writing. 

For everyone in Central Ohio off from school,  enjoy your hibernation day!!  I've graded some papers, put some jigsaw puzzles together, and am off to read a book.  Happy Snow Day one and all!!

Poetry Friday

Merry Christmas!

There's nothing like the wonder and excitement of Christmas morning as children rush from their beds to the Christmas tree. One can't describe the tales and stories they weave as they try to figure out Santa's path around the globe and how he came down the chimney. Enjoy this time with your friends and family today and this week.
Celebrate those special moments, those special times.

Family Joys

Christmas is filled with special joys,
And the very best of all
Is contemplating those dear to us,
And the memories we recall.We often think at Christmas time
Of people, affectionately,
And we realize how blessed we are
To have you in our family.

By: Joanna Kunchs

Poetry Saturday?

Santa came last night to the Archer household, bringing a trip instead of toys. We're heading to the Carolinas Monday(have you seen how much snow they've received!!!?) to go tubing, the Biltmore Estate, and visit relatives. Since we couldn't pack until Santa came(which I should be doing while everyone is outside making a snowman!), my husband crafted a poem to help Santa explain the trip. Addyson found it early this morning(before 7am on a Saturday!!!!!), and read it to us.

Twas the week before Christmas, and wouldn't you know
The tree was all lit, and it had started to snow.

The elves were all working away on their toys,
while Santa checked his list of good girls and boys.

A couple of kids soon caught his attention.
The ones his elf Ellie had happened to mention.

Addyson and Austin were the names of this pair,
And Santa had sent Ellie to keep an eye on them there.

At their home in Powell, on Watson Way.
Santa hoped they could stay nice until Christmas Day.

But he had reasons to worry, reasons to fret.
After all, Christmas was a week away yet.

Austin was already bored, with no school, nothing to do.
Santa heard Addyson exclaim "I'm bored too!"

Santa and Ellie worked for hours together,
to make this the kids' best Christmas ever.

A family adventure, the two had agreed,
was the perfect solution for this Christmas need.

So Austin and Addy, with parents in tow
would head out on Monday for some fun in the snow.

Some skiing, some tubing, some skating, who knows?
depends on how cold, and how the wind blows.

Or maybe some mini-golf, or bowling or wall-climbing?
Boy, Santa sure was getting tired of rhyming.

Then off to a castle, fit for a queen.
All lit up for Christmas, like nothing they've seen.

"But what about family, and time spent together?"
Ellie wondered out loud, as she checked the weather.

"So spend time with Aunt Dot," Santa was quick to suggest.
"And Uncle Steve and the horses, that would be best!"

"And bring Grandma and Grandpa Archer too."
Santa proclaimed, "That's the thing to do."

So Santa packed his sleigh early, and took to the skies.
To deliver and early Christmas surprise.

With Ellie's help, and his reindeer, all eight,
he set his plan in motion to make their Christmas great.

He left presents beneath Addyson and Austin's tree,
But the best gift of all couldn't be wrapped, you see.

For fun times together, don't need ribbon and bows,
And can't be delivered by Rudolph, with his shiny nose.

So pack your bags, kids, dress warm and get ready to roll!
On an adventure from Santa and all his elves at the North Pole.

Have fun, be safe on the snow and the ice.
And remember Ellie and Santa are watching,
So BE NICE!

Merry Christmas.

Have a Merry Christmas everyone.

Archer Accountability Plan Update: I haven't made as much progress in the book Sent as I would have liked. I'm taking it with me on vacation. However, I do have the article written, edited, and hope to send it off in January. So... I'm 50/50 on my accountability plan.
Thanks for checking!

Of Primary Importance for Intermediate Treasures

Throughout the past year, I've been reading blog posts referencing Ann Marie Corgill and her book, Or Primary Importance. While at NCTE, I was fortunate to listen to her speak about an author's apprentice and mentor texts in the writing workshop. She recently moved from teaching primary to sixth graders and I embraced the one line she spoke towards the end: "I have found that whether I am teaching first graders or sixth graders, both age groups need similar structures and strategy lessons. All we as teachers need to do is "bump" it up to the appropriate level."

I went to the library, read her book, and have purchased my own to mark it up. She speaks with sincerity, as she tries to create purposeful writing experiences in her classrooms. While I am currently teaching fourth grade, I am going to use her studies as a GPS for my writing themes in the new year.

Mary Lee, from A Year of Reading, has been sharing her ideas for Literary Essay thinking. Since we both are in the same district, I've been marinating on the Literary Essay study in writing, also. I'm going to approach it through a poetry focus in 2010, while incorporating visual arts and technology. I want poetry to be a genre they are choosing to read and write throughout the year, not during poetry month. We've been studying words: how they sound, how they look, how they mean, and how they feel when we say them. Using this schema, my goal is for them to find words and themes to use in their writing. Ann Marie recommends front-loading and previewing the genre before we write, so my treasures have been sharing favorite poems. We've been using an Elmo machine to project the poems. I'm amazed at how engaged they seem when they are doing the sharing.

The first two weeks back, I'm going to share mentor texts that depict various types of poems and have them try them in their independent time. I want these texts to be touch points for my treasures to reference as they begin to craft their ideas and mold their poetry thoughts. I'm also thinking of ways to use different media as a mode of expressing their craft. Fourth graders still want to use paint, clay, and other art medium, so I want to tap into that intelligence. The technology component is the area I'm working on. Our computer time has been limited, so I'm problem-solving some ways to include this component, also. Thanks, Mary Lee, for sparking my thinking! You always do!