John Hay Community Academy Poetry

Poetry Broadsides

2008-05-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

For the last two weeks of the residency, students chose their favorite poems they wrote this year. Then they revised their work and created a broadside that incorporated images from their own poems. Finally, we took a "gallery walk" where students could see the amazing poems of their peers. It was a great 20 weeks at John Hay Academy!

Check back next fall for new poems!!

What We Know

2008-04-10T11:53:00.001-07:00

Today we read "Ballade" by Francios Villon. We talked about how we know things--how sometimes we know a whole thing by its parts. Or sometimes what we know reveals what we don't know. The students wrote some great poems. Take a look!

Ms. Cole 6th grade

I Know
Keegan O.

I know Chicago by its huge buildings.
I know spring by its flowers and sunny days.
I know sleep by its dreams and nightmares.
I know my mother by her voice when she calls me.
I know the parents by their children.
I know the land from the seas.
I know love from hate.
I know everything but the fear to move on.

I Know
Pierre M.

I know my mother by her smile
I know Rahkeem by his laugh
I know Ms. Cole by her walk
I know my brother by his walk
I know death when I see it
I know everything but my grandmother.

I know my friends when I see them
I know Antonio by his run
I know my mom when she calls me
I know my mom when she is
in a good mood or bad
I know everything but my grandmother.

I Know
Daveon J.

I know limes in Malibu
I know a dog by its ears
I know my TV by its color
I know y PS2 by the controller
I know my school by the auditorium
I know Super Jim’s by the people who work there
I know Ms. Cole by her glasses
I know everything but if I’m going to be
a billionaire

Ms. Harris 6th grade

I Know
Malik. T

I know crying by its tears
I know the orange by its color
I know morning by its sun
I know Medusa by the snakes in her hair
I know Pandora by her box
I know my grandma and the way to Vegas

I Know
Marquis S.

I know learning by the report card
I know feelings by the way you act
toward other people
I know a dog from its smell
I know when I’m near water
because of the way it starts to get cold.

I Know
Rayumos H.

I know my bike by
its brand
I know the rain by
the thunder
I know my mom by
the snoring
I know the music
by the songs
I know the clock
by its ticking
I know the sharpener
by its shavings.

I Know
George G.

I know my dad by his beard
I know a monkey by its tail
I know a zebra by its stripes
I know fire by its glow
I know Zeus by his thunderbolt
I know an angel by its wings

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade

I Know
Johnny B.

I know Chicago by McDonald’s on every corner
I know spring by the rain
I know Rae by her socks
I know my mom by her laugh
I know my room by my floor
I know my friends by their attitude
I know how to read because of books.

I know love by the touch
I know trees from buildings
I know John Hay from McNair
I know Chicago Ave. from North Ave.
I know everybody loves me
because I’m me.

I Know
Dawn H.

I know Keyonna by her walk
I know the winter by its snow
I know room 303 by its door
I know my teacher by her hair
I know when the sun comes out
I know a park by its swings
I know when a bus passes
I know when my dad is coming
I know everything but myself

I know when it is summer
I know when something bad is coming
I know when something good is about to happen
I know everything but myself.

I Know
Moesha T.

I know my mom when she is mad.
I know her by her size.
I know Ms. K. by her walk.
I know Rae by her voice.
I know Johnny by his laugh.
I know everything but myself.

I know Shaquita when she is happy.
I know streets when it is noisy.
I know Ms. Van by her smile.
I know spring when it rains.
I know everything but myself.

I know my friend Marissa when she’s silly.
Cynthia when she’s mad.
I know everything but myself.

So many summers

2008-04-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

Today we read "Knoxville, Tennessee" by Nikki Giovanni. We talked about the music in this poem, and how it painted a vivid picture of summer in one particular location. I asked the students to write about their favorite season in a particular place. Like Giovanni, many of the students like summer best. See their work!

Ms. Cole 6th grade

Summer
Markeesh M.

I like summer because you get to go
out and play and get wet with
all of your friends and eat lots of
ice cream sandwiches we can
stay outside late and we don’t
have to go to school we get
to go swimming and riding
our bikes we get to jump rope
and play we get to eat water-
melons, freeze pops, oranges, cherries,
snow balls, icy cups I get to
eat a lot of good food and fruits
in the summer you can go
to the zoo and see lots of animals.

Memphis
Jameena S.

Summer, I like summer because
it is hot and you do not have
to wear a coat, boots and
hot pants. I like summer because
I love to eat the cold, sticky
ice-cream, you have no school,
the kids can go out and play
and jump rope, go swimming and
throw water balloons and do
much much more.

Summer
Starcy F.

My favorite season is summer
I like summer because of the warm
days relaxed go swim and go
on lots of vacations summer
is my favorite ‘cause kids playing
flower spouts no school and
stay outside late and have
fun get togethers a barbeque
and listen to some gospel music
and food, corn bread, macaroni, greens
cabbage, spaghetti, chicken, hot dog
and cake, ice cream, cheesecake, peach
cobbler, and juice pop that’s why
I pick summer.

Ms. Harris 6th grade

Summer
Alexis G.

I always like summer best
I can play outside and
watch the flowers grow
I can go to many fun places
I do not have to go to school
my birthday is in the summer
and barbeque outside
I can go to house parties
with my best friends and all
I can do is have a lot of
fun. But then it’s a time when
the fun stops until next year
or in the winter, fall, spring you
can keep going but
then it’s a time to have to sleep.

Summer
Porscha T.

I always love summer
best smells good
barbeque eat fresh fruit
love all the good
things you could do
outside you go
get in the pool have lots
of fun parties pool parties
no school stay up all
night.

I Like . . .
Briana J.

I like summer in
Florida and all the
rides in Orlando where
I can go on.
When it is a
church picnic I
have fun and
play with friends
and listen to gospel
music. But it gets
so hot I can
use a glass of
lemonade, and
going on tall rides
is scary, but
they're fun
wind going
through my
hair I like
it. But when
I come back
to Chi town
I hang out
with my friends
at the park.
Oh look! There’s
Micheal and
Latisha and Daymiss
and more friends
playing they see
me and say: heeeeeey
Briana then I
go play.

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade

Six Flags in the Summer
Tysheanna Funches

Rides, rides, rides!
Summer, summer summer!
Food, food, food!
Batman, superman, giant drop and much more
hot, no coast, swimming suits and much more
ice cram, hot dogs, cheesy fries and much more
summer’s the best
six flag’s the best
walking under mist when you get hot
screaming as loud as you can
no rules like no talking always wear a helmet
swimming all day facing big waves
looking at your mom screaming on rides
laughing when you drop on the giant drop
running around
hot band around your toes
barefoot running around
this is six flags in the summer

Summer in Chicago
Sherrell W.

As the remains of the rain clear
the sun rises from its home
waiting for this beautiful
season. As the sun hurries to
the sky it flashes on
beautiful Chicago. Kids are
coming grabbing books before . . .
Ring Ring the school bell rings
like a freedom bell for a war. You
smelling BBQ, corn, chicken, and laughter
as everyone enjoys the summer
awakening. Put away coats, boots
umbrellas and the thought of
spring. Summer has come to
Chicago. Time for fun.

Summertime in Joliet
Jasmine W.

I always like summer
time in Joliet because
I can eat
some good barbeque
I can sleep all day
I can play and
get more food if I
really need it. I drink
juice pop and other
kinds for my age.
That’s my favorite season.

History (in third person)

2008-03-27T13:10:00.001-07:00

Today we read Tomaz Salamun's poem "History." We talked about writing in third person to gain some distance and a new perspective. We also talked about how imagining one's own history could be interesting, especially when the poet chooses vivid images. The students wrote great poems of their own imagined histories. Take a look!

Ms. Cole 6th grade

History
Andrea T.

Andrea is a sphere rushing through
the air. Andrea is a girl who, when
she walks down the street, people
look at her. She lies down in
twilight. Andrea has a dog and
is a girl. She likes the rain. She
likes to go to Miami. Andrea is like
the wind. Andrea likes hot peppers.
Andrea does not like snakes. Andrea
has never been in a tornado or hurricane
and sometimes she thinks she is
a refreshing person.

Rahkeem is?
Rahkeem O.

Rahkeem is a giant bowling
ball knocking down and conquering everything
in its path. He never gets afraid or
backs down from a challenge.
Or maybe Rahkeem is like a
cool summer mist. After a long day
it is refreshing to see one.
Or, Rahkeem might be a
Fierce Tiger, always ready and prepared
for anything.

History
Takayla J.

Takayla is a sun.
Takayla is a spotlight
shining on a superstar.
She lies down like a
sunset.
People and I look as if
our eyes are flashlights.
Maybe she’s a star
from the sky.
Possibly she should be a
highlighter.
Next year, she’ll be
in the Bahamas where
Takayla shines on people.

Ms. Harris 6th grade

History
Omarr B.

Omarr is a king.
Omarr is a sun rising
every 6:00 a.m. He hops like
a rabbit, and runs fast like it
too. People and I, we all look
at him shocked. We give him luck.
Maybe he is a bird. Maybe he is a
mouse or a dog that only bites
bad people. People see Omarr buying a car.
He buys it and thinks of history.

Poetry
Malik T.

Malik is a tree.
Maybe he is a thunderstorm.
Possibly he should be a pit bull.
Next year, he will be an angel.
Maybe he is a fast car.
Maybe he is a chair so that
you can sit.
Possibly he should have been a lemon
that is sour.

KeJuan the Invisible
KeJuan M.

KeJuan is a beast. KeJuan
is a monster. KeJuan is the air
that flows in the earth, that
people inhale and exhale. KeJuan
is the thunder that strikes a
tree falling on cars. KeJuan
is a beast. KeJuan is hurricane
Katrina that hit New Orleans. KeJuan
is like John C. You can’t see him. You
can only hear, smell or taste KeJuan
because he is like a burger flipping
in the pan. KeJuan is the energy
that you drink. That is how I explain
KeJuan and KeJuan is what you can’t see.

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade

What’s History
Eric. W

Eric is a king. A lion.
A block of sunshine a light
that doesn’t go off like a glass
star. Music. A clock that
doesn’t have numbers.
Eric is an Independent man
that loves his work,
going for his goals. That is
history.

History
Keyonna B.

Keyonna is goofy.
Keyonna is a shoe addict.
Keyonna is a tree climber.
Maybe she is a nice person.
Maybe she is a rude person.
She might only be kind.
She might only be cute.
Keyonna is crazy.
Keyonna is lazy.

Poem
Chaddrick M.

Chaddrick is a leopard.
He is a snowstorm.
He might only be
two dogs going at it.
Possibly he should be
waves when people
are surfing.
People will say: I am
going to get security,
because he is a
bad boy.

Crazy Adorations

2008-03-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

Today we read an excerpt of Andre Breton's "Free Union." We talked about the power of metaphor and discussed the strange and surprising way Breton describes his wife. We made a list of unusual parts of the body that might go mostly unexamined, and created a list of unrelated nouns. Then, when asked to think of someone they adore, students came up with many exciting comparisons. Read their work!

Ms. Cole 6th grade
Week 14

My Friend
Daveon J.

My friend whose toes are a pack of string beans,
whose neck is like a big professional
football whose armpits are like a bush
of hair, whose eyeballs are like two
big bowling balls, whose ears are like
two airplane wings.

My Brother
William D.

My brother is a cricket then
a hill billy snail and has an elbow of
a goat. His voice is louder
than a lion’s roar. He has hair of
alligator skin and a body made
of bricks. And eyelashes of a horse’s
tail. He moves faster than the wind.
This is my brother.

Mother
Miguel A.

My mom whose hair is like a river of gold
whose mouth is like a rainy puffy clouds
whose teeth are white as snow
whose tongue is made of sharpened stainless steel.
My mom whose eyelashes are like the
Statue of Liberty’s seven spikes a little bit bent
whose eyebrows are not as bushy as kiwi.
My mom whose heart is a big open door
for everyone
and my mom’s fingers that are as
soft as stones on the beach.

Ms. Harris 6th grade
Week 14

Mom
Michael B.

My mom has eyes of roses
teeth like snow.
My mom has hair like a condo
ears like rain.
My mom’s nose is like trees
her lips like a sunflower.
My mom’s skin in like a condo
her breath like a fountain of chocolate.
My mom’s toes are a river
her forehead is like snow.

My Cousin
Dequan B.

My cousin smells like sunflowers,
she looks like a tree. My mom
smells like roses. My baby
sister’s cheeks smell like
sweet candy. She looks
like a baby lion when she cries.
It looks like she was in a puddle
of rain.

Crazy Body Parts
Latisha M.

I admire a person whose
forehead is like a river
whose hair is like a ball
of itchy grass whose
neck is like a skyscraper
whose shoulders are like chocolate
milk coming out of a fountain
whose waist is like fish swimming
in the ocean
whose hands are like waving
flags whose legs are tall as trees
and whose toes are like roses.

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade
Week 14

My Twin
Justina P.

My twin who has a mouth of birds
who has energy of a 3-year-old
who has skin of a baby
my twin who has legs of a model
who has moods of a mood rings
who has skin the color of light chocolate
my twin who has clothes of flowers
who has eyes of a brown star

My Brother
Johnny B.

My brother whose shoulders
are fountains of chocolate
whose belly button is a block
whose legs are long as
the numbers 1, 2, and 3
whose teeth are white as snow
whose tongue is longer than trees
whose stomach is full as chocolate
my brother’s forehead is smaller
than windex paper towels
whose fingers can write a
response in seconds
whose cheeks are shiny as
the sun
whose elbow is rusty as nails
whose tongue twirls like a cyclone
whose ankles twist like a screwdriver
whose eyes are smaller than pop cans
whose eyes can see like posters
whose face is on a dollar bill of money

Everything in the Body
Brianna D.

My mom has a face made
out of money.
She’s getting rich.
My mom has ankles made out
of chocolate, she’s
walking slow.
My mom’s toes are made of
blocks.
She’s falling down.
My mom’s ears are made of flowers.
She can’t hear.
My mom’s forehead is made
out of snow.
She gets a brain freeze.

Sweet Like a ????

2008-02-22T12:01:00.001-08:00

Today we read Michael Ondaatje's poem "Sweet Like a Crow." The students really gained an understanding of comparison/simile and were very excited about the surprising and strange associations this poem offered. The students then began to imagine how a voice might sound and came up with comparison's of their own. They had many surprising images!

Ms. Cole 6th grade

Your Voice
Kenya W.

Your voice sounds like eight dogs
barking, thunder in the sky,
a bullet hit you in eye,
one hundred owls in tree,
a tornado heading our way, two
thousand firecrackers hitting
the y sky, people dancing in a parade,
a burning house, a scary movie, a car
out of gas, a bulldozer
knocking down a building, a phone
ringing, a girl lost in a desert
crying for help, five girls jumping
on a bed.

Your Voice
Keegan O.

Your voice sounds like a high-pitched
bird in a nest on a summer morning. Your
voice is like a slave being beaten. Your
voice sounds like a windshield wiper,
wiping snow off of the windows, your
voice sounds like a hurricane
in the sky picking up speed.

Voices
Damyiss M.

Somebody’s voice sounds like
it is on a cloud, it sounds like
a snake being fed to a killer whale,
it sounds like a squirrel being eaten
by a giant crow, it sound like a
little girl screaming for help it
sounds like someone being shot, it
sounds like someone in a blizzard,
it sounds like someone biting
into a fried green tomato, it
sounds like a girl being beat,
her hair getting combed.

Ms. Harris 6th grade

Your Voice
Marquis S.

Your voice sounds like a
bed squeaking, like a horse
eating hay, like a car
riding on a flat tire,
like a boy knocking over
garbage cans, like a car
rolling over, like a baby crying,
like someone biting a piece
off an apple.

Your Voice Sounds Like
Edward S.

Your voice sound like
a fish getting cooked.
Your voice sounds like
a monkey jumping up
and down. Your voice
sounds like a cat crying.
Your voice sounds
like a dog biting. Your
voice sounds like a
fat man eating.

Her Voice
Carisma F.

Her voice sounds like a piece of fried chicken
being eaten, a tornado being brought threw
town, like a chip bag being opened, like a bitten
apple. Her voice sounds like a bird being
choked, like a basketball being bounced, like
hail coming down and hitting the windows.

Her voice sounds like a loud TV. Like a ring
tone on a phone, like two cats and two dogs
fighting. Like a gun being shot in the air,
like a bird flying in the sky. Her voice
sounds like a rooster early in the morning,
like an ambulance, like kids running
through the halls of the school.

Your Voice
Laquesha B.

Your voice sounds like a
watermelon when someone is
throwing and dropping it. Your voice
sounds like a laughing dog that
is at a talent show. Your voice sounds like
a notebook when someone opens it and flips
the pages. Your voice sound like a
big bag of chips when someone drops it
and another person steps on it. Your voice
sounds like a paper wobbling front and back
and from side to side. Your voice sounds
like a piece of pie when somebody ate the
whole thing in one bite. Your voice
sounds like a Mama hollering and telling
her children to go to bed. Your voice sounds like
a lawnmower getting stuck between houses. Your voice
sounds like two dogs and cats fighting each other.

Voice
Arrion L.

I sound like a hand clap
going across someone’s face.
I sound like a rock falling
onto the ground. I sound like
a man running from
the police. I sound like a
dog trying to get a ball.

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade

Your Voice
Eric W.

Your voice sound like trees falling and the leaves falling off
and blowing sometimes like in the Windy City
and water hitting rock. Your voice sounds like a coat zipper
that is broken. Like someone getting married.

Your Voice
Dominique B.

Your voice sounds like a
lawn mower cutting grass.

Your voice sounds like a
clock going tic-toc.

Your voice sounds like a
whale eating a fish.

Your voice sounds like a
dog running from a bath.

Your voice sounds like a
hyena scaring a baby lion.

Your voice sounds like a
daddy lion roaring.

Your voice sounds like a
1-year-old saying his ABCs.

Your voice sounds like a
dice rolling on the board.

Your voice sounds like a
sick kid.

Your Voice Sounds Like
Amia R.

Your voice sounds like
a pig screaming for
help and a rain storm.

Your voice sounds like
an elephant blowing
his horn going crazy.

Your voice sounds like
a dolphin crying
for her baby.

Your voice sounds like
a clock saying
tick tock.

Your voice sounds like
a frog trying to sing.

Emotion Personification Party

2008-02-14T12:24:00.000-08:00

This week we read "Shame" by Nancy Casteneda and "Fear" by Tracy Waldman. The students and I discussed personification, and then made a list of some emotions we might want to explore. We talked about how, if the emotion was a person, it would look, act, etc. A few student volunteers had a good time acting this out and entering the room as their emotion. Then, they used their own powers to transform their emotion into a person via words:

Ms. Cole 6th grade
Week 12
02/14/08

Rude
written by: Ms. Cole

Rude is flippant
and inappropriate. She
smiles slyly. She
bursts on the scene
loud and boisterous
not knowing what to
do. Rude red ridiculous
ready for everything
prepared for nothing.

Joy
Louise D.

Joy is a girl who
is happy all the time, loves
to play, loves to sing, she loves
to eat hot dogs. She loves to hear
the sound of a bird singing in
the morning. Joy loves to smell good.
Joy loves to see pretty clothes.
Joy loves to feel good. Joy is
a girl who loves to be happy.

Excitement
Arquesha A.

Excitement is a child
eating ice cream, running
down a hill, playing with
other kids, having fun
in the sun. Excitement
is making cookies,
cake and other kinds
of desserts. Going
to a birthday party and
is always walking in the room
with a smile on her face.

Joy
Miguel A.

Joy is a little boy who has fun all
year round. He comes out of the sky
every day you do something good.
He has been real happy these
past few days, because you succeeded.

Joy confronts you like a friendly
dog being sensitive to you.
Joy makes you be happy and excited.

Be careful! If you are not joyful,
he’ll hunt you down and get you
to be joyful.

Ms. Harris 6th grade
Week 12
02/14/08

Scary
Rayumos H.

Scary is a man who
creeps around like a
worm. He comes out
of nowhere scaring
kids when it’s night.

Scary has a mask on
and goes into people’s
dreams and makes them
into nightmares. Scary
demands to see people
get scared or he keeps hunting
you down.

Be scared! Scary is
after you every single
night between time
and future.

Grumpy
Cleorra G.

He comes in the room and is
mad at what you do. He eats
nails and makes you grumpy.
When he walks in, he looks at
everyone with a mean look. He
will say something mean to make
you mean. Grumpy also talks
about you. You can see him
and talk to him, but if you do
make sure to pray he won’t mess
with you.

Jealousy
Da’shana W.

Jealousy is a girl who
can’t stand to see
somebody looking better
than her. She’s looking
around and making faces
at everyone she can’t stand
to see people look at her.
she’s mighty, scary,
suspicious, shy, honestly
she can be grumpy at times.
She can have joy and happiness
too, but she’s jealous of people.

Suspicious
George G.

Suspicious is a man who wears
an overcoat and a mask. He’s very quiet
and doesn’t draw attention to himself.
He’s always quiet. He sneaks up on you
and it is like he isn’t even there.
He’s quiet as a mouse. Suspicious has
secrets in his pockets. He’s like
a ghost. He eats secret recipes.

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade
Week 12
02/14/08

Worry
Deandre M.

Worry is the name
and hating is not
my game. Worry
sometimes
I worry no
time. Worry
this that
this that.
Who worry
I sure did
I love you.

Anger
Jacobi D.

Anger is a man whose skin
goes to red. Anger stands like
a bear growling at something.
Anger tastes like hot peppers.
Anger feels like hell or heat.
Anger smells like burning
wood. Anger is just anger.

Scared
Rae L.

Scared is a woman at night.
It taps your shoulder and hides behind a tree.
Scared comes out and makes you scream.
Scared eats what he calls a good old scream.
It keeps in his pocket a book of new tricks.
Scared smells like fear. Scared looks frightened.
When he comes into the room, he jumps on you.

Regret
Dawn H.

Regret is a woman who sneaks up on
you everyday. She chases you down
the street and holds tight and never
lets go--puts pressure on your back
and pulls you back as you walk, and stays
in your mind each and every day.

Paint blot comparisons

2008-01-31T11:40:00.001-08:00

To introduce comparison, the students and I read "Fog" by Carl Sandburg. We had a great discussion about how one thing can be/become another thing. Then, I made a few symmetrical paint blots to help the students discover their own "metaphor magic" to transform one thing into another. See their amazing poems:

Ms. Cole 6th grade

Paint
Kenya W.

This is a spaceship taking up
in the air.
A turkey to share.
This is some flowers in this
beautiful vase.
This is a person’s ribs.

Paint Blues
Lannell F.

The paintings look like a
rocket blasting off, and a robot
on a toilet and a baby looking
like a roach.

Pots Paint
William D.

First it was a plain
paper, then it was an
x-ray of the inside of
someone, then it was a
flower in a vase, now it’s
a skeleton with flippers.

Ms. Harris 6th grade

Heart
Michael B.

What I see is
two people taking
out someone’s
heart. The people are
blue. And the heart
is black and red.

Splash!
George G.

The paint is like
a man with a mustache,
big red lips, and a blue head.
Or an African mask, or maybe
it is a mouse with black hair
feasting on spaghetti.

Mr. Confusion
Jermel H.

The painting is blurry,
staring, and curvy.
Mr. Confusion is blue,
his mustache is black,
and his beard is red
and as big as his head.
Mr. Confusion is dreamy, but
chubby and lazy, crazy.
He’s the blue man.

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade

What is Paint?
Dominique B.

Paint is a polar bear
with blue and white fur.
Paint is a house on a
lost island.
Paint is a sword going
through a teddy bear.
Paint is two bears
on V-day.

Paint Dreams
Terry C.

I see a bear running
through the woods fast
as lightening. A bear
no one has ever seen in life,
but in a dream. The art
of paint becomes real in
dreams. That is my paint
dream.

Paint
Virginia E.

The paint comes as an Indian
woman that can look
all over Chicago and
it can stand in front
of our face and keep
moving.

What THEY loved.

2008-01-31T11:35:00.000-08:00

We read Lisa Jarnot's poem "They Loved Paperclips." We talked about the advantages of using the third-person collective pronoun "they" to allow for some distance. The students began to see that they could write a poem that include not only their own perspective, but could allow for the viewpoint of others. See their work!

Ms. Cole 6th grade

They Love
Shirlette S.

Thye love their pencil moving
across their paper and
they love the weather when
it changes every day and
they love their eyes moving
from side to side and
they love their fingers moving
one by one and they love their
paper making rapply sounds
and they love their cars
horn as they beep
for someone to move out
of their way and they
love the air because
they get oxygen and they love
their straight
hair as they flat iron
and it pressed out

Poem
Jameena

They love shopping
they love cats and dogs
they love having family
they love working and going to school
they love spending money
the love eating
they love having a roof over their head
that is what they love

They Love
William D.

They love science books
they love the sound of
they wind they love the smell of
chicken fingers and mac & cheese
they like the shape of the
globe they love the smell of
new shoes they love plants.

Poem
Sendalio W.

They love hearing things on the
radio they like books they like the
sound of cars they like when there
is a word wall they like it when
family and friends come over they
like when kids come over they like
good grades they like video games
they like poetry they like playing
baseball and basketball they like
playing board games.

Ms. Harris 6th grade

They Love Outside
Carisma F.

They love outside and
everything out there
they love hearing cars
honk their horns and
the smell of gasoline
they love hearing the
crickets and crows they
love looking at the sky
to see what they can find like
shapes and animals they
love looking at the big green trees

Poem
Jermel H.

They love many things
they love crossword puzzles
they hate cats and they
love art they still love cooking
and really love puzzles and books they
like bike riding on Sundays they
love this and that they love
garbage and love bugs they eat
worms and slugs

Me and My Friends!
Dequan B.

They love Hannah
Montana they love
the click of the keyboard
they love hushpuppies they
love rings they love movies
they love airwalks they love
venns they love pizza and
a pool they love to become
a teacher they love to sing they
love to dance they love to
go to the movies they love
pickles they love me too they
also love Fridays and Spongebob.

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade

Love, Love Love
Lakeya S.

They love the chalkboard
they love gospel music
they love fights
they love tweety bird
the love crazy people
all these things they love the most
they love Bowow and Chris Brown
they love school
love, love, love is all they say
they love fruit
they love concrete
they love chicken
they love to freeze
they love tornadoes

They Love Fabric
Lyneisha F.

The love needles they love
thread they love seeds and
candy they loved machines
they love the sound
of pencils on paper and
fabric they love the fabric
on Sundays and
they love clothes
that have their name and style
the thread for the needles
the ruler for the thighs and
also when their fashion
are going down the aisle.

They Love
Moesha T.

They love tornadoes
they love poems and
strawberries the cars
the fabric the fries the
sound of a hum they love
school on a Saturday they
love computers all through
the week they love the
hairstyles that they wear
Mondays they love the coats
they love the shoes that
match the ceiling and the
Tide they use to clean their
clothes what they love is
Ms. Van’s poems she brings.

In My Head

2008-01-15T04:18:00.000-08:00

This week, we stepped outside of ourselves to see what kinds of images might be lurking inside of us. We read "A Boy’s Head" by Miroslav Holub, translated from Czech by Ian Milner. The students were amazed at what kinds of things represented knowledge and were excited to explore images of their own. Look at their great work!

Ms. Cole 6th grade
Week 8
12/13/07

Takayla’s Head
Takayla J.

In it there is a bee buzzing
and a tooth
for my science project.

And there is a little girl
bugging me
while I don’t want
to be bothered with.

And there is
an entirely new whole honey nest
an entirely new big wheelcar
an entirely new carnival

There is a tree, tree light
bursting

There is a spelling word:
pioneer
surgeon
qualified
infection
outrageous
trail blazer
clinic
application

independent and more.

There are chores.

And it just cannot be ripped
I believe only what cannot be ripped.

In My Head
Antonio R.

In it there is the Best Artist.
There is the big spider in town.
There is Spiderman in Chi-Town
saving the town. The is a
picture of 50 cent and
Tony yayo at 50 house.
There is when I first learned how
to ride a bike.

In My Head
Pierre M.

In it there is a carrot
There is money
There is a clock
There is my grandfather resting in peace
There is my mother
There is my father
There is my nephew
There is school
There is Christmas coming
There is snow
There is a progress report
There is a dog
There is a needle
There is home, home sweet home
There is a kitchen
There is a mall

Ms. Harris 6th grade
Week 8
12/13/07

Da’shana’s Head
Da’shana W.

In it there is a huge party

and there is a ball
game which shall last forever

and there is
a concert
an entirely new song

There is a pond
streaming

Clusters
Raymos H.

In there is earth.
There is Lake Michigan and
its wonders.

There is land with buildings
and hotels and apartments.

There are cars roaming around
the street.

There are entirely new schools
and hospitals.

And it just cannot be flamed
or stolen.

In His Head
Nicole H.

And in his head pop stars.
Doors . . . opening
little kids running out
of the door singing
1.2.3 lock your doors . . .
4.5. pick up toys
grown ups walking away
from rivers. But never
loved to be a head?

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade
Week 8
12/13/07

Jacobi’s Head
Jacobi D.

In my head I see a box
and a boy that will sit in it.
I see 303 and me going to pass
6th grade. In there I see
Christmas. Friends. Family
having a good time. In there
I see peace and quiet. So much peace.

Briana’s Head
Briana D.

What’s in my head is not
to dread. I’ve got purple in my
head. I’ve got a blue shirt,
red socks, some blue jean pants.
Algebra, which is math. A best-
friends necklace, how about you.
A jacket my BFF my wanna be,
are you crazy? I have red in my
head. I’ve dreams that need help.
I see people in my future who
ask to marry, but in my head I’ll
have to carry.

Sherrell’s Head
Sherrell W.

In it there is
a pink and blue shirt,
and a blue skirt.

And there is Lil Wayne
with a hat that he
just got.

And there is
an entirely new boombox
an entirely new book
an entirely new bird.

There is a stage
which artist’s rap/sing
on.

There are long yellow
socks.

There is my walking
down a runway.
There is me on an island
that can’t be removed.

From T.S. Eliot to Chicago

2007-12-06T12:36:00.000-08:00

We read T.S. Eliot's first section of the "Preludes" to get a sense of setting in poetry. Eliot gives concrete and vivid details of a particular place at a particular time. We discussed the way he described a winter evening in the city at 6'clock. The students found it to be an interesting assignment to write about their own neighborhoods at an exact time in a specific season. Look at their work:

Ms. Cole 6th grade
Week 6

4 O’Clock
Starcy F.

In the summer time after school
kids get out of school be
loud then when they go home
it is quiet out there when
I go to the store I smell
lots of pizza, steak
Chinese food, shrimp,
burgers, fries when I walk
the streets going to the store
I see the CTA bus going by cars
going by lights change people
going to the gas station to buy
gas I watch them as they
go to church going to
the Laundy-mat.

Setting
Markeesh M.

The summer evening heats up
when kids come home to play
3:00 in the evening
the boring old day ends.
And here comes all the fun.
The playful little children.
People come to get wet.
And water coming down on you.
The water splash.
They get hungry and
smell of chicken and of fries,
everybody rushes to
the restaurants. And the
summer of fun.

Poetry
Rahkeen O.

3 o’clock on a summer day.
Kids out of school run and play.
Racing home to take off bookbags,
but a little tired from the work they had.
Going to union jumping in the pool,
but wait, the next day they still have
school. Racing home before too late.
Get home do homework while they shiver
and shake. Eat dinner and get in bed.
Now they can rest their heads.

Ms. Harris 6th grade
Week 6

Summer
Jasmine P.

The summer evening settles down
I smell BBQ fill the air.
5 o’clock hits and all the kids
come out to play. While roses bloom
all around, the cars on
the corner honking horns, cars
going by all four ways. As
the streetlights come on they
all go away. Hope wakes
up the next day.

6 O’clock
Alexis G.

The summer evening. 6 o’clock.
I hear birds chirping and dogs barking
and cats meow. I smell BBQ chicken,
ribs and lots more stuff. I see
out the window girls jumping Double
Dutch. I see people outside moving
their stuff in a moving truck.
I go outside and look up and the
sun is going down. Then in the
morning the sun shines again.

3 o’clock
Porsha T.

during the summertime
sun rise hot day
kids out playing
running school out
summer school’s
still in kids having
fun swimming staying
up late sleeping late
doing what they
want to do because
school’s out

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade
Week 6

6:00 p.m.
Rae L.

Winter is here and it is
so beautiful. 6 o’clock
on the dot. The tall while
snow formed into a hill.
there is so much snow
you can hardly feel
your fingers and toes.
People get robbed walking
down the street. As you
walk you see your feet
prints. You go in the house
and get a cup of hot cocoa
with 6 marshmallows. Get
under a blanket nice and
cozy. All at 6 o’clock on the
dot.

The Best Night
Jasmine W.

10 o’clock at night on
a winter night I hear people
walking and taking in the
snow, laughing and having
a good time with one
another. I see darkness
sparkle snow on the ground
mixed with hail, street
lights and on cars driving
horns beeping. Next thing
you know it it it . . .quiet.
No sound, just blank. I smell
hotdogs, cheeseburgers, waffles
hot wings, popeyes, perfume,
flowers, mac and cheese, I smell
everything in the book.

The Fun Day
Marissa M.

It is summer time. 1:30.
Kids are running around, kids
play jump rope. People are cooking.
The food smelling good, boys
playing basketball, boys and girls
are running around in the
park. Kids going to the
store. The ice cream truck
driving around. The kids are
fighting. Some kids are going
to the beach. Some kids are
going to the water park. Some
kids are going swimming.

12:00 At Night
Terry C.

12 o’clock at night colder than ice
lightning flashing with the moon
glancing from the night snow
falling from the sky like
the white moon at night
clouds bright as no light
weirder than fright

Miss Rosie

2007-12-06T12:32:00.000-08:00

We read "Miss Rosie" by Lucille Clifton. This lesson focused on mood and concrete details that give us cues about mood. The students were very close readers noticing how Lucille Clifton changes the mood midway through the poem from sad to victorious. The students wrote really interesting poems.

Ms. Cole 6th grade
Week 5

The Man That Lives on the End of the Gas Station
Terrence S.

When I watch you fight people for no reason
surrounded by all these people.

Or,
no one is around because of you.

When I watch you in your box house on the end
of the gas station
waiting for someone to say something to you.

I say
that man is slow and needs help.

Crazy Dave
Kenya W.

When I watch you come down the street
surrounded by my classmates
or
when I watch you in your black jacket and colorful clothes
waiting for you to come to the gate
I say stand up for what you believe in

Crazy Man
Jameena S.

When I watch you walking down the street talking
to yourself and taking people’s
things out of their backyards
surrounded by little kids just watching
and talking about you and the things you do

or
wearing two different kinds of shoes
with bleached clothes

when I watch you in your baseball helmet
washing people’s care without them knowing
you are doing it

waiting for people to come out of their house
and pay you for washing their car

I say look at him doing things
he has no business doing
that is what I say

Ms. Harris 6th grade
Week 5

Crazy Dave
Dequan B.

When I watch you picking
through garbage
surrounded by garbage
and alleys
or
when I watch you in your 2
different shoes with different
color clothes and nuts and fake
jewelry
waiting for your mind like next
Christmas
I say
you used to be the quietest boy
on earth
I stand up
through your craziest
I stand up

Ricard and His Big Coat
Cleorra G.

When I watch you carry big bags
of garbage around on your bike
with a hole in your shirt
and small tight pants
surrounded by dead grass, leaves
and insects and wet garbage
sitting by dumpsters and cans
or
when I watch you in your big coat
and gym shoes with no strings
and holes in your coast
waiting for the sun
to come out
I say I would buy you food
and tell you to get
a job

Quarter Man
Omarr B.

When I watch you go around and put
your hand in a circle
and ask for a quarter
surrounded by dumpsters and rats
and possums
or
when I watch you in your mind you are lost
thinking about quarters
waiting for someone to walk by and
put a quarter in your can
I say wake up and realize
that you are somebody get up
and get a job and you maybe will have
quarters, even dollars

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade
Week 5

My Story
Shaquita B.

A man named Crazy Davide
they call him that because
he is crazy he is tall and skinny
a black man walking up and down
the block he always dances
and talks to himself
he goes in the garbage and gets
coats and shoes, red, green, blue
black and all other colors. If
I was to stand up for him
I would take him to get some clothes
and shoes. I will give him food
to eat and then he will be cute
and people will like him when
he is fixed up. I forgot
he smells like old greens.

The Crazy Young Lady
Lyneisha F.

When I watch you
come outside after school
with your schools dirty
surrounded by a whole group
of people saying get her
get her with dirty punks
waiting for someone to fight
or
when I watch you in your little
position in the middle of the street
waiting for someone to come so you can push
them around
I say
stop!
no more!
I had enough of your bullying
stop!!!

Ice Cold
Malcolm M.

When I watch you saying hello to people
that are not there
surrounded by old clothes
and eating old food out of the garbage can
the ALDI people throw away
or
when I watch you in your shoes
telling me to go to school
and get and education
waiting for a job
and some new shoes and clothes
and I say I am going to stand up
and be proud
I will stand up and help

Little Room

2007-11-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

We read Max Jacob's poem "Little Room." The students and I discusssed concrete details and how they create setting. We had a really great discussion about the way the speaker remembered and imagined his childhood room. Then, the students were asked to remember a place they knew and to focus on setting while they wrote. There were many favorite places revisited.

Ms. Cole 6th grade
Week 3
10/25/07

Garden Square
-Octavia B.

I remember a place I used to
love at my grandma’s house it was
in her backyard. I called it the
garden square. I used to think that
the garden was a jungle.

Sometimes when I go into
the garden square I think about
the ants. Spiders are turning
big. I smell nature. I hear
wild animals and
I hear voices and see a lot
of trees.

Poem
-Daveon J.

I remember my friend’s garage. The color
of the black Lexus, the fresh-car smell,
the darkness of the garage, on which I
would just sit there and chill with my
friends. There were many thing in this
garage, care tires, windows, old clocks, and
many rocks. I would sit in the car and
maybe write, wit the room so dark, the
quietest garage in the world.
And that’s my most favorite place I know.

Poem
-Shirlette S.

I remember the quiet
place in the house. The walls were like
a lot of little squares. I see a lot
of creatures in it, but they are fake frogs.
The frogs have all different kinds of patterns
on them like Zs Zacks. Every time I
need a place to go somebody is always
in there. I close the door and write songs
and do my homework. This place
is not that big but I sit on
the edge of the bathtub and
write whatever I feel. Sometimes
it takes me a long time to get in
there because people go in and out
the bathroom, yes, I said the bathroom
where I can study and nobody
can tell me what to do
and how to do it.

Ms. Harris 6th grade
Week 3
10/25/07

Poem
Carisma F.

I remember in my room
staring at the
wall imagining
it as the pretty
dark blue sky
looking at all
the thousands
of stars,
hoping I will
see a shooting
star, looking
at that bold
moon, asking
myself what
if I could be that
first black American
child to reach
the moon touching
it, what if I could
be the first black
child on all the planets
starting with Mercury and ending
with Pluto. What if? How
come, did I, would I, DO
I have the guts to go
to the solar system.

My Poem
-Arrion L.

I remember a gold
house was a good
place for me gold
knobs on the doors down
on the floor I used
to see things down there
good things I see it.
Just for me knowing
that the gold house is
all for me to see
when I am fast a
sleep.

I Remember
-Jermel H.

I remember in the
fall time as a young child
with my mother and grand
mother at the train station one night. It
was windy and the wind blew me up
over my mom. I was floating
in the sky. I couldn’t get down
from the air. It kept me up in the
sky, people driving on the expressway
looked at me. Soon my mother and grand
mother were screaming for help while
I was floating above the train tracks.
Soon I blacked out and I woke up
in the hospital. I asked what
happened. They said the wind
blew me up in the sky. I remembered
that day for the rest of my life.

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade
Week 3
10/25/07

Best Place Ever
-Tysheanna F.

I remember my playroom as a small
child. The room was empty. It had
only a table, a lamp and a microwave.
I sat there and wrote or played with
my toys. Sometimes I even went to sleep
on the bed. The room was very quiet and
fun. Sometimes it made me want to
sing. On the wall there were small
animals. I transformed them into sea animals
in water. I became a fountain that
blows so pretty.

I remember a soccer field
--Virginia E.

In this soccer field I see
men become kids, a chair become
a boat, a ball become a river or a
beach, women become girls, boys
become kings, and girls become
princesses. I hear the waves,
princesses give rules, kings cheer
for their new wives. It looks like
a mansion with water all over,
people around it. I always can
touch the river, the people
and myself.

Poem
-Chaddrick M.

I remember when I went
to six flags when I walked in I
saw a whole bunch of people walking
around an
when I
looked up
I saw kids yelling
and screaming I want
to
get off
also
When I was
in line
for
a
ride
I saw kids
cutting
the line
saying I had been
right here
and I hear rollercoasters going
straight
up
into the
air
like
a
gorilla
pounding
on
his
chest
roaring.

Double, Double Toil and Trouble

2007-11-08T09:04:00.000-08:00

To get in the spirit of Halloween, we read a segment of Act 4 from Macbeth. We had a discussion about mood, and how moods can actually be set by the inclusion of specific concrete details. The students were then asked to create a mood by designing their own brew. As expected, the brews got pretty scary.

Ms. Cole 6th grade
Week 4
11/01/07

Die a Little Later Brew
-Arquesha A.

In my brew I will include
a cat’s eye and baby drool.

Eye of leopard. Toe of D.
Hair of A. Teaspoon
of Shaq’s tongue.

For a charm of powerful trouble
I will add a tail of raccoon.

Here is what my brew can do
make you a celebrity.

Room of Fear
-Sendalio W.

In my brew I will include
lizard eye and dog legs.

Tail of cheetah. Hair of
a person. Tongue of a raccoon.
Toe of a cat.

For a charm of powerful trouble
I will add a sting of a bee.

Brew of Trouble
-Amanda C.

Double, double toil and
trouble, fire burn, and
cauldron bubble. Eye of a
cat and tail of a snake.
In this cauldron this
will bake. A pinch of brain
you’ll go insane. A teaspoon
of blood and hint of
mud. For a charm of such
trouble my brew can
tell your future.

Ms. Harris 6th grade
Week 4
11/01/07

The Hungry Brew
-Derrick H.

In my brew I will include
a woman’s foot. Eye of
a crow, toe of a moe, half of
a rat, tongue of a boy like that.

Here is what my brew can do.

My brew can make chicken soup.
My brew can make you tie your shoe.
It can make it go from loop through
loop, and my brew would make your opponent
cease the hoop. That’s what my brew could do.

Double Trouble
-Malik T.

In my brew I will include
human shoes.

Eye of a wolf. Toe of mice.

Hair of a bear. Tongue of a lion.

For a charm of powerful trouble
I will add a monkey’s ear.

Here is what my brew can do. It
can make a sound like kaboom.

The Halloween Brew
-Latisha M.

Double, double toil and trouble.
In my brew I will include a pig’s tail.
eye of a porcupine, a toe of raccoon.
Hair of a monkey. Tongue of a lizard.

For a charm of powerful trouble
I will add the eye of a snake.
Here is what my brew can do—make
a bowl of ice cream glue.

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade
Week 4
11/01/07

The Scary 303
Jacobi D.

Triple, triple blood and death
this is 303, no more Macbeth.
Eye of a tiger, oh so scary.
Hair of a bear, oh so hairy.
Halloween is coming, Halloween
is here. All you
kids better have no fear.
This is my curse
a curse of me. Say this
curse and you’ll be free.

Hot Room in a Bed Room
Amia R.

Double, double toil and trouble
as an ear of a person
a tongue of a snake
a bat wing as it was broken
off, a dog foot as it
was walking. A lizard fear
as it was cutting off.
That’s what I think
about the trouble.

How Do You Like Your Brew!
-Rae L.

Tick tock watch me drop
an eye of a rat.
The tongue on a grum
and the hair of an octopus
the toe of a goblin and venom from
a werewolf. For this charm of
of power and trouble I will add
the spit of a daredevil.
Here is what my brew can do,
make you my slaves and do
whatever I want. From sucking
blood to making a glass of tea.
Do what I want or be turned
into pig’s feet.

Go Inside

2007-10-29T18:19:00.000-07:00

We read Charles Simic's "The Stone." The students and I had a good time imagining getting very tiny and having the ability to go inside of something. Using their senses and concrete images, here are some of their ideas.

Ms. Cole 6th grade

Go Inside a Fish
--Takayla J.

Go inside a fish
that will be great.

Let somebody else become a shark
or gnawing on a piece of seaweed.

I’m anxious to be a fish.

From the outside the fish is surrounded
with sea animals. Yet within it must be
weird and smooth. Even though a shark
swims over it the fish is afraid. Even
though people cut them open I want to see
them breathing.

I have seen bubbles come out of it
when it talks. So perhaps
it is not quiet inside after all. Perhaps
there it is clear.

Go Inside a Tree
--William D.

Go inside a tree.
That would be my home.
Let somebody else become
a seal lion or a dog
with no teeth. This is why
I’m a tree.

From the outside of the tree
it looks like a monster with wings.
Yet within the tree it’s a jungle
even though shoes climb around me,
even though children climb
on me.

I have seen birds
fly away. So birds
build nests in trees.

Go inside a Pisces
--Shadowmar H.

Go inside a Pisces
that has fins to wave back and forth
to swim.

From the outside you can see other things
that come from the bottom of the ocean.
You can wave your fins. You can see
buried treasure. Lots of treasure
about Pisces the fish, you can find
good luck charms and so on.

Yet within the water must be cool.
A Pisces likes water. It makes
it hydrated.

I have seen Pisces with quick attitudes.

So perhaps that’s my sign of the zodiac.
I want to be an astrologer. It’s fun.

Ms. Harris 6th grade

Poem
--Michael B.

Go inside a coca-cola pop
that would be my way.

Let somebody else be a superstar or a dancer.
I am happy to be a coca-cola pop.

From the outside the pop is a white
and black can that has
no design.

Yet within it must be cool and quiet
even though some people step on it
with their feet. A child crushes it
with his hands because he doesn’t
open the pop all the way.
Homeless people come get it.

I have seen many people drinking it
when they are on the road.

So perhaps it is not nasty after all.

Go Inside
--George G.

I’d go inside of a car’s engine.

From the outside it looks like an engine.
Yet within it has a lot of tools and machines.
It pumps gas. It looks like a world
make of tools.

I have seen smoke coming
form it and oil. Sometimes it caught
on fire.

So perhaps it looks different
like carnival rides.

Wonders with Lights
--Rayumos H.

Go inside a stone.
Let somebody else be alive with wonders.
From the outside I see a skull head.
Yet within the skull I see holes in the stone.
I have seen minerals and crystals. Rare stones.
So perhaps I should stay here and look at them for hours and hours.

Ms. Kessinger 6th grade

Go Inside
-Dawn H.

Go inside a computer to see how things work.
Let somebody else be a shining star
in the sky that shines for 12 hours straight.

From the outside of the computer I see
a black screen with a button on it.

Yet within it is silent and cool
and shows many wires of blue, green red and yellow.

I have seen little chips with wires planted into them.

So perhaps it wasn’t so silent and cool
after someone turned me on.

Poem
-Eric W.

In my brain there are so many words
that no one has a key to open it.
Many things I see. A river of blood.
It’s like I am looking at
a red light it’s
like my brain
has been
flushed down
an ocean.
If a lot
of people
are in their brain
and outside
of a brain
it is a good look.
Like me
many people fell
and are falling.
I will say
on my two feet
all of my
life I love this
man, Eric W.,
and I will not let some
make words and my brain.
I put a cover on my head
and no one will have the key to go
in a good brain like mine.

Go Inside
-Malik H.

I will go inside a McDonald’s
to study the way to be small.

Let somebody else be the apple
falling off the tree.

From the outside I am smaller than you.
I can use my ability to wonder.

Yet within my mind I can be
what I want to be in my imagination
and go where I want to go.

I have seen many things, but nothing like
the inside of this apple. It has lots
of beautiful emotions like me.

so perhaps I was dreaming
and was thinking of my life.

Magic

2007-10-29T18:16:00.000-07:00

On our first day, we read the poem "Magic" by Dahlia Ravikovitch. I asked the students to think about some things they might want to be:

Ms. Cole, 6th grade

Poem
Miguel A.

Today I’m an eagle,
soaring through the sky.

Last night I dreamt
of dinosaurs white, blue
transparent—

Today I’m a cheetah,
tomorrow and Oak tree.

Yesterday the Grand Canyon,
today a Rose.

Tomorrow I’ll be a guitar.

What I am
Devonte L.

Today I am the voice
of a bird seeking its prey.

Tomorrow a boy having
a fun day dripping
while he skates.

Last night I dreamt
of an orange and green sky
wouldn’t no one
ask me why.

In the morning I listened
to the endless words
of mine.

Today I’m an exotic
cave on the end of a Pueblo.

Yesterday a Jeep
running out of gas.

Poem
Keegan O.

Today I am a shiny statue bold and great.
Still and bold, not ever moving on the platform.

Last night I dreamt of gorges silver and gold,
shiny and beautiful with diamonds.

In the morning a huge tarantula was spinning webs,
killing insects and dangerous bugs.

Today I am a pink seashell lost in the ocean,
trapped in the seas of the shark and fish.

Yesterday I was an exotic poet,
rhyming and making a lot of money.

Tomorrow I will be a successful person
with a good life.

Ms. Harris, 6th grade

Poem
Laquesha B.

Today I am going to be
a fast runner
that runs so fast.

Last night I dreamt that I was a fox
that stayed up all night.

In the morning I will be a robot
that walks all funny.

Today I will be a bird
that can fly anywhere.

Yesterday I was a pretty butterfly
that can go anywhere it wants.

How Everything Changes
KeJuan M.

Today I am a comoto dragon.
Last night I dreamt I was the sun
shining on everyone. Today I will be a spider-
monkey that has red skin and blue fur.
Yesterday I was an artist and tomorrow
Albert Einstein teaching science.

The Magic of Edward
Edward S.

Today I am a dog
as big as a house and can
jump in the sky.

Last night I dreamt
there was a masked killer
running for me.

In the morning
I was as big as a house
and people lived in me.

Today I’m an ant in the house
looking for food.

Yesterday I was a snowman
walking and talking.

Ms. Kessinger, 6th grade

Who I Am
Dominique B.

Today I’m a pretty dog
that can walk and talk.

Last night I dreamt I was a pop star
who can play volleyball.

In the morning, I’m a judge
who is a great singer and dancer.

Today, I’m a sandy beach with
a lot of kids.

Yesterday a nice teacher.

Today I’m a pony that kids can ride.

Tomorrow I will be a Queen.

Poetry
Johnny B.

Today I am yesterday,
tomorrow.

Last night I dreamt
that I was shooting star
the granted wishes.

Today I am the voice
of the young.

What I Am
Justina P.

Today I am a female
president who is African-American.

Last night I dreamt
of a powerful goddess.

In the morning
I am a caring doctor.

Today I am a veterinarian
who loves animals and mammals.

Yesterday I am a lawyer
who knows what is right and wrong.

Tomorrow I am regular me,
that is what I am.