THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY

THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY
April 12, 2016

Friday, March 2, 2012

Poetry Friday: RAADical Forecast

Happy Poetry Friday and happy birthday to Dr. Seuss.

We'll pretend that this is a cake for Dr. Seuss and not for yours truly.

Poetry and science are two of my favorite things. I like to combine them whenever and however I can. (Thus, my current lengthy WIP -- a poem about string theory, knitting and parenting.) So, when I found this post on Foot's Forecast, I knew, KNEW! what this week's Poetry Friday post would be.

It begins:


"Tomorrow we stand with the thousands of volunteers, teachers, and millions of students nationwide in celebrating Read Across America , in honor of the March 2 birthday of a humble author. "


Richard Foot is a Baltimore area educator. He started the Foot's Forecast weather science website in 2003, with a group of  his students. (Read the history of Richard Foot and Foot's Forecast.) My family got hooked in 2009, the year when a Nor'easter dumped over two feet of snow on central Maryland. Foot and his students' predictions were spot on, written in a fun voice, and backed up by science.
The Foot's Forecast site has fun gadgets and links, like this "current weather" map from the National Weather Service.

Foot's Forecast is now national, with predictions coming in from students and weather-buffs across the country. I follow their weather reports on Facebook. Sometimes they make me laugh (the writing is that clever). Sometimes they make me cry (because, you know, of the predicted weather.)


Here is a poetic offer from Foot's Forecast, in honor of Dr. Seuss and RAAD. I hope you and your students or kids will have fun with this invitation:


We invite you, like the Cat in the Hat, to "tell us a thing or two about that."
What is "that" you might say? 
Why it's a real chance for you!
Tell us your local weather, each day.
We seek writers of all ages, far and near...
to share their passions for writing, right here!
It's really quite easy, even is weather is breezy,
to become a key part of our team.
We monitor, collaborate and forecast, all over.
What could you do? It's quite simple you see,
Take a photo, write a story and say "here's me!" 

Read the rest at Foot's Forecast. Then, send your Seuss-themed, local weather reports to info@footsforecast.org.

Doriane at Dori Reads is our poetry party host today. Thanks, Dori!


7 comments:

Doraine said...

Foot's Forecast is new to me. Thanks for sharing.

Tabatha said...

Fun! Thanks for letting us know. (Nice cake!)

Amy L V said...

What a blast! People are so clever, and I am off to check it out. Thank you for the tip, and Happy Poetry Saturday! a.

Mary Lee said...

Just started our weather unit! This site looks great! THANKS!

Robyn Hood Black said...

How fun! Thanks for sharing. And Happy Birthday!!!

laurasalas said...

OK, too fun. One of the best posttible things about technology--the collaboration that's possible. Great invitation!

Author Amok said...

I am so glad all of you liked the post. Foot's Forecast is a grass-roots education project. I love the crossover between science, technology and literature in their RAA Day call.

Did anyone try it with students or kids?