Freebie Poems for Beginning of Year

I clicked through my "freebie" section on this blog...how is it that I don't have this September Poems and Songs on here? If you go back to school in July/August, it's helpful as well.

 I've done poetry binders now for twenty-five years! Parents send in a binder (one that lays FLAT!) and we add a poem almost every day. 

Some people do one a week. 

 Not me. I love, love, love poetry for my kids and use poems all the time. I always read the poem to them first before I pass it out just so they can enjoy it. Once I put it on under the Document Camera, we do a choral reading. So great for fluency practice!!!

Two examples from the packet:

While I do use some of the poems to teach from ("Let's go through and highlight short a words," or "Let's see if we can find our sight words this week," I DO NOT do this with MOST poems. I don't want them to associate poetry with having the sole purpose of dissecting it to learn/reinforce skills. I want them to simply enjoy the poems. Let the words tickle their ears. Maybe that's why I do so many!

We use these for Read to Self and our Fluency Friends, too. And you better believe I use as a Morning Meeting Activity AND they pick partners to share poems one morning a week after arrival.

Each Wednesday, they take home binders and read any five poems to a family member. Most, from what I am told, read the ENTIRE binder!! Sending them home also allows the parents to fix any wayward pages! (BTW, I let the copy machine put the three hole punch in!)

One Tip: I have the kids number the poems as they put them in their binders. This way, when we are reading for fun, a child can say, "Turn to poem 46," and the class can find it much easier than "Turn to A Snowy Day."

BTW, numbering poems WAS NOT MY IDEA! So simple and effective but credit is given to one of my students who did this. I saw her doing it and asked her why. Her answer was that of most seasoned teachers! Impressive! More proof, I told her, that I will always consider myself a student first! The learning never ends! Enjoy!!!!!

Edited to add: If you love them and are thinking of imlementing them, check out my year-long bundle: