Why poetry? Among a mass of benefits, poetry
*reinforces phonemic awareness
*provides oral language practice and
*develops metaphorical thinking.
If that ain't enough for you, the new Common Core Standards place a stronger emphasis on poetry experience, enjoyment and study--so we're SUPPOSED to be doing poetry on a regular basis. The Poetry Friday Anthology is just one source of good poetry with tips for bringing it to life in the classroom, but it's dear to my heart: it contains the work of lots of folks I know and love as my poetry peers (and two of my own poems as well).
This morning, if I weren't obligated to choose a poem concretely connected to the actual red female betta living in room 166 (Mary Ann Hoberman's "Fish"), and if I were teaching older kids with a better sense of time, I might be using this first poem in the Anthology. I include three stanzas, but to get all four, you'll need your own copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology!
The Most Glad-to-See Day of the Year | Allan WolfThe Poetry Friday round-up is hosted by Sylvia Vardell herself today at her blog Poetry for Children. Go for a dip, a dunk or a dive into Friday's pool of poetry!
My favorite, special, most glad-to-see day,
the day I consider the best.
The day when I really get carried away.
The top day all year! Can you guess?
....................
It's not a one-timer. My day never ends.
It's the first, second, middle and last.
It is here, holy cow! It is new. It is now.
It is not in the future or past.
I'll give you the answer: my day is...Today!
There's no waiting in line. There is no long delay.
What yesterday was and tomorrow will be,
Today's the most wonderful day for me.