Dirt on My Shirt: Poems for the Everyday Kid

Blogger Graphics

Dirt on My Shirt

By: Jeff Foxworthy

Illustrator: Steve Bjorkman

Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Book

Copyright: 2008

Genre: Poetry, Fiction

Grade Level: Kindergarten- 2nd

Brief Synopsis:

In this hilarious collection of poems, comedian Jeff Foxworthy creates a neighborhood filled with fun, family, friends, and more. Here you'll meet Cousin Lizzy, Uncle Ed and Aunt Foo Foo, cows with horns that don't go beep, dads in sweaters, also sheep. From the thrill of flying to the imaginary planet Woosocket to bonding with a friend over a shared hatred of spinach, these poems capture the very essence of being a kid.
Filled with sly humor and always affectionate, Dirt on My Shirt is sure to delight kids, big and little, everywhere.

About the Author:

Jeff Foxworthy- Jeff Foxworthy is one of the most respected and successful comedians in the country. He is the largest selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy Award nominee and best selling author of 11 books. Widely known for his redneck jokes, his act goes well beyond that to explore the humor in everyday family interactions and human nature, a style that has been compared to Mark Twain’s. This Georgia native remains true to his southern roots and resides with his wife and two daughters in Atlanta.

Steve Bjorkman- he has illustrated more than eighty books for children, including the New York Times bestseller Dirt on My Shirt by Jeff Foxworthy. He also creates greeting cards with his brother through Recycled Paper Greetings. Steve lives in California with his wife and three children.

Themes: - Beginning Poetry

- The Fun Aspects of Being a Kid

- Describing People in a Poem

Pre-Reading Activities:

- We will discuss in a whole group what the students think about the book just by looking at the cover and title of the book.  What do the students think the poems will be about?  What types of poems have we already studied and how will these poems compare?
- Students will finish this sentence, My favorite thing about being a KID is...  This quick writing activity will get the students thinking about all of the fun and exciting things they do as a kid.  The students will share their sentence with the class.

Blogger Graphics

Post Reading Activities:
- We will read through a few poems and discuss the type of poems Jeff Foxworthy write.  How does he organize his poems in this book?  Most of the poems describe a person or animal in poem form.  They don't necessarily all rhyme, so it is important to point this out to the class so they can see what a free verse poem might look like. 
- After this discussion students will brainstorm ideas about a person or animal in their life that they will write a 4 line poem on.  Once they get their brainstorming checked with 4 to 5 descriptions written out, they can then begin their poem.  They can choose to have the poem rhyme or not...just as long as the poem has 4 lines.

Reflection: This book of poems does cater to the minds of children.  The words in the poem may be hilarious to children, but not necessarily to the adults that read them.  I think that is the point of Jeff Foxworthy's writing...the poems are directed towards kids, and that is who he wishes to please.  I think this book is good to use with beginner poets because the poems are really simple, and students can build their poems in the same style.  They can begin simply and then always build off of what they have started.  I like the fact that the poems in this book are descriptions of people and animals because students can compare what they hear in the book to what they experience with people in their own lives.  Allowing them to choose who they would like to write their poem about will make their poems more personal and worthwhile.

Links:

Book Info.

Jeff Foxworthy Bio.

Steve Bjorkman Bio.

Shout! Little Poems that Roar: Poetry using ExPrEsSiOn

Blogger Graphics

Shout! Little Poems that Roar

By: Brod Bagert

Illustrator: Sachiko Yoshikawa

Publisher: The Penguin Group

Copyright: 2007

Genre: Poetry, Fiction

Grade Level: Kindergarten- 2nd

Brief Synopsis: 

This vibrant collection of twenty-one poems celebrates the joys (snack time!) and pitfalls (2 + 2 = 23?) of childhood. Brod Bagert's often silly, always winsome poems cover everything from the seasons and the stars to finger paint and kids who quack. With humor and warmth, Shout! shows us there's fun in work and play, poetry in everything, and a million different uses for ketchup. Kids are sure to shout for a reread.  This poem book concentrates on poems that use expression and onomatopoeia. 

About the Author:
Brad Bagert- he is a published author and an editor of children's books. Brod Bagert compares himself to Johnny Appleseed because he journeys across America, planting a love of poetry in children. On his travels, he performs poetry for children and instructs teachers in what he calls the Performance Method, "a system which recognizes that poetry is an oral art, and that, for children, a poem comes alive when they perform it," Bagert commented. The author began writing poetry for children when his own children needed to perform in school programs.
Sachiko Yoshikawa- she grew up in Tokyo but spent many summers visiting the beaches of southern Japan. Her childhood memories served as inspiration when creating the pictures for this book. Ms. Yoshikawa is also the illustrator of Stars. She lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband.

Themes: - Silly Situations that happen in School
- Beginning Poetry
- Reading and Acting with Expression
- Fun Things Kids Do and Think About

Pre-Reading Activities:
- Mini-Lesson on onomatopoeia and Reading with Expression.  First give students some examples of such words and then ask what they all have in common. Once they have figured out that all the words make a sound...give them the definition of onomatopoeia. Then model for them reading words with expression.
- To get students in a Silly mood have the students come up with silly words and write them all over the white board.  These words can be used after reading the book to help them write their Silly Shout Poems.

Post Reading Activities:
- Once you have read a few poems from the book, modeling reading with expression and exagerration, have a few volunteers read their choice of a poem from the book.  The whole class can give the student feedback on how they read the poem.  This will help them to focus on certain things to concentrate on the next time they read aloud.
- After practicing with the whole group have the students go off in small groups to practice reading these poems aloud to each other.  Once they all get a chance to read have them answer the following questions: How did you feel reading these poems in Shout?  When you were listening to other students in your group read, what made their reading exciting to listen to?  How can you improve your expression next time you read aloud?  What were some suggestions you gave others in your group as they read?

Blogger Graphics

Reflection: I really enjoyed reading the poems in this book because I can picture how much fun they would be to use in a classroom.  Elementary students love being silly, and this allows them to do this and also learn about poetry.  Along with reading with expression, you could also focus on the different poem structures that each poem has in Shout!.  The illustrations on each page are also very captivating, which is very important with poetry because some students are very resistant to working with poems.  The bright and inviting pictures will get each student interested in finding out what the book is all about.  The themes of the poems in this book have to do with school and learning in some way.  This makes them relatable to young ones and another incentive to bring students into poetry.  I would very much recommend this book to any teacher when beginning a poetry unit as an anticipatory set to engage their learning.

Links:
Book Info.
Brod Bagert Bio.
Sachiko Yoshikawa Bio.

The Blacker the Berry: Loving the Skin your In

Blogger Graphics

The Blacker the Berry

By: Joyce Carol Thomas

Illustrations By: Floyd Cooper

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishing

Copyright: 2008

Genre: Poetry, Multicultural Literature, Character Education

Grade Level: 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th

Brief Synopsis: The book is a rich collection of poetry that celebrates the beauty we can find in everyone.  Black is dazzling and distinctive, like toasted wheat berry bread; snowberries in the fall; rich, red cranberries; and the bronzed last leaves of summer.  In this lyrical and luminous collection, Coretta Scott King honorees Joyce Carol Thomas and Floyd Cooper celebrate these many shades of black beautifully. 



About the Author:

Joyce Carol Thomas- Internationally renowned author received National Book Award for Mark by Fire and Coretta Scott King Award for Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea.  Ms. Thomas lives in Berkeley, California.

Floyd Cooper- Coretta Scott King Award for his illustrations in Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea and I Have Heard of a Land.  He was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  In 1984, he came to NYC to pursue a career as an illustrator of books and now lives in Easton, Pennsylvania with his wife and two sons.

Themes: -Finding the Beauty in Everyone

- The use of Similies and Metaphors

- Poetry to describe Oneself

- Storytelling through Poetry

- Rhyming and the Flow of Words

Pre-Reading Activities:

- Explore the beauty in all colors.  Have students complete a graphic organizer, in which they think of things that remind them of a certain color.  Have them come up with an adjective to go with each noun they choose in each color category.

This will get them to start thinking about the meaning of colors in objects around them.  This will help build into the significance and meaning of different colors in people in the book.

- Have students get with one partner.  Have them interview their partner, touching on what is special and unique about them.  They will then have to present to the class about their partner with a picture and information to display.  They will take pride in their projects about their classmates.

- Have a mini-lesson on Similies and Metaphors.  What are they?  Give some examples.  Have children give their own examples.

Post Reading Activities:

- Have students go through the similies and metaphors in at least two poems from this book.  For each metaphor or simile have the students write it out and then explain what it is comparing, and what the deeper meaning might be in their own words.

- Discuss some of the poems as a whole class.  What are they trying to say?  Why is it important to see beauty in everyone? ... etc.  After this have students write a poem about themselves and the skin that they are in.

Reflection: This poetry book is full of beautiful and moving words that are from the heart.  The reader is pulled into each poem with the flow of the language, and then leaves the poem changed from the meaning in the words.  We are put into the narrator's shoes when they describe themselves in such a postive way, and each stanza provokes emotion.  The illustrations pefectly fit in with the elegant language, and they create the picture of the person to help understand the comparisons being made in the words of the poem.  The light and expressions on the children's faces help the book alive.  This book of poems is really helpful to get students to find the beauty in everyone and themselves.  Our world is full of different colors, shapes, and sizes of people.  When we can look and find the beauty in those around us, it will help to make the world a more accepting and harmonious place.  Remember that the world would be such a boring place if we were all cookie cutter and the same with no variety and personality. 

Links:

Book Info.

Joyce Carol Thomas Bio.

Floyd Cooper Bio.

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Poetry from far across the Universe

Blogger Graphics

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars

By: Douglas Florian

Publisher: Harcourt Books

Copyright: 2007

Genre: Poetry, Outer Space

Grade Level: 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th

Brief Synopsis: The author takes us through a journey in space.  Each planet in the Solar System has a poem to describe it.  Each poem in unique in its own way, and there are even poems to describe space outside of the solar system.  Each page in this book leads into the next page. 

About the Author:

Douglas Florian- he was born and raised in New York City, and educated at Queens College and the School of Visual Art. Florian was a cartoonist for the New Yorker before a chance encounter with William Cole’s anthology of children’s verse, Oh, That’s Ridiculous (1977), inspired him to try his hand at the art.  Florian’s illustrated poetry books for children often incorporate elements of collage, watercolor, and gouache on a surface of primed paper bags. He frequently takes the natural world as his subject, using wordplay, neologisms, rhyme, and humor to engage young readers.  Florian lives in New York City with his family.

Themes: - Exploration of Space

- Variety in Forms of Poetry

- Creating Descriptions for things around you

Pre-Reading Activities:

- Teach or review the planets in the Solar System.  Students can work with a partner to draw out the order of the planets and other parts of the Solar System.

-Begin the poetry unit in class.  Go over the different types of poems a day or two at a time.  Don't overwhelm the students with all of the poem types at once. Give students a chance to practice on sample poems and have them describe th structuring of the poem. 

Blogger Graphics

Post Reading Activities:

- After viewing these Solar System poems written by Douglas Florian have students choose one part of space to write their own poem about.  Have students stick to one Poem type to focus on, so that they all get practice on the same structuring.  They will also be able to see the same type of poem in many different ways because of the different space topics they are writing about. 

- Have students continue with the Solar System subject, and do their own project based on whatever portion of outer space they are most interested in.  They will also be graded on presenting the project as well.

- After much practice with the Solar System, check students understanding by doing this fun activity.  Fill a Garbage bag with different sized balloons that represent the different parts of our solar system, each labeled.  After explaining the rules to the class and safety rules, throw the balloons in the air.  Each student will grab the closest balloon and put themselves in order without talking.  The goal is to work together and get the fastest time.  This can be practiced many times, and it is a quick and efficient evaluation of understanding the order of the planets and parts of the solar system.

Blogger Graphics

Reflection: This story is very visually stimulating for any reader.  Each page offers an illustration to capture the students' attention, and also adds to the description given in its poem.  I also really liked the cutouts in each page that give a sneek peek to what the next page will contain.  This lends itself to discuss foreshadowing in a story or illustrations and also doing a book walk before beginning to read the book to get student predictions.  This subject specific book makes it perfect to introduce or review the topic of outer space to the class.

Blogger Graphics

Links:

Douglas Florian Bio.

Guyku: Getting Boys Interested in Poetry

Blogger Graphics

Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys

By: Bob Raczka

Illustrator: Peter Reynolds

Publisher: Houghton Mufflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Copyright: 2010

Genre: Poetry, Nature

Grade Level: 3rd, 4th, or 5th

Brief Synopsis: This book is full of Haikus to peak a young boy's interest.  It takes the reader from season to season describing nature around us, directing its attention on things young boys like to do.  Each page contains a simple illustration that perfectly fits along with the haiku it is drawn for. 

When you’re a guy, nature is one big playground—no matter what the season. There are puddles to splash in the spring, pine trees to climb in the summer, maple seeds to catch in the fall, and icicles to swordfight with in the winter.  Nature also has a way of making a guy appreciate important stuff—like how many rocks it takes to dam up a stream, or how much snow equals a day off from school. So what kind of poetry best captures these special moments, at a length that lets guys get right back to tree-climbing and kite-flying? Why, guyku, of course!

About the Author:
Bob Raczka- He was born in Chicago, Illinois and is the oldest of four guys.  He is the father of two guys, Robert and Carl.  The smart and beautiful girls who put up with his guyness are his wife, Amy, and daughter, Emma.  He has written a nonfiction series, books about seasons, and books of poetry.  He was inspired by what he loved to do in his childhood when writing this book.  This video is of Bob describing what Guyku is to him.

Peter Reynolds-  He is a professional writer, storyteller, and illustrator.  He has always loved to draw and has written books to really inspire people to keep their dreams alive to becoming great artists.  He has a twin brother who is also creative, and when they were little they would use their dad's photocopier to "publish" their own books.  He owns a bookstore, The Blue Bunny, and company, Fablevision, both located in Massachusetts.  This video is Peter describing his experience with illustrating for Guyku.


Themes: Beauty can be found in all of nature
Little boys sense of adventure outside
How to write a Haiku
Nature's weather through the seasons

Pre-Reading Activities:
- Lesson on writing a haiku. Three lines of poetry themed around nature with; first line being 5 syllables, second line being 7 syllables, and third line being 5 syllables.  Clap out the syllables together, so that the students know what they are counting out.  Once you teach the lesson give the student a practice sheet where they have to count out the syllables in a sentence on their own.
- Review the 4 seasons with the class and what type of weather happens in each season.  Have them fill in a graphic organizer for each season.  In each of the 4 boxes there will be the name of the season and they will either write in or draw what happens in each season including; activities, weather, or clothing worn.
- Write out their favorite memories of playing outside.  Have them choose one season and then write one memory that they have of playing outside during that season.  With their memory they will create an illustration to display their images from their memory.

Post Reading Activities:
- Choose one haiku from the book and draw out the syllables from each line with their own illustration of the description in the haiku.  This will reiterate the 5,7,5 pattern of the haiku, and these can be displayed around the room.
- Take a field trip to a local park.  Before you go have a review lesson on adjectives, and how to describe things around them with adjectives.  When you go to the park model some descriptions and adjectives of things around the park.  Then tell them to let the nature inspire them.  They will take these adjectives they have written on their index cards, and use them to write their own haiku when you get back to the classroom.  These will proudly be displayed in the hallway for the school to see the class haikus. 

Blogger Graphics


Blogger Graphics

Blogger Graphics

Reflection: This book is great for those boys in your classroom that are very hesitant to explore poetry.  This author really wanted to write haikus for boys and caters to topics that that they, in particular, might be interested in.  The format of the book being broken into the 4 seasons also lends a lot to the lessons that can be taught using Guyku.  Besides adjectives, students could also explore their senses that are triggered by going ouside.  The playful illustrations also help to bring each haiku alive in this story.  This book can provide great inspiration to all students to try their hand in writing haiku. 

Links:
Book Info.

Bob and Peter's Bio.
Bob Raczka Website
Peter Reynold Website

Pecan Pie Baby: Sibling Jealousy of the New Baby

Blogger Graphics

Pecan Pie Baby

By: Jacqueline Woodson

Illustrated By: Sophie Blackall

Publisher: Penguin Group; Putnam Juvenile

Copyright: 2010

Genre: Fiction, Picture Book, Multicultural Literature

Grade Level: Kindergarten- 2nd grade

Brief Synopsis:

Gia is tired of hearing about the new baby. It hasn't even been born yet, but everyone, even her friends, seem fixated on it. Gia thinks things are fine just the way they are! And she's worried: if the baby's such a big deal now, what's going to happen to Gia's nice, cozy life with Mama once it's born?
Beloved author Jacqueline Woodson and Sophie Blackall have created a heartwarming story for kids adjusting to the idea of a new family member. Young readers will be reassured by Gia's eventual understanding that the baby won't ruin the special bond she has with her mom, and might even be a sweet addition to the family.

About the Author:
Jacqueline Woodson- she is the author of many award winning books.  Through her stories she likes to show how love can come in many forms. Woodson currently lives in Brooklyn, where she writes full-time and can be found in the mornings hanging out in Prospect Park with her dog, Maus.  She says she was inspired to write Pecan Pie Baby when "Jackson-Leroi – our son – was on the way and Toshi – our daughter – had decided, once she knew it was a boy, that she didn’t want a baby in the house after all. By then, of course, it was way, way, way too late. She’s since come to like him but she does complain about him breaking her toys! And yes, both of them love pecan pie. But I actually don’t like it very much."
Sophie Blackall- She began as an illustrator for magazines mostly, and made paintings for art exhibitions.  When she had two children she moved from Sydney, Australia to New York and did her first book Ruby's Wish.

Themes: - Coping with a new baby
- The role of being an older sibling
- Highlighting family traditions
- Easing a child's nerves about losing a parent's attention

Pre-Reading Activities:
- Have students brainstorm, using their own graphic organizers, their own special family traditions.  These can include anything...just things that they do with their loved ones that are special to them.  This will get them thinking of how each family is special in its own way.
- Have two students get together to compare and contrast their families.  In modern times it is evident that families come in may different shapes and sizes.  A classroom can become even more accepting of each other with this activity because they will able to see visually what they have in common and what differences make them unique.  This will also help them to compare and contrast their family to the family in Pecan Pie Baby as it is being read.

Post Reading Activities:
- Students will fill in a "Pecan Pie" with all of the ingredients (details) from the story.  This will allow them to practice retelling a story after they have read it.  They can bullet their details and list as many things from the story that they remember without looking back in the book.  The paper "pecan pies" will be displayed around the room for students to refer to if they forget how to recall details in a story.
- Students will re-read the story and highlight special words or phrases that the characters say that may express their feelings.  Ex. in the story Gia refers to the baby as a "ding-dong baby" many times.  How does this express what Gia is feeling?  This can be done in small groups with teacher assistance if needed.

Blogger Graphics

Reflection:  This is a cute story to relieve children's stresses about a new baby arriving in their family.  It would be good for parents and teachers alike for this purpose.  I like the authors addition of personal experiences to add to the family in this story.  The way the characters speak to each other really reflect on their personalities.  I love that they come up with a nick name for the baby, and that the baby already has something in common with the sister before it is even born.  This book will settle a lot of kid's fears of losing their parent's attention when their is a new addition to the family.  The illustrations are also very welcoming to young readers.  This book made me realize that it is important to include stories to help students cope in the classroom library.

Links:

Book Information
Jacqueline Woodson Website
Jacqueline Woodson Bio.
Sophie Blackall Website

Yoko Writes Her Name: Learning to Appreciate Others

Blogger Graphics

Yoko Writes Her Name

By: Rosemary Wells

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Copyright: 2008

Genre: Fiction, Multicultural Literature

Grade Level: Kindergarten- 3rd grade

Brief Synopsis: The main character, Yoko, is a young cat who is very excited to be starting Kindergarten.  Her excitement quickly fades when two girls from class make fun of her Japanese writing of her name.  This happens right after the teacher tells Yoko how beautiful her writing is.  The girls tell Yoko she will never graduate Kindergarten, and Yoko becomes very worried that she is doing something wrong.  A fellow classmate takes an interest in Yoko and he begins teaching her English writing in exchange for her to teach him Japanese.  After this the whole class, except the two girls, becomes interested in Yoko. Her Japanese writing becomes a big hit in her classroom.  In the end everyone has a successful graduation that includes both English and Japanese language.

About the Author:
Rosemary Wells- She is a multiple award winning author of children's books.  She has written other stories in this series called Yoko and Yoko's Paper Cranes.  She lives in Greenwich, Connecticut.  This video is an interview with Rosemary as she describes her life growing up and what inspires her.

Interview with Rosemary Wells from Weston Woods on Vimeo.
- Japanese calligraphy in the story is done by Masako Inkyo.

Themes: - Feeling left out or different from a group

- Getting to know and appreciate people around you

- Celebrating our differences

- Offering a helping hand to those who need it.

Pre-Reading Activities:

- Students will interview a partner and then present the information to the class.  Make sure the students partner up with someone they don't normally work with.  In conclusion have a discussion with the students with the focus being getting students to realize that by getting to know each other will help them better work together.  They will learn to appreciate each other based on their similarities AND differences. 

- Give a mini-lesson on how the author and illustrator work together to produce the characters' emotions.  Examples to discuss would be : emotions expressed through facial expressions and words that show us feelings.  Walk through a book together and model what to look for.  Have students quickly practice finding character feeling and emotion a short book with a small group. 

Post Reading Activities:

- After finishing a read aloud of the story have students focus on the feelings that Yoko experiences throughout the story.  Have them fill out a graphic organizer of when Yoko experiences specific emotions.

- Have students experiment with Japanese language.  Give them simple expressions to practice writing.  They can be creative with this and decorate their Japanese expression to be displayed around the room.

- Have students respond to Yoko Writes Her Name, and include how they felt the teacher could have responded differently in the story?, How could the class have made Yoko feel more included into their classroom from the very beginning?

Reflection:
I really enjoyed this story to introduce students to thoughts about tolerance.  I am a huge advocate for making sure my classroom is always accepting and tolerant of everyone, and that everyone feels just as safe and open to expressing themselves and participating.  Yoko shows us her Japanese culture and is more comfortable with writing in her Japanese language because she is not familiar enough with English.  A Kindergartener can relate to this because school is so unfamiliar to them even with having English as their first language.  ESL students would feel connected to this story even more because they may experience very similar situations as some people may not know how to act around new languages.
Yoko feels lows and highs when participating in school activities, and a lot of her feelings are based on how she is treated by those around her.  By having Yoko and classmates drawn as cats help to make students critque the book and what happens without feeling like it is highlighting their own behaviors.  It helps to put the story at a distance for the students.
Students can learn a lot about accepting others no matter what differences they may have.  I would talk about celebrating our differences instead of looking down on them...just like Wells does in this book!!!
I love the Japanese caligraphy that is added on each page of this book.  They can be used in my activity of introducing simple Japanese expressions to have students practice writing.  I believe students would be very excited to try this activity because it is different from what they are used to, and those that do practice the Japanese culture will take pride in the whole class taking notice to their language.

Links:

Rosemary Wells Bio.