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 years!  Parents send in a binder 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  choral reading.  So great for fluency practice!!!

 

Two examples from 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 every poem.  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. 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!!!!!