Celebrate: Five Star Things About the Week

Celebrate with others at Ruth Ayres Writes.

ONE

I found out that due to my school growing a class and the school where I teach two overload classes, I get to stay at my school.  Hooray!! Although I will say that the fifth grade I taught is getting a raw deal, they wanted the regular librarian and now they will have a second itinerant teacher.  A class that depends on relationships.

TWO

This is the result of cleaning out my closet and drawers! So very much needed!  And a test for my shoulder. I had to use a step stool to bring down the clothes and I was tired BUT shoulder did great!

THREE

I worked out in the yard and attacked invasive like Rose Briar invasive. Slow going, I can’t overdo the shoulder. But it was so fabulous to be outside!

FOUR

Teaching about Banned Books Week.  I love teaching this and tying it to the Bill of Rights.  I am able to share with students my own experiences with parents challenging books.  At the end, one student said “Thank you for defending Harry Potter.”

FIVE

Coffee with a former student. She wants to write for children and is sharing what she’s done thus far.  I love that she’s putting her work out there in the world.  And I encouraged her to look into getting an MFA.

What are you celebrating?

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Poetry Friday: Announcing the CYBILS Poetry Panelists and Judges

It’s Friday. Head to The Poem Farm for more poetry.

Selecting from the CYBILS applicants is always SO difficult. There are such good applicants that are passionate about poetry. It makes me do the happy dance!  After considering those who are seasoned and those who are new, blending together a mixture of librarian, author, parent, and teacher bloggers; may I present Round One and Round Two.  The poetry books will be read by two fabulous groups.

And please, if you weren’t selected or had too much on your plate to consider being on the CYBILS Poetry Team, start thinking about which poetry books should be nominated starting on October 1.

Round One
Kelly Fineman
Writing and Rumination http://kellyfineman.blogspot.com
@kellyfineman

Nancy Bo Flood
The Pirate Tree http://www.thepiratetree.com

Jone Rush MacCulloch
Check It Out https://maclibrary.wordpress.com
@JoneMac53

Margaret Simon
Reflections on the Teche http://reflectionsontheteche.wordpress.com
@MargaretGSimon

Tricia Stohr-Hunt
The Miss Rumphius Effect http://missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com
@missrumphius

Sylvia Vardell
Poetry For Children http://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com
@SylviaVardell

Bridget Wilson
What is Bridge Reading http://whatisbridgetreading.blogspot.com
@bridgetwilson

Second Round
Linda Baie
Teacher Dance http://www.teacherdance.org
@LBaie

Matt Forrest Esenwine
Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme http://mattforrest.wordpress.com
@MattForrestVW

Renee La Tulippe
No Water River http://mattforrest.wordpress.com
@ReneeMLaTulippe

Diane Mayr
Kurious Kitty’s Kurio http://www.kuriouskitty.blogspot.com
@terserverser

Laura Shovan
Author Amok http://authoramok.blogspot.com
@laurashovan

Are you lamenting the end of summer?  Visit the Summer Serenity Gallery created and hosted by Carol Varsalona.  Several of us Poetry Friday contributors are showing their work.

Happy Poetry.

Happy Friday.

Poetry Friday: Gathering Leaves in Grade School

And thanks to Renee at No Water River for hosting Poetry Friday.

The leaves have been scuttling this week. I ran across this poem at The Poetry Foundation which reminded me of something I loved creating.

Gathering Leaves in Grade School
BY JUDITH HARRIS

They were smooth ovals,
and some the shade of potatoes—
some had been moth-eaten
or spotted, the maples
were starched, and crackled
like campfire.

We put them under tracing paper
and rubbed our crayons
over them, X-raying
the spread of their bones
and black, veined catacombs.

We colored them green and brown
and orange, and
cut them out along the edges,
labeling them deciduous
or evergreen.

Read the rest of the poem HERE

Find a leaf, “x-ray” it with crayons to find its black, veined catacombs.
Happy Poetry.
Happy Friday.

Celebrate: Five Star Things About This Week

It’s Saturday.  Time to celebrate the week with others at Ruth Ayres Writes.

ONE

Students returned to school this week.  Everyone has the spirit and promise of a new year.  I love seeing that in not only the students but the parents and staff.

TWO

Students love reading and they want to know you are a reader.

Two comments from students (one actually a sigh)…in answer the question of “what’s your favorite part of the library?” The answer was “I’m surrounded by books.”  

The other was a sigh when I answered the question to “did you read more than ten books this summer?” I said no ( I read nine both kid and adult books). I rechecked my list after class and discovered I actually read ten books. So I plan to share my list.

THREE

Am reading Reading in the Wild by Donalynn Miller (was the PD online book for the summer which with shoulder surgery I missed). I. Love. It.  So needed this inspiration.

Als reading Countdown by Deborah Wiles. Incredible.

FOUR

Meeting with three other writers through Google Chat on my writing this week.  Such a great way to connect.

FIVE

Signs of fall sneaking in:

 

What are you celebrating?

Poetry Friday: A Final Poetry Swap Poem

Thank you, Laura, for hosting Poetry Friday at Author Amok.

Last week, I found this poem in the mail.  From Margaret Simon.

On the outside this lovely photo.

 Photo credit is "Drops of Dew" @Sergey Khakimullen Dreamstine Stock Photos.

 

 

On the inside this even lovelier poem:

Ode to Grass

For today, I will step lightly
for you tenderness 
for the light of the sun upon your greenliness
for tickling my belly
for wriggling between my toes
for your fresh sweet scent
for the settled earth you can draw strength from
for your canvas of wildflowers
for clover crowns
for hiding rollie-pollies, fleas, and snakes
for grass. 

©Margaret Simon, 2014

I love that for all the fabulous things she’s telling the reader that grass does for her, a twist that it hides rollie-pollies, fleas, and snakes…so unexpected.

Thanks,

Margaret.

Happy Friday.

Happy Poetry.