Wallow in Wonder Day 26 - Not Anymore

Welcome to Day 26 of Wallow in Wonder!  For my 2016 National Poetry Month project, I will celebrate learning and writing from learning, writing poems from each daily Wonder at Wonderopolis.  As I did with my Dictionary Hike in 2012, I am looking to surprise myself with new inspiration daily.  This year, such inspiration will show up in my inbox each morning.  I will print it and carry each Wonderopolis Wonder around all day...and in the afternoon or evening, I will write and post the poem for the next day.  

I invite anyone who wishes to take this challenge too.  Just read today's wonder over at Wonderopolis, and write a poem inspired by it for tomorrow.  Share it tomorrow at your own site, and if you wish to link in my comments for others to find (or share your poem there), please feel free to do so tomorrow, the day after the Wonder is published at Wonderopolis.  If you would like to share any ways you have used Wallow in Wonder or your own site (safe for children only please), please feel free to do so in the comments.

My April Poems Thus Far

April 1 - So Suddenly - a poem inspired by Wonder #1659 

April 2 - Thankful Journal - a poem inspired by Wonder #1660

April 3 - The Storm Chaser - a poem inspired by Wonder #779

April 4 - A Jar of Glitter - a poem inspired by Wonder #641

April 5 - To Make Compost - a poem inspired by Wonder #1661

April 6 - Deciding Now - a poem inspired by Wonder #1662

April 7 - Hummingbird's Secret - a poem inspired by Wonder #1663

April 8 - Limits - a poem inspired by Wonder #1664

April 9 - Sundogs - a poem inspired by Wonder #1665

April 10 - Perspective - a poem inspired by Wonder #128

April 11 - At the History Museum - a poem inspired by Wonder #115

April 12 - Seventy-Five Years Ago Today - a poem inspired by Wonder #1666

April 13 - Homer's Poem - a poem inspired by Wonder #1667

April 14 - The Right - a poem inspired by Wonder #1668

April 15 - 5:00 am - a poem inspired by Wonder #1669

April 16 - Writing - a poem inspired by Wonder #1670

April 17 - Sometimes - a poem inspired by Wonder #194

April 18 - Once - a poem inspired by Wonder #192

April 19 - Eat It - a poem inspired by Wonder #1671

April 20 - Chatty Green Tomato - a poem inspired by Wonder #1672

April 21 - This Argument We're Having - a poem inspired by Wonder #1673

April 22 - After a Week in Foster Care - a poem inspired by Wonder #1674

April 23 - Pay Attention - a (recycled) poem inspired by Wonder #1675

April 24 - Please Don't Ask - a poem inspired by Wonder #201

April 25 - Mama Kangaroo's Poem - a poem inspired by Wonder #447

And now for Day 26!

Wonder #1676 - from April 25, 2016

Unexpected Tears

by Amy LV

Students - Today's I offer you a free verse poem.  And it's also a bit of a before and after poem, something I talked about on Day 18 regarding Once.  This is one of my more serious pieces, and I wrote it because I am feeling sad about something right now, sad about something that happened to some people I care about very much.

Poems can help us make sense of hard times, and they can help us understand our own feelings, can help us reflect.  When I read yesterday's Wonder about weather forecasting, I went in many directions at first.  I could not stop thinking about how people can be tough on those who predict weather...and how this feels unfair.  After all, there are so many things that I cannot predict, even when those events, relationships, sicknesses have signs. Sometimes signs are inaccurate...and sometimes we miss signs.  Life is like this, like weather. Perhaps this is what makes it so precious and beautiful.

Each of us pauses to stop and think at times.  And these thoughts can become the seeds for poems.  It is very important to pause to think, poems or not.  Pause. Think. It will help you live better.

Yesterday, I happily introduced teacher Emily Callahan and her students from Kansas City here to The Poem Farm.  They are a magical bunch, and I will be featuring their post all week.  It also holds a giveaway to a commenter.  So please, to learn about Popcorn and Poetry...visit HERE.

I feel very lucky to host teacher and librarian Stefanie Cole and her students from Ontario, Canada at Sharing Our Notebooks this month. This is a fantastic post full of notebook inspiration, a video clip, and a great book giveaway from Stefanie. Please check it out, and leave a comment over there to be entered into the giveaway.

Happy Day 26 of National Poetry Month 2016!

Please share a comment below if you wish.

If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.

Wallow in Wonder Day 25 - Mama Kangaroo's Poem

Welcome to Day 25 of Wallow in Wonder!  For my 2016 National Poetry Month project, I will celebrate learning and writing from learning, writing poems from each daily Wonder at Wonderopolis.  As I did with my Dictionary Hike in 2012, I am looking to surprise myself with new inspiration daily.  This year, such inspiration will show up in my inbox each morning.  I will print it and carry each Wonderopolis Wonder around all day...and in the afternoon or evening, I will write and post the poem for the next day.  

I invite anyone who wishes to take this challenge too.  Just read today's wonder over at Wonderopolis, and write a poem inspired by it for tomorrow.  Share it tomorrow at your own site, and if you wish to link in my comments for others to find (or share your poem there), please feel free to do so tomorrow, the day after the Wonder is published at Wonderopolis.  If you would like to share any ways you have used Wallow in Wonder or your own site (safe for children only please), please feel free to do so in the comments.

My April Poems Thus Far

April 1 - So Suddenly - a poem inspired by Wonder #1659 

April 2 - Thankful Journal - a poem inspired by Wonder #1660

April 3 - The Storm Chaser - a poem inspired by Wonder #779

April 4 - A Jar of Glitter - a poem inspired by Wonder #641

April 5 - To Make Compost - a poem inspired by Wonder #1661

April 6 - Deciding Now - a poem inspired by Wonder #1662

April 7 - Hummingbird's Secret - a poem inspired by Wonder #1663

April 8 - Limits - a poem inspired by Wonder #1664

April 9 - Sundogs - a poem inspired by Wonder #1665

April 10 - Perspective - a poem inspired by Wonder #128

April 11 - At the History Museum - a poem inspired by Wonder #115

April 12 - Seventy-Five Years Ago Today - a poem inspired by Wonder #1666

April 13 - Homer's Poem - a poem inspired by Wonder #1667

April 14 - The Right - a poem inspired by Wonder #1668

April 15 - 5:00 am - a poem inspired by Wonder #1669

April 16 - Writing - a poem inspired by Wonder #1670

April 17 - Sometimes - a poem inspired by Wonder #194

April 18 - Once - a poem inspired by Wonder #192

April 19 - Eat It - a poem inspired by Wonder #1671

April 20 - Chatty Green Tomato - a poem inspired by Wonder #1672

April 21 - This Argument We're Having - a poem inspired by Wonder #1673

April 22 - After a Week in Foster Care - a poem inspired by Wonder #1674

April 23 - Pay Attention - a (recycled) poem inspired by Wonder #1675

April 24 - Please Don't Ask - a poem inspired by Wonder #201

And now for Day 24!

Wonder #447 - from April 24, 2016

Poems Come in All Shapes

by Amy LV

Students - This is my third animal mask - or persona - poem so far of Wallow in Wonder.  On April 7, I shared Hummingbird's Secret, and on April 13, I shared Homer's Poem.  I very much like writing in the voices of others: animals, plants, and objects.  It is fun for me to try on different lives and write poetry from these lives!

Today's poem grew from yesterday's kangaroo-pocket wonder and also from the fact that last Thursday, April 21, 2016, was Poem in Your Pocket Day.  It is interesting to me to explore which things in my life fold in and weave in and blend in together to make a poem.  A kangaroo and Poem in Your Pocket Day...of course!

And once again, there is a connection between yesterday's poem and today's poem.  Can you discover what it is?  Go back to yesterday's poem and see if you can figure it out.  Did you notice something about the structure of these two poems? Is it something you can imagine yourself trying in a poem yourself?

I have a very special Poetry Peek up at The Poem Farm this week.  Teacher Emily Callahan and her fourth grade poets from Kansas City have shared a beautiful post all about the many ways they celebrate poetry together.  You can read the post and enter the giveaway, running through April 30, HERE.

Too, if you have not yet seen the post by teacher and librarian Stefanie Cole and her students from Ontario, Canada at Sharing Our Notebooks this month, please stop by. This is a fantastic post full of notebook inspiration, a video clip, and a great book giveaway from Stefanie. Please check it out, and leave a comment over there to be entered into the giveaway.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.

Wallow in Wonder Day 18 (Poems Can Be Sad) - Once

Welcome to Day 18 of Wallow in Wonder!  For my 2016 National Poetry Month project, I will celebrate learning and writing from learning, writing poems from each daily Wonder at Wonderopolis.  As I did with my Dictionary Hike in 2012, I am looking to surprise myself with new inspiration daily.  This year, such inspiration will show up in my inbox each morning.  I will print it and carry each Wonderopolis Wonder around all day...and in the afternoon or evening, I will write and post the poem for the next day.  

I invite anyone who wishes to take this challenge too.  Just read today's wonder over at Wonderopolis, and write a poem inspired by it for tomorrow.  Share it tomorrow at your own site, and if you wish to link in my comments for others to find (or share your poem there), please feel free to do so tomorrow, the day after the Wonder is published at Wonderopolis.  If you would like to share any ways you have used Wallow in Wonder or your own site (safe for children only please), please link to the #WallowInWonder padlet.

My April Poems Thus Far

April 1 - So Suddenly - a poem inspired by Wonder #1659 

April 2 - Thankful Journal - a poem inspired by Wonder #1660

April 3 - The Storm Chaser - a poem inspired by Wonder #779

April 4 - A Jar of Glitter - a poem inspired by Wonder #641

April 5 - To Make Compost - a poem inspired by Wonder #1661

April 6 - Deciding Now - a poem inspired by Wonder #1662

April 7 - Hummingbird's Secret - a poem inspired by Wonder #1663

April 8 - Limits - a poem inspired by Wonder #1664

April 9 - Sundogs - a poem inspired by Wonder #1665

April 10 - Perspective - a poem inspired by Wonder #128

April 11 - At the History Museum - a poem inspired by Wonder #115

April 12 - Seventy-Five Years Ago Today - a poem inspired by Wonder #1666

April 13 - Homer's Poem - a poem inspired by Wonder #1667

April 14 - The Right - a poem inspired by Wonder #1668

April 15 - 5:00 am - a poem inspired by Wonder #1669

April 16 - Writing - a poem inspired by Wonder #1670

April 17 - Sometimes - a poem inspired by Wonder #194

And now for Day 18!

Wonder #192 - from April 17, 2016

Birthday Tree

by Amy LV

Students - Last week on a school visit, a young boy shared his poem with me.  It was a poem about when his family had to sell the dog  he loved very much because they were no longer able care for it.  The poets' words made very clear how much he missed this dog, and I began thinking about the value of sharing our stories, the sad ones as well as the happy ones.

Sometimes stories are not all true, though. Sometimes we pieces stories together like quilt fabrics: a little from here, a little from there, and such is the case with today's poem.

This is not a true story for me, though I would say that the poem is true as it weaves true fabrics into one new quilt. Our yard does indeed have a cherry tree, and we have given our children trees for birthdays (though we do not picnic under them). My parents are divorced.  And I know someone whose life was recently broken into a heartbreaking before and after.  So parts of this poem are true...but the story is not exactly true. 

Since yesterday's Wonder at Wonderopolis spoke to the Japanese 1912 gift of Sakura, or cherry trees to the US, I began thinking about trees as gifts. Too, it was a beautiful day outside, and I was right near our own cherry tree...right near our barn.  And I was feeling sad for this person I know who is grieving a loss.  This is the poem that wanted to be written.

Today's poem is free verse, as it has no regular rhyme or meter.  I may come back to tinker with it later.  But for now, it's staying.

You might look at this poem as a kind of before/after poem.  The first stanza tells all about the before-time.  Then there is a line, all by itself, indicating a big change. The third stanza describes all about the after-time.  It reminds me a bit of  the picture book WHEN I WAS FIVE by Arthur Howard, only the change line in this picture book is a happy one.  

Available through IndieBound

Feel free to write a before/after poem yourself.  It can be true, fictional, or hold bits of each.  And you don't have to tell which is which if you do not want to.

Sometimes people assume that my poems all happened to me.  But many lines in my poems come from truths I have observed in others lives, from books I have read, and from scenes I have imagined.

This month I host teacher and librarian Stefanie Cole and her students from Ontario, Canada at Sharing Our Notebooks. This is a fantastic post full of notebook inspiration, a video clip, and a great book giveaway from Stefanie. Please check it out, and leave a comment over there to be entered into the giveaway.

Happy Day 18 of National Poetry Month 2016!  

Please share a comment below if you wish.

If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.

Wallow in Wonder Day 17 - Sometimes

Welcome to Day 17 of Wallow in Wonder!  For my 2016 National Poetry Month project, I will celebrate learning and writing from learning, writing poems from each daily Wonder at Wonderopolis.  As I did with my Dictionary Hike in 2012, I am looking to surprise myself with new inspiration daily.  This year, such inspiration will show up in my inbox each morning.  I will print it and carry each Wonderopolis Wonder around all day...and in the afternoon or evening, I will write and post the poem for the next day.  

I invite anyone who wishes to take this challenge too.  Just read today's wonder over at Wonderopolis, and write a poem inspired by it for tomorrow.  Share it tomorrow at your own site, and if you wish to link in my comments for others to find (or share your poem there), please feel free to do so tomorrow, the day after the Wonder is published at Wonderopolis.  If you would like to share any ways you have used Wallow in Wonder or your own site (safe for children only please), please link to the #WallowInWonder padlet.

My April Poems Thus Far

April 1 - So Suddenly - a poem inspired by Wonder #1659 

April 2 - Thankful Journal - a poem inspired by Wonder #1660

April 3 - The Storm Chaser - a poem inspired by Wonder #779

April 4 - A Jar of Glitter - a poem inspired by Wonder #641

April 5 - To Make Compost - a poem inspired by Wonder #1661

April 6 - Deciding Now - a poem inspired by Wonder #1662

April 7 - Hummingbird's Secret - a poem inspired by Wonder #1663

April 8 - Limits - a poem inspired by Wonder #1664

April 9 - Sundogs - a poem inspired by Wonder #1665

April 10 - Perspective - a poem inspired by Wonder #128

April 11 - At the History Museum - a poem inspired by Wonder #115

April 12 - Seventy-Five Years Ago Today - a poem inspired by Wonder #1666

April 13 - Homer's Poem - a poem inspired by Wonder #1667

April 14 - The Right - a poem inspired by Wonder #1668

April 15 - 5:00 am - a poem inspired by Wonder #1669

April 16 - Writing - a poem inspired by Wonder #1670

And now for Day 17!

Wonder #194 - from April 16, 2016

Thank You, Everybody!

by Amy LV

Students - You may be hearing your parents or adults around you talking about taxes this week. It has sure been the talk of our house!  That's because tomorrow, Monday, April 18 is this year's deadline for Americans to file their taxes. That means it's the day when we each turn in what we owe to the government to keep things running smoothly here in our country. 

As the Wonderopolis Wonder explains, sometimes grown-ups complain about tax day.  It is difficult to pay a lot of money and sometimes it's difficult to figure out how much to pay as the whole process involves lots of paperwork.  However, paying taxes helps all of us: our community helpers are paid by taxes, schools are covered by taxes, libraries, roads, parks...so much.  Paying taxes reminds me a little bit of going to a restaurant, getting the bill, and splitting it up, each paying a share.  We enjoyed the meal, and we must pay for it.

At first, I did not think that this would be an inspiring Wonder to write a poem from (I complained to my family), but honestly, I am glad it was the Wonder of the day yesterday.  See, this Wonder helped me to see taxes a little bit differently.  Now, though I may sigh a bit tomorrow, I am reminded of how many great things I have in my life thanks to everyone who chips in each April.  

Be willing to be open to assignments.  Even if you do not think you like a topic sometimes, you may find that it can teach you something.  This happened to me today.

Today's poem is not a rhyming poem (until the last couplet) so to make it sound like a poem, I had fun playing with the rhythm and just a little bit of repetition.

It is wonderful to host middle school teacher and librarian Stefanie Cole and her students from Ontario, Canada at Sharing Our Notebooks all month long. This is a fantastic post full of notebook inspiration, a video clip, and a great book giveaway from Stefanie.

Happy Day 17 of National Poetry Month 2016!  

Please share a comment below if you wish.

If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.

Wonder Wallow Day 12 - Why Are There Seven Days in a Week?

Welcome to Day 10 of Wallow in Wonder!  For my 2016 National Poetry Month project, I will celebrate learning and writing from learning, writing poems from each daily Wonder at Wonderopolis.  As I did with my Dictionary Hike in 2012, I am looking to surprise myself with new inspiration daily.  This year, such inspiration will show up in my inbox each morning.  I will print it and carry each Wonderopolis Wonder around all day...and in the afternoon or evening, I will write and post the poem for the next day.  

I invite anyone who wishes to take this challenge too.  Just read today's wonder over at Wonderopolis, and write a poem inspired by it for tomorrow.  Share it tomorrow at your own site, and if you wish to link in my comments for others to find (or share your poem there), please feel free to do so tomorrow, the day after the Wonder is published at Wonderopolis.  If you would like to share any ways you have used Wallow in Wonder or your own site (safe for children only please), please link to the #WallowInWonder padlet.

My April Poems Thus Far

April 1 - So Suddenly - a poem inspired by Wonder #1659 

April 2 - Thankful Journal - a poem inspired by Wonder #1660

April 3 - The Storm Chaser - a poem inspired by Wonder #779

April 4 - A Jar of Glitter - a poem inspired by Wonder #641

April 5 - To Make Compost - a poem inspired by Wonder #1661

April 6 - Deciding Now - a poem inspired by Wonder #1662

April 7 - Hummingbird's Secret - a poem inspired by Wonder #1663

April 8 - Limits - a poem inspired by Wonder #1664

April 9 - Sundogs - a poem inspired by Wonder #1665

April 10 - Perspective - a poem inspired by Wonder #128

April 11 - At the History Museum - a poem inspired by Wonder #115

And now for Day 12!

Wonder #1666 - from April 11, 2016

Daily Notes

by Amy LV

Students - You probably already know that I love notebooks.  After all, I keep a whole blog about notebooks - Sharing Our Notebooks.  So when I began thinking and jotting in my notebook about yesterday's wonder, "Why Are There Seven Days in a Week?" I got to thinking about recording things over time.

Many people like to keep logs of weather.  These may be be small date books or leather journals, or even books made for recording weather such as this one - THE WEATHER WIZARD'S FIVE YEAR DIARY.  Keeping track of weather teaches people about their surroundings and also lets them look back to see patterns in weather over time.  You can find and read examples of these notebooks such as this one by John Andrew.

Scientists today are even using crowd-sourcing methods (having many people help with small pieces of a project through the Internet) to learn about weather of the past and to project future weather.  You can see an example of this at Old Weather where the scientists are studying old ships' logs for weather observations.

Keep your eyes open when you visit flea markets; you might just find an old weather diary yourself!  If you'd like to keep a weather journal, you might look at this one.  You could use it, or you could make your own. Then, your children's children's children can see what the weather today is like - because you wrote it down!

Today was going to be a free verse day, but when I got writing, the poem wanted to rhyme. That happens sometimes!

This poem introduces a character who goes back in time reading a great-grandfather's weather notebook. Yesterday's poem introduced a character who imagined back in time and future in time too.  I often wonder if the themes in daily poems come from somewhere deep inside a writer.  How could they not?

Oh, and in case you were wondering if today's poem is true...it is not.  As far as I know, none of my great-grandfathers kept weather notebooks.  My mom's mom's dad did keep family scrapbooks, but no weather notebooks.

You can read another poem inspired by Wonder #1666 if you visit Wonder Lead Ambassador, literacy advocate, teacher, and writer Paul Hankins at his Wonder Ground blog where he, too, is writing daily poems from Wonderopolis wonders.  He and I are in this together daily and some other writers are joining in on the fun sometimes too. All are welcome to wonder through poems with us.

Please don't miss a blog post at my other blog!  Middle school teacher and librarian Stefanie Cole and her students from Ontario, Canada are visiting Sharing Our Notebooks this month.  This is a wonderful post  full of notebook inspiration, a video clip, and a great book giveaway from Stefanie.

Happy Day 12 of National Poetry Month 2016!  

Please share a comment below if you wish.

If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.

Wallow in Wonder Day 8 - Why Can't You Drive as Fast as You Want?

Welcome to Day 8 of Wallow in Wonder!  For my 2016 National Poetry Month project, I will celebrate learning and writing from learning, writing poems from each daily Wonder at Wonderopolis.  As I did with my Dictionary Hike in 2012, I am looking to surprise myself with new inspiration daily.  This year, such inspiration will show up in my inbox each morning.  I will print it and carry each Wonderopolis Wonder around all day...and in the afternoon or evening, I will write and post the poem for the next day.  

I invite anyone who wishes to take this challenge too.  Just read today's wonder over at Wonderopolis, and write a poem inspired by it for tomorrow.  Share it tomorrow at your own site, and if you wish to link in my comments for others to find (or share your poem there), please feel free to do so tomorrow, the day after the Wonder is published at Wonderopolis.  If you would like to share any ways you have used Wallow in Wonder or your own site (safe for children only please), please link to the #WallowInWonder padlet.

My April Poems Thus Far

April 1 - So Suddenly - a poem inspired by Wonder #1659 

April 2 - Thankful Journal - a poem inspired by Wonder #1660

April 3 - The Storm Chaser - a poem inspired by Wonder #779

April 4 - A Jar of Glitter - a poem inspired by Wonder #641

April 5 - To Make Compost - a poem inspired by Wonder #1661

April 6 - Deciding Now - a poem inspired by Wonder #1662

April 7 - Hummingbird's Secret - a poem inspired by Wonder #1663

And now for Day 8!

Wonder #1664 - from April 7, 2016

Thinking First

by Amy LV

Students - I value kindness more than anything else.  And even though this is true, sometimes I say mean things.  But poetry helps me be kinder, and so do songs. Sometimes I think that poems and songs are like little kindness limit signs for me, just like in the picture you see above.

Writing can sometimes help us remember who we want to be.  I want to be kinder.  What do you want to be?  You may wish to write about that thing.  Not only will it be interesting writing; it may help you reach your own goal.

Today's poem does rhyme.  What do you notice about the rhyming words in this one?  And meter-wise, some of you may notice that the last line has many fewer syllables than the others.  Why do you think so? 

My friend Barry Lane writes many beautiful songs about kindness, and sometimes I am lucky enough to work with him on bits and pieces of them.  Teachers - if you are interested in teaching about good character from a pro-kindness standpoint rather than an anti-bullying standpoint, read Barry's teacher book about working and teaching toward kindness, FORCE FIELD FOR GOOD.

One of my favorite songs from this album is "Sammy Miller."  You can listen to it below.

Remember - words change us.  And words change the people around us too.  We make our own limits.

Today's poem may be partly inspired by Deciding Now from two days ago. There are times when my writing keeps me on a theme for a bit. We will see if this continues.

You can read another poem inspired by Wonder #1664 if you visit Wonder Lead Ambassador, literacy advocate, teacher, and writer Paul Hankins at his Wonder Ground blog where he, too, is writing daily poems from Wonderopolis wonders.  He and I are in this together daily and some other writers are joining in on the fun sometimes too. All are welcome to wonder through poems with us.

Today, should you leave a comment, you will be entered into a giveaway generously offered by Barry Lane - 3 Barry CDs to one winner, and I will draw the name on Sunday evening.  Please be sure to leave a way to contact you.  Thank you, Barry!

I am so happy to be hosting middle school teacher and librarian Stefanie Cole and her students from Ontario, Canada to Sharing Our Notebooks this month.  Do not miss this post; it is full of notebook inspiration, a video clip, and a great book giveaway from Stefanie.

Today's Poetry Friday fiesta (all are always welcome!) is over at Laura's place, Writing the World for Kids. Have fun over there!

Happy Day 8 of National Poetry Month 2016!  

Please share a comment below if you wish.

Wallow in Wonder Day #5 - What is Fertilizer?

Welcome to Day 5 of Wallow in Wonder!  For my 2016 National Poetry Month project, I will celebrate learning and writing from learning, writing poems from each daily Wonder at Wonderopolis.  As I did with my Dictionary Hike in 2012, I am looking to surprise myself with new inspiration daily.  This year, such inspiration will show up in my inbox each morning.  I will print it and carry each Wonderopolis Wonder around all day...and in the afternoon or evening, I will write and post the poem for the next day.  

I invite anyone who wishes to take this challenge too.  Just read today's wonder over at Wonderopolis, and write a poem inspired by it for tomorrow.  Share it tomorrow at your own site, and if you wish to link in my comments for others to find (or share your poem there), please feel free to do so tomorrow, the day after the Wonder is published at Wonderopolis.

My April Poems Thus Far

April 1 - So Suddenly - a poem inspired by Wonder #1659 

April 2 - Thankful Journal - a poem inspired by Wonder #1660

April 3 - The Storm Chaser - a poem inspired by Wonder #779

April 4 - A Jar of Glitter - a poem inspired by Wonder #641

And now for Day 5!

Wonder #1661 - from April 4, 2015

Composting!

by Amy LV

Students - Today's poem is an abecederian, a type of poem that I have only written once before - Gifts, back in 2010.  If you don't already know what an abecederian is, take a good look at today's poem and see if you can figure out what is special about this form.  I bet you can.

Got it?

If not, I will tell you. An abecederian is a poem that goes right through the alphabet, beginning each line with a successive letter, starting with the first and ending with the last.  There are variations if you wish to study abecederians, but this is a simple explanation.  It's a strange form to write, kind of fill-in-the-blank-y...which is not my usual favorite type of writing.  But somehow, the exercise of needing to use the letters stretches my imagination to say things in different ways than I might otherwise.

One resource I found helpful in writing this was an online resource - The Lerner's Dictionary.  Any dictionary will do!  When a poem takes a certain form, the writer must take extra care to ensure meaning.  The form should not interfere or distract from meaning in any way.

I first learned about compost piles from my wonderful sixth grade teacher, Mr. Joe Fron who grew a garden with my class.  I still think of him often, and I am grateful to have had him as one of my life-changing teachers.  We do not always know in the moment who will change our lives forever, but as we get older, we figure it out.  So, when I read today's wonder, "What is fertilizer?" of course I thought of compost.

If you are interested in learning more about composting, watch this video at National Geographic and too, check out How to Compost.org.

You can read another poem inspired by fertilizer if you visit Wonder Lead Ambassador, literacy advocate, teacher, and writer Paul Hankins at his Wonder Ground blog where he, too, is writing daily poems from Wonderopolis wonders.  He and I are in this together daily and some other writers are joining in on the fun sometimes too. All are welcome to wonder through poems with us.

I could not be happier to welcome middle school teacher and librarian Stefanie Cole and her students from Ontario, Canada to Sharing Our Notebooks this month.  Do not miss this post; it is full of notebook inspiration, a video clip, and a cool giveaway from Stefanie!

Happy Day 5 of National Poetry Month 2016!

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