BOOK REPORT celebrating national poetry month

In honor of National Poetry Month, our Fairmont campuses are sharing poetry anthologies to pique your child’s interest in the rhymes and rhythms of poetic verse.  And, we’d like to go a step further and motivate our students to write their own original poems.  To get their creative juices flowing, may we suggest:

Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry: How to Write a Poem

by Jack Prelutsky

Perfect for children in third-sixth grade, the former Children’s Poet Laureate uses comical anecdotes from his life and more than a dozen examples of his own poetry to inspire children to put pen to paper.  Prelutsky shows how kids can use their real life experiences—wacky things like playing with their food at the dinner table—as fodder for poetic writing.  In addition to tips and plenty of hair brained inspiration, he concludes the book with fun “poemstarts” to motivate even the most reticent to get writing.

We'd love to hear from our talented Fairmont poets.  Comment on this blog posting with your child's original poem!

Contributed by Danyelle, Marketing

BOOK REPORT edgewood goes theatrical with practical cat pick

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

by T.S. Eliot

Every kid needs to meet Magical Mister Mistoffelees!  T. S. Eliot’s playful cat poems have delighted readers and cat lovers around the world ever since they were first published in 1939. They were originally composed for his godchildren, with Eliot posing as Old Possum himself, and later inspired the legendary musical Cats. Meet Mr. Mistoffelees, Growltiger, the Rum Tum Tugger, Macavity the mystery cat, and many other memorable strays. Even if you’re not a cat-lover, you’ll love this fun book of poetry for kids of all ages.  Read the book, then encourage your kids to stage their own theatrical production.  Or maybe they'll be inspired to write their own poems about the family cat!

Contributed by Danyelle, Marketing

BOOK REPORT anaheim hills looks to nature for poetic inspiration

The Great Frog Race: And Other Poems

by Kristine O'Connell George

This book has garnered many awards including the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award.  Here’s an excerpt from the author’s website (www.kristinegeorge.com) where she shares what The Great Frog Race is all about in her own words:(and don't forget to check out the author's other great poetry collections)

“The Great Frog Race was my first book and these twenty-eight poems were written over a period of about five years. The poems in this collection celebrate memories of my childhood: tadpoles, shooting stars, and an old farm dog named Zeke.  There are poems about singing off-key, getting lost with Mom, and a drowsy day-dreaming garden hose.  When I share my book with children I often bring my (very elegant!) metal bucket with "props" from some of the poems:  One egg (plastic!).  A length of garden hose.  A well-preserved dragonfly.  A sprig of lavender.  Maracas.  A saltine cracker.  A monkey wrench...  In talking to students, I hope to demystify poetry and help them understand that poetry is all around them, even in the humble ordinary objects in our everyday lives.” 

Contributed by Danyelle, Marketing 

BOOK REPORT citron makes poetry appealing to the younger set

Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young

by Jack Prelutsky

Poems about picnics, pretending, and puppies make this book the book to introduce little ones to poetry about the world around them. Jack Prelutsky, one of today's most respected children's poets, has selected more than 200 short poems--old favorites, traditional rhymes, and humorous verses--that will delight young listeners. The poems cover a wide range of experiences in a young child's life, from everyday events to special days to the world of the imagination.

Marc Brown, author and illustrator of the popular Arthur series, uses colored-pencil illustrations and borders to unify the poems, helping to create a pleasing, lively collection to carry children from their preschool years into the early elementary grades. As Jim Trelease tells us in his introduction to the book, "Unlike the toys we buy our children, poems cannot break."--amazon.com review 

Contributed by Danyelle, Marketing

BOOK REPORT mable librarian turns kids on to a light in the attic

A Light in the Attic

by Shel Silverstein

This classic poetry anthology from celebrated children's poet Shel Silverstein is a must-have in your home library, recommended for ages 9-12 and as a read-aloud for younger kids.  Or, check it out from Ms. Lloyd or Ms. Abouabdo at the Mable library!

Last night while I lay thinking here
Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
And pranced and partied all night long
And sang their same old Whatif song:Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?...

Here in the attic of Shel Silverstein you will find Backward Bill, Sour Face Ann, the Meehoo with an Exactlywatt, and the Polar Bear in the Frigidaire. You will talk with Broiled Face, and find out what happens When Somebody Steals Your Knees. You get caught by the Quick-Digesting Gink and find out why a Mountain Snores and They Put a Brassiere on the Camel. From the creator of the beloved poetry collections Where the Sidewalk Ends and Falling Up, here is another wondrous book of poems and drawings.--amazon.com review

Suggested by Ms. Mary Lou Lloyd, Mable Librarian

FACULTY LOUNGE citron's hope lopez loves hands-on learning

Citron P4 teacher Hope Lopez believes experience is the best teacher.  Whether it’s developing lesson plans for her P4 students, getting messy in her extracurricular class “Cooking and Other Concoctions” or keeping her summer campers engaged, she encourages fun, hands-on learning.  Hope has 10 years experience working with preschool-aged children and a Teaching Certificate in Early Child Development.  She is currently completing her Bachelors of Arts in Human Development.  Hope wears many hats at the Citron campus including Preschool Coordinator for the P4 group.  In addition to baking and cooking, she loves the outdoors and enjoys bike riding and hiking with her two teen-aged sons.  Hope says the best part of her job is having the opportunity, “to work with a wonderful group of ladies and interact with great kids.”

Contributed by Elly, Citron campus

FACULTY LOUNGE anaheim hills' wendy knudson makes a difference

Anaheim Hills’ first grade teacher Ms. Wendy Knudson has worked in Early Childhood Education since 1995, the past six years as a first grade teacher.  For five years running, she has achieved both the Model and Master Teacher designations in Reading and Math through Renaissance Learning.  Wendy has a B.S. in Child and Adolescent Studies from Cal State, Fullerton and has completed Masters level coursework in Education.  She welcomes the challenges inherent in teaching first graders and relishes the opportunity to “make a difference in the lives of young learners.”  To unwind from a day spent hard at work shaping the lives of her little ones, Wendy escapes to the spa or indulges in retail therapy.  She also enjoys reading and volunteering at her church.

Contributed by Vicky, Anaheim Hills campus