National Poetry Writing Month: April 2015

Do you celebrate National Poetry Writing Month with your class?  I love reading, writing and teaching poetry.  I have a poetry blog called Poems of Silliness.  Each year I create a poetry writing challenge appropriate for elementary students.

Here is the link to the April 2015 Poetry Challenge, just in case you haven't downloaded it:

You can download the free April Poetry Challenge 2015 from my Teachers Pay Teachers store. 

You can also download April Poetry Challenge 2015 from my Teachers Notebook store.

If you need some lessons that are a little shorter, check out my Pinterest board:
Follow Mary Bauer's board Poetry Resources on Pinterest.

Quote of the Week -- March 29, 2015

"If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."

Toni Morrison

Have a good week,

Elements and Events -- A Story Map

I like using story maps for reading literature with students and helping them compose their own stories.  Today's freebie is called Elements and Events.  Here students record the elements of the story including the important events.

To download Elements and Events from my Google Drive, click here.

Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford

Captain Nobody is an accidental hero.  Newt Newman is the younger brother in the shadows to his football star older brother, Chris.  When Chris gets a concussion during a football game, Newt's parents are distracted.  Newt dresses as Captain Nobody for Halloween and without realizing it becomes a true hero.



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Rotational Symmetry: An Art Project

 

I've been creating several art lessons that integrate math.  For this one, I wanted my students to create a design using rotational symmetry.  First I cut a nine inch square and divided it by folding into eighths.  I traced on each line forming the guide lines for the design.

It's hard to see in the picture, but I drew small marks along each line one inch apart starting from the center.  Below you will see two finished projects.  I encouraged the students to begin their design in the center and rotate the square to make each section the same.

To see some of my other art/math projects, click either tag at the bottom of this post.

Quote of the Week -- March 22, 2015

"You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great."

Les Brown

Have a good week,

April Poetry Challenge 2015

 

For the last several Aprils, I have been participating personally and with my class in National Poetry Writing Month. I personally work on writing a poem a day for the thirty days.  I have my students work on poetry as well.  I am inviting other interested classes to participate.  I have attached a rubric I use to grade a project like this.

For this challenge, I chose to focus on couplets.  A couplet is a poem that has two lines that rhyme. The lines have the same meter or rhythm.  Here are two examples of couplets:

There once was a teacher so strict

Her students did not dare contradict.

That gourd looks bored.

Each day, I chose a word family to work with and I challenge your class to write a rhyme a day for the thirty days in April.  I keep a poetry blog called Poems of Silliness that you are welcome to visit for more examples of poetry forms I teach in my classroom.  During the month of April, I plan to share the poems I have written for this challenge on the blog.   I hope you enjoy this activity with your students.

 

You can download the free April Poetry Challenge 2015 from my Teachers Pay Teachers store. 
You can also download April Poetry Challenge 2015 from my Teachers Notebook store.