I Build, Fun Poetry Mondays, and Poemdesigns

Our Daughter Hope Built a Stool
Photo by Amy LV

Click the arrow to hear me read this poem to you.

Students - Today's poem is a shortie and a sweetie.  It is about something that I believe is very important: making things.  I love making things, and I love watching other people make things too.

Did you notice how each line except the last one begins the same way and then the last line is an invitation?  I very much like inviting readers right into a poem.  What do you build?  (Me?  Poems!)

Today I am very happy to welcome second grade teacher Laurie Luft and her students from Terry Taylor Elementary in Spencerport, NY.  I had the opportunity to visit their classroom in June, and I learned about something new and neat: Fun Poetry Mondays. Welcome, Laurie and students!

Teacher Laurie Luft

Photo by Librarian Mrs. Paul

Click the arrow to hear a Fun Poetry Friday welcome!

The Fun Poetry Friday Folder

Photo by Laurie Luft

Have you ever heard of Fun Poetry Mondays?  This was an idea that my student Meghan had for sharing poems over the loudspeaker of our school each Monday after announcements.  She quickly had three other students get on board with her idea: Trevor, Arriyanna, and Taylor.  They planned and practiced.  First, they decided to write and share theme-poems about famous people.  Then they worked on the roles each one of them would have in the group,

The Fun Poetry Monday group met daily, wrote the opening and closing "jingle", decided on the poem to be read the following Monday, and then practiced the announcement. It was so exciting to see a student-driven project like this come out of one student's love of poetry! 

I was the facilitator and would check in with the group periodically throughout the week to provide guidance and make suggestions. The group performed three Fun Poetry Mondays during the month of June, and I am so proud of them for their creativity, collaboration, and ability to apply those 21st Century critical thinking skills on this real-life project. 

These students got to share their love of poetry and their project idea with Mrs. VanDerwater when she visited. They were so excited! 

Meghan wrote and shared a poem about Amelia Earhart.

Amelia Earhart 
by Meghan

I will find her.
I know I will.
Amelia Earhart.
Her story is sad but I will find her.
She should be somewhere in the Howlind ISlands.
I will.  I know I will.
Amelia Earhart wrote a letter
to her husband
Before she left on her big flight.

It said...

"I want to do it because I want to do it.  Women must try to do things as
men have tried.  When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others."

Meghan and Amy with Meghan's Poem

Photo by Laurie Luft

Click the arrow to hear Meghan read her poem, "I Will Find Her".

Trevor, Arriyanna, Taylor, & Meghan with Amy

Photo by Laurie Luft

It was an absolute delight to visit Laurie Luft and her second graders, and I was so happily surprised to find this wonderful slide show of our time together at the class blog.  Thank you, poet friends and thank you, Laurie Luft, for opening your classroom to me.

Today I also welcome George Welgemoed with two more poemdesigns for poems he found here.  In each of these designs, George has used either his own or his son's photographs (yes, that is George's son's tarantula), and then, through filtering and various brushing effects, he brings the imagery to life. Notice how he uses different fonts and colors to create a mood for each poem. If you click on either one, you will be able to read the poems. I have made a special place here at The Poem Farm for George's work, and you can find it by clicking on the Find a Poem tab above, and then following the link to George's art.

Click to enlarge and read the poems.

Sherry is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Semicolon, and Matt Forrest is hosting over at Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme. Poetry Friday is EVERYWHERE.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

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