The second grade team at my school has invited me to visit their classes as the "Visiting Poet" for their Poetry Month poetry writing unit. So. Much. Fun!
Yesterday, after I elaborated on what a poet actually does (lots of reading, lots of rewriting) and where I get my ideas (everywhere), we wrote a 15 Words Or Less poem together.
Our prompt was a picture of tire tracks in snow.
Our first draft was too long, so I shared my sneaky trick of using one of the lines as the title to reduce the word count.
We wound up with this:
Today Might Be a Snow Day
The cars
make diagonal tracks
in the sparkly snow
from
dusk to dawn.
©2nd Grade, 2019
It seemed ludicrous to be writing about a snow day when the temperatures here in Ohio hit the 80s today for the first time this season, but I know our friends in Denver and the upper midwest are dealing with Winter Storm Wesley, which will likely downgrade to lots of rain for us in the coming days.
Irene has this week's Poetry Friday Roundup at Live Your Poem.
Mary Lee, I can just feel the joy in the post! What lucky kids to learn from you... and that first-line-as-title trick is a grand one! (In the 80s here too, so yes, snow day seems very far away.) Thank you! xo
ReplyDeleteLooks like fun! And yes, we did have a minor blizzard this week. It was almost 80 on Tuesday, then snow on Wednesday and Thursday!
ReplyDelete"My sneaky trick!" What fun for those second graders and how weird about the weather! This poem so captures one of those days.... xx
ReplyDeleteLove the photo of the happy poets! Charming poem...it's always a good time to imagine a snow day :-)
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you all had a lot of fun. I am not nearly so brave as you when I am teaching poetry to second grade. All I have done is introduce them to Haynaku and let them go off writing on their own.
ReplyDeleteI think EVERY teacher needs to get vulnerable and write "live" in front of and with their students! Be brave! Try it!
DeleteI am happy to do it, but I want to do it with much more simple structures!
DeleteHow fun! I bet they loved your sneaky trick!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I miss about teaching elementary school is sharing poetry and books with my students--and writing poems with them. Love the poem!
ReplyDeleteSneaky trick works so well, Mary Lee. I agree with you that "each teacher needs to get vulnerable and write "live" in front of and with their students! This helps students see that teachers are writers just like they are. The 2nd grade class poem is wonderful. I would love to showcase it in my Winter's Embrace Gallery. Would you please ask the teacher if that is fine? If so, I would like to give credit to them (and you).
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Loved seeing the collaborative poem they came up with.
ReplyDeleteHow fun that you were the "visiting poet." I'm sure all those kids left with a poetry loving smile on their faces.
ReplyDeleteLOVE this! And here in Minnesota, I drove home from my mini writing retreat on the tail end of a Winter Storm Warning. Last night, I watched Lake Superior waves crash and burst 20-30 feet up on cliffsides. The wind was gusting at 50 mph! So it's just the right time for this poem here:>) Way to go 2nd graders--and Mary Lee!
ReplyDeleteWoohoo! It's always wonderful when schools utilise the skills and passions of teachers outside the box. In this case - your classroom! Lucky you and lucky Grade 2. LOVE the poem!
ReplyDeleteMary Lee, look at those joyful faces! And of course they're so happy because they were lucky enought to have you work and play with them to create this lovely poem.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny to hear of your 'snow day' writing in the midst of sunny weather, but I imagine the students loved it and you as visiting poet. Terrific, Mary Lee. And FYI, no snow day in Denver, but we did get more snow last night. Hoping that's the end. . .
ReplyDeleteMary Lee,
ReplyDeleteThis looks like fun!
Cathy
Hooray for the Visiting Poet and those sneaky, talented 2nd graders! TERRIFIC poem!
ReplyDeleteYeah for being the "visiting poet" What fun! I bet the second graders liked your "sneaky trick."
ReplyDeleteYou. Lucky. Ducky! What a wonderful and fun time to have with students. I'm so happy for them AND for you. And, the poem is a delight. What a wonderful memory this is for all.
ReplyDeleteGood trick to add those extra words to the title. Fun poem and writing event, despite the avenging weather.
ReplyDelete