The Very Hungry Catepillar

Dr. Seuss Quotes

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own.And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go.”

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

"I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!"

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."

"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams."

Mithing Tooth by Kenn Nesbitt

“Mithing Tooth ”

Poetry Theater
A poem in two voices



Adapted from the poem by Kenn Nesbitt in The Aliens Have Landed!, published by Meadowbrook Press.




Summary: A child has lost a front tooth, making it difficult to pronounce some words. The child gets frustrated when Mom misunderstands everything the child says.
Presentation Suggestions: Have the students read or perform the poem in front of the class. Have the students act out the different lines while they read them.


Props: A black piece of construction paper cut to cover the front tooth of the student playing the child (giving the appearance of a missing tooth) would be a great prop, but if paper is not available the poem can be performed without it.


Delivery: The lines of the poem need to be read with poetic rhythm. For more information on poetic rhythm and how to perform poetry in classroom, please read the Performing Poetry section under the Teacher's Resources.


Characters:Child Mom


Mithing Tooth
Child:
I’m having trouble thpeaking

thinthe I lotht my middle tooth.

Jutht yethterday my tooth wath fine—

today it wiggled loothe.


At firtht I thought it thilly

when my tooth fell out today,

but no one theemth to underthtand

a thingle word I thay.


I athked my mom to clothe the door.

She thaid,


Mom:
That would be rude.The door does not like wearing clothes;it’s happy in the nude.


Child:
I thaid a mouthe wath in my roomand she should come and thee.

She thaid,


Mom:
Your mouth is on your face;it’s right where it should be.


Child:
I wonder if you underthtand

the thircumthtanthe I’m in.

I told her I wath feeling thick.

She thaid,


Mom:
You’re looking thin


Child:
At latht she thaw how mad I wath

and thought I might thtop breathing.

She laughed and thaid she didn’t mean it—

She wath only teething.

Food Fight by: Ken Nesbitt

Food Fight

We’d never seen the teachers

in a state of such distress.The principal was yelling

that the lunchroom was a mess.

It started off so innocent

when someone threw a bun,

but all the other kids decided

they should join the fun.

It instantly turned into

an enormous lunchroom feud,

as students started hurling

all their halfway-eaten food.

A glob went whizzing through the air,

impacting on the wall.

Another chunk went sailing out

the doorway to the hall.

The food was splattered everywhere—

the ceilings, walls, and doors.

A sloppy, gloppy mess was on

the tables and the floors.

And so our good custodian

ran out to grab his mop.

It took him half the afternoon

to clean up all the slop.

The teachers even used some words

we’re not supposed to mention.

And that’s how all the kids and teachers

wound up in detention.

-Ken Nesbitt