Poetry for Kids, for April, for Every Month!

You deserve a Poetry Break Today!

Poetry is a fantastic way to practice fluency and reading aloud to an audience.  April is the month we say is National Poetry Month; however a classroom bin of books clearly marked Poetry is delightful to have all year long.  

My class has a list of favorite poets and they love when I whisper walk over to the poetry bin. Smiling faces see me flip around the pages for the perfect poem for today.  This one is a favorite and it's perfect for Spring.

Quack, Quack!
We have two ducks.  One blue.  One black.
And when our blue duck goes "Quack-Quack"
our black duck quickly quack-quacks back.
The quacks Blue quacks make her quite a quacker
but Black is a quicker quacker-backer. 

And yes, you guessed right!  It's by our famous Dr. Seuss.  The kids try to remember this one to recite aloud and we have done many activities with just this one poem. Choral read, boys read, one line, girls the next line or alternate with rows.   Students learn to read for meaning and reading poetry is a great way to improve reading fluency.

10 Reasons Why You Should Read Charlotte's Web to Your Class

10 Reasons Why?  Charlotte's Web Is a Good Book Choice for Read Aloud At School and At Home

 Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White, is  a universal story.  It has entertained hundreds of readers and children for decades. The book  teaches kindness and love.  Charlotte's Web is and has been a 

best-selling children's paperback of all time.  E.B. White describes his book as a story of friendship and life on a farm.  E. B. White himself was a true friend to animals and writes from his own experiences. 

As every writer knows, research, research and more research is very important to even fiction writers. You must get the right moon in the night sky.   White researched every detail for his three books for children.  Stuart Little was written in 1945, Charlotte's Web in 1952 and The Trumpet of the Swan was written in 1970.  For Charlotte's Web, his research was close to home as in lived on a farm in Maine.  His experience and farm color shows on every page.  The habits of the animals are characteristic and believable.

5 Tips When Reading Aloud to Preschoolers

Five Tips for You When Reading Aloud to Preschoolers   1.  First and Foremost, find a book you love!  If you love the book, the child will hear that love in your voice.  I happen to love Gossie, Gertie and Ollie!  by Olivier Dunrea.  These are great books  for Spring! for young readers! for young listeners!  Above is the cover of Ollie by Olivier Dunrea.  Choosing this book and just viewing the cover starts the reading experience..... so many questions just start to happen... Who is Ollie?  Who are those ducks?  What are they looking at? What is hiding in the grass?  What do you think will happen? and below is the cover of, Gossie and Gertie

now don't you just want to open this book!

 2.  Sit side-by-side with your listener.  Open the book and show how the book opens.  Point to the title as you read it.  Don't overdo... remember the book experience should be enjoyable.  Your child will value this book experience if it is a time where you break from all those plug-ins and other rippity-rap the day is filled with.... and reading should be relaxing, meaningful and fun!.  Sit side-by-side with your listener.  Open the book and show how the book opens.  Point to the title as you read it.  Don't overdo... remember the book experience should be enjoyable.  Your child will value this book experience if

Read about St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day

wearing green, coloring rainbows and searching for a pot of gold

Be sure to read your favorite St. Patrick's Day story today!

Here is one from my favorite author, Gail Gibbons.  Her books are wonderful in every way. She knows her audience and teaches them so many things about our world.  Thank you, Gail, for your informative and interesting books!

Illustrations are well done and Gibbons teaches the history and traditions of the clover. 

This book by Gail Gibbons is colorful and informative
This reader response  page teaches main idea and details.  

Main Idea : St. Patrick's Day, details....what details do you remember from your reading?  In an easy 4-square format!

Grab this FREE reader response page HERE to use with