In Residence: Carry Me to Poetry Land

Happy weekend, Writerly Friends.

I am finishing up a long series called "In Residence." The posts cover what it's like to be a poet-in-residence in third grade (you'll find links to them at the bottom of this page). We've looked at everything to meeting the students and starting them off with a structured writing exercise, through several different workshops, culminating in the school's Poetry Open House.

These last few posts feature student poems that were written *after* the residency. The third grade team at Northfield Elementary had students write an additional ode or simile poem to put in a gift book for me.

Today's featured poets are Andrew D., Rachel S., Julianna L., and Madison H. Most of these poems are two pages long! I'm sharing my photos of the first pages, but you can read the rest of the poems to get the full effect.

Poem based on a model by Naomi Shihab Nye,
"Words in My Pillow"
from FALLING DOWN THE PAGE.

Words in Mrs. Shovan
by Andrew D.

Words in Mrs. Shovan.
She is not the word
but she is related
to the words
tall
smart
a good poet.
No one can touch them
but they relate to her.
Like a relates to an:
I and I'm
this and that.
These words are related.
If she's not here
she's somewhere
teaching other people
about
similes
opposites
lists
and ode poems.
She is the poem
just waiting to be read.
She helps people
discover how
amazing poetry is.

Andrew, my favorite lines are "If she's not here/ she's somewhere/ teaching other people ...."

We didn't work on epistolary poems,
but we did talk about how an ode could be written
to the object or person being described.

Our Mrs. Shovan
by Rachel S.

You, Mrs. Shovan,
have changed my thinking of poetry.
Adventures plus happy thoughts fill my head,
because of ht imagination you helped me set free.
The blowing wind carries me to Poetry Land
a place full of tenderness and poetry lovers.
If we had poetry for class,
I would jump, scream, and even dance.
That is how much I love poetry.
Wishing you never left was my dream!
The knowledge you taught me
flows through my body,
like a falling waterfall
softly brushing against the rocks behind it.
But life goes on
ans when you have to leave,
you leave.
You are the best poet I ever knew...
And the best in my heart.
Poetry sparkles like diamonds, I know.

Rachel, I hope the wind always blows you to Poetry Land. Your descriptions and similes definitely sparkle like diamonds!

We worked on using hyperbolic similes in our odes.
You can see that the students loved writing similes
that express their enthusiasm.

Ode to Mrs. Shovan
by Julianna L.

I don't know what I would
have done without you.
You taught me different types of
poems
List,
Ode,
Opposites,
Simile,
etc.
You feel poetry like a sunny day
on the beach.
You smell poetry, like the smell of
strawberry cake.
You see poetry like sparkling
diamonds in a dark, dark cave in the
middle of the night.
I ill bring this knowledge to all
the grades above.

Julianna, your description of poetry sparkling like diamonds in a dark cave -- wow! I hope you will always carry your love of poetry with you.

Madison's piece follows the format of
an opposite poem, one of the workshops
we did during our residency.

My Ideas of Poetry
by Madison H.

How I thought of poetry first:
I thought poetry
was going to be
more writing
and in my mind I said
BORING
I didn't see any
pizzaz
in poetry yet.

How I think of it now:
As soon as
I started
writing
I was in love with it.
My mom was surprised
how good I was at it
I now can do anything
in poetry
in my life.

Madison, I'm so glad you changed your mind about poetry. "Pizzaz" is a great word to describe how exciting it can be to read a poem that makes pictures in your mind.

Thanks again to the families who gave me permission to share their students' wonderful poems. Keep writing, Northfield poets!

In this Series:

Planning the List Poem Lesson at Today's Little Ditty

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.

In Residence: Day 2 in the Simile Zoo: Poems by Allie L., Makaela M., Parker P., Matthew L., Vincent T., Lila R., Naomi C., and Julia J.

In Residence: Due Stanze: Poems by Avery,  Setutsi, Jen, Anlan, Arushi, and Johanna.

In Residence: Opposite Poems: Poems by Andrew V., Matthew L., Nathan W., Aly A., and Joanna B.

In Residence at Today's Little Ditty: Poetry Postcard Summer Activity for Kids and Families

In Residence: Shoe Odes: Poems by  Ilana M., Nicole C., Dylan L., Linnea J., and Ben K. 

In Residence: A Book Filled with Poems: Shoe Odes by Julie B., Kayla K., Alexandria D., Brianna C., Arif V., and Rowan C

In Residence: Ode to Poetry: Poems by Noah B., Taylor S., Jackson M., and Mia P.