Module 4-Biographical Poetry/LS 5663-20

Angelou,Maya. Poetry for Young People. Edwin G. Wilson. New York: Sterling, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4027-2023-9
Maya Angelou is considered to be one the most well-known poet of our time. She has been the recipient of many honors and awards. In this book, many of her most important poems are highlighted and shared, each one tied to meaningful experiences in her life.
Each of the poems shared in the book reinforce the purpose of sharing the intimate moments of Maya Angelou’s life. Through her words, the reader is better able to understand how different events in her life shaped her writing. She has overcomes many obstacles throughout her life, racial prejudice, discrimination, and hatred. She choses to channel the pain and turmoil into reaching people with her words. The following poem encourages the reader to open up their mind and their heart to fully appreciate the words.
A conceit
Give me your hand.
Make room for me
To lead and follow
You
Beyond this rage of poetry.
Let others have
The privacy of
Touching words
And love of loss
Of love.
For me
Give me your hand.
Each poem shared in the book has an introduction to explain the significance of the words in the poet’s life and different vocabulary words are explained to help the reader better understand and appreciate the poem. The words shared in each of the following poems touch many different feeling and senses. Maya Angelou use language that will be understood and appreciated by the reader, yet it also encourages the reader to stretch their linguistic abilities.
I would use any of the poems during the month of February, Black History Month. Maya Angelou is considered to be a very influential figure in the area of writing. Children of all ages and ethnicities can benefit from her writing style. I would also use her work to share during National Poetry Month.

Module 4-Social Studies Poetry-LS 5663-20

I never saw another butterfly, Children's drawings and poems from Terezin Concentration Camp, 1942-1944. Hana Volavkova. New York: Schocken Books, 1993. ISBN 978-0-8052-1015-6
The topic of the Holocaust is a very difficult one to share about due to the graphic nature of the treatment of the Jewish people. The poetry created and shared by the children of the Terezin Concentration Camp gives the reader a first hand glimpse into the oppressive life and seeing death all around them each day.
The introduction to the book is from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and it is filled with important information to help the reader understand the history behind this specific concentration camp. Terezin was a Jewish ghetto for what one could call privileged Jews: war heroes, intellectuals, artists, half-Jews, and Jews married to Aryans. This model community was to prepared the Jewish people for Palestine, as it was presented to the community. This was not to be the case and many in the community were sent on to Auschwitz, where they were later killed or left to die.
One brave artist felt that the children of Terizin would benefit from art therapy. Her name was Friedl Dicker-Brandeis. She felt that art could be the release for the escape the daily chaos and turmoil of their lives. The materials for these lessons were often office supplies, scrap paper, or wrapping paper. She would encourage students to express their feelings through art or their words. Each of the poems are accompanied by the artwork of the students. Many of these drawings were saved by a former student of Mrs. Dicker-Brandeis and were eventually shared with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, where the artwork is on display today.
Each of the poems included in this book reinforce the purpose of the book, which is to share the story of the children who lived in the ghetto of Terezin. Many of these children chose to see the brighter side of life in a concentration camp. Many used their words and their art to express frustration, fear and even anger.
The following poem shares the hope of one of the residents of Terrezin. The poet uses very descriptive language to describe the colors of the sun as it disappears, just as the regular life of a Jewish child disappeared during the terroristic reign of the Third Reich.
The Butterfly
The last, the very last ,
So richly, brightly dazzlingly yellow.
Perhaps if the sun’s teach would sing
Against a white stone……..
Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly ‘way up high.
It went away I’m sure because it wished to
Kiss the world good-bye.
For seven weeks I’ve lived in here,
Penned up inside this ghetto.
But I have found what I love here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut branches in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don’t live in here,
In the ghetto.
-Pavel Friedman 4.6.1942
I would use this poem to share with students as part of a study of the Holocaust. I feel that it would be important to summarize the history of Terezin, as it shared in the introduction of the book. My daughter was able to read this book of poetry during her sixth grade year. The teachers at this grade level were able to obtain a trunk from the National Holocaust Memorial Museum to use as part of the curriculum. This trunk is filled with vast amounts of literature, pictures and other artifacts. One of the activities that each of the sixth grade students is able to participate in is to create their own butterfly in honor of Jewish children who were in a concentration camp. The students are responsible for researching the lives of the Jewish children. At the end of the study, the butterflies are sent back to be displayed in Washington, D.C. at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Module 4-Science Poetry/LS 5663-20

Module 4-Science Poetry
Florian,Douglas. Comets, stars, the moon and Mars. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc., 2007. ISBN 978-0-15-205372-7
Space…the final frontier. As adults, we grew up hearing this on television and we have never lost our fascination for space travel.
Space is an abstract subject that many can only read about, until the day that space travel is possible for everyone. The poems shared in this book give the reader a short description of the planets, the stars, the moon and other space related topics. Each of the poems reinforce the purpose to share information about space in a fun and informative way.
Each of the poems in this book share information about planets, the moon, and the stars in a way that students will want to know more. The author writes in a rhyming format and each of the poems has a natural flow while including an abundance of information. The following poem is the first one in the book and gives the reader an glimpse of what is to come.
Skywatch
On a clear night you might try
To gaze upon the starry sky.
A telescope or binoculars are
Great aids to observe a star.
To find your way it’s good to sight
Upon a star that’s very bright,
Like Sirius or Canopus,
Alpha Centauri or Arcturus.
You may see a planet or
A flash of light from a meteor.
Use a constellation chart
To help you tell the stars apart.
Start out when the day is done.
Most of all: Have lots of fun!
Each of the poems would be an excellent source of material to introduce the concept of webbing to younger readers. As a class, I would have my students create a web of information with the material given in the poems and then encourage the students to continue to research the topics further. I would poem use the poem, Skywatch, to introduce a thematic unit on Space and Space Pioneers. Each of the poems use descriptive language and encourages the reader to expand their vocabulary as they extend their research beyond what is presented in the book.

Module 3-2011 Poetry Book/LS 5663-20

Module 3-2011 Poetry Book
George,Kristine O.. Emma Dilemma. Boston: Clarion Books, 2011. ISBN 978-0-618-42842-7
“Mom, she is bothering me!”
“No, I’m not!”
“Are too!”
“Are not!”
This has been an argument heard at many houses all around the world and will continue as long as siblings strive to build relationships with each other. The relationship between sisters is a very special one. Many of us have at one time viewed our little sisters as pests and would like for them to leave us alone, instead of constantly interrupting us. The poems in this award-winning book do an amazing job to introduce the reader to the unique and often hard to understand relationship between sisters. The author, Kristine O’Connell George, uses her experience as a big sister to give a unique perspective in her writing.
The author uses the connection between Jessica and Emma to appeal to the emotions of the reader. Each person at one point in their life has seen their younger sibling as an ally, a playmate, but also as the enemy. Each of the poems has a natural cadence and rhythm, and are not written in rhyming format. This format would be excellent for choral reading. The language used by the poet can be easily understood by the reader and each of the poems, along with the illustrations by Nancy Carpenter, stimulates the imagination of the reader.
In the following poem, Emma Dilemma, the poet presents an interesting description of dealing with the frustrations of having a pesky younger sister.
Emma Dilemma
Sometimes Dad calls my little sister Emma Dilemma.
Dad says a dilemma is an interesting problem.
I know Dad’s joking but sometimes Emma is my dilemma.
Each of the poems included in this book share about different facets of the relationship between two sisters and help to reinforce the purpose of this book, which is to show the love and sometimes intense dislike between two siblings. As much as our siblings do things to drive us crazy, such as trying to copy each thing that we do or embarrass us in front of our friends, we still love them. The reader will feel many different emotions throughout the reading of this book, as the poems share Jessica’s daily struggles with her little sister, ranging from pride to intense sadness.
As a way of sharing this book, I would use this book as a way of introducing a study of family relationships. I would begin with the question, “How do you feel when your sibling does something to bother you?” Depending on the grade level, students may need to know what the word sibling means. After allowing students to verbally share how they would feel and writing these down on chart paper, I would share the following poem:
Trespass
Someone has been “shopping” in my room.
Someone has been playing dress-up with my clothes.
Someone has left the caps off all my new markers.
Someone drew a face on my soccer ball.
Someone is hiding and had better hope I never find her.
Students could complete a journal entry about their siblings. An example could be:
When my little sister(or brother) takes something of mine, I feel ________________________.
To extend this activity, I would have the students complete a home project sharing information about their family with different questions, such as what type of activities does your family like to do together, how many siblings do you have, and what makes your family special. This is an activity that my first grade students complete each year. Older students could write their relationship with a sibling.

Module 3-Verse Novel/LS 5663-20

Module 3-Verse Novel
LeZotte,Ann C. T4, A novel in verse. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008. ISBN 978-0-547-04684-6
This verse novel shares a lesser known story of the atrocities inflicted during the Holocaust. T4, or Tiergartenstrasse 4 is the headquarters where the Nazi regime made it a priority to annihilate any mentally ill, or disabled person. The main character of the verse novel is Paula Becker, a deaf teenager faced with the frustration of trying to communicate with each of her family members and trying to survive in time when those who were “different” were done away with. The topic of the Holocaust is often a very difficult one to read about, however it is a topic that must be shared due to the historical significance.
Because of the subject matter, this verse novel stimulates the emotions of the reader. The character of Paula feels like she is an outsider in her own family due to her disability. Paula learns to communicate with her hands with the help of the local priest, who also plays a key role in her survival as she matures. It has been said that when one of our senses is taken away, the other senses become stronger. The poet uses sensory images to convey feelings. For example, in the following poem, What I saw, the reader views an increased awareness of the sense of sight.
What I Saw
My visual sense was so strong.
If a breeze shook the leaves on a tree
I would shriek with delight.
If people ran fast past me
It looked like a tidal wave.
Even the motion of a hand waving goodbye startled me.
Since the subject of the Holocaust is very emotional and difficult to comprehend, I feel that this book should be geared toward students in the intermediate age range. As a way of introducing this book, I would have the students discuss how they would feel if they were no longer able to hear anything, such as their music or the voice of their friends. Students of this age are dependent on their friends and are highly influenced by peers. Have them share their frustrations and fears and explain why they might feel this way. I would then ask them to share how they would communicate if they were not able to hear the voices of friends and family. Would they use texting or another means of communication? As my last question, I would have them put themselves in the place of Paula and ask how they would feel if they knew that the government didn’t think that they deserved to live because of their disability.

Module 3-Poetic Form/LS 5663-20

Module 3-Poetic Form
Mora,Pat . Yum! MmMm!Que Rico!: America's Sproutings. New York: Lee & Low Books, Inc., 2007. ISBN 978-1-58430-271-1
Everyone is drawn in by the appeal of food. Pat Mora has taken several of the foods that are native to America and stimulated our tastebuds, as well as our love of language. Each of the haikus shared in the book used language in a unique way, giving vivid descriptions of each of the foods represented. The traditional haiku poetry form is written in a way that the reader can almost taste each of the foods represented. The illustrations done by Rafael Lopez enhance the writings and enrich the history of the vegetables. In addition to the haiku, the author has given a brief summary of the history of each of the fruit or vegetables. The haiku traditionally consists of 17 syllables in lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively, and the author uses this form to share descriptive, colorful, and even tasty writing. Pat Mora introduces the reader to poetry about foods that they may enjoy on a daily basis, foods that only the adults, in their families will eat, and even foods that they have never even heard of.
In order to fully appreciate this book, I would provide a sample of several of the foods represented in the book.* I would focus on the following poems,
1.Chocolate
Fudge, cake, pie, cookies
Brown magic melts on your tongue
Happy, your eyes dance.
2.Cranberry
Marsh-floating hard bead
Simmers then POPS! In hot pot.
Scarlet fireworks.
3. Papaya
Chewing your perfume,
We taste your leafy jungle.
Yum! Juicy tropics.
I specifically chose these three foods, since many people enjoy chocolate, many parents enjoy cranberries and very few of my student have never tasted papaya. *I would have the students taste each of the food samples. After tasting each sample, I would have the students share descriptive words about each of the foods. I would encourage each of the students think about each of the senses, depending on how the foods taste, sound, feel , look and smell. After each of the foods are tasted, the descriptive words could be used to write a class haiku about the favorite sampled food.
*(Prior to the tasting of each of the foods, I would obtain permission from each of the parents and check for food allergies.)

Module 2-NCTE Award Poetry/LS 5663-20

A jar of tiny stars: poems by NCTE award-winning poets. Bernice E. Cullinan. Honesdale, Pennsylvania: Boyds Mill Press, Inc., 1996. ISBN 1-56397-087-2
This book is a collection of NCTE award-winning poets. Each poet shares a source of the inspiration for their work. At the end of the book, not only do the award-winning poets share about their sources of inspiration, information is given about their life accomplishments. Many of the poems share about familiar childhood experiences, such as selling lemonade or the birth of a new puppy. Each of the poems were chosen by children and the poems consistently show evidence of the high quality of writing.
The following poem would be a great introduction to a poetry study.
How to eat a poem
-Eve Merriam
Don’t be polite.
Bite in.
Pick it up with your fingers and lick the juice that may run down your chin.
It is ready and ripe now, whenever you are.
You do not need a knife or fork or spoon or plate or napkin or tablecloth.
For there is no core
Or stem
Or rind
Or pit
Or seed
Or skin
To throw away.
As a way to introduce this poem, I would have an assortment of fruit and talk about what happens when you eat a piece of fruit. Does juice run down your chin? Do you hear a crunch? Is the fruit soft, hard, squishy, or firm. As the students are sharing, I would have them brainstorm as many words as possible to describe the fruit. After the students eat a piece of fruit, I would read the poem and have the students think about what happened as they ate their piece of fruit. I would then have the students writing a line for a class book using the sentence starter, When I bit it my apple(or whatever their fruit is), the fruit was__________. If possible, I would use shaped -writing paper and have each student choose the shape closest to the fruit that they sampled. This activity could be also be used for a unit on the food pyramid and healthy eating habits.