poetry teatime | The Big White Farmhouse

October 6, 2022

No.699: Poetry Tea Time // Week 03

We’re trying Poetry Tea Time again this year with my four youngest students, but with a twist. The older two will be in charge of the sweet treat each week! They love to cook and this is a fun way to expand on those skills. During this time, we will also read a few poems and challenge ourselves to recite some from memory. I’m also incorporating an informal Art Study and will have the month’s work on display. My goal is to provide an environment for us to experience the arts in a relaxed, non-intimidating way.

Here are the highlights from Week Three:

THE SWEET TREAT

Autumn is here, so we decided to go with something seasonally appropriate: Apple Galette from Handle the Heat. (We also used my go-to pie crust recipe.) The kids assembled everything themselves and the result was delicious.

THE POEM

Continuing with the seasonal theme, I picked a cute one from Emily Dickinson. Beautiful and lots to look at.

Autumn
by Emily Dickinson

The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry’s cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I’ll put a trinket on.

THE ART

We moved to a new piece from Fra Angelico called Maestá (Madonna Enthroned).

September 22, 2022

No.695: Poetry Tea Time // Week 02

Here are the highlights from Week Two:

THE SWEET TREAT

After browsing my Pinterest boards for inspiration, the kids decided on Raspberry Cream Cheese Danishes from Lovely Little Kitchen. We used strawberry jam because that’s what we had on hand. These were a big hit! We’ll definitely be making more in the future.

THE POEM

Another funny one by Jack Prelutsky!

Be Glad Your Nose Is on Your Face
by Jack Prelutsky

Be glad your nose is on your face,
not pasted on some other place,
for if it were where it is not,
you might dislike your nose a lot.

Imagine if your precious nose
were sandwiched in between your toes,
that clearly would not be a treat,
for you’d be forced to smell your feet.

Your nose would be a source of dread
were it attached atop your head,
it soon would drive you to despair,
forever tickled by your hair.

Within your ear, your nose would be
an absolute catastrophe,
for when you were obliged to sneeze,
your brain would rattle from the breeze.

Your nose, instead, through thick and thin,
remains between your eyes and chin,
not pasted on some other place–
be glad your nose is on your face!

THE ART

We’re still working on The Annunciation by Fra Angelico. Lots of discussions about detail and perspective.

September 8, 2022

No.690: Poetry Tea Time // Week 01

Here are the highlights from Week One:

THE SWEET TREAT

For the first week, this kids picked Lunch Lady Brownies from Life in the Lofthouse. I think they may have overmixed the batter because it had a cake-like consistency vs. a gooey one. Still very rich and delicious. A little bite goes a long way!

THE POEM

I thought this light-hearted poem would make the kids smile and it didn’t disappoint! They could easily imagine the crazy chicken antics.

Last Night I Dreamed of Chickens
by Jack Prelutsky

Last night I dreamed of chickens,
there were chickens everywhere,
they were standing on my stomach,
they were nesting in my hair,
they were pecking at my pillow,
they were hopping on my head,
they were ruffling up their feathers
as they raced about my bed.

They were on the chairs and tables,
they were on the chandeliers,
they were roosting in the corners,
they were clucking in my ears,
there were chickens, chickens, chickens
for as far as I could see…
when I woke today, I noticed
there were eggs on top of me.