Friday, June 1, 2018

Hello & A Poetry Peek from Missouri


My New Notebook
Photo by Amy LV




Students - This week I filled up the last pages of my notebook and bought a new notebook, the one you see above.  I am excited when I complete a notebook, but I also feel a little bit sad to say goodbye. (I feel this way about novels too!)

I wrote today's poem as a poem of address, or a poem written TO something else.  Sometimes it is interesting to pretend that another person or animal or object is listening to you...and to write directly TO it. This poem sounds like I really do talk, except for the rhyme part, and it is something I often think about.  Each time I begin a new notebook, it feels strange to enter this new paper room, to write on these new paper walls.  I do get comfy in a new notebook after a while.  It takes a few pages of writing in a notebook before I feel at home.

If you don't know what to write about, consider writing TO a person or animal or object.  Or think about a feeling related to your own writing life.  Or perhaps, make a list of many different events in life (riding your bike, having a haircut, playing with a dog) and the feelings that go with these events.  Approach a topic from a feeling place...and off you go!

Today I could not be happier to welcome co-teachers Emily Callahan and Nicole Johnson and their 44 second grade poets from Crossroads Academy Quality Hill Academy in Kansas City, Missouri.  Some of you might remember Emily Callahan from when she was a fourth grade teacher at a different school.  Back in 2016, she and her students taught us all about Popcorn and Poetry, which has caught on in many new places. 

How lucky we are to have these poet guests! Enjoy every moment.



If you wish to learn about this class's poetry journey through slides, do so here.




Or if you'd rather learn by watching a five minute movie, you may do so here.


Click the Box to Enlarge


Enjoy a peek at this thoughtful class poetry anthology...fingerprints on the cover!

Second Grade Poetry Anthology - Read HERE
Book by Second Graders of Crossroads Academy Quality Hill


Do not miss this chance to read this book by three authors.  What a challenge!

 IT'S ALL GREEK TO US - Read HERE
Book by Authors Jude, Christian, and Matthew


Watch Ben's movie book to learn about cats and 20 ways to approach a topic.
(Thank you, Ben, for your generous dedication!)



Wow!  I am very grateful to these students for their posts here today.  Thank you, writers and teachers!

If you did not have a chance to read last week's beautiful fourth grade poems, shared by teachers Lauren Coffey and Patricia Nesbitt of McNeill Elementary in Bowling Green, Kentucky, please be sure to head on over and dive in. We are fortunate to have so many gorgeous words to wallow in...and teachers, I invite your class to share in this space too.

Deep gratitude to all of the generous sixth grade bloggers from Michelle Haseltine's class of Brambleton Middle School in Loundon County, Virginia.  For the whole month of May, they took OVER my other blog, Sharing Our Notebooks, filling each day with pictures, ideas, and endless enthusiasm and fun.You can visit over there to find all kinds of ideas for your own summer notebooking.  What a blast!  I'm currently seeking blog takeover classes for the 2018-2019 school year. Teachers, if you're interested, please let me know.

Buffy is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Buffy's Blog where you will find a cool seed storm!  Each week we gather together, sharing poems, books, and poetry ideas all at one blog.  All are always welcome to visit, comment, and post.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

13 comments:

  1. I need to reacquaint myself with my notebook!! Maybe I should write to it...in it.

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  2. Wow! Forty-four anthologies, each special to the poet! I'm sure you love those who wrote "It's All Greek To Us", Amy, and the other themes sound special, too. Then, to celebrate by having poetry readings, too. Congratulations to all the students and teachers who soaked up poetry this year!

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  3. That poem is lovely. Would you mind if I taped a copy inside my notebook? Such a perfect way to start anew.

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  4. That's a handsome new notebook (and a great poem to get it started.) Thanks for sharing so many great second-grade writers!

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  5. Wow! Emily and Nicole are nurturing some wonderful new poets, aren't they? So many great ideas happening here, and Joy Write is in my summer TBR pile. And advice from Ben? Well that's always a treat!

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  6. What wonderful work from Emily's kiddos! She has a magic formula for sure. I recently started a new notebook. The pages feel different, stiffer, not as soft and giving. I love how your poem gives you permission to start.

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  7. I love the way this class has been taught to be free in expressing themselves through words! It has helped all in my home by the influence poetry (my son begins to understand his passion for rap runs hand in hand with poetry)!

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  8. Congrats on the fresh new (lovely!!) notebook; love your poem about it! And, WOW - what amazing work by all these young poets. Hats off to all. Those poems in It's All Greek to Us (Ha- love the title!) are so original and clever!

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  9. What a lovely notebook! I can relate to your poem.

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  10. Oh, I love this! Just yesterday I bought a new notebook because my current notebook is getting kinda full and toward the end of pages. I thought of you, actually. My current notebook is lined. But, I was envious of your un-lined notebook you shared during April. So, my new notebook awaits me...no lines and no boundries. It's kind of exciting! Shhhhhhh. Don't tell my current notebook.

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  11. Oh so much creativity in this post Amy and in all the students poems. How rich and wonderful their poetry studies are–wish I had something like that at their age! I love, "It's all Greek to us" and their drawing–marvelous. Thanks too for your fun poem beginning a new notebook!

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  12. The poetry with a partner tradition is a great idea. Lots of my students are interested in Greek mythology too!

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  13. Cannot wait to learn alongside these poets as 3rd graders next year!

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