Tag Archives: Literature

Apr. ’12

Horse Barn

When we get there

the horses in their stalls

paw the dirt.

I cough in the dust.

We grab the feed,

and they whinny at me

when I pass by.

I get a brush; very tenderly

I scrape off the dirt.

They are as dusty and steamy

as a train when it chugs

down the track.

When we feed the mares,

their babies skip after us.

They run so fast

they fall.

by Isabella, 3^rd grade

Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Gabriel Arnold, a 4th grade student at Parker Elementary in Houston.

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This poem is featured as part of the 2012 A Poem A Day campaign, a National Poetry Month celebration by Writers in the Schools (WITS) that features a different poem by a WITS student every day during April. Click here to learn more.

Posted by Marcia. Categories: animal, creativity, national poetry month, poem a day, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: horse poem, Literature, national poetry month, Organizations, poetry, wits, Writers Resources. Leave a comment

Apr. ’12

The Rock

I block

the feelings that beat

against my shell.

I have beauty inside me

longing to be shown

to the world.

I am stiff with

the emotions that swirl

in my body.

I watch the butterflies

dance around me

with flaps of pride.

When it rains, I show

my shiny shell to the

lady called the flower.

She drops a warm petal on me

to show that we are no

different in soul.

For what would life be

without soul?

It doesn’t matter

what you have within,

only the soul matters.

As the sun’s rays hammer

into me, my beauty

faintly shows.

I am a rock.

by Ioana, 3^rd grade

Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Thomas Girardet, a 4th grade student at Parker Elementary in Houston.
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Posted by Marcia. Categories: imagination, inspiration, national poetry month, nature, poem a day, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: 2012 A Poem A Day, April, art, Literature, national poetry month, poetry, wits. Leave a comment

Apr. ’12

Singing Birds

In the morning a bird sings

“chirp, chirp, chirp.”

It sings about how it wants

to use words instead of sounds.

Soon there is a choir of birds

singing about what they want to do.

They will sing about eating good food,

about being grown.

They will sing about human things,

how they would want arms for wings,

and mouths for beaks, singing.

by Luke, 3^rd grade

Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Alexandra Maynard, a 4th grader from Parker Elementary.
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Posted by Marcia. Categories: animal, creativity, national poetry month, poem a day, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: Bird vocalization, Literature, national poetry month, poetry. Leave a comment

Apr. ’12

Lily Pads

I like the lily pads that float on the pond

Green with a touch of pizzazz

The lily pad is the only one who has a heart

It spreads its magical beauty with its pinky petals

They come in all shapes and sizes

One is purple, a small sliver like a broken heart

It is a beautiful thing to look at in winter

by Alvara, 4^th grade

Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Jennvie Bui, a 2nd grader from Parker Elementary.

Posted by Marcia. Categories: creativity, inspiration, national poetry month, nature, poem a day, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: April, art, Literature, national poetry month, poetry. Leave a comment

Sep. ’11

WITS Supports Public Poetry!

Poetry is alive and well in Houston! Public Poetry, a nonprofit organization founded to bring poets and the general community together and to create a buzz about poetry, is ready to celebrate again.

Join in the fun at Kendall Neighborhood Library (609 N. Eldridge, 77079) on Saturday, September 3rd, at 2 PM.

This month’s featured poets include Hayan Charara, Marcell Murphy, longtime WITS supporter Susan Wood, and WITS writer Ryler Dustin. KUHF‘s St. John Flynn will make a guest appearance, and student poet, Lucie Gulick, from WITS will perform!

After the reading, we’ll head over to Beans Café Coffeehouse for some good conversation. Directions: Turn right out of the library parking lot, and then take 1st left just after the first traffic light (1127 Eldridge Parkway).

Mention PUBLIC POETRY and get a 10% discount on any coffee drink. Original photos from Katya Horner will be on display. Enjoy a great hour of on September 3rd, 2 PM, Kendall Neighborhood Library.

Posted by Marcia. Categories: event, Reading, student, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: Beans Cafe Coffeehouse, Hayan Charara, Katya Horner, KUHF, Literature, Marcell Murphy, poetry, public poetry, Ryler Dustin, St. John Flynn, Susan Wood, wits. Leave a comment

Sep. ’10

Fiddle-i-fee Story Basket Lesson

Cover of Cat Goes Fiddle-i-fee

Grade level: Kindergarten – 1^st

Genre: various

Objectives: To involve the students in listen to a story read aloud

Primary sources: Cat Goes Fiddle-i-fee by Paul Galdone

Materials: a basket with small stuffed animal characters from the book Cat Goes Fiddle-i-fee

Contributors: Brooke Brown, Linda Draper

This story basket activity ensures the active participation of all students in listening to a book read aloud. Originally used with Cat Goes Fiddle-i-fee, it can easily be adapted to any book by printing and laminating images of the story’s characters. Additionally, the students could make representations of the characters in the book as a pre-reading, art project.

Have the students sit in a circle on the floor with the “story basket” in the center which contains characters and farm animals from the book. The students should each take one animal from the story basket as the book is read aloud, listen for the appropriate time to place their character back in the basket.