A collection of poems about childhood, family, nature, and other subjects, written by young people ranging in age from eight to eighteen.

In everything we have to understand, poetry can help. Tony Hoagland, Harper's , April 2013 In Poem Central: Word Journeys with Readers and Writers , Shirley McPhillips helps us better understand the central role poetry can play in our personal lives and in the life of our classrooms. She introduces us to professional poets, teachers, and students----people of different ages and walks of life---who are actively engaged in reading and making poems. Their stories and their work show us the power of poems to illuminate the ordinary, to nurture, inspire and stand alongside us for the journey. Poem Central is divided into three main parts-;weaving poetry into our lives and our classrooms, reading poems, and writing poems. McPhillipshas structured the book in short sections that are easy to read and dip into. Each section has a specific focus, provides background knowledge, shows poets at work, highlights information on crafting, defines poetic terms, features finished work, includes classroom examples, and lists additional resources. In Poem Central -; a place where people and poems meet-;teachers and students will discover how to find their way into a poem, have conversations around poems, and learn fresh and exciting ways to make poems. Readers will enjoy the dozens of poems throughout the book that serve to instruct, to inspire, and to send us on unique word journeys of the mind and heart.

A guide for young poets offers advice on how to find topics, create a poem, revise a poem, start a writer's group, and get published.

In her 30 years as an educator, Debbie Diller has closely examined classroom practice, asking Why? What's the purpose? Watching primary students work successfully at literacy work stations, she wondered with teachers, Why don't we have upper-grade students doing this? Could we kick it up a notch? In her new book, Debbie shows teachers of grades three-to-six how to structure their classrooms so that all students can be successful doing meaningful independent work using literacy work stations. Practice with Purpose offers guidance on establishing routines for independent reading and response writing, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to set up and manage a variety of hands-on literacy work stations appropriate for intermediate students. Each chapter includes: how to introduce the station;innovative ways to use materials;what to model to guarantee independence;how to troubleshoot; assessment and accountability ideas; how the station supports student achievement on state tests; reflection questions for professional development. The extensive appendix includes time-saving tools such as management board icons, graphic organizers, task cards, and recommended Web sites and children's literature.

In Writing Poetry from the Inside Out, poet and national poetry workshop leader, Sandford Lyne, offers the writing exercises, guidance, and encouragement you need to find the poet inside you. Lyne's techniques, which he developed through twenty years of teaching poetry workshops, flow from an understanding that poetry is an art form open to everyone. We all can-and should-write poetry. In this enchanting and inspiring volume, Lyne will introduce you to the pleasures and surprises of writing poetry, and his methods and insights will help you tap into your own unique voice and perspective to compose poems of your own in as little as a few minutes. Whether you are an experienced writer looking for new techniques and sources of inspiration or a novice poet who has never written a poem in your life, Writing Poetry from the Inside Out will help you to craft the poems you've always longed to write.

Offers advice and guidelines on how to expand a child's world through books and reading, introducing three thousand teacher-recommended book titles, craft ideas, projects, recipes, and reading club tips.

Poetry in Literature for Youth offers teachers, librarians, parents, and students with an instrumental guide for incorporating all forms of poetry into the curriculum. More than 900 annotated entries provide descriptions of books and other resources, including anthologies, classics, various poetry formats, poetry novels, multicultural poetry, performance poetry, teen poetry, poet biographies, and curriculum connections. Educators, who are often unaware of the poetry resources available-particularly for young adults-will welcome this book with open arms. Lists for building a core poetry collection, along with resources for teaching poetry criticism and writing, electronic poetry resources, booktalks, classroom activities, and lesson plans complement this guide. Author, Geographic, Grade, Subject, and Title indexes are also included. For anyone interested in knowing more about poetry in literature, this is an indispensable guide.