Color Poetry

Write about:

• objects
• feelings
• tastes
• sights
• smells
• sounds
  
• experiences

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=375

Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O'Neill
My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss
Colors by Ken Nordine and Henrik Drescher
Living Color by Steve Jenkins
Yesterday I Had the Blues by Jeron Ashford Frame

Meet Greddy from Costa Rica

Here is a little something to think about...
If you were told you could take a trip anywhere, where would you go, what would you do there and what would you bring in your suitcase?
This is what Greddy said...

He also LOVES Harry Potter. He expressed how he would "do anything" to have a copy of Harry Potter. His teacher is making a copy of each chapter, one at a time. When he returns one chapter, he gets the next...we take so much for granted in this country. :(

For next week:
• Read Ch. 4 Temple: Literature Representing Diverse Perspectives
• Read Becoming Naomi León by Pam Munóz Ryan
• BLOG—Exploring Multicultural Literature through Becoming Naomi León by Pam Munóz Ryan. You will post a detailed and thorough personal response to the book on your blog. Your response should include explanations from the novel to support your response. Speak honestly about the book. In addition, you should respond to the book based on criteria for good multicultural literature.
Please consider the following and respond to these questions using specific examples from the book:
* Does the author present cultural details and markers authentically and multidimensionally? Are these cultural details integrated naturally? Discuss some of these cultural markers.
* Does the author present an insider perspective?
* Does the author use details accurately and does this work avoid stereotypes? Please discuss.
* Does the author use language authentically? Please provide examples.

• Please title your Post with a phrase that captures something from the book you read.

Sharing Informational Texts/Biographies

• Sharing and discussing Informational Books
o Informational Books convey factual information about the world; their main purpose is to inform readers about a subject, place, issue, or idea. Remember, a good informational book not only informs but excites the reader!
• Let's share our books and BIO POEMS!

For April 18 Please:

• Read Ch. 10 Temple Text
• Read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
• Please check out information and links below for Harry Potter.
• You will post a response (on your blog) about Harry Potter. You should also comment on several other blogs! :)
  
• Please think about and blog about the following:
  

• J.K. Rowling’s writing has often been referred to as being so descriptive that it is though you are in the theatre watching a play or a movie; her words create such vivid mental images in your mind. You will soon take on the role of a “Thematic Thinker” as you present important themes through this fantastical work of fantasy. As you have read, many novels classified as high fantasy embody the classic theme of the struggle between good and evil. Harry and his friends are part of this struggle as they face the evil of Voldemort in "another world." Part of the power of fantasy lies in the truths it reveals about the “real world.” Think about any of the many themes that are revealed in this book. For example: power of love, bravery, loyalty, prejudice, making choices/decisions, names and identities, dreams, truth, determination, fear, desires, rebellion/rule-breaking, success , or any other themes you think may be appropriate. Please blog about Harry Potter through these many thematic connections. Be specific and reference the book through specific examples.
  

• The Mirror of Erised plays an important role in this later part of the book. Think about what the mirror symbolizes, the significance of the mirror to Harry Potter, and the theme captured by this mirror. Create a visual representation of what you would see in the Mirror of Erised along with an explanation of your image. Please post to your blog. :)

• Discussion Roles (Perfect for reading this novel with your students!)

· http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/rowling.htm

(Everything you need to know about J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter)

· http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/home.asp
http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/web/hogwarts/index.jsp

· http://www.edleston.cheshire.sch.uk/projects/harry/harry.htm

· http://www.kidwings.com/index.htm (Virtual owl pellet dissection)

· http://www.carolina.com/owls/guide/pellets.asp (owl pellets)

· http://www.owlpelletkits.com/pages/513061/index.htm (purchase owl pellets)

Censorship Issues:

v http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/challengedbanned/challengedbanned.htm

v http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/censor_entry.html http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/rah_treas_ful_nov_p2.html

v http://www.boulder.lib.co.us/general/selection.html#appendices (Materials selection policies and REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION FORM )

v http://eduscapes.com/seeds/censor.html (Wow! Wonderful resources for you!)

For April 22, Please complete the following:

• Read Ch. 7 Temple: Poetry
• Read Contemporary Children’s Poetry! Please check out Temple’s suggestions and bring a Poetry Anthology to class!!!
• As you BLOG this week, post (type) your favorite poem from a children’s poetry anthology. Be sure to include the reference and your response to the poem. As you respond to the poem, be sure to comment on the Elements of Poetry that your poem highlights. Please refer to your Temple Text.
• Check out some of my favorite poet’s web sites:
• http://www.jackprelutsky.com/
• http://www.nikkigrimes.com/
• http://www.paulbjaneczko.com/
• http://www.kristinegeorge.com/index.html
• http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_nye.html

Read as many children's poets as possible; bring your poetry books to class on April 22.

Informational Texts

Assignments due April 8
1. Before you read anything about informational texts, I would like for you to blog about your impressions of nonfiction texts. What do you think about these kinds of books? How do you think children will respond to these types of books?
2. Read Ch. 11 Temple.
3. Read Rosa by Nikki Giovanni and Bryan Collier (Please share this text). We will discuss in class next week.

4. Read any additional picture book biography (Jeanette Winter or Kathleen Krull are two of my favorite biographers), and read an informational book of your choice. Use the suggestions offered in Temple to help you select a book. I would recommend the following authors as being some of the BEST writers of informational text:
• Steve Jenkins (remember him ☺)
• Seymour Simon
• Gail Gibbons
• Russell Freedman
• Jim Arnosky
• Aliki

5. Complete a Bio-Poem for “your famous person” using the following template:

Bio-poem
Line 1: First name of biographical subject
Line 2: Four adjectives or phrases describing the person
Line 3: Husband/wife/sibling/child/friend of . . .
Line 4: Lover of . . . (three things, people, places, or ideas)
Line 5: Who feels . . . (three emotions)
Line 6: Who finds happiness in . . .
Line 7: Who needs . . .
Line 8: Who gives . . .
Line 9: Who fears . . . (three things)
Line 10: Who would like to see . . .
Line 11: Who enjoys . . .
Line 12: Who like to wear _________ when_________
Line 13: Resident of . . . (city/state/country)
Line 14: Last name of biographical subject

Please include any additional research that you find about this person or links to websites, photos, etc. If possible, try to include a visual of your famous person. Please post this bio-poem on your blog.

6. Bring your biography and your informational text to class Wednesday and be prepared to share your books. Think about the following reader response questions during/after reading your nonfiction book:

• What did you notice in the book?
• How did the book make you feel?
• What does the book remind you of from your own life?
• What interesting facts did you learn from the book?
• Explain the significance of an important quotation or passage from the book. What does it mean? How did it make you feel? What does it remind you of?
• How do you relate this information to your own life?
• What special meaning do these words have for you?

NOTE: These questions also serve as excellent reader response questions-no matter what the genre!

7. Also, please complete your blog entries for each book; you should have a total of 3 entries (2 biographies and 1 informational) after your readings.
8. Enjoy!

Weedflower

Weedflower, by Cynthia Kadohata takes place during the Japanese Internment, but has a deeper message than just one little girl’s experience. Sumiko Matsuda is a little girl just like millions of little girls in America during the time of World War Two. She gets excited about birthday parties and helps take care of her little brother and wants desperately to have friends. Her only difference is that she is Japanese and her background makes her a target for prejudice. Sumiko gives a specialized account of her families experience when the war began and when they were relocated to Poston, an internment camp. I loved that this book was written in the perspective of a young girl. We as Americans are so used to hearing about tragedy and war stories that they become unreal, but reading about a little girl caught in the middle of this situation makes it real and helps the reader realize what was really going on at this time. I also really loved the focus on friendship in the book. Sumiko’s whole perspective on her life is changed based on whether or not she feels like she has a friend. She is desolate and bored without the company of other people and she is upbeat and hopeful when she can label someone as a friend. It makes her character real and relatable to modern day children. I loved that her friends she finally made were an old man, a stealing girl and an Indian boy that should have been the enemy in her situation. Her personality, fears, hopes and heart are revealed in these friendships. Her love of flowers and her nurturing spirit are conveyed as she prunes a garden with Mr. Moto. Her naiveté and will to fit in with her peers is shown through her friendship with Sachi. Her loving heart and kindness are shown in her friendship with Frank. He brings out a side of her that she probably didn’t know she had. I love that she manages to blossom, like the “weedflower” that she is, even in the midst of all the injustice and dust that is her world in the internment camp.