Poetry Friday GREAT MORNING! and Back-To-School

Welcome to Poetry Friday! This week's round up is hosted by Wondering and Wandering blog. When you're finished up here, please click over to enjoy all of this week's inspiring poetry posts.

A few weeks ago, I entered a giveaway on Catherine Flynn's Reading to the Core blog. I was the very lucky winner of a copy of Great Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud, a poetry anthology by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong. 

If you are a teacher, you need to have a copy of this book! It's brimming with fun poems whose subjects are related to the natural calendar/rhythm of a school year. Each topic begins with a small bit of background information followed by that day's featured poem. The chapter ends with some short follow-up questions/ideas/advice to think about and discuss. There is a topic for every week of the school year.

That would be enough reason to own this book, but there's more! The second half of the book includes poetry performance tips, guidance on turning each pom into a mini-lesson, oodles of poetry resources, and useful tips for nurturing young writers and helping them to find publishing opportunities for their own masterpieces.

There are so many great poems featured in this anthology, and it is difficult to choose just a few to share, but here is a tasting of some of what is included.

This first poem takes me back to first grade. A friend and I wanted to create some outside art during recess. We thought crayon would be just as easy to wash off of a sidewalk as chalk. Needless to say, we spent several days of recesses scrubbing the school sidewalk clean.

RECESS
by Avis Harley

Some play soccer,
some run races.
Others read
in quiet places.

Some find leaves
or draw with chalk.
Some play tag,
while others talk.

A few play chess.
Lots play ball.
And some just like
to watch it all.

I believe this next poem should be heard by every child. To me it exemplifies welcoming and kindness and how very little effort it takes to offer it to others.

HOW TO MAKE A FRIEND
by Jane Heitman Healy

You start by saying Hi there,
Hello, Aloha, Ciao--
If someone answers back to you,
Smile and nod and bow.

You might try saying Hola,
Salut, Goddag, Shalom.
If someone answers back to you,
They might be far from home.

A friend begins by greeting
Those they meet along the way
To make them feel welcome
At home, at school, at play.

Inspired by the subject matter and memories of my first day at a new school, I played around with some verse, too.

FIRST DAY JITTERS
by Kimberly M. Hutmacher

Tummy rumble,
New shoes stumble,
Book bag fumble,
First day grumble!

Will the teacher like me?
Are my clothes on trend?
Will I like Pre-Algebra?
Will I make good friends?

Will my locker open?
Will the food taste vile?
Will I find my homeroom?
Will anybody smile?

All so unfamiliar-
new building and mates.
Hello to all the new
adventures that await!

That's it for today. Happy Poem-Making!