Wonderstruck!

Hello again, everyone!


It has been awhile since our last blog entry, so here is a new one. (I can't believe that it is already February! Wow, the school year is just flying by...!)


First, here is a great link to our latest novel study, "Wonderstruck" by Brian Selznick (thanks Ankita!) :


http://www.scholastic.com/wonderstruck/


While you are there, you can watch a video from Brian Selznick, and see how to 'fingerspell' your name or a few words! Then, follow the stars to review some of the main ideas.

Now, read the following poem about a wolf, and tell me what you think about it...'bye for now! ~ Mrs. Kutertan :)

A Night With a Wolf (excerpt)
By Bayard Taylor  
High on the lonely mountain
Where the wild men watched and waited;
Wolves in the forest, and bears in the bush,
And I on my path belated.

The rain and the night together
Came down, and the wind came after,
Bending the props of the pine tree roof
And snapping many a rafter…
 
There, from the blowing and raining,
Crouching I sought to hide me;
Something rustled, two green eyes shone,
And a wolf lay down beside me.
 
Little one, be not frightened;
I and the wolf together,
Side be side through the long, long night,
Hid from the awful weather.

His wet fur pressed against me;
Each of us warmed the other;
Each of us felt in the stormy dark
That beast and man was brother...  

Mystery Man

I like this poem so much, that I have posted it before! What do you think? Do you like it...or not so much? Who is this mysterious 'man'? Any ideas...(hint: Think about the title! :)?


Windy Nights
by Robert Louis Stevenson


Whenever the moon and stars are set,
Whenever the wind is high,
All night long in the dark and wet,
A man goes riding by.
Late in the night when the fires are out,
Why does he gallop and gallop about?

Whenever the trees are crying aloud,
And ships are tossed at sea,
By, on the highway, low and loud,
By at the gallop goes he.
By at the gallop he goes, and then
By he comes back at the gallop again.

Is art poetry?

Try this out -- then write a poem about your new little friend!

http://www.drawastickman.com/gallery.htm?p=18

Have fun! :)

Mrs. Kutertan

Welcome Back!!

Hello and Welcome Back to Everyone!
I am really looking forward to teaching and learning with you this year! I hope you will all enjoy our BLOG!! :) So many of you were at the CNE this summer and I got to thinking: I wonder what THEME you would have chosen for our CNE chair? Here is a picture of the chair that last year's class designed and painted. The theme was "We all belong at the CNE"! What would you like to paint on the chair if we enter the competition next year?

Also, I would like you to read and respond to this poem:

"The milkweed pods are breaking,
And the bits of silken down
Float off upon the autumn breeze
Across the meadows brown."
- Cecil Cavendish, The Milkweed

I thought of it, because I saw a Monarch butterfly in my garden and learned that, the Monarch butterflies that we see at the end of August will fly all the way to MEXICO, in one trip, before they lay their eggs and rest. That seems incredible to me!

What do you think?
- Ms. Kutertan

Is Music "Poetry"?

Happy Poetry Month! Is music "poetry"? How are they the same? How are they different?

1. Try this out:
Click some squares and see what you can create:

(You will need to copy this link into the bar at the top of your screen. This will take you away from our blog, but you know the way back...just use the 'back arrow' at the top left of your screen!)

http://biancavirina.tumblr.com/post/2665295375/click-the-squares-the-whole-world-needs-to



2. Now, finish this with as many words as it takes to tell me what YOU think: "Poetry is..."

The Amazing Full Moon

Tonight there is SUCH a beautiful full moon! In fact, I have discovered that tonight it is the closest that the moon has been to our Earth since 1993 (long before any of you were even born!!). So, in honour of tonight's moon, here are a few moon poems...Just a note: when I was in grade 5 (which was well before 1993 and the last, very close full moon - practically ancient history!), I had to memorize and recite the poem Silver by Walter de la Mare. I remember being quite nervous about this, but I also remember liking the poem quite a lot. I still do not know what the word "shoon" means...or "casements"...maybe we should look these up together? Anyway, here are the moon poems that I chose for us to consider. I will look forward to reading your ideas and connections that you write about! :) And by the way, I hope you are all having a fabulous March Break!

Silver
by Walter de la Mare

Slowly, silently, now the moon
Walks the night in her silver shoon;
This way, and that, she peers, and sees
Silver fruit upon silver trees;
One by one the casements catch
Her beams beneath the silvery thatch;
Couched in his kennel, like a log,
With paws of silver sleeps the dog;
From their shadowy coat the white breasts peep
Of doves in a silver-feathered sleep;
A harvest mouse goes scampering by,
With silver claws, and silver eye;
And moveless fish in the water gleam,
By silver reeds in a silver stream.

This next one is a bit tricky, but I think that of all the moon poems I found, I like this one the very best, even though there are some complicated ideas and words...like "constancy" (which means to be stable, never changing, faithful, true, loyal, unwavering...does this help?), and even though it is a little sad...my favourite line is "wandering companionless": It sounds so lonely. I would not want to be wandering around like that, without a friend (companion). Now I am feeling a little sorry for tonight's lovely moon...Please write about your ideas and thoughts!

To the Moon
by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Art thou pale for weariness
Of climbing heaven and gazing on the earth,
Wandering companionless
Among the stars that have a different birth,
And ever changing, like a Joyless eye
That finds no object worth its constancy?

I also find that the poet's middle name is a very interesting one...!
Looking forward to hearing your ideas! - Ms. K.

Windy October

I was listening to the wind last night and thought about these two poems. I wonder which one you like better? Don't forget to tell me why...!

Windy Nights

By Robert Louis Stevenson

Whenever the moon and stars are set,
Whenever the wind is high,
All night long in the dark and wet,
A man goes riding by.

Late in the night when the fires are out,
Why does he gallop and gallop about?

Whenever the trees are crying aloud,
And ships are tossed at sea,

By, on the highway, low and loud,
By at the gallop goes he.
By at the gallop he goes, and then
By he comes back at the gallop again.

Who do you think the man is?

While you are thinking about that, here is the second poem:

Who has seen the wind?

by Christina Georgina Rosetti

 

Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you.
But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I.
But when the trees bow down their heads,
The wind is passing by.

I'm looking forward to reading about your ideas!



...And A Video Clip to Consider, Too

I found this video clip and thought it was a very creative way to communicate this poem....what do you think? - Ms. K.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PqRhDdeKDA

Thoughts about The RED Wheelbarrow...

The Red Wheelbarrow
by William Carlos Williams

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens

...hmmmm. This is a poem I would like you to read and consider. Here are some questions to get you started:
What do you think about it?
Why do you think the poet wrote it?
Do you like it? If yes, what do you like about it?
If you don't like it, why not?
Include any comments you would like.

There are no right or wrong answers! I'm looking forward to reading about your ideas. Thanks for sharing them with me...!