THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY

THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY
April 12, 2016

Thursday, May 21, 2015

In Residence: Day 2 in the Simile Zoo

Greetings from the Simile Zoo!

Find this vintage postcard on Amazon.
The third graders at Northfield Elementary are continuing to write about animals, and how they can symbolize emotions and personality traits.

Teachers: I posted instructions for this lesson a few years ago.

The Simile Zoo: Lesson Part 1
The Simile Zoo: Lesson Part 2

Today's zoo tour guides are Allie, Makaela, Parker, Matthew, Vincent, Lila, Naomi, and Julia.

Allie L.

When I feel clever,
I am like a green fox.
When a predator comes close to me,
I stay calm
and then I think of a plan
and my eyes flash and look innocent.
Then I trick them with my cleverness
and scamper away with a smile on my face.

Vintage postcard from Zazzle.

Makaela M.

When I feel frightened,
I am like a squirrel.
I run up the nearest tree. The food that I
stuffed in my mouth stays there.
I stare… and stare… and stare.
I run to my burrow like I run to my room.
Should I run or should I freeze?

Parker P.

When I am brave
I am like a wolf.
My face looks mean
with sharp teeth. My body
is not scared. I go out at night.
I’m a good swimmer, like
I’m trying to eat a seal.

Matthew L.

When I am thinking,
I am like a raccoon.
I am great at problem solving,
as raccoons can lift the lids
off garbage cans. I am agile
and steady as the raccoons can
climb up walls and steal food.
I am like a raccoon in
many ways when I’m thinking.

From Postcard Locker
Vincent T.

When I feel smart, I am like a
raccoon. I finish problems quick as if
I was running through the night. I work
slowly and carefully like I am taking a
lid off the trash can. I work my way
slowly down like as if I was a raccoon
lowering myself down a wall that’s
coming down from the attic.

Lila R.

Turtle

When I feel embarrassed,
I am like a turtle.
I hold my head low, as if
I had a shell to hide
away in. I walk away
slowly, as if I was as slow
as a turtle. I try to hide, as if
I was blending in with my
surroundings. I draw attention
to myself and feel like I need
to hide, but I can’t run away.
I really feel like a turtle when
I’m embarrassed.

This vintage postcard is from Russia!

Naomi C.

When I feel happy,
I’m like a bird.
I feel free like a baby bird that just learned
how to fly.
I fly with my flock and make my
friends crow with laughter.
I watch with joy as my little sister
hatches.
Even though I’m a blue jay, I still feel
bright as the sun.
When the sun rises, I rise with it.
It seems as though it’s singing, so I sing with it.
The sun is fading, it’s like it’s going to sleep,
so I must go to sleep with it.

Julia J.

When I feel tired,
I am like a sloth.
I climb into my bed like a
sloth climbs into the trees
after a long day.
I try not to move.
My body hurts. I lie in bed
all night.
I fall asleep to the sound of
swaying trees outside my window.
I hear the sound of owls hooting
and the sound of bats’ wings flapping.

Sloth Valentine postcard from Zazzle

In Residence is an ongoing series this month. If you missed previous posts:

First Student Responses: "Words in My Pet Goldfish," "Words in My Bed," "Words in My Life"
In Residence: Poetry Friday Words: Poems by Laura S., Jason Y., Jeffrey G., and Isa L.
In Residence: The Simile Zoo: Poems by Sabine S., Asher, Cecelia D., and Evelyn D.

Than you to the Northfield ES community for hosting this annual residency. I appreciate having permission to share the third graders' poems.

Readers, the students love hearing feedback from you. Please leave a comment about our simile zoo. More animal poems are coming soon.

Next week, I'll be posting the third graders' opposites poems. But first, a special poem and interview for Poetry Friday as we look at the stunning new anthology, Poetry in Medicine.

3 comments:

Patricia Vanamburg said...

Congratulations on your poems everyone.

laurasalas said...

These are fabulous! " I fly with my flock and make my
friends crow with laughter." Snort!

Author Amok said...

Thanks for stopping by, Laura and Patricia. I'm glad you had fun admiring the animals in the Simile Zoo!