Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
The Poetry TEKS
The state-adopted curriculum provides a framework that informs all instruction in Texas. These Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) also include a component focused on teaching children about poetry. That provides a central focus for our open-themed books of poetry, which are first and foremost quality anthologies of original poetry for children written by more than 70 of today’s most popular poets. Young readers in any state or country can enjoy, explore, and respond to these poems. However, we have also come to realize that educators, librarians, and parents are looking for guidance on how to share poetry with children and teens and teach the skills within the curriculum as well. The Poetry Friday Anthology (K-5) and The Poetry Friday Anthology for Middle School offer both: quality poetry plus curriculum-based suggestions for helping young readers enjoy and understand poetry more deeply—on Poetry Friday or any day.
The Science and Technology TEKS
The third book in our series, The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science, was designed to dovetail with science standards and highlight a science skill in item #4 of the Take 5! Mini-Lessons. There is only one book to be used nationally since the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) share many of the same elements of the science standards of individual states, including Texas. Nonetheless, to make it easier for Texas teachers to use poems to address certain skills, we created a companion book, The TEKS Guide, which references Science TEKS, Technology TEKS, and Poetry TEKS, too.
What are the expectations of the Texas Poetry TEKS?
Our books outline the expectations of the Texas Poetry TEKS (or, in the case of The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science, science topics) expected to be covered in each grade—K-5 or Middle School. Here is a summary of the Poetry TEKS for 5th Grade—as well as an example of a poem for 5th Grade with its accompanying sidebar of “Take 5!” teaching tips. Each “Take 5!” Mini-Lesson provides a connection to the skills in item #4.