Laugh Out Loud-Poetry Fun!!

Last year I started Poetry Notebooks!  My 2nd Graders absolutely loved them!  Tongue Twisters, surprise ending poems, and poems full of alliteration were always favorites and re-read several times!   Many of them would use DIRT (Daily Independent Reading Time-aka Read to Self) with their Poetry Notebooks or use them to read to a partner. We would chorally read the poems, read them in groups (of various kinds), read them in stanzas, lines, and of course, change our voice, inflictions, tone, and pacing!  Our highlighters would also become a staple when reading poems because we would mark certain parts of speech, surprising parts, sections that we could connect to, etc.  With the success of last year's Poetry Notebooks, I cannot wait to begin to share and create poems with my Multi-agers.

Here are two poems from one of my favorite poems from the one and only and hilarious Ken Nisbitt

First One:

A Funny School Poem for Kids

"Dear students, the summer has ended.
The school year at last has begun.
But this year is totally different.
I promise we'll only have fun.

"We won't study any mathematics,
and recess will last all day long.
Instead of the pledge of allegiance,
we'll belt out a rock-and-roll song.

"We'll only play games in the classroom.
You're welcome to bring in your toys.
It's okay to run in the hallways.
It's great if you make lots of noise.

"For homework, you'll play your Nintendo.
You'll have to watch lots of T.V.
For field trips we'll go to the movies
and get lots of candy for free.

"The lunchroom will only serve chocolate
and triple fudge sundaes supreme."
Yes, that's what I heard from my teacher
before I woke up from my dream.

Second One:

I'm Staying Home From School Today

I'm staying home from school today. I'd rather be in bed pretending that I have a pain that's pounding in my head. I'll say I have a stomach ache. I'll claim I've got the flu. I'll shiver like I'm cold and hold my breath until I'm blue. I'll fake a cough. I'll fake a sneeze. I'll say my throat is sore. If necessary I can throw a tantrum on the floor. I'm sure I'll get away with it. Of that, there's little doubt. But, even so, I really hope my students don't find out. --Kenn Nesbitt

Here is Mr. Nesbitt's website in case you would like to discover some of your favorites and laugh out loud with your students: Click Here
ENJOY and SMILES,