Today I'm visiting Dr. Tricia Stohr-Hunt of The Miss Rumphius Effect, down in my erstwhile hometown of Richmond. Tricia is a teacher educator at the University of Richmond, and all I can say is that the students of any teacher trained by her are going to be very lucky.
The cool thing about Tricia is that she specializes in using literature--and poetry in particular--to teach math and science, and her National Poetry Month series this year is all about pairing science and poetry books. Today's post is about animal "collectives," always fun to play with, but every entry in the series is fascinating. I've chosen to highlight one here that introduced me to books I didn't know of. Animal extinction is the theme.
Tricia pairs Swan Song by J. Patrick Lewis with Can We Save the Tiger? by Martin Jenkins. These books offer an emotional experience of animals long and forever gone, combined with a nonfiction text that considers the complex relationship between humans and the species they have endangered and destroyed. The post concludes with a really rich list of links to games, videos and websites that offer students more information and opportunities for action. I wouldn't quite be able to use this pairing in kindergarten, I think, but for classes 2nd grade and up there will be much to enjoy here, in a soberly fascinated way.
This series is a great one to go with Robyn Hood Black's host post today at Life on the Deckle Edge, where she's highlighting The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science and interviewing Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong. Don't miss the rest of Tricia's series--there are many wonderful surprises here, including this one for me! : )
Aren't you sweet! I think I'm pretty lucky to teach where I do, with so many hopeful and smart folks committed to teaching. It makes coming to work every day a pretty joyful experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks for highlighting my series for this year. I was hoping to cover a range of subjects, but once I got started with science, I just couldn't stop.
Glad you liked your surprise!
Best,
Tricia
Terrific pairings Tricia has this month - and I'm glad to see PUMPKIN BUTTERFLY in the big mix! Happy poetic traveling....
ReplyDeleteIt's nice you're highlighting Tricia's posts, Heidi. They are filled with great resources, I agree. I've tried to read each one, although have missed some. I have Swan Song, & will need to look for the other one.
ReplyDeleteI always find the confluence of science and verse so fascinating - there is so much to marvel at in nature - and a variety of ways to say it.
ReplyDeleteThis looks very interesting. I'm heading over there now.
ReplyDeleteNext year, I SWEAR (hold me to this, please) I am NOT doing a big public project. I am going to be the audience. I love your travel journal entries!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it fantastic that there are so many wonderful books being written and published? Yay for these books, Tricia, and you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect pairing, though the topic is a sad one. Thanks for sharing the link, Heidi. I especially liked the video that Tricia shared at the bottom of the post.
ReplyDeleteSounds really interesting! I clearly have not been spending nearly enough time at Tricia's blog.
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