Pedagogy Notebook: Table of Contents

Part 1: Forms of Poetry
1. Narrative
2. Lyric
3. Limerick
4. Concrete
5. Haiku
6. Free Verse

Part 2: Personal Collection of Poems
1) The Butterfly Jar
2) The Road Not Taken
3) I wandered lonely as a cloud
4) Books Fall Open
5) The Poet
6) Dad and Me

Part 3: Picture Books
The Rainbow Fish
Corduroy

Part 4: Lesson Plan: Holes
Standards
Bullies
Physical Health
Self-Confidence
Jeopardy
Reptiles and Amphibians
Fossils and Erosion
Holes: The Movie
Independent Practice
Works Cited

Part 5: Reflection

Part 1: Forms of Poetry--Narrative

1. Narrative
Definition: A narrative poem has a plot and tells a story of some kind. They are of varying lengths from short narratives to book-length poems such as Homer’s Iliad. Consequently, the story the poem relates “may be simple or complex” (Meyer). Narrative poetry can include “ballads, epics, and lays” (Poetry).

Examples:

“The Walrus and the Carpenter” –Lewis Carroll

The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright—
And this was off, because it was
The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done—
“It's very rude of him,” she said,
“To come and spoil the fun!”

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky;
No birds were flying overhead—
There were no birds to fly.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand;
“If this were only cleared away,”
They said, “it would be grand!”

“If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose,” the Walrus said,
“That they could get it clear?”
“I doubt it,” said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.

“O Oysters, come and walk with us!”
The Walrus did beseech.
“A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach;
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each.”

The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said;
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head—
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster bed.

But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat;
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat—
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more—
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low;
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.

“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—
Of cabbages—and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
And whether pigs have wings.”

“But wait a bit,” the Oysters cried,
“Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!”
“No hurry!” said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.

“A loaf of bread,” the Walrus said,
“Is what we chiefly need;
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed—
Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed.”

“But not on us!” the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
“After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!”
“The night is fine,” the Walrus said.
“Do you admire the view?

“It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!”
The Carpenter said nothing but,
“Cut us another slice.
I wish you were not quite so deaf—
I've had to ask you twice!”

“It seems a shame,” the Walrus said,
“To play them such a trick.
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!”
The Carpenter said nothing but,
“The butter's spread too thick!”

“I weep for you,” the Walrus said,
“I deeply sympathize.”
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.

“O Oysters,” said the Carpenter,
“You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?”
But answer came there none—
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.


“The Demon Lover” –Unknown

“Oh, where have you been, my long, long love,
This long seven years and more?”
“Oh, I’ve come to seek my former vows
Ye granted me before.”

“Oh, do not speak of your former vows,
For they will breed sad strife;
Oh, do not speak of your former vows,
For I have become a wife.”

He turned him right and round about,
And the tear blinded his ee:
“I would never have trodden on this ground
If it had not been for thee.”

“If I was to leave my husband dear,
And my two babes also,
Oh, what have you to take me to,
If with you I should go?”

“I have seven ships upon the sea—
The eighth brought me to land—
With four-and-twenty bold mariners,
And music on every hand.”

She has taken up her two little babes,
Kissed them of cheek and chin:
“Oh, fare ye well, my own two babes,
For I’ll never see you again.”

She set her foot upon the ship—
No mariners could she behold;
But the sails were of the taffeta,
And the masts of the beaten gold.

She had not sailed a league, a league,
A league but barely three,
When dismal grew his countenance,
And drumlie grew his ee.

They had not sailed a league, a league,
A league but barely three,
Until she espied his cloven foot,
And she wept right bitterly.

“Oh, hold your tongue of your weeping,” said he,
“Of your weeping now let me be;
I will show you how the lilies grow
On the banks of Italy.”

“Oh, what hills are yon, yon pleasant hills,
That the sun shines sweetly on?”
“Oh, yon are the hills of heaven,” he said,
“Where you will never win.”

“Oh, whaten a mountain in yon,” she said,
“So dreary with frost and snow?”
“Oh, yon is the mountain of hell,” he cried,
“Where you and I will go.”

He struck the top-mast with his hand,
The fore-mast with his knee;
And he broke that gallant ship in twain,
And sank her in the sea.


“I Sailed on Half a Ship” –Jack Prelutsky

I sailed on half a ship
on half the seven seas,
propelled by half a sail
that blew in half a breeze.
I climbed up half a mast
and sighted half a whale
that rose on half a mighty wave
and flourished half a tail.

Each day, with half a hook
and half a rod and reel,
I landed half a fish
that served as half a meal.
I ate off half a plate,
I drank from half a glass,
then mopped up half the starboard deck
and polished half the brass.

When half a year had passed,
as told by half a clock,
I entered half a port
and berthed at half a dock.
Since half my aunts were there
and half my uncles too,
I told them half this half-baked tale
that’s half entirely true.



Works Cited

Darigan, Daniel L., Michael O. Tunnell, and James S. Jacobs. Children’s Literature: Engaging Teachers and Children in Good Books. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2002.

“Narrative Poem.” Meyer Literature: Glossary of Literary Terms. 2 November 2009. http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/literature/bedlit/glossary_l.htm

“Narrative Poetry.” Types of Poetry. 2 November 2009. http://www.types-of-poetry.org.uk/33-narrative-poetry.htm

Poems

Carroll, Lewis. “The Walrus and the Carpenter.” Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Great Neck, NY: Choice Publishing, Inc., 1989.

Prelutsky, Jack. “I Sailed on Half a Ship.” A Pizza the Size of the Sun. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, 1996.

“The Demon Lover.” Rose, Where Did You Get That Red?: Teaching Great Poetry to Children. Kenneth Koch. New York: Vintage Books, 1990. 187.

Part 1: Forms of Poetry--Lyric

2. Lyric
Definition: A lyric poem is a short poem that was originally sung and set to music (such as a lyre). Often sounding “melodic or song-like,” these poems are unrestricted by meter and are usually written in first person (CL 119). This allows for the expression of “the personal emotion and thoughts of a single speaker” (Meyer). Lyric poems also often address the reader and are generally “descriptive, focusing on personal moments, feelings, or image-laden scenes” (CL 119). Lyric poetry can include “the elegy, the dramatic monologue, and the ode” (Literary).

Examples:

“How Do I Love Thee?” –Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith
I love thee with a love I seem to love
With my lost saints, - I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! - and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.


“The Fiddler of Dooney” –William Butler Yeats

When I play on my fiddle in Dooney,
Folk dance like a wave of the sea;
My cousin is priest in Kilvarnet,
My brother in Moharabuiee.

I passed my brother and cousin:
They read in their books of prayer;
I read in my book of songs
I bought at the Sligo fair.

When we come at the end of time,
To Peter sitting in state,
He will smile on the three old spirits,
But call me first through the gate;

For the good are always the merry,
Save by an evil chance,
And the merry love the fiddle
And the merry love to dance:

And when the folk there spy me,
They will all come up to me,
With ‘Here is the fiddler of Dooney!'
And dance like a wave of the sea.


“On Top of Old Smokey” –Unknown

On top of Old Smokey,
All covered with snow,
I lost my true lover,
For courting too slow.

For courting's a pleasure,
But parting is grief,
And a false-hearted lover,
Is worse than a thief.

A thief will just rob you,
And take what you have,
But a false-hearted lover,
Will lead you to your grave.

The grave will decay you,
And turn you to dust,
Not one boy in a hundred
A poor girl can trust.

They'll hug you and kiss you,
And tell you more lies,
Than crossties on a railroad,
Or stars in the sky.

So come ye young maidens,
And listen to me,
Never place your affection
In a green willow tree.

For the leaves they will wither,
The roots they will die,
And you'll be forsaken,
And never know why.



Works Cited

Darigan, Daniel L., Michael O. Tunnell, and James S. Jacobs. Children’s Literature: Engaging Teachers and Children in Good Books. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2002.

“Literary Terminology: Lyric.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W.W. Norton, 2006.

“Lyric.” Meyer Literature: Glossary of Literary Terms. 2 November 2009. http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/literature/bedlit/glossary_l.htm

“Lyric.” Representative Poetry Online (RPO). 2 November 2009. http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/display_rpo/terminology.cfm#lyric

“Lyric Poetry.” Literary Terms. 2 November 2009. http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/lit_term.html

Poems

Browning, Elizabeth Barrett. “How do I love thee?” The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Victorian Age. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2006. 1085.

“On Top of Old Smokey.” KIDiddles—Song Page. 5 November 2009. http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/o036.html

Yeats, William Butler. “The Fiddler of Dooney.” Bartleby.com. 5 November 2009. http://www.bartleby.com/146/11.html

Part 1: Forms of Poetry--Limerick

3. Limerick
Definition: A limerick is a light and humorous poem that first became popular with “Edward Lear’s Book of Nonsense” in 1846 (CL 120). There are five lines in a limerick and the rhyme scheme is aabba where “the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme” (CL 120). The first and last lines also used to end with the same word, but the “practice [was] dropped in the 20th century” (RPO). The subject matter in limericks can range from the “silly to the obscene” (Meyer).

Examples:

Ogden Nash

A flea and a fly in a flue
Were caught, so what could they do?
Said the fly, “Let us flee.”
“Let us fly,” said the flea.
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.


Edward Lear

There was an Old Man in a tree,
Who was horribly bored by a Bee;
When they said, “Does it buzz?”
He replied, “Yes, it does!”
“It’s a regular brute of a Bee!”


“Dinosaur Named Fred” –Rebecca Read

There once was a dinosaur named Fred
Who liked to eat nothing but bread.
But it had not been invented
So he grew thin and dented
And soon he was lying there dead.



Works Cited

Darigan, Daniel L., Michael O. Tunnell, and James S. Jacobs. Children’s Literature: Engaging Teachers and Children in Good Books. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2002.

“Limerick.” Meyer Literature: Glossary of Literary Terms. 2 November 2009. http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/literature/bedlit/glossary_l.htm

“Limerick.” Representative Poetry Online (RPO). 2 November 2009. http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/display_rpo/terminology.cfm#lyric

Poems

Lear, Edward. “Old Man in a tree.” Limerick Poems. 5 November 2009. http://www.limerick-poems.com/Famous-Limerick-Poems/Limerick-Poems-There-was-an-Old-Man-in-a-tree-Edward-Lear.htm

Nash, Ogden. “A flea and a fly in a flue.” Favorite Limericks. 5 November 2009. http://home.earthlink.net/~kristenaa/faves.html

Read, Rebecca. “Dinosaur Named Fred.” Limerick Poems. 5 November 2009. http://www.limerick-poems.com/Famous-Limerick-Poems/Funny-Limerick-Poems-There-once-was-a-dinosaur-named-Fred-Rebecca-Read.htm

Part 1: Forms of Poetry--Concrete

4. Concrete
Definition: Concrete poetry is a “form of visual poetry where type-face is laid out to present a pictorial representation of the subject of the poem” (Examples). This “visual presentation of a poem…[becomes] a major part of the poem’s meaning” (Connections). Because of this, concrete poems are “meant to be seen…more than heard” (CL 120). Shapes are made by arranging the poem’s letters, words, and symbols, and they often lack a rhyme scheme or a particular rhythm. Concrete poetry is often visual, but it can also include poems where “an arrangement of words or syllables that signals the poem must be said rather than read (ear poetry), and the division of the poem by different speakers, showing that it is intended for performance (action poetry)” (RPO). Concrete poetry “is a development of the pattern poetry which dates back to Greek classical times” (Examples).

Examples:

“The Mouse’s Tale” –Lewis Carroll

Trees have roots
that keep them in the
ground. They keep them stable
if they are strong enough. I am no tree. I
have no roots. I have no inner strength to
keep me alive. I have reasons to not be a tree.
I was raised be a tree. Then I broke free. Born a
leaf. Meant to get lost in the wind. Alone and
fragile but still making my way. Sometimes
I may fall to the ground. Sometimes I
may feel like I can never
get up again.
I will always
be a leaf.
Because I
feel the need
to be free. Able
to blow in the wind.

Works Cited

“Concrete Poetry.” Connections: A Hypertext Resource for Literature. 2 November 2009. http://www.cs.grinnell.edu/~simpsone/Connections/Poetry/Forms/concret1.html

“Concrete Poetry.” Examples-Help.org.uk. 2 November 2009. http://www.examples-help.org.uk/concrete-poetry.htm

“Concrete Poetry.” Representative Poetry Online (RPO). 2 November 2009. http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/display_rpo/terminology.cfm#lyric

Darigan, Daniel L., Michael O. Tunnell, and James S. Jacobs. Children’s Literature: Engaging Teachers and Children in Good Books. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2002.

Poems

Carroll, Lewis. “The Mouse’s Tale.” Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Great Neck, NY: Choice Publishing, Inc., 1989.

“How to Write a Concrete Poem.” eHow. 6 November 2009. http://www.ehow.com/how_4750927_write-concrete-poem.html

“Poetry in the Classroom: Concrete Poems.” Open Wide, Look Inside. 6 November 2009. http://blog.richmond.edu/openwidelookinside/archives/932

Part 1: Forms of Poetry--Haiku

5. Haiku
Definition: A haiku is a brief poem that is “traditionally made up of seventeen syllables” (CL 120). It consists of three “unrhyming lines” where the first line is made up five syllables, the second has seven syllables, and the third line has another five syllables (RPO). However, today “many poets vary the syllabic count in their haiku” (Meyer). The subject matter of these poems are usually “an intense emotion or vivid image of nature, which, traditionally, is designed to lead to a spiritual insight” (Meyer). Haiku originated in Japan and were “developed in the mid-16th century…originally of jesting character” (OED).

Examples:

Basho

Furu ike ya
Kawazu tobikomu
Mizu no oto

The old pond
A frog jumps in
The sound of water


Scott Alexander (early 20th century)

By an ancient pond
A bullfrog sits on a rock:
Waiting for Basho


Paul Brown

Yellow autumn leaves
Rustle as I briskly walk
Through deserted lanes.



Works Cited

Darigan, Daniel L., Michael O. Tunnell, and James S. Jacobs. Children’s Literature: Engaging Teachers and Children in Good Books. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2002.

“Haiku.” Meyer Literature: Glossary of Literary Terms. 2 November 2009. http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/literature/bedlit/glossary_f.htm

“Haiku.” Oxford English Dictionary (OED). 2nd edition. 1989.

“Haiku, or Hokku.” Representative Poetry Online (RPO). 2 November 2009. http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/display_rpo/terminology.cfm#lyric

Poems

Alexander, Scott. “By an ancient pond.” “Western Poets Using Haiku.” .Docstoc. 5 November 2009. http://www.docstoc.com/docs/4292362/haiku-examples

Basho. “Furu ike ya.” “Famous Haikus.” Haiku Society. 5 November 2009. http://www.haikusociety.com/famoushaikus/

Brown, Paul. “Yellow autumn leaves.” “Haiku Writing: A Lesson for Beginners.” Haiku for Beginners. 5 November 2009. http://www.arttech.ab.ca/pbrown/haiku/lesson1.html

Part 1: Forms of Poetry--Free Verse

6. Free Verse
Definition: Free verse refers to poems that are “characterized by their nonconformity to established patterns of meter, rhyme, and stanza” (Meyer). Despite this lack of conformity, they still rely on “rhythm and cadence for [the] poetic form” (CL 121). However, they “seem to disappoint the reader’s expectation for a formal meter” (RPO). “Speech patterns, grammar, emphasis, and breath pauses” also help decide line breaks (Meyer). Free verse topics “are typically quite philosophical or abstract—but intriguing” (CL 121). Poets in the early 20th century “were the first to write what they called ‘free verse’ which allowed them to break from the formula and rigidity of traditional poetry” (Poetry).

Examples:

“The Hollow Men” –T.S. Eliot (1925)
Mistah Kurtz—he dead.
A penny for the Old Guy.

I
We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats’ feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar

Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralysed force, gesture without motion;

Those who have crossed
With direct eyes, to death’s other Kingdom
Remember us—if at all—not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men
The stuffed men.

II
Eyes I dare not meet in dreams
In death’s dream kingdom
These do not appear:
There, the eyes are
Sunlight on a broken column
There, is a tree swinging
And voices are
In the wind’s singing
More distant and more solemn
Than a fading star.

Let me be no nearer
In death’s dream kingdom
Let me also wear
Such deliberate disguises
Rat’s coat, crowskin, crossed staves
In a field
Behaving as the wind behaves
No nearer—

Not that final meeting
In the twilight kingdom

III
This is the dead land
This is cactus land
Here the stone images
Are raised, here they receive
The supplication of a dead man’s hand
Under the twinkle of a fading star.

Is it like this
In death’s other kingdom
Walking alone
At the hour when we are
Trembling with tenderness
Lips that would kiss
Form prayers to broken stone.

IV
The eyes are not here
There are no eyes here
In this valley of dying stars
In this hollow valley
This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms

In this last of meeting places
We grope together
And avoid speech
Gathered on this beach of the tumid river

Sightless, unless
The eyes reappear
As the perpetual star
Multifoliate rose
Of death’s twilight kingdom
The hope only
Of empty men.

V
Here we go round the prickly pear
Prickly pear prickly pear
Here we go round the prickly pear
At five o’clock in the morning.

Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow

For Thine is the Kingdom

Between the conception
And the creation
Between the emotion
And the response
Falls the Shadow

Life is very long

Between the desire
And the spasm
Between the potency
And the existence
Between the essence
And the descent
Falls the Shadow

For Thine is the Kingdom

For Thine is
Life is
For Thine is the

This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.


From Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog: An Epithalamion –Taylor Mali

First of all, it’s a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you’re walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain’t no one going to mess with you.

Love doesn’t like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.

Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.

Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until you’re all wound up and can’t move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.

Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.


“Harlem Night Song” –Langston Hughes

Come,
Let us roam the night together
Singing.

I love you.

Across
The Harlem roof-tops
Moon is shining.
Night sky is blue.
Stars are great drops
Of golden dew.

Down the street
A band is playing.

I love you.

Come,
Let us roam the night together
Singing.



Works Cited

Darigan, Daniel L., Michael O. Tunnell, and James S. Jacobs. Children’s Literature: Engaging Teachers and Children in Good Books. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2002.

“Free verse.” Meyer Literature: Glossary of Literary Terms. 2 November 2009. http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/literature/bedlit/glossary_f.htm

“Free verse.” Representative Poetry Online (RPO). 2 November 2009. http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/display_rpo/terminology.cfm#lyric

“Free verse.” Types of Poetry. 2 November 2009. http://www.types-of-poetry.org.uk/24-free-verse.htm

Poems

Eliot, T.S. “The Hollow Men.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Twentieth Century and After. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2006. 2309.

Hughes, Langston. “Harlem Night Song.” A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children. Caroline Kennedy. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 2005. 123.

Mali, Taylor. “From Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog: An Epithalamion.” A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children. Caroline Kennedy. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 2005. 33.

Part 2: Personal Collection of Poems: The Butterfly Jar

1) “The Butterfly Jar” –Jeff Moss

We had a jar with a butterfly.
We opened the lid and it flew to the sky.
And there are things inside my head
Waiting to be thought or said,
Dreams and jokes and wonderings are
Locked inside, like a butterfly jar.
But then, when you are here with me,
I can open the lid and set them free.


The reason I like this poem is because it is a simple poem, and yet it has such a deep meaning about the people you are close to. I also liked this poem because I can relate to it. I’m the kind of person who doesn’t really like talking with people I don’t know, so when I’m with my friends, I’m able to say what I want to: “I can open the lid and set them free.”

I also feel that this poem is universal—everyone has someone they can talk to and tell everything to without having to feel embarrassed or think that they will be judged in some way. It speaks about the close relationships between people and I think it is part of human nature to want this type of companionship.

The metaphor of the butterfly jar is another thing about this poem I really enjoy. It is interesting to think that each of us has their own “butterfly jar” and that everyone has a chance to allow someone to open their jar and share personal thoughts.



Moss, Jeff. “The Butterfly Jar.” The Butterfly Jar. New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1989.

Part 2: Personal Collection of Poems: The Road Not Taken

2) “The Road Not Taken” –Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.


I’ve liked this poem since the first time I read it in sixth grade. One thing I really like about this poem is the descriptions of the different roads and how it is able to capture that feeling of being torn between the easy way out and the more difficult route that may be more rewarding in the end. I also like the peace and calmness about the poem, and for me, it reflects how the narrator doesn’t regret taking the road “less traveled by.”

I think this poem holds an important lesion about how it is not always the best thing to just go along with everyone else. It seems like there is a point in everyone’s life where they’re at a crossroads—whether they know it or not—where they can either go along with the majority and give in to expectations, or go their own way. Even though the road may be more challenging, it can make all the difference like the narrator says. I think the message of this poem not only makes it relatable, but also timeless.



Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children. Caroline Kennedy. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 2005. 22.

Part 2: Personal Collection of Poems: I wandered lonely as a cloud

3) “I wandered lonely as a cloud” –William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.


The memory Wordsworth describes here was a day when he went walking with his sister Dorothy. The reason I like this poem is because of how peaceful it is and I love the descriptions he writes about the daffodils. He does a really good job in personifying them and showing how happy these flowers appear. I also like how he remembers that when he first saw these daffodils, he “but little thought / What wealth the show to me had brought.” I think everyone can relate to this feeling since when you see something that makes you happy, you don’t really think about how it makes you happy or how the memory will stay with you since you’re caught up in the moment.

I think that this poem demonstrates how happy memories have so much power, and that just by remembering, it can make the day a lot better: “In vacant or in pensive mood, / They flash upon that inward eye / …And then my heart with pleasure fills…” This shows how important memories are, and also how important it is to remember.



Wordsworth, William. “I wandered lonely as a cloud.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Romantic Period. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2006. 305.

Part 2: Personal Collection of Poems: Books Fall Open

4) “Books Fall Open” –David McCord

Books fall open,
you fall in,
delighted where
you've never been;
hear voices not once
heard before,
reach world on world
through door on door;
find unexpected
keys to things
locked up beyond
imaginings.
What might you be,
perhaps become,
because one book is
somewhere? Some
wise delver into wisdom, wit,
and wherewithal
has written it.
True books will venture,
dare you out,
whisper secrets,
maybe shout
across the gloom
to you in need,
who hanker for
a book to read.


I like this poem because it’s very accurate about what books are able to do. They are able to take readers to new worlds they have never, or will never, see in person and reading also lets readers experience adventure and mystery from the safety of our room. I also like how this poem speaks to the imagination—something required when reading books, especially fiction. This poem is also one I particularly like because I can see how everything McCord says about books is true. When you find a good book, you really do “fall in” and the adventure in one book leaves you “hanker[ing]” for another book to read.



McCord, David. “Books Fall Open.” “Children’s and Young Adult Literature Conference: Fall Into Books.” BYU Idaho. 28 November 2009. http://www.byui.edu/childrenslitconf/

Part 2: Personal Collection of Poems: The Poet

5) “The Poet” –Lucas Garrison, Age 12

The poet sits in his chair
With a dazed sort of glare.

Looking, waiting, thinking.

Suddenly,
An idea comes to his mind.
He puts his pen on his pad,
And words, like a black ink ocean,
Spill onto his page.


I like this poem because it is one I can relate to, even if I’m not a poet. As a creative writer, most of the time I spend seems to be staring into space, trying to think of an idea, similar to how the poet in this poem behaves. When something finally does come to mind, it really does seem like a “black ink ocean” that spills onto the page. I thought this boy did a really good job in capturing that moment when inspiration does strike.



Garrison, Lucas. “The Poet.” Highlights for Children. 57.10 (2002): 25.

Part 2: Personal Collection of Poems: Dad and Me

6) “Dad and Me” –Jeff Moss

Up in his closet, my Dad has a very old baseball glove
That was his when he was a kid.
In my closet, I have an old blanket called Softie
That was mine with I was very little.
Dad never uses his glove anymore
And I don’t use Softie.
But Dad doesn’t want to throw his glove away
And I don’t want to throw away my blanet either.
We just want to keep them.
If you ask us why,
We say we don’t know why, we just do.


This poem is also one I can relate to since there are a lot of things from my childhood that I keep for the sentimental value. Most of these are stuffed animals or toys that I played with a lot when I was younger. I think it’s natural for people to try to hold on to the physical form of memories, like the baseball glove and blanket in this poem. I also like this poem because it is able to connect the generations by describing a similar feeling. Whether you’re young and don’t want to get rid of a favorite toy or older and don’t want to give up something from your childhood, it’s all because we want to hold on to happy memories.



Moss, Jess. “Dad and Me.” The Butterfly Jar. New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1989.

Part 3: Picture Books: The Rainbow Fish

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

In this book, no fish wants to play with the vain and proud Rainbow Fish until he learns to give away some of his most prized possessions—his shimmering scales.

The lesson for this book can begin with the teacher reading the story aloud to the class. “For young children, reading aloud aids in linguistic development, increases their knowledge of vocabulary, and affects their active use of language” (CL 406). There have also been many studies which showed how reading aloud “produces significant gains in children’s reading comprehension while it further increases children’s knowledge of story structure, increases attention span, and broadens their horizons” (CL 406). This book would make a good read aloud book for many reasons. It has an interesting story and the audience gets to see how the Rainbow Fish’s personality changes for the better as he “discover[s] how to be happy” and how he is finally able to make friends because of that change (Pfister 13). This book also has wonderful pictures to go along with it. Pictures are important because they mainly serve to “reinforce the story” (CL 41). The “softness” and the cool colors used help to reinforce the idea that this story takes place underwater in the ocean. The addition of holographic paper which makes the Rainbow Fish’s scales shimmer like it is described in the book will also help to capture the audience’s attention.

After the book has been read, the teacher should ask what the students thought about it. Did they like it? Did they not like it? Why or why not? Letting the students form their own opinions about the book, without worrying about whether they are right or wrong, gives the students a chance to freely engage with the book. Let them know that they do not have to like every book—they may not be interested in the subject matter or they style the book is written or illustrated in. Also, “if a child starts a book…and after a reasonable time remains uninterested in it, make sure he or she knows that finishing is not required,” although this shouldn’t happen with short picture books (CL 418). Instead, at a later time, help them find another book they would enjoy more.

In this book, the Rainbow Fish learns how to share. One activity about sharing that can be done with the class is to give each student a handout that has the outline of a fish on it, complete with scales. Tell the students that they are going to color their fish many different colors, just like the Rainbow Fish whose “scales were every shade of blue and green and purple…” (Pfister 1). However, give each student only one crayon. In order to color their rainbow fish, they must ask each other for different colored crayons and share the colors.

Another activity that can be done in the classroom is to have each student write a short narrative (around three sentences) about a time they shared something with a friend or a family member (or how someone else shared with them) and how it made them feel. Students should also draw a picture to accompany their narrative. Compile these stories in a binder and have some students share their experiences with sharing.

The Rainbow Fish, even though he has “sparkling silver scales” is not the only one who is special (Pfister 1). Every person is special too. For this activity, you will need to cut out a fish pattern in different colors of construction paper. Each student gets a fish. On the fish, have them use pictures and/or words to describe themselves, their favorite things, or what they are good at. Make sure their name is somewhere on the front as well. Have each student share at least one thing they put on their fish to show the class how each student is unique. When they are done, take all the fish and display them on a very large piece of blue butcher paper.

At the end of the book, Rainbow Fish is finally able to make friends. How did Rainbow Fish feel without friends? Why are friends important? Have the students make a “story board” by folding a piece of construction paper into six or eight parts. In each box they should write one thing that they do for their best friend or friends (help with homework, keep company) or something that they do together (play, sleepovers, eat lunch). For each thing they describe, there should be a picture with it in the same box.

During this lesson, you could serve Goldfish® crackers as a snack. There are also fish shaped pineapple chunks or other fish shaped crackers. You could also make fish shaped sandwiches instead.

Children who like this book may also enjoy the other books about Rainbow Fish’s adventures.



Works Cited

“Beginning of the Year Activity Using The Rainbow Fish.” A to Z Teacher Stuff. 27 November 2009. http://atozteacherstuff.com/pages/503.shtml

Darigan, Daniel L., Michael O. Tunnell, and James S. Jacobs. Children’s Literature: Engaging Teachers and Children in Good Books. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2002.

Pfister, Marcus. The Rainbow Fish. NY: North-South Books Inc., 1992.

Part 3: Picture Books: Corduroy

Corduroy by Don Freeman

In this book, Corduroy, a stuffed bear, wants nothing more than to be taken home with someone. When a little girl’s mother points out that he is missing a button, it sets Corduroy out to find his missing button.

This lesson can also begin with the teacher reading the book aloud. Along with all the benefits children get when books are read aloud to them, it also serves as an example for them. “Teachers should do the oral reading aloud themselves…the teacher’s participation carries an important message to the class; that is, ‘Our teacher wants to be a part of this activity, so it must be important’” (CL 416). While reading, you can stop at certain places (such as when Corduroy decides to go looking for his missing button, or when he falls off the bed) and ask the students what they think will happen. This book would make a good read aloud book for several reasons. It has an interesting plot and I think the idea of a stuffed animal coming to life is an appealing concept for younger children. And Don Freeman, who also draws the pictures, uses bright, bold colors that children will like. Although this book was published more than 40 years ago, it is still a story that children will enjoy and relate to today.

After the book has been read, again ask the students for their thoughts and reactions. Did they like it? Did they not like it? Why or why not? What was their favorite part in the book? “This conversation should flow naturally. Try not to get in the middle of it too soon; allow the children to lead the way. All you need [to] do is keep the conversation going with good questioning and rephrasing of what has been said, always attempting to help them make connections” (CL 241).

Although Corduroy is missing a button and “doesn’t look new,” Lisa wants to take him home anyway (Freeman 3). Have the students draw and describe their favorite stuffed animal or their favorite toy on a blank sheet of paper. Ask them if their animals and toys look as new as they probably once did. Why do the children love them anyway? Do the children think that they could love something that is not new or does not look new like Lisa can?

For this lesson, students can also bring in an old stuffed bear (or another animal if they do not own a stuffed bear). Have the class count and sort the bears (and animals) in different ways such as by color, size, the position the bear is in, what kind of clothes/ribbons/bows it might be wearing, age, or name. You can also use the stuffed animals to count how many eyes, ears, arms, and legs there are.

Late at night when the department store is closed, Corduroy goes on an adventure to find his missing button. Using the bears they have brought in, have the children write a short story about the kinds of adventures their bear goes on at night. The story can be set in the classroom or their home/bedroom, or even the store their bear was at before the child bought/received it. Have the students include pictures to accompany their story. The story can be put together on a “story board” (a large piece of construction paper folded into sixths or eighths where a scene is depicted in each box) or the scenes can be done on separate pieces of paper stapled together in a book (be sure to have a color piece of construction paper for the cover).

Let the students make their own bears. Cut construction paper into bear shapes and let the students decorate them with buttons and ribbons. If the students want clothing for their bears, help them cut out clothing. You can also provide different shaped stamps that they can use to decorate the bear and the clothing. When they are done, ask them to count things such as how many buttons they used and how many of each shaped stamp they used. Ask them to give their bear a name.

If the children like this book, suggest that they read the other Corduroy books or other books by the same author.



Works Cited

“Corduroy Extension Activities: A Bushel of Bears.” Scholastic. 28 November 2009. http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=579

Darigan, Daniel L., Michael O. Tunnell, and James S. Jacobs. Children’s Literature: Engaging Teachers and Children in Good Books. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2002.

Freeman, Don. Corduroy. New York, NY: The Viking Press, 1968.

Part 4: Lesson Plan: Holes, Standards

Holes by Louis Sachar: Lesson Plan
Grade: Fifth

Standards:

Reading

2.3 Discern main ideas and concepts presented in texts, identifying and assessing evidence that supports those ideas.

2.4 Draw inferences, conclusions, or generalizations about text and support them with textual evidence and prior knowledge.

3.2 Identify the main problem or conflict of the plot and explain how it is resolved.

Writing

1.2 Create multiple-paragraph expository compositions:

a. Establish a topic, important ideas, or events in sequence or chronological order.

b. Provide details and transitional expressions that link one paragraph to another in a clear line of though.

c. Offer a concluding paragraph that summarized important ideas and details.

2.2 Write responses to literature:

a. Demonstrate an understanding of a literary work.

b. Support judgments through references to the text and to prior knowledge.

c. Develop interpretations that exhibit careful reading and understanding.

2.3 Write research reports about important ideas, issues, or events by using the following guidelines:

a. Frame questions that direct the investigation.

b. Establish a controlling idea or topic.

c. Develop the topic with simple facts, details, examples, and explanations.

2.4 Write persuasive letters or compositions:

a. State a clear position in support of a proposal.

b. Support a position with relevant evidence.

c. Follow a simple organizational pattern.

d. Address reader concerns.

Written and Oral English Language Conventions

1.1 Identify and correctly use prepositional phrases, appositives, and independent and dependent clauses; use transitions and conjunctions to connect ideas.

1.4 Use correct capitalization.

1.5 Spell roots, suffixes, prefixes, contractions, and syllable constructions correctly.

Listening and Speaking

1.1 Ask questions that seek information not already discussed.

1.5 Clarify and support spoken ideas with evidence and examples.

1.6 Engage the audience with appropriate verbal cues, facial expressions, and gestures.

1.8 Analyze media as sources for information, entertainment, persuasion, interpretation of events, and transmission of culture.

2.2 Deliver informative presentations about an important idea, issue, or event by the following means:

a. Frame questions to direct the investigation.

b. Establish a controlling idea or topic.

c. Develop the topic with simple facts, details, examples, and explanations.

2.3 Deliver oral responses to literature:

a. Summarize significant events and details.

b. Articulate an understanding of several ideas or images communicated by the literary work.

c. Use examples or textual evidence from the work to support conclusions.

Nutrition and Physical Activity

1.1 Describe the food groups, including recommended portions to eat from each food group.

1.6 Differentiate between more-nutritious and less-nutritious beverages and snacks.

1.7 Explain the concept of eating in moderation.

1.9 Explain how good health is influenced by healthy eating and being physically active.

1.11 Identify physical, academic, mental, and social benefits of regular physical activity.

4.1 Use communication skills to deal effectively with influences from peers and media regarding food choices and physical activity.

5.1 Use a decision-making process to identify healthy foods for meals and snacks.

5.2 Use a decision-making process to determine activities that increase physical fitness.

7.1 Identify ways to choose healthy snacks based on current research-based guidelines.

8.1 Encourage and promote healthy eating and increased physical activity opportunities at school and in the community.

Growth, Development, and Sexual Health

6.1 Identify steps to achieve and maintain a healthy and accurate body image.

Personal and Community Health

5.1 Use a decision-making process to determine personal choices that promote personal, environmental, and community health.

Measurement and Geometry

1.2 Understand the concept of volume and use the appropriate units in common measuring systems (i.e., cubic centimeter [cm³], cubic meter [m³], cubic inch [in³], cubic yard [yd³]) to compute the volume of rectangular solids.

Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability

1.2 Organize and display single-variable data in appropriate graphs and representations (e.g., histogram, circle graphs) and explain which types of graphs are appropriate for various data sets.

Mathematical Reasoning

2.2 Apply strategies and results from simpler problems to more complex problems.

Part 4: Lesson Plan: Holes, Bullies

Talking About Bullies: In Holes, Stanley was bullied and teased by kids at school because he was overweight. Derrick Dunne actively bullies Stanley, but Stanley gets no help from the teachers who do not think a smaller boy could be able to bully a bigger boy. How would you feel if you were in Stanley’s position? How would you deal with bullying and teasing from classmates and adults?

Objectives: To educate students in how to deal with bullies and bullying.

Directions:

1. Discuss what a bully is.

a. A bully can be anyone (child or adult) “who does not treat you with respect. They make you feel unsafe in places that should be safe, such as the classroom, lunch room and the playground” (Suite 101).

b. A bully may use a variety of different tactics such as name calling, pushing, or scaring/intimidating others to do something. There are also different kinds of bullying such as gossip, exclusion, physical bullying, and verbal bullying.

c. Adults can be bullied too and it doesn’t always happen in schools. It can also happen in the workplace or in families.

2. Have the students role play in order to “teach them how to respond to various situations they may find themselves in with a bully” (Suite 101).

a. How would you respond if another student was calling you names?

b. What should you do if another student bullies you physically?

c. What do you do if you are being purposefully excluded?

d. What do you do if adults don’t believe you are being bullied?

e. What would you do if you knew that a friend was being bullied?

3. Be sure the students know that they should not retaliate with physical violence or verbal abuse. Instead they should report the problem to an adult. It is the teachers’ duty to take all reports seriously and create a safe environment for children at school.

Part 4: Lesson Plan: Holes, Physical Health

Physical Health: When Stanley first arrives at Camp Green Lake, he is overweight and not in good physical condition. Discuss ways in which students can stay healthy. What are some suggestions for living a healthy lifestyle? What kind of activities can they do? What kind of food would they recommend for a healthy diet?

Objectives: To educate students in how to live a healthy lifestyle. Students will also learn how they can still be healthy even if they eat “bad” food occasionally.

Materials: Healthy Eating handouts (From Healthy Eating: Tips for a Healthy Diet and Better Nutrition), construction paper and markers for menus

Directions:
1. Discuss the importance of physical activity.

a. When you exercise, it causes the production of endorphins (chemicals that help a person feel more peaceful and happier). It can also help people sleep better, boost self-esteem, and help with mild depression.

b. Exercise also helps people keep in shape and at a healthy weight. They are able to burn more calories and look more toned than if they did not exercise.

c. “Exercising to maintain a healthy weight decreases a person’s risk of developing certain diseases” such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure (teenshealth).

d. It’s possible to overdo exercise. The body needs calories to function and you shouldn’t exercise if you are injured. It also isn’t healthy to overdo exercise to lose weight.

e. Have the students suggest different types of activities that fall into the three categories of physical fitness (endurance, strength, flexibility). Go outside and have them do the activities they suggested. Everyone should be moving. If there’s a game the whole class can do together, that’s even better.

2. Discuss what a healthy diet is and how they can eat healthier.

a. “Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible – all which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and incorporating them in a way that works for you” (Paul, et al.).

b. Have the kids create a healthy menu that they would also enjoy eating. Let them use the Healthy Eating handouts for inspiration/information on what is a healthy, balanced meal.

Part 4: Lesson Plan: Holes, Self-Confidence

Self-confidence: Bullies often find victims with low self-confidence and they themselves usually have low self-confidence or are experiencing problems at home. At Camp Green Lake, Stanley leans how to be more self-confident. How does this transformation happen?

Objectives: To discuss how it is important to have self-confidence and to help students build self-confidence by exchanging compliments.

Directions:
1. Discuss why it is important to have self-confidence.

2. Have the students get into a large circle. Go around and have each student (teacher included) tell their neighbor something nice about that person. Make sure they go beyond materialistic and physical attributes—the goal is to focus on personality. Also make sure that the students are giving their neighbor these compliments (as opposed to looking at the teacher and telling them).

3. After going around once, go around in the opposite direction and give a compliment to their other neighbor.

4. Ask the students how they felt about giving and receiving compliments.

Part 4: Lesson Plan: Holes, Jeopardy

Jeopardy: Have the students review plot points in the book, review material taught in the classroom, and learn new material that can be related to Holes by using a fun and interactive game.

Objective: Students will be able to review material taught in the classroom and found in the book.

Materials: The Jeopardy set up in front of the room, questions and answers (may need note cards for this)

Directions:
1. Create the Jeopardy set up by using PowerPoint or by making a grid on the chalkboard/whiteboard. Categories go in the first row (around 5-7) and points fill the columns beneath them in 100 increments.

a. If you use the chalkboard/whiteboard, have the questions and answers written on note cards, labeled according to category and point value.

2. Have the students line up their desks in even columns so there is one student for each team at the front of their column. There should be 4-6 teams.

3. Determine which team goes first. This can be done by picking a number closest to the number the teacher picks, drawing straws, or by having one of the teams at the end start.

4. The first team picks a category and the amount of point.

5. Read the question.

6. Whichever team raises their hand first answers first.

a. Make sure the students don’t blurt out the answer or they lose 10 points and the other teams can “steal” the answer. They MUST raise their hand to answer.

7. If the team answers correctly, they get the points that correspond to the question they answered. The student in front goes to the back of the column. The next person in the column gets to choose the category and the point value.

a. If they give the wrong answer, the number of points for the incorrectly answered question gets deducted from that teams score. The other teams then have a chance to raise their hands to answer.

b. When a team answers correctly, all the students in the front row go to the back of the column.

8. Play until all of the questions are used up. Whichever team has the most points wins. Give them a reward of some type.

Part 4: Lesson Plan: Holes, Reptiles and Amphibians

Learning about Reptiles (and Amphibians): In the desert climate of Camp Green Lake, there are not many animals who call it home. Although this book mentions few arachnids (scorpions and tarantulas), it mostly focuses on the yellow-spotted lizard. What is a reptile? How are amphibians different from reptiles? How are they similar?

Objectives: To expand the students’ knowledge about reptiles and amphibians, and to dispel any misconceptions they may have about the animals.

Materials: Herps survey and handouts (From Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies), paper for posters, construction paper or empty shoeboxes, markers and other art supplies

Directions:

1. See how much your class knows about reptiles and amphibians. Have the class share what they think reptiles are, what amphibians are, and common points both types of animals share.

Part One (Idea taken from Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies)

2. People often have misconceptions about herps. Have the students take the short survey about herps. Make sure the surveys are anonymous.

3. Write the results on the board. You can have the students make bar graphs and pie charts representing the results of the survey.

4. Discuss the students’ answers, using the “Survey Discussion Points.”

Part Two

5. Define what a herp is and give the students the Herps handout (“Reviled and Revered”).

6. Have them make a venn diagram in which they compare and contrast amphibians with reptiles.

a. At the bottom of the venn diagram, have them write a short paragraph describing a new piece of information they learned from the handout.

7. To help educate other about herps, split the class into groups of 3-4 students. Have each group make a poster to help dispel myths and negative opinions about herps.

8. Have the students present their posters.

9. Hang the posters around the classroom where visitors can see. (This makes a great open house display.)

Part Three (Idea taken from Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies)

10. In order to show what they have learned, have the students design an exhibit to display a herp of their choice. Exhibits must be educational. They must find a way to display herps and present information about the animals (such as physical characteristics, habitat, diet, how they are affected by pollution, and any other interesting facts they discover). The exhibit must also help educate people about the misconceptions about herps.

11. Create the exhibit two-dimensionally on a large piece of construction paper. Have the students choose from a wide variety of amphibians and reptiles. Let them do some research about each animal. More than one herp can be inside each exhibit.

a. They can use art supplies to decorate the habitat and print out pictures of each herp from the internet to glue onto the display.

12. Another idea for the display is for each student to choose a different herp and display it three-dimensionally by turning a shoebox on its side and gluing in pieces of habitat and the animal at different intervals so it looks more realistic.

a. Each student would still be responsible for writing the sign that goes with it, according to the guidelines above.

b. Students can also get into pairs or small groups to create one exhibit (using a larger box) with more than one herp in it (one per student). Each student would still be responsible for one sign that goes with their animal.

c. The teacher would then be able to gather all of the displays and make a class exhibit of the herps.

13. Remember that the reptiles have to have different places where they can warm up and cool down since they have to rely on external factors in order to regulate their body temperatures. Amphibians also need a place where they can stay moist.

14. When the students have finished making their displays, have the students present their animal to the class.

Part 4: Lesson Plan: Holes, Fossils and Erosion

Fossils and Erosion: In Holes Stanley once finds a fossil of a fish in the dirt from the dried up lake. Later, Stanley and Zero climb the Big Thumb—the same rock formation Stanley’s great-grandfather climbed after he was robbed by Kissin Kate Barlow. What do you know about fossils and rock formations? How are each of these things formed?

Objectives: To teach students about fossils and erosion. Students will learn how fossils are formed after a plant or an animal dies and how rock formations are formed by different types of erosion.

Materials: Fossil and Erosion handout and worksheets (Worksheets and handouts from Science Teaching Materials, Activities, Worksheets, and Lesson Plans), materials for Make Your Fossil found below

Directions:
1. Give each student a copy of the Fossil handout. Go over the information found there.

2. Have the students complete the Fossil worksheet.

3. Each student will get to make their own fossil. (This activity is found at the end of this lesson.)

4. Go over the different types of erosion. (From Virtual Science Fair 2004.)

a. Water erosion: occurs from the chemicals in the water and the force of the flow of water in the river. There are many chemicals in the water of a river, and those chemicals can break down certain rocks, such as limestone or chalk. This eroded rock is carried down the river. Sometimes, a crack or crevice develops. When the force of the flowing river smashes into that crack, the rock can break away, and again be carried down the river. When rocks, pebbles or even boulders smack the riverbed, or side, this can cause further erosion.

b. Wind erosion: can take quite a toll on areas of the world covered in desert. Wind erosion is simple... light objects, such as rocks and pebbles are carried by the wind and can hit landforms, eroding materials off them, that are carried off in the wind.

c. Glacier erosion: Glaciers are giant bodies of ice that can pick up huge pieces of rock, some even as big as houses. A combination of the water, ice, and picked up sediment, create a powerful eroding machine. The more sediment that's picked up, the greater the force of erosion. The erosion can smooth out areas that were once rugged and rocky. Glaciers can carry almost anything, and like sandpaper, the sediment just keeps increasing.

d. Sea erosion: The salt and other chemicals can erode weak rocks on the coast, such as limestone and chalk. Waves crashing against the shore can create air pressure inside cracked rocks that can eventually break them. Furthermore, if rocks, pebbles or sediment is carried in the waves, they can smash up against the shore and erode it even more.

e. Soil erosion: Many farmers have to deal with this kind of erosion. Flooding, wind etc. can carry the topsoil away from farmlands, and make the soil unfertile.

5. Have the students fill out the Erosion worksheets.

6. Split the students into groups. Have each group research a different rock formation. Many rock formations can be found in Utah or Arizona, but they are found all over the world. They can research formations like the one Stanley and Zero climbed, or different types of arches, or canyons since these are all formed by erosion. Have them present their findings a few days later. Make sure they how the formation was made by what type of erosion, where it is located, pictures, and any other interesting information they found.

How to Make Your Own Fossil (From Creative Kids at Home)

Materials: clay, items to imprint, shoe polish and acrylic sealer

Directions:

1. Make a rock or plaque shape from the clay or use the dough recipe.

2. Create a smooth surface on the top side of your rock by flattening the top on a counter or plate.

3. Make imprints with different objects. Try leaves, coins, shells, or even a small toy. Make a “foot” that you can use to leave footprints or “draw” your own imprint. (A pipe cleaner was used to make the fossil pictured here.)

4. When it dries, rub on a bit shoe polish and acrylic sealer to make it last.

Dough Recipe
(1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp oil, 2 tsp cream of tartar)

1. Mix all ingredients in a pot and stir over medium heat.

2. Mixture will be soupy with lumps. Suddenly it will form into a ball.

3. Remove from heat, and knead on a non-stick surface.

4. Store in fridge, or allow creations to air dry.

Note: If you start kneading the dough and it has not cooked enough, you can put it back in the pot and finish cooking it.

By the time you have kneaded it for 3-5 minutes, it should look and feel like playdough. This dough can crack as it dries depending on the shape of the object.

Part 4: Lesson Plan: Holes, The Movie

Holes: The Movie: Recently, many books have been remade into movies. However, movies often don’t stay true to the original plot line and even the ones that do are still forced to cut out scenes to keep the movie under three hours. How well does Disney translate the book from page to film?

Objective: Students will be able to compare two very different types of media, and will be able to use their creativity to think about how they would translate the book to film.

Materials: Disney’s Holes

Directions:

1. Watch the movie.

2. Write a review of Disney’s Holes. Do you think they good job creating the book into the movie? What scenes and/or characters did they portray particularly well? What could they have done differently?

3. Write a script for a book/movie trailer. Scripts do not have to include dialogue (they could just be a series of images). Think about what kind of sound you would pair with the images (music, dialogue, thunder, wind, rain, rattlesnakes, lizards, silence).

4. Write out some directorial choices on how you would film a scene from Sachar’s Holes. Think about set, lighting, costuming, camera position, blocking (where people stand), and the speech of the characters (tone, volume, accents). Why would you make these directorial choices? What would you be hoping to convey to the audience?

Part 4: Lesson Plan: Holes, Independent Practice

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE:

Hope: Although bad luck seems to follow the Yelnats family, they always remain hopeful. What are some ways you remain hopeful? Would you be able to stay as hopeful as Stanley’s family? What would you do if your family was cursed? Write a journal entry answering these questions.

Juvenile Delinquency/Justice: Camp Green Lake is a camp for “bad boys.” Why do you think people do bad things? Can there be a good reason to do bad things? If Stanley really was guilty of stealing the shoes, do you think his 18-month sentence at Camp Green Lake was fair? Why or why not? Write a persuasive essay defending your position.

Homelessness: Zero and his mother were homeless. How would you feel if you didn’t have a home to live in? What would you do to survive? Write a journal entry detailing a day in which you are homeless. Remember, like Zero, you have no family or friends to depend on. If you ask for a stranger’s help, how likely are they to help you?

Food Preservation: Miss Katherine Barlow is famous for her spiced peaches. Every year, she would put the peaches into jars with some spices and they would last for the winter. Over a hundred years later, Zero and Stanley are still able to eat the preserved peaches. What are some other methods of preserving food? Make a poster that defines each method along with advantages and disadvantages.

Onions and Peaches: A hundred years ago in Green Lake, Onion Sam and Miss Katherine Barlow were famous for their peaches and onions. What are some of your favorite recipes that use peaches? What are some of your favorite recipes that use onions? Share at least one recipe (and if possible the food) with the class. Compile the recipes and make a peach and onion cookbook for the class.

Buried Treasure: One of the last things Kissin’ Kate Barlow does is bury the treasure she stole from the first Stanley Yelnats. As a result, the Walker family spends the next hundred years searching for this buried treasure. Create your own treasure map. Your map can include landmarks, clues, or anything that would help you or a descendant find your treasure. What would you hide in your treasure chest?

Part 4: Lesson Plan: Holes, Works Cited

Works Cited

Sachar, Louis. Holes. New York, NY: Scholastic, 1998.

Bullies

Hughes, Joanne. “Lesson Plan: Using Literature to Teach About Bullying.” Education World: The Educator’s Best Friend. 17 November 2009. http://www.education-world.com/a_tsl/archives/03-1/lesson017.shtml

Wagaman, Jennifer. “Teaching Children About Bullies at School: Show Students What a Bully Does and How to Respond Appropriately.” Suite101.com. 17 November 2009. http://educationalissues.suite101.com/article.cfm/teaching_children_about_bullies_at_school

Health

“Why Exercise is Wise.” TeensHealth from Nemours. 20 November 2009. http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/take_care/exercise_wise.html#

Paul, Maya W., et al. “Healthy Eating: Tips for a Healthy Diet and Better Nutrition.” HelpGuide.org. 20 November 2009. http://helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm

Jeopardy

“About Onions: Seasonality.” National Onion Association. 21 November 2009. http://www.onions-usa.org/about/season.php

“Famous Outlaws.” Saperecom. 21 November 2009. http://www.saperecom.com/all_pgs/about_us.html

“Onion.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 21 November 2009. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/429235/onion

“Peach.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 21 November 2009. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/447786/peach

“The Religion, Culture, and Status of the Roma.” ReligiousTolerance.org. 21 November 2009. http://www.religioustolerance.org/roma.htm

Herps

“Examine Your Attitudes.” Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies. 22 November 2009. http://i.cf8.si.edu/educators/lesson_plans/herps/lesson1.html

“Reviled and Revered.” Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies. 22 November 2009. http://smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/herps/start.html

Fossils and Erosion

“Activity Library: How to Make a Fossil.” Creative Kids at Home. 23 November 2009. http://www.creativekidsathome.com/activities/activity_26.html

“Earth Science: Teaching Resources.” Science Teaching Materials, Activities, Worksheets, and Lesson Plans. 23 November 2009. http://www.science-teachers.com/earth.htm

“What are the Different Types of Erosion?” Virtual Science Fair. 23 November 2009. http://www.odec.ca/projects/2004/derk4d0/public_html/differenttypesoferosion.htm

Part 5: Reflection

One of the most important factors in motivating children to read and getting them excited about reading is to love reading yourself. “Nothing we offer children is more important than an adult who reads… Children end up doing what we do, not what we say, and all the admonitions about the importance of reading in their lives fall on deaf ears if they view us as people who do not take our own advice” (CL 411). I have always loved reading books, and if I become a teacher, it will be something that I can share with my class. In order to create motivated readers, I plan on setting aside some time everyday to read aloud to my students. The Children’s Literature textbook cites a variety of studies that have been done that show how reading aloud can help young children because it “aids in linguistic development, increases their knowledge of vocabulary, and affects their active use of language” (CL 406). School-aged children are gain benefits such as “higher linguistic competence…and significantly increased phoneme development” (CL 406). Reading aloud also helps children with “reading comprehension…knowledge of story structure, increases attention span, and broadens their horizons. Yet…research indicates that this strategy is not widely prevalent in our schools” (CL 406). By reading aloud to my class, I will be trying to give the students all of the advantages of reading aloud as well as doing my small part to change the pattern of reading aloud in classrooms.

Children also need time on their own to interact with books of their choosing. This way, children get to read what they want and what they are interested in, rather than books that are chosen for them. By having them personally select their own reading material, it also means that they are more invested in what they read and this is really what reading is about—enjoyment. This interaction and investment can be accomplished by having a set period of time dedicated to silent reading. One anecdote about silent reading found in the Children’s Literature textbook caught my attention:

At Hillcrest Elementary School in Elgin, Illinois, the school halted its regular daily operation for silent reading. The whole school! In fact, each of the school’s staff—the lunchroom and playground supervisors, custodians, the nurse, the principal, and secretaries—would go into the classrooms to demonstrate their reading as well. At 12:30, everything halted while 20 minutes was dedicated to the enjoyment of reading. (417)

Although I won’t be able to enforce the whole school in silent reading, I will be able to do it in a classroom setting and that, at least, is helping the students in my class.

The basic rules that the Children’s Literature textbook sets out are also useful. The first rule they lay out is that “the teacher must read” (CL 417). In my own experience, I can see how this is important. When I was in middle school and we did SSR (Silent Sustained Reading), it was more enjoyable when the teacher sat down and read with the class. When they were working on grading or other work during our reading time, it was a distraction to hear the teachers grade papers along with the click of computer keys, and it didn’t seem as important then. I also like the rule about setting a timer. As someone who has, on more than one occasion, found that she has wasted an entire day or has stayed up until three in the morning to finish a book, I know how useful it can be to set an alarm or a timer of some type. Other guidelines that are laid out are also helpful and are simple tips that can be easily be forgotten, such as having a supply of reading material if the students forget their books, anticipating possible distraction from the students, reminding them that they should wait to talk to the teacher after the reading period, and having taking an interest in what the students are reading, as well as the teacher sharing what they have been reading. I think all of these rules and guidelines are particularly helpful and it better prepares me for what kind of rules I will have to establish during silent reading.

Another important aspect in trying to motivate children to read is to provide them with a wide selection of books. “To grab and keep students’ attention, an enormously wide variety of books of different formats and levels of difficulty need to be available... All the grades need fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Every lower grade needs some chapter books. Every upper grade needs some picture books” (CL 419). In my classroom, one thing I will try to do is to establish a classroom library, although this takes a long time to establish. The Children’s Literature states that “the classroom needs its own library… [with] a collection of conspicuously displayed titles… Simply be being there, shelves of real books—not textbooks—in a classroom give evidence of the teacher’s commitment to immediate and lifelong learning” (422). The classroom library should also be “visible, not tucked in a corner or behind locked cabinet doors” (CL 420). For my classroom, I will try to line a wall with short bookshelves in a visible place that will “become part of the classroom’s interior decorating scheme” like the Children’s Literature textbook suggests (420). While the classroom library is being established, the school’s library can also be used as a resource. By learning what subjects and genres the children are interested in, it will make it easier for me and the librarian to help my students find books they will enjoy. “The more titles…children are exposed to, the more excitement is generated for books, and further, the more successful the library visit will be” (CL 420).

Along with reading aloud and having students read materials they want to read, using literature in the classroom is also important. Literature in the classroom can be introduced in “three basic variations in overall book selections” (CL 451). These include core books which are selected by the teacher, individual copies which are selected by the students, or text sets which are a compromise between the two since teachers limit the selection of books the students can choose from. In my classroom, I will try to incorporate all three; however I will try to focus more on core books and text sets. Core books can be used more toward the beginning of the semester and they allow the teacher to evaluate reading level as well as demonstrating what students should be getting out of these books. It also keeps the class on the same track before allowing them a little more freedom with the text sets. Text sets are important since they have “a tremendous amount of flexibility as far as meeting the readability needs of your students is concerned, they are fairly easy to identify, and they allow your students some choice while you [the teacher] have a major amount of input as well” (CL 458). However, in between text sets, I will probably still be using core books since “school districts [often demand] core books in their overall curriculum” (CL 452). Letting the students pick their own books—individual copies—gives students “greater choice both in content and in fit for readability. With wider selection available to them, students can choose a book more to their liking” (CL 453). I also think that by the end of the year, after working with core books and text sets, they will have a greater understanding in what kind of projects they will be able to do with their books to demonstrate that they have read and understood their book.

In order for my students to become better readers and critical thinkers, I will be using a wide variety of literature. I think that having them read material on a wide variety of subject matter, as well as genre, helps them to become better readers since they are being exposed to different types of writing. It is also important to have a large selection of subject matter so that every student will be able to find a book with a subject that they enjoy—and this leads them to read more. “Reading skills improve with practice… The more we read, the better we get at reading. The better we get at reading, the more pleasure we find in it. And the more pleasure it gives us, the more we practice—with the result that we get better” (CL 478). A suggestion in the Children’s Literature textbook is to “measure the time their students spend reading in books of their own choosing. Of all outside school activities, the best predictor of reading growth…is the average number of minutes per day [students] spend reading books” (478). Critical thinking can also be nurtured in the classroom by using literature. This can begin with the read aloud books, as the Children’s Literature textbook suggests. During the time when books are read aloud, I can periodically stop and ask the children for their opinion about what the book is about or what they think will happen next in the story along with proof from the book to support their answers. Having the students use “references in the text as well as connections they have made to other books that are similar and to events in their lives,” it makes them think more critically about the text they are reading (CL 461). Demonstrating this process as a class gives the students a guideline on how they can think critically while reading their own books and making predictions about what will happen next. One way to do this is to have them write their predictions and their reasoning before they read the book (basing predictions on the cover, title, and blurb), and then after each chapter.

In my classroom, I will try to use a variety of fiction, picture books, and poetry. Books and poetry can be used to introduce a new subject in a fun and interesting way, and this important for not only motivating children to read, but also for learning. “What…researchers called the ‘interestingness’ of text is 30 times more powerful than the readability of text when it comes to comprehending and remembering information from print” (CL 454). If students become interested from the beginning, it allows them to learn more effectively and also prompts them to see what other kinds of information they can find in books. For longer works of fiction, since there is more information presented, they can be used to lead into several different types of lessons, similar to how we created lesson plans for each children’s book in my children’s literature class. However, there needs to be a balance of how many lessons are planned around one book:

We need to avoid using Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar as the core of 32 separate language arts activities, or devising 19 mathematical procedures from Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad Are Friends. The strength of trade books is their ability to create interest. Recognizing that they also can be used for instruction, we need to choose ways to preserve their ability to stimulate readers and not turn the books into reading assignments with lists of questions to be answered. (CL 502)

If one book is overused and every lesson and subject in it is covered, it loses the entertainment appeal it had before all of the lessons. By learning how to use the book in the classroom, students will be able to get the benefits of enjoying a book as well as learning the material planned around it.

Poetry is also an important piece of literature that is usually disliked by students who carry that dislike into adulthood. This dislike seems to be fostered in school when students are asked to memorize and recite poetry, write poetry, and do a “heavy-duty analysis of a poem’s structure and meaning” (CL 129). The Children’s Literature textbook states that if poetry is not present everyday and teachers “relegating it to that special unit we have to teach each year, we send a clear message about how we feel about the genre… Further, if we ask children to write poems only in certain forms and about specific topics, or if we force them to memorize and recite poems… we set them and ourselves up for failure” (CL 129). Instead, poetry should be fun and interesting, just as fiction is. In my classroom, I will try to write a poem on the board every day, like one of the teachers found in the Children’s Literature textbook. I also think that it would be fun to introduce new subjects using poetry and not use fiction or picture books all the time. Starting the class off with a poem can be “the perfect way to set the tone for learning and literacy” (CL 133). Poetry is also a genre that covers many subjects that can be found in the classroom, something particularly helpful since it makes it much easier to use it every day in the classroom.

I also think that students need to try doing their own creative writing. It not only becomes a creative outlet for them, but it can also generate interest in the different types of books and genres so they can see how “professional” authors, poets, and illustrators put together their stories and poems. Letting students write and create their own stories, picture books, and poetry also provides them a chance to really enjoy themselves in the process.

[However,] if you are going to have students write poetry, start off immediately by having them write real poetry. That means having them write poems that address their feelings, their senses, their critical observations about life and the world around them—then and only then will you see some incredible work. (CL 145)

This means that if I become a teacher, I will try to give students some extra time—similar to silent reading—where they can write poems about whatever they want to. I also plan on teaching them about different forms and elements of poetry, but not requiring that they follow a certain form or a certain pattern about a certain topic. Not only does this create a dislike for poetry, but I also think it hinders their creativity.

As a teacher, I think that there is nothing more important than sharing a love of books and reading to the students since it is something that can be utilized in every subject. In order to increase the odds that my students will also like reading, I will be trying some of the strategies found in the Children’s Literature textbook, such as reading aloud, silent reading, and making a wide selection of books available. I will also try to interest students by allowing them to pick some of the books they read for class assignments as well as using a variety of books and poetry in the class to introduce different subjects. I also think that letting the students create their own stories and poetry will be able to generate interest in reading since they will be able to draw inspiration from published works. I think this children’s literature class has given me new perspectives on how to teach and what kinds of lessons I will be able to do with students. This class has also helped expand my own reading interests through the books that were read for class as well as the books found in the textbook and I think that I will be able to take these interests and pass it on to my students.



Works Cited

Darigan, Daniel L., Michael O. Tunnell, and James S. Jacobs. Children’s Literature: Engaging Teachers and Children in Good Books. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2002.