THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY

THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY
April 12, 2016

Thursday, June 25, 2015

In Residence: Ode to Poetry

Last week was an exciting time at the Shovan poetry pad. On Monday, I made my last visit to Northfield Elementary. Families came to share a poetry celebration. Since I'd last seen the third grade poets, they had been working on brand new poems! What a thrill when the students handed me a book filled with odes and simile poems about poetry and our residency.

On Thursday, I found out that an Advanced Reader's Copies of my middle grade novel, THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY, was delivered to my local independent bookstore. Beth at Green Row Books tweeted out a picture and got busy reading the book with her own fourth grade student.

A few days later, there was a package on our doorstep. Sam had to inspect it first. Inside: books!



I'm so excited that I'll be able to share THE LAST FIFTH GRADE with my friends at Northfield next year.

AND... I promise to post sign ups for a Poetry Friday ARC tour very soon!

This week's Poetry Friday links are at
Carol's Corner.
For the next few posts, I'm going to share some pages from the Northfield book of odes. 

I feel a little squeamish about sharing these poems. Many of them are odes written to me -- both lovely and a little embarrassing. However, I promised the Northfield students that I would share as many of their poems as I could. Today's poems are all by students whose work I have not featured yet.

In the poetry teacher similes, I have been compared to everything from a smart dolphin to a hungry owl. I appreciate the compliments, but I appreciate the hard work that went into these similes and odes even more.



Ode to Poetry
by Noah B.

Poetry is persuasive
and organized
because it is neat.
Poetry is epic
and terrific
because you work hard.
Poetry is rich
and yummy
because it is a
piece of cake.
Poetry is awesome because
the best poetry teacher
in the world
taught us
Mrs. Shovan.

Dolphin Teacher: Class we will be writing poems.
Dolphin Students: Yes, Yes

Dolphin Teacher
by Taylor S.

Mrs. Shovan is
like a dolphin.

Dolphins are smart
like you are
they love to learn
like you love.
You love to be
by people
and dolphins like to
play with other dolphins.
You also love to teach kids
like dolphins teach their babies.



Shovan is like an Owl
by Jackson M.

Mrs. Shovan is like an owl.
She is very smart and hungry
for well done poems written for her.
Her prey is still being worked on. Once I finish,
she wolfs down the wrong answer
and checks the right answers.
Then, she gives it back to me,
covered in pen, slobber, and ink.



Sunny Poet
by Mia P.

Mrs. Shovan is like an ice cream cone.
She is sweet and enjoying.

Mrs. Shovan is like a panda.
Kind and caring

Mrs. Shovan is like a warm sunny day.
She makes you happy.

Mrs. Shovan is like a hug.
She makes you feel good inside.

My heart is melting!

In this series:

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

10 comments:

Margaret Simon said...

You totally rock! And deserve all this gushing. Just go with it.

How exciting about your book! I want one!

Carol said...

These are so special! I agree with Margaret-- just go with them. It's not very often, after all, that a person gets to feel so loved! Although I do wonder about covering the poems in slobber! And I'm saving this series of posts to show our third grade teachers how brilliantly kids this age can write!

Author Amok said...

Thank you, Carol! I'm glad that you can use the posts. A child's mind is amazing, isn't it? But then, why do we assume that they can't write well? They are adept users of language -- maybe it's about encouraging children that the words they use every day, the thoughts they already have, are the source of wonderful poetry.

jama said...

Wonderful odes! How wonderful to be compared to an owl, a dolphin, even ice cream :).

And how exciting to receive the first copies of your new book!! Congratulations!

Donna Smith said...

My only criticism is that I don't think you should be slobbering all over someone's poem, unless of course they have given you your own personal copy, and you are enjoying it immensely! Then slobber away - maybe laminate it first.
I love reading the students' work. Everyone should be honored someday by being compared to an ice cream. Lucky you!!! Sweet tributes.
And exciting to have your books arrive!

Mary Lee said...

Well, I was going to say something about the slobber, but Donna beat me too it and she is WAY funnier than I am, so I'll let her have it.

(But props to the student who used slobber in an ode to you!!)

Diane Mayr said...

Me, too, on the slobber! Why is that such an attractively gross word? I like the illustration. I know it's supposed to be an owl with a pen and notebook, at least I think that's what it's supposed to be, but I first saw it as an owl with a dustpan and broom! Sweeping up all those wrong answers?

Author Amok said...

Diane, your comment about the owl with a dustpan and broom sweeping up wrong answers cracked me up!

Tabatha said...

<3<3<3 these poems! Yes to being like an ice cream cone and a panda and a dolphin and yes to something being epic because you work hard on it and yes to "Her prey is still being worked on." So inventive!

Violet N. said...

What lovely tributes. And so thrilled your book is ready. Good times ahead!