Poems for Emergent Literacy

The Worm
There's nothing really firm
About a wriggly, wiggly worm—
When you hold him in your hand,
It's just too much to stand,
And he's very apt to land
(Not quite as you have planned)
Upon the ground below—
Or even on your toe.
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Memorize this poem to be ready to recite when children spontaneouslyfindworms
outdoors. It is also a great one to post next to a worm composting bin or ifyou plan to
have worms in the sensory table! Help the children learn it in preparation for a worm
day; pair the poem with the musical/kinesthetic experience of dancing with a short piece
of brown yarn to Hap Palmer's "Walter the Waltzing Worm" on the audiotape by the
same name.
Show Fish
I found aflounderand I thought, "Swell,
I'll take it to school for show and tell."
But I forgot, for quite a spell,
To take it to school for show and tell,
And now it's two weeks later... .Well...
I'll take it to school for show and smell.
She l Silverstein
Do you include a show and tell or sharingtimeas part ofyour classroom routine? This
is a cute poem to use to introduce the guidelines for appropriate items. It can be posted
on or near the basket in which children place their sharing items. It begs for cute
illustrations to help children remember the poem by associated pictures!
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The Swing
How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!
Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside—
Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown—
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!
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Robert Louis Stevenson
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This clhssic beloved poem should not be lost on the next generation of children! It is an
easy one for teachers to memorize—at least starting with the first verse! Sharing it with
the children as they are swinging is one of the greatest joys of teaching! Saying it in
rhythm with the child's swing speaks to the best of what we know about helping children
to actuallyfeel the rhythm of poetry. Share this one with parents.
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Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, show your shoe.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, that will do.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, go upstairs.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, say your prayers.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn out the light.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, say goodnight.
Source Unknown
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This is a fun classic poem to demonstrate with a teddy bear. I usually use Corduroy the
bear after reading Corduroy stories. For a kinesthetic activity, the children can say and
do the actions. For older children, provide brown and black heavy paper, fur scraps^
wiggly eyes, markers, scissors, glue, hole punches, and brad fasteners. Talk about the
parts of a teddy bear. Encourage them to make their own bears and secure the parts
together with the brads so that the parts can move to make the indicated motions. Send
them home with copies of the poem. For younger children as a family literacy activity,
put a small teddy bear in a can or tote bag along with a laminated copy of the poem, an
audiotape of the reading of the poem, and a suggestion that parents might try centering
their bedtime routine around the poem for a change of pace!
Five Brown Buns
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Five brown buns in the bakery shop.
Five brown buns with the sugar on the top.
Along came
with a penny in her/his hand.
Bought one bun and away s/he ran!
Source Unknown
Out of brown felt, make five bun shapes for the felt board Decorate each one uniquely
with glitter, sequins,frostyfabric paint, or other craft items that resemble sugar. Adda
colorful felt sign: bakery shop. Give the first five children a penny each. When }he
child's name is said, s/he comes up, gives you the penny, and selects a bun.
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Jack-o-Lanterns
This is Jack-o-happy
This is Jack-o-sad
This is Jack-o-sleepy
This is Jack-o-mad
This is Jack-o-large
This is Jack-o-small
This is Jack-o-pumpkin pie
The very best of all!
Anonymous
I introduce this poem as a felt board activity at group time. Six felt jack-o-lanterns are
decorated to correspond with their names and are accompanied by one felt pumpkin pie.
I ask the children to make their faces look like the jack-o-lantern in question and we rub
our tummies for the pumpkin pie. After they are familiar with the poem, the felt figures
are available duringfreeplay for the children to reenact this themselves. For older
children, include cards with the names on them for them to match. This activity could
also be incorporated into the magnet center by decorating juice can lids for jack-olanterns (felt pieces and craft glue work well) and attaching self-adhesive magnetic tape
to the back Make several check-out sets to send home with a copy of the poem. Given
enough time andjuice can lids, each child could make a set for the refrigerator at home.
This activity is alsofun when seven children at atimeplay the parts, each wearing a sign
to identify the part and using only facial expressions and body language to convey the
meaning.
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Grandpa Dropped His Glasses
Grandpa dropped his glasses once
In a pot of dye,
And when he put them on again
He saw a purple sky.
Purple fires were rising up
From a purple hill,
Men were grinding purple cider
At a purple mill.
Purple Adeline was playing
With a purple doll;
Little purple dragon flies
Were crawling up the wall.
And at the supper-table
He got crazy as a loon
From eating purple apple dumplings
With a purple spoon.
LeroyF. Jackson
After the children are familiar with this poem, create a class big book by putting lots of
purple paint at the easel along with some other colors. Have children paint their favorite
scene inspired by the poem; write the line on their page. Laminate and bind the book
For smaller books, use lots of purple crayons along with other colors. You will probably
have more than one book depending on the size of the class. Send them home in tote bags/
for children to read to their families. Pair this poem with the book Harold and the
Purple Crayon.
The Purple Cow
I never saw a purple cow,
I never hope to see one;
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one.
Gelett Burgess
More purple!! Create a wall of purple cows painted at the easel! Add the poem.
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My Shadow
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like mefromthe heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.
The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an India-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.
He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he's a coward you can see;
I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!
One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepyhead,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.
Robert Louis Stevenson
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\"My Shadow" is my other favorite classic Robert Louis Stevenson. Again, recite it
^spontaneously outdoors with the children. It can introduce a whole project on shadows:
shadow plays, shadow puppets, shadow pictures, silhouettes, Peter Pan's shadow
troubles. This poem offers an opportunity to explain some historical vocabulary (nursie,
India rubber ball) as well as more contemporary words that may not be in the children's
vocabulary.
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Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, show your shoe.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, that will do.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, go upstairs.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, say your prayers.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn out the light.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, say goodnight.
Source Unknown
This is a fun classic poem to demonstrate with a teddy bear. I usually use Corduroy the
bear after reading Corduroy stories. For a kinesthetic activity, the children can say and
do the actions. For older children, provide brown and black heavy paper, fur scraps,
wiggly eyes, markers, scissors, glue, hole punches, and brad fasteners. Talk about the
parts of a teddy bear. Encourage them to make their own bears and secure the parts
together with the brads so that the parts can move to make the indicated motions. Send
them home with copies of the poem. For younger children as a family literacy activity,
put a small teddy bear in a can or tote bag along with a laminated copy of the poem, an
audiotape of the reading of the poem, and a suggestion that parents might try centering
their bedtime routine around the poem for a change of pace!
Five Brown Buns
Five brown buns in the bakery shop.
Five brown buns with the sugar on the top.
Along came
with a penny in her/his hand.
Bought one bun and away s/he ran!
Source Unknown
Out of brown felt, makefivebun shapes for the felt board Decorate each one uniquely
with glitter, sequins,frostyfabric paint, or other craft items that resemble sugar. Adda
colorful felt sign: bakery shop. Give thefirstfive children a penny each. When the
child's name is said s/he comes up, gives you the penny, and selects a bun
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The Snow Man
One day the snow man, Sir Benjamin Buzz,
He started to melt as a snow man does.
Down ran the crown of his icicled hat
Over his forehead and right after that
He noticed bis whiskers go lolloping by
Along with his chin and his collar and tie.
Then Benjamin looked and saw that his chest
Was gliding away through his coat and his vest;
And after a little he sighed, "Ho! Hum!
There goes a finger and there goes a thumb!"
And scarce had he spoken when Benjamin felt
That both of his legs were beginning to melt;
Down they ran dribbling, bit after bit,
Like two creamy candles a sunbeam had lit.
"Alas," cried Sir Ben, "I am merely a bump!"
And the next thing he knew he sat down with a thump.
Then little by little he slipped like a sleigh,
And quietly, quietly slithered away;
And next when he noticed the spot he was on,
He looked for himself and he saw he was gone.
And that is the story of Benjamin Buzz,
Who melted one day as a snow man does.
Mildred Plew Meigs
Have the children be Benjamin Buzz. Emphasize "quietly, quietly...." Ifyou have snow,
make Ben and observe what happens. Do this outdoors or bring snow into the sensory
table. Offer white salt dough, fabric scraps and scissors. Try cotton balls with art.
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Jack in the Box
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Jack in the box
You sit so still
Won't you come out?
Yes, I will!
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Source Unknown
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This is a great little poem for the young and Ihe kinesthetic! It traditionally is done with
children curled in a little ball pretending to be the jack in the box. Extend it by providing
a large box with lid Paint the box or cover with colorful wrapping paper. As the class
recites the poem, children can take turns being the jack in the box. this is a great
transition activity when you need children to move one at a time from] one place to
another. For older children, post the poem on sentence strips nearby; ! add a speech
bubble to the inside lid of the box with "Yes, I will!" The poem can also bd extended with
an art experience by collecting a variety of small boxes and cans witn lids and an
assortment of old socks. Provide felt, craft glue, wiggly eyes, yarn, craftfeathers, fake
fur, and other materials to make sock puppets. Cut a hole in the bottom of the box or can
and use craft glue or a glue gun to attach the bottom of the sock to the bottom of the box.
The child can then put his/her hand inside the sock so that it is ready inside the box to
pop up andpush the lid off—a jack in the box!
Complainin' Jack
This morning my old jack-in-the-box
Popped out—and wouldn't get back-in-the-box.
He cried, "Hey, there's a tack-in-the-box,
And it's cutting me through and through.
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"There also is a crack-in-the-box,
And I never find a snack-in-the-box,
And sometimes I hear a quack-in-the-box,
'Cause a duck lives in there too."
Complain, complain is all he did—
I finally had to close the fid.
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A good jack in the box poemfor older children which can also be extended hs above.
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The Little Turtle
There was a little turtle.
He lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle.
He climbed on the rocks.
He snapped at a mosquito,
He snapped at a flea,
He snapped at a minnow.
And he snapped at me.
He caught the mosquito,
He caught the flea,
He caught the minnow.
But he didn't catch me.
VachelLindsay
A shoebox with labeled plastic animal props is an easy way to make this classic poem
come alive. It can also be recited as a group with four children playing the animal parts
and wearing signs with the animal names. To make a class book, print only one line of
the poem on each of twelve sheets of paper. Children can choose their favorite line and
illustrate that page; you may end up with two books depending on the size ofyour class.
Bind the book and send it home with a different child each night for the children to
"read" to their parents.
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The Fuzzy Caterpillar
The fuzzy caterpillar curled upon a leaf
Spun her little chrysalis
And then fell fast asleep.
While she was sleeping
She dreamed she could fly,
And later when she woke up
She was a butterfly.
Anonymous
I have a commercial caterpillar puppet that turns inside out to become a butterfly. I
cradle it in my arms as you would a new baby, spin it around, and bend my head low
over it while it is sleeping. During these lines I am maintaining eye contact with the
children but quickly turning the puppet inside out. When she wakes up, I pause for the
children to say "butterfly" and at thattimeshe flies out of my arms. Extend this poem
with a study of caterpillars/butterflies. I order the commercial "butterfly garden " so that
we can watch what happens right in our classroom. Children enjoy perusing some of the
informational books during thistime,such as the Life Cycles Up-Close puzzle and book
series that can be ordered from the companies in the "mailing lists" section of this
handbook Also pair this poem with the song "Little Arabella Miller"found elsewhere in
this handbook, or sing this poem to the tune of "Eency Weency Spider." See the poem
below for another variation.
Fuzzy Wuzzy Caterpillar
Fuzzy wuzzy caterpillar
Into a corner crept
Wound round himself a blanket
Then for a long time slept.
Fuzzy wuzzy caterpillar
Wakening by and by
Found himself with beautiful wings
Changed to a butterfly.
Anonymous
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Five Little Monkeys
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed.
One fell off and bumped his head.
Called for the doctor, and the doctor said,
No more monkeys jumping on the bed!
Anonymous
This traditionalfingerplay can be extended by making thefivefingersof an old glove into
the five little monkeys. For a more kinesthetic experience, spread an old bedspread or
sheet in the middle of the circle. Children can take turns being the jive little monkeys.
One child can be the doctor (denoted by wearing a stethoscope), and a telephone
complete with 911 sticker needs to be available for each monkey to call the doctor. Try
including a speech bubble made out of posterboard for the doctor to hold: "No more
monkeys jumping on the bed " This activity is goodfor the whole group but also can be
used very effectively as a transition activity, with each monkey moving to the next
segment of the routine after calling the doctor.
Tadpole, Tadpole
Tadpole, tadpole
Swimming in my pail
Big round head
And wiggly tail.
Some day soon
Four legs will sprout
And then, small frog,
You'll hoprightout!
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I have a big green pail (that is actually used for mopping thefloors)and a blue and green
puppet that can be turned inside outfroma tadpole to a frog. I put the tadpole in the pail
at circletimeand tip the pail so all the children can see it swimming. I use my hands to
make it swim so that while I am reciting the poem and the bucket is upright, the children
assume my hands are in the pail making the tadpole swim. Of course I am turning the
tadpole into a frog so that it can hop right out at the appropriate time!
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