It’s April!!! YAY! I love April. There is so much happening that you can take advantage of as an educator. Let’s count the ways.
1) Let’s start with POETRY highlights!
4+1 Reasons to Get Poetry into Your Classroom
Poetry is great! ‘Come on, don’t you agree? Poetry can be sweet and rhyme-y or in-your-face and raw. It contains so much passion, so many illusions. It can tell a story, describe an emotion, explain a situation or throw down the truth. But how much time do we actually commit to poetry in our classrooms? […] Full Story »
Poetry in Balance – Part 1: Appreciation
Last night on #ntchat (New Teacher chat) we discussed resources and ideas to use for National Poetry Month. During the chat, someone tweeted me a “ponder”: I was taught a poet, then made 2 mimic. Valuable? Exposure was, not regurgitation. how to start? #ntchat ~@theHelpGroup To which I replied: I hear ya! There needs to be a balance […] Full Story »
Poetry in Balance: Part 2 – Creation
In Part 1 of “Poetry in Balance”, I focused on the importance of teaching students poetry appreciation. But to have a good study of poetry, just as with the study of any art form, you must balance it out with creation. This month I am requiring my students to write one poem each day […] Full Story »
Put a Poem in Your Pocket
Where I’m From – Poetry Activity
Teacher Poetry
Teachers love poetry too! We should be reading and creating it as much as we want our students to. Last night was a fun 4th grade chat ( #4thchat) on Twitter with other 4th grade teachers. The topic was poetry and one teacher, Nancy Carroll @ncarroll24 asked: Does anyone write poems alongside their […] Full Story »
2) April is Jazz Appreciation Month!
Jazzing up Your Resources
It’s Jazz Appreciation Month and whether you teach music or love music, this is a great time to share this American art form with your students. Here are some JAZZ online resources for you to have at your fingertips including an online playlist you can play straight from your computer at school. […] Full Story »
When You Can Make it Jazz
What is jazz? It is the ultimate freedom in structure. The goal for me in teaching is to teach as if I were playing jazz. But how? First by finding the structure, and allowing myself to be creative and free. Here is what I mean. Growing up, my piano teacher trained me classically and she […] Full Story »
Jazzy DADA
This month we celebrate POETRY and JAZZ. Here is an activity I would like to share with you that you can use immediately with your students to celebrate jazz, poetry and promote freedom in structure! DADA poetry was first written by artists and poets in Paris France. They clipped words from newspapers, scrambled them and […] Full Story »
3) Earth Day is in April!
Did you know you can pledge to “Go Paperless” for Earth Day? It may seem limiting at first, but soon you will see all the possibilities! Your students may even want to add their own suggestions as you Go Paperless for an entire day. “We can work on the computers,” said one student. […] Full Story »
Creative Ways to Teach Kids About the Green Lifestyle
Today’s guest post introduces us to some creative ways to get students to learn about being green – a very important topic! Enjoy. ~EMP Companies around the globe are investing in cleaner, greener technology – so isn’t it time we invested some of our own energy in boosting students’ eco-awareness? These days, environmental education […] Full Story »
4) Celebrate Patriots’ Day!
Celebrating Patriots’ Day
Coming from Massachusetts, Patriots’ Day is something I grew up celebrating. Actually, being born into a family who was part of a Revolutionary War reenactment group, I grew up colonial. My first Patriots’ Day parade found me at about 11 months old being carted behind my mother in a wooden wagon. From there I was traveling to […] Full Story »
I’m From Muskets and Music
Years ago, I wrote my own “I’m From” poem as part of a class I was taking for my CAGS degree in Arts, Leadership and Learning from Plymouth State. It’s starts with, “I’m from muskets and music.” […] Full Story »
5) It’s finally Spring!
The Daffodil Principle (A Beautiful Story and Lesson)
My grandmother loved them, undoubtedly because they were a sure sign of spring. When my husband and I bought our home, it came with daffodils lining up the rock wall and rounding the corner of our house. It was that first spring living here that I too fell in love with the brilliantly colored flower. […] Full Story »
So enjoy this month and chime in on Facebook about the great things you do in April. It’s always fun to share ideas!
Happy April!
~EMP
P.S. Join our Facebook Group, Inspiring Teachers to share ideas, tell stories, post pics from the classroom and ask questions of other like-minded educators! https://www.facebook.com/groups/inspiringteachers/
