Poetry Friday: On a Flake-Flying Day
This week’s Poetry Friday host is Jama at Jama’s Alphabet Soup. https://jamarattigan.com/
On a Flake-Flying Day
Millbrook Press, 2023
On a Flake-Flying Day is another book in Buffy Silverman’s season series. You can see a preview of the beautiful pages here. It comes out officially next Tuesday (October 3). This one focuses on the wonders of winter. It’s complete with Buffy’s signature poetic language and paired with Millbrook Press’s amazing photo illustrations.
In fact, it’s what I call “Poem as Picture Book.” Think of Joyce Sidman’s We Are Branches, April Pulley Sayre’s weather series like Raindrops Rolls and Feel the Fog. All of those are essentially illustrated poems. I especially love nonfiction picture books that combine facts and poetry.
Because I’ve been teaching more than two decades, the first thing I think about when I read a picture book is: how can I use this with kids?
For each line of poetry, the back matter explains the science behind the words. The phrase “owl listens” in the text is paired with a paragraph of information about how important owl’s hearing is in finding food in the winter. Because there’s so much science embedded in the text and in the back matter, it’s a perfect read aloud that allows students to dive deeper into the animal adaptations and seasonal changes that accompany winter.
Here are some of the others ways, I’d use it in the classroom or library:
- Science–Seasonal changes
- Writing–poetry (rhyming, ekphrastic, science poetry)
- Writing–vivid verbs and other specific word choices
- Thinking routines using the photos first
- Language Arts–Compare and contrast with other titles like Best in Snow by April Pulley Sayre
- Nature Walks–All of Buffy’s books are perfect for taking a nature walk and then talking about what students saw in nature. Did they see something similar? Or if students live in a different climate–how are the seasons different?
I also highly recommend Buffy Silverman’s other titles about the seasons as well.
Haiku of the Week
construction site
rimmed with water lilies
hushes fall with trees
Haiku & Photo © 2023 Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Photo Taken: July 27, 2023 at EC Lawrence Park
Haiku Written: August 30, 2023
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What I’m Noticing
We spent a very rainy weekend near Colonial Beach, Virginia and visited Westmoreland State Park. This was the first bit of dry weather after downpours from Ophelia for three days. The Potomac was raging most of the weekend. I’ve never quite seen a river thrash like an ocean until this past weekend. I spent a lot of time reading and sleeping. Finally, a breakthrough of sunshine on Sunday afternoon allowed us to spend a little bit of time outside.
22 Comments
jama
Thanks for spotlighting Buffy’s new book! It’s such a great series. Liked your list of suggestions for classroom application too. Lovely haiku!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you, Jama!
Irene Latham
Marcie, I’m glad the weather has improved. Buffy’s books are most definitely poetry! Such deliberate word choice! And your haiku/phot is lovely. I’ve been reading a lot about Monet, so water lilies on my mind. xo
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you so much! I love water lilies!
Tracey Kiff-Judson
Beautiful water lilies and haiku, Marcie! I love the brooding feel of your Colonial Beach picture.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Oh yes! This when it was so much better–the day after the rain!
Linda Baie
I am ready to read Buffy’s latest book, know it will be wonderful! Thanks for the peek, Marcie! And for your own season haiku! I hope you’re not getting this latest rain they’re talking about back east & the weather continued good!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
You will love Buffy’s new book!
Rose Cappelli
Buffy’s books are wonderful! Thanks for showcasing them here. Glad you got a bit of a weather reprieve. Love those water lilies.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Rose, it was so great to see you on Friday!
Molly Hogan
Buffy’s books are wonderful and this one looks like a fantastic addition to the series. I appreciated your review and your list of possible ways to use the book with students. As always, I also enjoyed your photo and haiku. Water lilies are just so lovely.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
It IS a fantastic addition to her season series.
Buffy Silverman
Thank you, Marcie, for the great review–I love your ideas for how to use ON A FLAKE-FLYING DAY in the classroom. And I love your water lily photo and haiku. Thanks also to everyone who commented!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
So glad, Buffy!
Mary Lee
Buffy’s fall book was a hit with my after school kiddos last year. I can’t wait for my January cycle of lessons to use this new one! So rich with possibilities!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yay! So glad they love Buffy’s books!
Linda
I love Buffy’s books and can’t wait to add this one to my collection. Another lovely photo and haiku!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
You will love it!
Denise Krebs
Marcie, pretty water lilies. I like the titles of all of Buffy’s books–so lyrical. They do look beautiful. Thank you for the review. Also, I received a wonderful package yesterday from you. Thank you so much for all the poetry goodness. “Tent” is one of my favorites.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
So glad it arrived!
Karen Edmisten
Oooh, your haiku is lovely, as is that photograph. Thanks for pointing us to Buffy’s new book!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you, Karen!