Dear Parents and Roosevelt Students

I hope that this newsletter finds you all well and ready for this next adventure in our lives! April is National Poetry Month, an initiative that allows us to explore language in new and beautiful forms. This newsletter shares some ways that you can explore poetry at home. Also included, are details for a poetry contest that we are having this month. Details are provided below. I can't wait to see what you come up with. Here's to creativity in all of its wonderful forms!

Happy Spring!

Mrs. Hassan

All the way through high school, children love to be read to and new studies show that listening to books can be just as effective at building literacy skills as reading them. So, if your child is a struggling or reluctant reader, try listening together or reading aloud.

Poetry is particularly fun to read to children. The whimsical use of language fires up kids' imaginations. Also, if you're tired, it can be a little easier to read three poems than three chapters of a book :)

Here are some links to middle school poetry.

https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2016/04/National-Poetry-Month-middle-school-high-school.html

https://www.jacquelinewoodson.com/books-ive-written/poetry/

https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/collection/poems-for-middle-school-students/

https://www.edhelper.com/poetry/Oranges_by_Gary_Soto.htm

Writing poetry doesn't have to be tough. Here is a link with some of your favorite authors. There are tutorials on different types of poetry styles. Remember to have fun with it!

http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2020/04/novels-in-verse-for-national-poetry-month-week-1-by-lisa-krok/

It all starts with a single word...

April is National Poetry Month, so it's the perfect time to get you more interested in this valuable genre of literature. Mrs. Hassan from your Roosevelt Library will be hosting a poetry competition. There is a theme and some rules, so please read below to find out what to do.

Theme - Social Distancing

Rules - Any type of poetry will do - Haiku, Limerick, Free Verse, Concrete Poetry, Cinquain -

you choose.

Poems will be submitted online through my email - ahassan1@sandi.net

1 poem per person.

Only students of RIMS - please put your first name, last name and grade on the

submissions.

Deadline- April 31, 2020

Principal Steinberger will pick the winner. Winners will be announced by May 15, 2020.

1st prize - $50 Amazon Gift Card

2nd prize- $25 Amazon Gift Card

3rd prize - $15 Amazon Gift Card

Winners will be posted on the Roosevelt website. Can't wait to see what you all come up with! Happy writing!

Ode to My Shoes

By Francisco X. Alarcón

my shoes

rest

all night

under my bed

tired

they stretch

and loosen

their laces

wide open

they fall asleep

and dream

of walking

they revisit

the places

they went to

during the day

and wake up

cheerful

relaxed

so soft

Francisco X. Alarcon, "Ode to My Shoes" from Bellybutton of the Moon. Copyright © 1998 by Francisco X. Alarcon. Reprinted by permission of Lee & Low Books.

Source: Bellybutton of the Moon and Other Summer Poems (Lee & Low Books, 1998)