Daddy Fell Into the Pond - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION
To add a special touch to your discussions or celebrations of families read this poem by the famous poet Alfred Noyes. For younger groups of children you can include a picture or a flannel board props to help illustrate the poem's story. I read this poem for my "My Family" preschool storytime and had made a simple "daddy" with a surprised face and hands up and a pond to help illustrate. The children and their parents LOVED it! Make sure you read the poem with a dramatic voice!


POEM

Daddy Fell Into the Pond
by Alfred Noyes

Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey.
We had nothing to do and nothing to say.
We were nearing the end of a dismal day,
And there seemed to be nothing beyond
THEN,
Daddy fell into the pond!

And everyone's face grew merry and bright,
And Timothy danced for sheer delight.
"Give me the camera, quick, oh quick!
He's crawling out of the duckweed." - Click!

Then the gardener suddenly slapped his knee,
And doubled up, shaking silently,
And the ducks all quacked as if they were daft
And is sounded as if the old drake laughed.

O, there wasn't a thing that didn't respond
WHEN
Daddy fell into the pond!

EXTENSION
For the younger groups ask them if they have ever fallen into a pond or a giant puddle? Ask them if they ever knew someone who did. For the older children invite them to share a story (real or made up) about a similar family incident.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Andrew, Julie and Emma Walton Hamilton. 2009. Julie Andrews' Collection of Poems, Songs, and Lullabies. Illus. by James McMullan. NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group. p. 32. ISBN: 978316040495.

The Mad Scientist - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION
Happy Halloween! Time to bring out the cute, the scary, the funny costumes and the candy bucket. This is a great poem from a great book of Halloween poetry to share with a class or share with the group of kids at a party. If you can manage it, do some special effects with a flannel board or just in the way you present the poem. Pair this poem with any more from Sklansky's book Skeleton Bones & Goblin Groans.




POEM

The Mad Scientist
by Amy E. Sklansky

He used-


nails
and screws
and nuts
and bolts,

plugs
and wires
with lots of volts,

ceiling fans
and pots
and pans,

toasters,
roasters,
old tin cans.

Then lightning somehow struck the tower
right before the midnight hour.

A spark! A sizzle!
A shock! A stir!

All parts at once began to whirr.

And at long last, his grand design
sprang to life. Meet

FRANKENSTEIN!

EXTENSION
After sharing this poem have the kids describe their own monster. They can also draw pictures of Frankenstein monster described in the poem or a monster of their own creation. For those who want to, they can also write their own poem in describing it.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sklansky, Amy E. 2004. Skeleton Bones & Goblin Groans. Illus. by Karen Dismukes. NY: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN: 080507046X.