August 30th: National Toasted Marshellow Day - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION
Time to put some white fluffy goodness on a stick and toast 'em! August 30 is National Toasted Marshmallow Day. To share this poem and celebrate this confectionery delight, bring a supply of large marshmallows and other necessities to toast them and enjoy their gooey-ness!




POEM

Toasting Marshmallows
by Kristine O'Connell George

I am a careful marshmallow toaster,
a patients marshmallow roaster,
turning my stick oh-so-slowly,
taking my time, checking often.
This is art-
a time of serious reflection
as my pillowed confection
slowly reaches golden perfection.

My brother
............grabs 'em with grubby hands
.........................shoves 'em on the stick
...................................burns 'em to a crisp
................................................cools 'em off
..........................................................flicks soot
.....................................................................eats quick.

I'm still turning my stick.
He's already eaten six.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
This poem is from:
George, Kristin O'Connell. 2001. Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems. Illus. by Kate Kiesler. NY: Calrion Books. ISBN: 061804597X.

EXTENSION
After sharing the poem invite the children to toast their own marshmallows (with adult supervision!) over a candle flame or simply pop them into a microwave to make s'mores or straight off the stick. Ask them to share what they think of the treat and what else they could toast or roast over the campfire. Encourage them to write their response in poem form. For a fun game, see who can stack the tallest marshmallow or s'mores tower.

August 19th: National Aviation Day - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION
August 19 is National Aviation Day and the 139th birthday of Orville Wright of the Wright Brothers. Proclaimed as a national observance by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1939, National Aviation Day is a day to make tribute to the Wright Brothers and all other pioneers, heroes and heroines aviation (National Parks Service 2006). The following two poems celebrate Orville and Wilbur Wright and Amelia Earhart. Prepare for reading these poems by collecting a series of books and facts (complete with photographs) about some of the famous pilots, lesser known but also important pilots, and pioneers of aviation, like The Wright Brothers: First Flight by Tara Dixon-Engle and Up in the Air: The Story of Bessie Coleman by Philip S. Hart. The first poem, "The First Airplane," is perfect for reading in two voices. Invite volunteers to help read the poem, one individual/group as Orville and another individual/group as Wilbur.

POEMS

The First Airplane
by Bobbi Katz

I'm Orville.
.................................................I'm Wilbur.
I'm younger
.................................................I'm older Two brothers...........................Two brothers.
One team.................................One team.
We both love mechanics.........We both love mechanics.
Even as boys............................Even as boys.
we made pocket money
.................................................by inventing toys.
And always one question:.......And always one question:
What makes it tick?.................What makes it tick?
Then we worked together........Then we worked together.
Two brothers............................Two brothers.
One team..................................One team.
Bicycle builders
..................................................Self-taught engineers Our minds seemed to fit...........Our minds seemed to fit
like a set of oiled gears..............like a set of oiled gears.
When I caught typhus
...................................................I feared you might die. We grew even closer,
Perhaps that is why
We both were possessed............we both were possessed.
Two brothers
One vision...................................One vision
.....................................................Two brothers
One quest:...................................One quest:
A machine to defy
.....................................................the whims of the sky.
A machine with control
.....................................................and the power
to fly!............................................to fly!
A machine that was light
......................................................but weighed more than air.
A mechanical puzzle....................A mechanical puzzle.
with the question we share:.........with a question we share:
What makes it tick?......................What makes it tick?
I'm Orville
.......................................................I'm Wilbur
Two bodies....................................Two bodies.
One mind......................................One mind.
Thoughts merging
.......................................................thoughts meshing
new answers..................................new answers
to find............................................to find.
Building gliders
.......................................................becoming sky riders.
not resting
just testing.....................................just testing
and testing and testing..................and testing and testing...
and testing and testing..................and testing and testing...
designing...
........................................................combining...
rethinking...
........................................................refining...
then building the Flyer...................then building the Flyer
exactly to plan.................................exactly to plan
and known for certain.....................and knowing for certain
it would carry...................................it would carry...
a man!..............................................a man!
And we were.....................................And we were
both right.........................................Both Wright.
Yes, we were.....................................Yes, we were
Wright!.............................................right!
I'm Orville.
..........................................................I'm Wilbur.
Two brothers....................................Two brothers.
One team..........................................One team.
I'm Orville.
..........................................................I'm Wilbur.
Two brothers....................................Two brothers.
One dream........................................One dream.

Amelia Cramped
By Monica Kulling

......................Amelia Cramped

..............................inthe
............................cockpit
......................likeabirdinabox
theicecakedwings...........theicecakedwings
.....................shebringsjuice
...................toothbrush&comb
......................couragethewill
..........................tofly15hrs.
............................without
...............................stop
...................throughdarkdanger
................................the
............................Atlantic
................................sky

BIBLIOGRAPHY
These poems are from:
Katz, Bobbie. 1998. We the People. Illus. by Nina Crews. NY: Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins Publishers). ISBN: 9780688165321.

Janeczko, Paul. B. 2005. A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Form. Illus. by Chris Raschka. Cambridge, Mass. Candlewick Press. ISBN: 0763606626.

EXTENSION
Invite the children to explore the many well-known and not-so-well-known pilots of American History. Have them write a poem, concrete poem, or a bio-poem about their favorite pilot and what they love about airplanes and flying. As a fun craft have them make paper airplanes of different shapes and sizes like the ones found in the book Making Paper Airplanes that Really Fly by Nick Robinson.

August 16th: National Tell A Joke Day - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION
National Tell a Joke Day is August 16! Time to share the old favorites and learn some new jokes to tell everyone. In preparation of the poem reading bring a collection of joke books as well as humorous poetry books like Jack Prelutsky's For Laughing Out Loud: Poems to Tickle Your Funny Bone and The Hopeful Trout and Other Limericks by John Ciardi, and bring your own favorite jokes to share. Remember to read this poem with some vocal attitude!

POEM

The Joke
by Anonymous

The joke you just told isn't funny one bit.
It's pointless and dull, wholly lacking in
........wit
It's so old and stale, it's beginning to
........smell!
Besides it's the one I was going to tell.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
This poem is from:
Prelutsky, Jack. 1983. The Random House Book of Poetry of Children: A Treasure of 572 Poems for Today's Child. Illus. Arnold Lobel. NY: Random House. ISBN: 0394850106.

EXTENSION
Invite the children to share their favorite jokes and humorous poems. Encourage them to create their own joke books that include jokes that they were told by their friends and that they found in books as well as funny poems, including limericks, that they discover while exploring the poetry books.

August 1st: International Friendship Day - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION
International Friendship Day is the first Sunday of August, which for the year 2010 is August 1st! The value of friendship is important to everyone and needs to be celebrated not just one day but also every day of the year. Share these two poems with others from books like Very Best (Almost) Friends: Poems of Friendship by Paul Janeczko and Myra Cohn Livingston's A time to Talk: Poems of Friendship.

POEMS

Oath of Friendship
by Anonymous, Translated by Arthur Waley

SHANG YA!
I want to be your friend
Forever and ever without break or decay.
When the hills are all flat
And the rivers are all dry.
When it lightens and thunders in winter,
When it rains and snows in summer,
When Heaven and Earth mingle-
Not till then will I part from you.

Best Friend
by Judith Nicholls

When there's just one square
of chocolate left...
she shares,
she gives me half.

When thunder growls like an angry bear
and I shiver and shake
beneath my chair...
she won't laugh.

when I'm grumpy or cross
or spotty or sad,
when I whine or boss...
she stays.

When things aren't fair
and I just want to hide...
she's there,
always

BIBLIOGRAPHY
These poems are from:
Nicholls, Judith. 2000. Someone I Like Poems About People. Illus. by Giovanni Manna. NY: Barefoot Books. ISBN: 1841480045.

EXTENSION
Invite the children to share what friendship means to them. Have them write a poem about friendship or about their best friend(s). Also, spread the joy of friendship by creating friendship letters or poems that can be given to everyone in the class, school, or home.

August 1st: Francis Scott Key's Birthday - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION
Born in 1780, August 1, 2010 is the 230th birthday of Francis Scott Key, the man who wrote the poem that ultimately became the national anthem of the United States of America. When sharing the poem, invite the children to help read the last line of each stanza, "O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave." In addition, bring other poetry books like We the People by Bobbi Katz and some facts about the Star-Spangle Banner to celebrate Key's birthday and history of the American Flag.

POEM

The Star-spangled Banner
By Francis Scott Key

Oh, say can you see by the dawns early light
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight last gleaming.
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watch'd were so gallantly streaming
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the must of the deep,
Where the foes haughtly host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, have discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream.
'Tis the star-spangle banner, oh, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grace.
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh, thus be it ever when freeman shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace ma the heav'n-rescued land
Praised the power that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
The conquer we must, when our caused it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our Trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 1994. Hand in Hand: An American History Through Poetry. Illus. by Peter M. Flore. NY: Simon & Schuster/Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 067173315X.

EXTENSION
After reading the poem, invite the children to sing the entire poem to the music of the national anthem. For a fun craft, have them make a historically accurate American Flag (15 stars and 15 stripes) flags form, and have them write the entire poem or their favorite stanza or two on the back or have them write the national anthem (the first stanza) with colored pens/markers/pencils so that it looks like the 1814 American flag.