Christmas Lessons and Activities for P–2
December is packed with excitement for children in Australia. It marks the end of the school year and the beginning of the long summer, often called ‘Christmas’, holidays and, of...
poetry
Bush Ballads, Billabongs and Bullfrogs
A couple of weeks ago, I announced the publication of a new anthology of Bedtime Ballads and Tall Tales from the Australian Bush, Tell ‘Em They’re Dreaming, in which I...
Special Days and Events for Classroom Celebrations — March
As we step into March, here in the Southern Hemisphere, we are looking forward to some cooler weather and a reprieve from summer’s heat as autumn begins. In the Northern...
Appreciating and exploring poetry in lower primary classrooms
Poetry is a wonderful tool for learning language. When children listen to or recite poetry, they are learning the rhythms and sounds of language, exploring ideas and how to express...
Celebrating Father’s Day
While many around the world celebrated Father’s Day in June, here in Australia Father’s Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in September. Since that is now just a few...
I love poems
I love poems I love poems. Children do too. Poetry is a great way of introducing children to the joy of language, as well as to features such as rhythm,...
Introducing author and poet – June Perkins
In the author spotlight this month is poet and author, June Perkins. June’s book of poetry for children Magic Fish Dreaming, was launched late last month, and it is about...
5 forms of poetry to write with children
I love to write poems. Children do too. Giving young children a simple structure or a repetitive pattern to start from gets them thinking about words, how they sound, what...