Poetry Friday: Skinny Poems Based on Poems from Pet crazy

Thanks to Kat at Kathryn Apel for hosting  all the goodness of Poetry Friday today.

This week I was in first grade for two days.  I was given time to share and teach poetry.  I used Pet Crazy by Sylvia Vardell  and Janet Wong to prime the pump.  Who doesn’t want a pet or have a pet?

I specially used the Anchor Poem, Response Poem, and Mentor Poem written by Kristy Dempsey and Janet Wong

[Anchor Poem]:

ALL WORN OUT
by Kristy Dempsey

Tippy-toe, Kitty Cat
is sneaking through the house,
pushing on a puff of yarn,
wishing for a mouse.
Kitty loves to play all day,
jumping, pouncing, leaping.
Where is kitty hiding now?
Shh! Kitty’s sleeping.

*

[Response Poem]:

THE GREATEST PETS EVER (Kristy)
by Janet Wong

Cats are
     the greatest pets ever!

They are
     so clean and clever.

Would I like
     a dog? No, never!

Cats are
     my favorites -- FOREVER!

[Mentor Poem]:

THE PERFECT PETS FOR ME (Ben)
by Janet Wong

Kristy likes neat pets.
Cats don’t drool.

She should meet my uncle’s dogs.
They’re super-cool.

My uncle’s dogs will sit and stay —
and stay and s-t-a-y.

Their house is kind of far,
but we could go there someday.

When we play together,
Kristy will see:

dogs are pretty much
the perfect pets for me!

Plus I found this great quick video of Janet reading to Tony Tiger: 
 
The class and I made a list of pets and a list of juicy words. We talked about the format of a skinny poem and with a template, off they went to create. Then as students finished we uploaded to Padlet. This give an opportunity to confer and revise with students. 


Next week, I will be hosting Poetry Friday at DEOWRITER.

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Poetry Friday: Long Lost Treasures

Mary Lee Hahn at A Year of Reading has all the poetry goodness of the world. This week many in the Poetry Friday Literasphere are celebrating our new Young People’s Poet Laureate, Naomi Shihab Nye.

Today you can read about Naomi Shihab Nye at Deowriter.

I’ve been organizing my writing room and that means finding some long lost treasures from former students.

Well, you can see how long ago this poem is, look at that printing! Lauren was either in 5th or 6th grade.

Ocean

People fly kites across
the sand
Kids play,
Shells wash up on the beach,
the blue and green water makes
crashing waves!
Sometimes things
get eaten and are never found,
fish jump with the whales
Under
The
Summer
Sun.

Lauren M, 5th or 6th grade

Land of the Elephants

Upon my bed, I dream of 8,000 pound elephants looking at me,
motioning me to follow them.
We walk for hours.
I rest curled up beside them all
under the starry night.
Wakening from deep sleep, I find myself on an elephant’s back.
We get to the edge of Africa.
everyone is as still as night,
The elephants blow their outstanding trunks;
I listen to its sweetness.
Magically a cloud falls from the heavenly sky.
My elephant puts me on this fluffy cloud
the cloud whips me through the air with ease
I find myself at a golden gate with elephants this land full of animals
they changed my clothes into a white gown
I lay on a bed of clouds looking Dow to my city.
Then I found myself on my bed surrounded by elephants.

Tanisha M, 5th grade

Back during this time, when testing wasn’t a priority and there weren’t blogs for posting student work, I coordinated a monthly First Friday for students to read a page from their stories or poems. We had such great fun.

I am lucky to have had these two wonderful girls who have grown into fabulous adults with careers and families.

WINNER, WINNER…

Dani at Doing the Work That Matters won a copy of A SUITCASE OF SEAWEED AND MORE. Email me at macrush53 at yahoo dot com so I can get your address.

Food Poems based on A SUITCASE OF SEAWEED AND MORE

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:

Adobo

By Kai

A traditional Filipino dish

Adobo

Wet

Dry

Flavorful

Adobo

Soupy

Chewy

Mouthwatering

Adobo

A traditional Filipino dish

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mushrooms

By Avery

Time for soup I guess. So much like snakes

Mushrooms

Slimy

Gray

Bitter

Mushrooms

Yuck

Like a slug

They make you throw up

Mushrooms

They stink! So much like snakes

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Rice

By Sadie

Time for rice

Rice

Sticky

Tempting

Wet

Rice

Flavorful

Heavenly

Mouthwatering

Rice

Time for rice

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Noodles

By Miciah

Time for

Noodles

Buttery

Slimy

Slippery

Noodles

Crumbly

Yummy

Hot

Noodles

Time for noodles

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Pizza

By Connor

Hot, hot, hot

Pizza

Burning

Sizzling

Yummy

Pizza

Tasty

Savory

Mouthwatering

Pizza

Hot, hot, hot

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tamales

By Hughito

Time for my tamales

Tamales

Delicious

Yummy

Delightful

Tamales

Delectable

Chewy

Delicacy

Tamales

Time for my tamales

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Orange Chicken

By Jordan

Ow, ya!

Orange chicken

Delicious

Mouth

Watering

Orange chicken

Sauce

All

Over

Orange chicken

Ow, ya!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Strawberries

By Spencer

Yum strawberries

Strawberries

Liquidity

Chewy

Red

Strawberries

Green

Food

Yummy

Strawberries

Yum Strawberries

More Poems Inspired from A SUITCASE OF SEAWEED AND MORE by Janet Wong

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

Poetry Friday: Food Poems Inspired by A SUITCASE OF SEAWEED AND MORE by Janet Wong

Thanks to Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche for gathering all the Poetry Friday goodness this week.

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).

When I take poetry workshops from Paulann Petersen, she often has words lists available for participants. I decided that given the 30 minute time linit, having a word list for describing food would be helpful. I provided this for students:

Today I have poems from fifth graders. I’m sharing poems all next week until our next Poetry Friday.

Arroz con Leche

By Jackeline C.

Mi favorito (my favorite)

Arroz con leche

Caliente (hot)

Sagroso (yummy)

Frio (cold)

Arroz con leche

Blanco (white)

Vapor (vape, steam)

Asucar (sugar)

Arroz con leche

Mi favorito

(I just love that she asked to write it in Spanish)

++++++++++++++++

Sushi

By Viktoria O

Fresh sushi on the table, yes! Tempting.

Spicy

Fresh

Delightful

Bite

Spicy

Scrumptious

Treat

Meal

Spicy

I’m eating the sushi on the table. Tempting.

+++++++++++++++

Quesadillas

By Gabriela A

Nice and hot

Quesadillas

Delicious

Cheesy

Goodness

Quesadillas

Soft

Tasty

Meal

Quesadillas

Nice and hot

+++++++++++++++

Sushi

By Hunter J.

Sushi, we bite into the rice

Sushi

Savory

Delicious

Tender

Sushi

Salty

Tasty

Fresh

Sushi

We bite into the rice

+++++++++++++++++

Chicken Wings

By Angel F.

Chicken wings are fiery

Chicken!!

Spicy

Hot

Delicious

Chicken!!

Mouth-watering

Burning

Rich

Chicken!!

Chicken wings are fiery

+++++++++++++++++

Pizza

By Osiris D.

Pizza is good

Pizza

Chewy

Delicious

Divine

Pizza

Dip

Soft

Cheesy

Pizza

Pizza is good

++++++++++++++++++

Caramel

By Dominik

Out of the package

Caramel

Oh

So

Good

Want

Some

More

Caramel

Out of the package

+++++++++++++++++++

Watermelon

By Sophie E

I wait for my mom to slice it up

Watermelon

Savory

Sweet

Bite

Watermelon

Yum

Drip

Juicy

Watermelon

I wait for my mom to slice it up

++++++++++++++++++

Poetry Friday: A Response Poem

Thanks to Liz at Elizabeth Steinglass for hosting Poetry Friday

Back in April, during National Poetry Month, I had the opportunity to sub in a fourth grade class. I read the book CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR?: POEMS of RACE, MISTAKES, and FRIENDSHIP by Irene Latham, Charles Waters. This was a 2018 CYBILS Poetry finalist.

As the students listened, I had them write down words and reactions to the book. Afterward we made a list of phrases. It doesn’t always work to finish the poem when I’m one day in a class and then gone for awhile as was the case with this sub job. But I know when I returned to the class we’d finish what we started.

This past Wednesday was that day. I prepared the strips and shared them. We read them aloud and determined that since we had some one that began, “Each night…” they would serve as the beginning of a new stanza. As I was writing, I noticed this line: “Fists clicked-Chains Cracked” and felt it would be a good repeating line. The first line and the end were givens.

Then each student placed their strip where they thought it might go best. We reread the poem, took away a couple lines, and came up with this response to Irene Latham’s and Charles Waters’ brilliant book:

Each Night

Each night we talked at the table
We didn’t know how
to explain the curse they gave
Some whites ashamed
about how they treated blacks
Fists clicked-Chains Cracked

Each night we plopped chains
classmates crumbled in shame
Classmates black and white
Some kids sat in shame
Fists clicked-Chains Cracked

Each night we gave forgiveness
We didn’t know how
to explain the forgiveness they didn’t give
Black and white forgiveness
Fists clicked-Chains Cracked

Each night we forgave classmates
with an apology
Classmates black and white apologized
Thunder cracked
Chains cracked
We forgave them
Shame hit
We cracked
In the end, we became friends.

© Mrs. Brown’s Fourth Grade Class

Today (as I’m writing this on TH) went into the class and we looked it over. We discussed tightening the poem and removing words. I explained how Stephen Kind reduces his drafts by 10% and Richard Peck tries to fine ten words per page to remove, I gave each student a draft and asked them to select at least five words that could be removed.
 

After the discussion, our poem looked like this:

This is the final copy:

It was a fun lesson to do with this class. I feel so lucky to be able to work with students on these mini-lessons.

Student Poetry Month: Animal Sound Poems

This week, I’m sharing the work from the room I subbed in last week.

This is a 3rd through 5th grade classroom.

I read Georgia Heard’s BOOM! BELLOW! BLEAT!

And on tomorrow, I will have an interview with Georgia Heard.

Student Poetry Month: Animal Sound Poems

This week, I’m sharing the work from the room I subbed in last week.

This is a 3rd through 5th grade classroom.

I read Georgia Heard’s BOOM! BELLOW! BLEAT!

And on Friday, I will have an interview with Georgia Heard.

Poetry Friday: Student Poetry Month

Thanks to Irene at Live Your Poem for hosting Poetry Friday this week

I interviewed Laura Purdie Salas about her new book IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT in March. That interview is HERE.

Then I had an opportunity to work with a fourth grade class. We made a list of classroom inanimate objects. I am featuring their poems all week.

Messy whiteboards
we get scribbled on all day
messy scribbles, writing
People write on me all day
boards you write on forever

~Allison S

Jumping water bottle
bouncing as a chair
I am as running as a lion
keep you hydrated
healthy

~Taryn

The restless recorder
I am as cheesy as a chisel
definitely delicate
sweet, sour, smart,
silent restless recorder

~Macy

Student Poetry Month: Inanimate Object Poem Week

I interviewed Laura Purdie Salas about her new book IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT in March. That interview is HERE.

Then I had an opportunity to work with a fourth grade class. We made a list of all the inanimate objects in the classrooms. I am featuring their poems all week.

I left my keys at the house
they are as lost as my heart
I’m scared of my house
I can stay in my car
or a chair

~Hunter

Ruling rulers
we always rule the classroom
measure, hit, compare
We help you with your homework
Ruling, radiant runner

~Lilly

Lost and forgotten marker
I am as leaky as a river coming into the sea
overused, gross, ugly
we chucked you in the trash
yucky, unneeded, broken marker

~Ruben