Sky Songs Slides Grades K–2 Poetry Workshop
Poet Eyes On!
⛅ 🌧️ 🌈 ❄️
Sky Songs
Painting the Weather with Words and Senses
1. See the Sky
2. Hear the Weather
3. Feel the Words
What Is a Poem?
Word Magic
🎨
Word Pictures
Poets choose special words that paint clear pictures in our minds.
👂
Sensory Sounds
Words can snap, tap, whisper, or roar just like real weather!
💛
Big Feelings
Poems tell how the sky makes our bodies and hearts feel.
🌟 You are a poet when you look closely at the world!
Poet Eyes: What Do We See?
Sight Words
☀️
Sunny Day Eyes
Golden rays, blue skies, sparkling grass
🌧️
Rainy Day Eyes
Silver puddles, dark clouds, dripping leaves
💨
Windy Day Eyes
Bending trees, flying kites, swirling hats
❄️
Snowy Day Eyes
White blanket, floating crystals, frosted glass
Look out the window right now! What color is our sky today?
Poet Ears: What Do We Hear?
Sound Words
💧
Pitter-Patter
Light raindrops tapping on a tin roof
⚡
Rumble-Boom!
Thunder rolling across the dark hills
🍃
Whoosh-Swish
Autumn wind rustling dry branches
🤫
Hush-Whisper
Quiet snowflakes landing softly on boots
Let's make each sound together! Tap your fingers for pitter-patter!
Read-Aloud Poem: "The Dancing Rain"
Choral Read
"Tip, tap, pitter-pat,
Raindrops jump upon my hat.
Splish, splash, shiny street,
Puddles dancing near my feet!"
Sight: Shiny street Sound: Tip, tap Feeling: Splish, splash
Action: Tap your knees on "tip, tap" and stomp your shoes on "splish, splash!"
Read-Aloud Poem: "Sunbeam Hug"
Warm Words
"Warm sun waking up the day,
Melting morning frost away.
Golden light across the rug,
Giving trees a gentle hug."
Sight: Golden light Touch: Warm sun Action: Gentle hug
Action: Stretch your arms high for "waking up", wrap arms around yourself for "hug!"
The 4-Line Weather Recipe
Poem Pattern
1
Line 1: What do you see?
"I see gray clouds tumbling low."
2
Line 2: What do you hear?
"I hear windy whispers blow."
3
Line 3: What do you feel?
"I feel cool mist on my nose."
4
Line 4: Name the day!
"Rainy day, from head to toes!"
Pick your weather: Rain 🌧️ • Sun ☀️ • Wind 💨 • Snow ❄️
Poet's Circle
Listen & Applaud
🎉 🎤 🌟
Poetry Share Time!
Share your sky poem with a shoulder partner or read aloud to our class circle!
👂 Listener Job:
Tell your friend your favorite sensory word!
🗣️ Reader Job:
Use your expressive weather voice!
Give yourself a quiet finger-snapping poet applause! 👏✨
Weather Words Worksheet Weather Words Worksheet
Part 1: Sensory Words & Weather Sounds
Name:
Date:
Today's Sky Look: Circle one!
☀️ Sunny 🌧️ Rainy 💨 Windy ❄️ Snowy
1 Poet's Sensory Word Bank
Read these weather words. Circle your 3 favorite words to use in a poem!
Sight (Look)
✨ Golden
☁️ Fluffy
🌫️ Misty
⚡ Dark & gray
🌈 Bright
Sound (Hear)
💧 Pitter-pat
💨 Swish-whoosh
🌩️ Rumble-boom
🤫 Soft whisper
💦 Splish-splash
Touch (Feel)
🔥 Warm & toasty
❄️ Cold & icy
🌧️ Wet & soggy
🍃 Cool breeze
🧸 Soft damp
2 Weather Rhyme Line Match
Draw a line from the weather word on the left to its rhyming friend on the right!
🌧️ Rain
☀️ Sun
💨 Blow
💧 Drop
❄️ Snow
🚂 Train
🛑 Stop
🎈 Fun
Mini Sketch Pad: Quick draw your favorite kind of weather!
Turn to page 2 to write your poem ➡️
My Weather Poem
Part 2: Write and Illustrate Your 4-Line Poem
Poet Name:
Poem Title:
Line 1: What do you see? Example: I see bright yellow sunshine...
I see
Line 2: What do you hear? Example: I hear gentle breezes humming...
I hear
Line 3: What do you feel? Example: I feel warm grass on my toes...
I feel
Line 4: Name the weather! Example: Sunny day has come to play!
Poet's Illustration Box
Draw a picture to match your poem
Draw your sky, weather, and feelings here!
Poet Checklist:
Sensory words 4 full lines Drew my picture
Weather Poet Activity Cards Weather Poet Activity Cards
Set 1: Mentor Poem Read-Aloud & Kinesthetic Action Cards
✂️ Cut Along Dashed Lines
🌧️ Rain Card Sound & Touch
The Puddle Jumpers
"Gray clouds tumbling in the skies,
Raindrop sparkles in our eyes.
Pitter-patter, splish and splash,
Running boots make water flash!"
Sensory Words: gray, sparkles, pitter-patter, splash
🎭 Poet Action: Tap two fingers on your palm for rain, then stomp feet softly on "splash!"
☀️ Sun Card Sight & Warmth
Golden Morning
"Sun creeps over green hilltops,
Drying every diamond drop.
Warm rays paint the sidewalk bright,
Filling playground yards with light."
Sensory Words: green hilltops, warm rays, bright, light
🎭 Poet Action: Make a big round circle with your arms above your head and smile warm!
💨 Wind Card Sound & Movement
The Autumn Whistle
"Whoosh and whirl the branches bend,
Windy whispers without end.
Spinning leaves of red and gold,
Shivering chilly in the cold."
Sensory Words: whoosh, whispers, red and gold, chilly
🎭 Poet Action: Sway side to side like a tree branch and make a gentle "whoooosh" sound!
❄️ Snow Card Silence & Touch
Quiet Blanket
"Feather flakes fall through the night,
Wrapping rooftops soft and white.
Silent streets without a peep,
Tucking sleepy towns to sleep."
Sensory Words: feather flakes, soft, white, silent, peep
🎭 Poet Action: Flutter your fingertips gently downward and place a finger on your lips: "shhh".
💡 Center Idea: Laminate cards for paired partner reading, poetry theater, or classroom pocket charts!
Sensory Poetry Word Tiles
Set 2: Cut-and-Arrange Word Tiles for Pocket Charts or Desks
✂️ Hands-On Word Play
Directions: Cut apart the 16 word tiles below. Sort them into Sight, Sound, and Feel piles, then arrange them into a poem!
Sight Golden ✨ shiny ray
Sight Fluffy ☁️ soft cloud
Sight Dark Gray ⚡ storm sky
Sight Sparkling 💎 ice puddle
Sound Pitter-Pat 💧 light rain
Sound Swish-Whoosh 🍃 wild wind
Sound Rumble 🌩️ low thunder
Sky Songs Teacher Guide Teacher Facilitation Guide Grades K–2 • ELA & Science
Sky Songs: Weather & Sensory Poetry
⏱️ Pacing: 45 Minutes
Lesson Purpose & Focus
Students discover how poets use sensory language (sight, sound, and touch) to describe the natural world. Through interactive choral chanting and scaffolded sentence stems, students compose an original 4-line weather poem and create a matching illustration.
Standards
CCSS.ELA-LIT: RL.K.4, RL.1.4, RL.2.4 (Sensory words)
Writing: W.K.2, W.1.2, W.2.2
NGSS: K-ESS2-1 (Weather observations)
Essential Questions
How can words help someone "see" and "hear" the weather?
What makes a poem different from a regular sentence?
Materials Needed
Sky Songs Slide Deck
Weather Words Worksheet (1 per student)
Weather Poet Activity Cards & Word Tiles
Crayons or colored pencils for illustration
Step-by-Step Pacing Guide
1. Hook & Window Observation (7 Mins) Whole Group
Gather students at the rug. Direct eyes toward the classroom window. Ask: "If you had to tell a friend in another city what our sky looks and feels like today, what words would you choose?" Record 4–5 student ideas on chart paper under headings: See, Hear, Feel .
2. Slide Presentation & Choral Poetry Chant (10 Mins) Whole Group
Display Sky Songs Slides . Read aloud the mentor poems ("The Dancing Rain" & "Sunbeam Hug"). Teach students the kinesthetic gestures (finger taps for rain, arm stretches for sunshine). Emphasize rhythm, repetition, and onomatopoeia (pitter-patter, whoosh).
3. Sensory Word Exploration & Matching (8 Mins) Guided Practice
Hand out Page 1 of the Weather Words Worksheet . Guide students to circle today's weather condition. Model the rhyme matching activity together on the board. Practice reading the sensory word banks chorally with expressive voice pitch and tone.
4. Guided Poetry Writing & Drawing (15 Mins) Independent / Paired
Students turn to Page 2. Guide them through the 4-line frame: Line 1 (Sight), Line 2 (Sound), Line 3 (Touch), Line 4 (Weather name). Circulate to support emerging writers with inventive spelling. Once written, students draw their weather illustration.
5. Poet's Circle & Finger-Snap Share (5 Mins) Closing Celebration
Form a circle. Call 3–4 volunteer poets to read their poems into a prop microphone. Teach the class the quiet "poet's finger-snap" applause. Prompt listeners: