Poetry for Children

I've been working this week in a third grade classroom with students as they explore writing poetry.  And most of you know how I am... always on the look-out for fresh and relevant resources to add to my stockpile! I search for blogs, web sites, and books that push me a bit.  I want resources to help me plan, but I also search for mentors that push me to see beyond the obvious and ordinary...things that will inspire students and me.  I stumbled on the Poetry for Children blog and simply got lost in the links to poets.  There are so many links on this blog that are well worth sharing with students.  Many are interactive, multi-media, and insightful.  If you are exploring poetry with your students, check out this blog...(I also put a link on our blog list for easier access)

http://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/

Teaching that Makes Sense

I found this site that seems to align with our thinking about reading and writing.  Take a look and let me know what you think.  I'll also add it to our link list for easier access.

http://www.ttms.org/index.htm

Writing to build background knowledge

As we work to build background knowledge with our students using non-fiction text, consider writing about reading structures that will enhance student understanding as well as build schema.  Here is a video from ASCD of a fifth grade class using such a strategy.  Teachers of younger grades, think about how you could adapt this strategy in your classrooms.