Have you read this book?
If not, you need to buy it now or find it at your local library. It’s a great mentor text for getting students to think about their cultural background. Janet Wong published this book twenty-three years ago and just recently added back stories to the poems. More about that next week when Janet shares the answers to some questions I recently asked her.
I was back in the library this week. I had the opportunity to work with fourth and fifth graders. This book provided excellent food poems as mentors. I decided given the time allotment of thirty minutes over class, the SKINNY poem would be a good form for students to use to write a poem about a food for which they had strong emotions (good or bad). And while the directions for the SKINNY poem are specific, I love how some students make it their own and use the template as a guide.
When I take poetry workshops from Paulann Petersen, she often has words lists available for participants. I decided that given the 30 minute time limit, having a word list for describing food would be helpful. I provided this for students:
Chicken Noodle Soup
By Ileni, 5th grade
My stomach waits for this dish
Chicken Noodle Soup
Salty
Hot
Delicious
Chicken Noodle Soup
Mouth-watering
Tempting
Sizzling
Chicken Noodle Soup
My stomach waits for this dish
+++++++++++++++++++++
Burgers
By Amiyah, 5th grade
We wait for them
Burgers
Savory
Delicious
Meal
Burgers
Bite
Chew
Gulp
Burgers
We wait for them
++++++++++++++++++++++
Pizza
By Brandon, 5th grade
Waiting for it to be done
Pizza
Doughy
Tasty
Crusty
Pizza
Crunch
Bite
Soft
Pizza
Waiting for it to be done
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sushi
By Vitali, 5th grade
Time for some more- sushi
Sushi
Yummy
Fresh
Juicy
Sushi
Delicious
Delightful
Heavy
Sushi
Time for some more-sushi
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Fries
By Gage, 4th grade
I like fries they are so good
Fries are so soft
Soft
Good
Hot
Fries are so soft
Smushy
Goodness
Awesome
Fries are so soft
I like fries they are so good
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sausage
By Elizabeth, 4th grade
The smell of smoke
Sausage
Tangy
Crispy
Spicy
Sausage
Flaming
Juicy
Burning
Sausage
The smell of smoke
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mashed Potatoes
By Josh, 4th grade
Mashed potatoes, the fur of food
Mashed potatoes
Creamy
Fluttery
Fluff
Mashed potatoes
Clouds of food
Pillows
The edible foam pit
Mashed potatoes
The fur of food
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kiwis
By Katherine, 4th grade
Oh, delicious
Kiwis
Don’t you love them too?
So fresh
So good
Kiwis
Semi-sweet
Mostly green
All the time
Kiwis
Oh, delicious
Check It Out 