Animal Poetry: Wings, Whiskers, & Words

Service Description

CLASS DESCRIPTION: What does it feel like to be a bird? Or a buzzing fly? In this playful poetry class, we’ll explore the world through wings, whiskers, and words. We’ll read and recite poems about animals—both real and imagined—that help us understand big feelings and wild ideas. From the mysterious tiger of William Blake to the nonsense creatures of Lewis Carroll, we’ll meet animals that make us laugh, think, and dream. Each week, we’ll write our own animal poems, play with sounds and rhymes, and even create costumes to help bring our favorite creatures to life. At the end of each semester, we’ll put on a joyful performance of our favorite animal poems for friends and family! Featured poets include William Blake, Sheila Black, Lewis Carroll, Emily Dickinson, and other surprises. This class is a great companion to Animal Choir: Hoots, Howls, & Harmonies, taught by Mark degli Antoni (the class immediately follows this one). ____________________________________ Teacher’s Bio: Melissa is a multimedia journalist, author, and nonprofit leader whose work spans global newsrooms, classrooms, and global communities. Her reporting has appeared in outlets like The Washington Post, CNN, the BBC, and NPR, and she has helped executives and organizations share their stories in top publications and on Capitol Hill. Melissa has developed and led many international journalism and advocacy programs for youth and women, focusing on gender equality, climate justice, and Indigenous peoples rights. She also led dozens of classes and mentorship opportunities in the NYC homeschool community (writing, journalism, poetry, AP art history, among other topics). She has spoken at global conferences, developed curriculum for major organizations, and authored three books for youth—Developing a Strategy for a Political Campaign, Working with the Community in a Political Campaign, and Coping with Teen Pregnancy—all published by Rosen Publishing. A trained art historian (Columbia University, NYC) and Francophile, she also curates exhibitions and creates multimedia stories about French and Caribbean culture.