Trumbull Elementary School Poetry

Dream Land

2008-03-20T08:42:00.001-07:00

On March 4, the students at Trumbull looked at In Your Wild Dream by Richard Hugo. We talked about dreams in general, their strangeness and how confusing they can be, and how that was reflected in the structure of the poem. We also talked about what using second person is supposed to accomplish. The student poets wrote their own Dream Poems, and they are strange and wonderful. Enjoy!

2nd Grade

In Your Dreams
by Rosalyn P.

You are at a moon. There’s cheese in the moon. then you fly way up in the sky, then you take a nap. You are at the water. You see a dog underwater. Then you jump out of the water. There’s a yacht. There’s a lagoon. You are in a cloudy, cloudy night and you make a wish. You are disappearing, then a wish comes, undisappearing you.

The Mystery Dream
by Nathan P.

You are in a forest. You are an alien, teleporting to a town. Then a lion comes and growls at you. You feed it meat, and it goes away.

Falling Down: Poem
by Nelvin P.

You’re in the city driving a car that’s cool. You’re on top of the Sears Tower, going to fall down. You’re riding your bike when the sidewalk changes to a robot. You go home, and tell your parents the sidewalk turned into a robot. You show them, but it is just a sidewalk again.

3rd Grade

Your Dreams
by Shirley L.

You are going to the mall with your parents, then something suddenly changes. You are looking at the toys in the toy shop, and your mom is right beside you. Now you’re at the woman’s store, you’re trying to look for your mom, you ask everybody, “Have you seen my mom?” You are alone and scared. Then you go look at another store. You find your mom. You just wake up. It was just a dream.

Strange House
by Noemi R.

You are in a strange house with skeletons inside. You ask the skeleton “Can I touch your rabbit?” He says YES. You touch it and it bites you. You call all the kids that are there and talk to them and in one second everything changes and the little house turns into a room, but everything is still the same. One thing changes – you can see a living room. You all go running for the living room where all of your parents are waiting.

Your Dream
by Emily M.

You are a person who lived in a castle where thrones were polished and there were knights in shining armor. You could eat whatever you want, whenever you want. You can do whatever you want. You can go to the movies or you can go to the library or the supermarket.

4th Grade

Shadow
by Rene V.

You walk outside your house. You see the sun. It’s shining really bright. Your shadow, it’s calm. But all of a sudden your shadow escapes. It runs off. You chase after it. It runs through a statue. You try it too, but you hit yourself. Your shadow turns into a fierce tiger. It tries to pounce on you, then you run the opposite way. All of a sudden, you’re in a forest. Your shadow is a parrot. It flies above you. You’re in a school. Your shadow turns into a human. He grabs an eraser and he tries to erase you. He zaps you. Your hand is left. Your shadow runs off again, and you grab a pencil and you draw yourself. You find some glue. You get your shadow and glue it on to yourself. Your mom asks you where you’ve been. You respond, “Nowhere.”

What a Bad Dream!
by Aven D.

You wake up on an Island that nobody can find. You are just on the island with a mysterious person and you say who are you, and he didn’t answer. You say, what is going on? They guy says you’re alone, nobody will ever find you. You stare at him with fright. You look around the island for food, and the guy keeps popping up and saying, you will never find food, and disappearing. Then you just walk away and keep looking. He gets mad because you won’t listen. You are making a sign that says SOS, but the man pops up again and says Nobody will hear you or see you. You will stay here until you die. You say, you’re lying! and he disappears. The next day, you were looking at the view, and suddenly, he pushes you into the water and you touch the sand and open your eyes and say goodbye. But somebody comes to save you! You wake with fright, but when you go back to sleep, you say it’s ok. Somebody saved me.

Animals in the Zoo
by Shaylene A.

You are in a crazy zoo. There is a crazy monkey. A little girl took the crazy monkey outside the cage. The monkey opens all the other cages of the animals. All the animals are chasing the people. The monkey wants to dance, so he gathers all kinds of animals to celebrate. They make Hawaiian skirts and start dancing. The tigers grabbed their whiskers and make music like they are guitars. You are laughing so hard, your face is red.

Music to my Ears

2008-02-29T16:51:00.000-08:00

This week, the students listened to several selections of music, and wrote short, impressionistic poems about what they imagined while listening. Enjoy!

4th Grade

The Sneaky Death
after Witches Brew, Miles Davis
by Zachary T.

Someone tip-toeing
through a house
being sneaky.
Someone hiding.
He gets poisoned,
and coughs to death!

The Sad Man
after The Wings, Gustavo Santaollala
by Nicole B.

There is a sad man sitting on the porch.
His wife died. He has no more family
but just a dog. He and his dog sit in
a whimpering motion. The man
really loved his girl.

The Great Person
after Rodeo, Aaron Copeland
by Omar F.

They are marching in a park.
He is playing with
his toes. He is
climbing up a building,
playing the instruments.
The King is coming
so make room!

2nd Grade

A Haunted House
after Witches Brew, Miles Davis
by Nicole B.

In a haunted house were ghosts
live. The ghosts play…music…
I’m frightened! But one does not look
like a ghost but it is a woman laughing
frightfully. Ha HA! Upstairs! It yells
like a girl. She said, My name is Witch!
It blows – it wasn’t a ghost. It was
my good friend Amy.

The Big Story
after Witches Brew, Miles Davis
by Eric C.

People practicing in a
parking lot that has
no cars in it and with
a monkey yelling in the
parking lot and someone
is going to kill that monkey.

The Half Sad, Half Happy Day
after Sejedo, Angelique Kidjo
by Areli H.

Someone got shot.
Somebody is dead.
Rain is falling down. The sun
comes out. Everybody is happy.
The person that was dead came
alive. They get him out of his coffin.
Everybody starts eating McDonald’s.

3rd Grade

The Bahamas
after Sejedo, Angelique Kidjo
by Colleen Q.

Blue seas
ocean
blue, the
shore.

Dancing happening
everywhere
warm,
hot,
sunny

A glass of
lemon drink
in your
hand, doing
the hula

Music
after Witches Brew, Miles Davis
by Prue M.

A person, surrounded by darkness.
A band playing horribly.
A person getting mad to
another, music that brings
people down, a spy who’s going crazy.

Dancing
after Witches Brew, Miles Davis
by Andrea F.

Mexican and American
dancing very fancy.
A Mexican playing the
trumpet very old school.
Adult old school women
thinking he’s cool.

A Big World Voice

2008-02-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

This week, we looked at Sweet Like a Crow by Michael Ondaatje. We talked about Simile and Imagery, and how the two ideas are connected. The student poets then created their own simile poems, trying to describe how their OWN voices sound. Some students wrote about other voices in their lives. The poems are quite stunning -- enjoy!

4th Grade

Sour Like Johnny
by Henry L.

He sounds like a girl
yelling at the night sky.
He sounds like a man cooked
over a fire.
He sounds like a boy with
lemon juice in his mouth.
Like a horse calling for help
in the river of despair.
Like when I yell when I
get a bad grade on any subject.
Like a fish flopping up and down.
Like a diver getting eaten
by a shark.
Like a baby crying eternally.
Like someone going into
a house, yelling at his wife
because he had a bad day.
But he is as sweet as my cousin.

Noelia
by Elizabeth C.

Your voice sounds like a blue jay singing in the morning sky. When you are sad, your voice sounds like a horse having a baby. You are as loud as a rooster singing his morning tune. Like a car stuck in the ice. A delicious burrito being fried. Like a hyena laughing nonstop. Like a new baby duckling swimming and screaming because of hot tea. Like the sound of a cute sleeping baby.

A Big World Key Voice
by Ataib S.

My dad’s voice sounds like it can break a whole kingdom. His voice is old school because he always talks about old cars and old things. He has bravery, confidence, loyalty. His voice is hard as a bamboo stick and a bull taking down a person. His voice is fast as a cheetah, an eagle, and a horse. His voice is an expert on talk shows, news, and winning. His voice doesn’t give up when it’s not over. His voice gets soft when he is not arguing. His voice solves big problems, like a big world key voice.

2nd Grade

Like Rain
by Maritza S.

My voice sounds like rain that falls down a tree, like tears are wet and then dry, like the leaves are moving. Like the air. It is dry like the sun, but wet like the rain drops.

Like a Lion
by Nicolas L.

My voice sounds like
a lion snapping its teeth.
It sounds like a child
yelling HELP!
It sounds like leaves
shaking from the wind.
Like a lion scratching
at the wall.

Like a Guitar
by Nelvin P.

My voice sounds like
a guitar singing a nice song, like a
puppy barking for help, like a nut
cracking on me, like a car racing,
like a rabbit eating a carrot,
like a tree blowing the branches away.

3rd Grade

Soft Like a Feather
by Amanda P.

My voice sounds like
a dolphin swimming in the Atlantic Ocean.
Like a hot summer day in Florida.
Like wind brushing dirt on a sidewalk.
Like water running down a park fountain.
Like only one leave in the wavy air.
Like a lock opening in a big hollow door.
Like a little piece of chalk writing on a chalkboard.
Like the moon sleeping at night
or like the sun waving hello.

My Voice Sounds Like…
by Isaac A.

My voice sounds like a piano singing,
like a bird always chirping,
like an ocean waving,
like a dog scaring people,
like a star shining,
like a gate squeaking,
a bear roaring to a lion,
a tiger scratching wood.

My Voice
by Alesandra P.

My voice
sounds like
the wind
in the air.
All animals
talking in
the rain forest.
Screaming and
singing a song.
As quiet
as the park
when no one
is there.
Happy as a
clown
at the circus.
As loud as
the door
slamming shut
at night.

My Voice
by Khalid W.

My voice sounds like a chicken doing karate on the street. My voice sounds like an apple standing on the table. My voice sounds like a coin spinning. My voice sounds like a swing going back and forth. My voice sounds like a drum banging on the wall. Like an alligator hunting for fish. My voice sounds like a tornado. Like a person hang gliding. My voice sounds like a policeman giving someone a ticket. A baker making a cake. Like a teacher giving homework.

Emotion Party!

2008-02-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

Last week, we worked on Personification. We read two poems that personified different emotions, Fear and Shame. After a group poem to get them started, the student poets were asked to choose their own emotion to personify. The results are astounding. Enjoy!

2nd Grade

The Bully
by Faith H.

Mad is so not nice. She’s a bully who gives wedgies to people. Her favorite color is black and she has a family and friends. She loves rock and roll so much. She is not nice and will never BE nice!

Happy
by Nicole B.

Happy is a 6 year old girl. Happy is always happy. She likes to wear a rainbow dress. She is skinny. Happy likes to jump, run a lot, and dance. Happy’s brother is Joy. Her mom is Nice and her dad is Excited. Happy’s future is to make everyone happy.

Crabby
by Cedric E.

Crabby follows you.
He is always angry.
He drinks blood.

4th Grade

Sad
by Michael Z.

Sad is like a little boy crying with blue eyes with a lot of tears when you lose someone you love in your family. Sad goes in your school, dreams, jobs, in your body. It’s invisible, following you in day and night. He is brother of Joy and Happy, and his favorite color is blue, the saddest color of them all.

Anger
by Jessica S.

Anger is a little boy with
a red face. Anger is mean
and very grumpy as if
he is very, very mad.
Anger is a ghost who
wanders around at night.
He has a white see-
through body like a
white blanket. Anger
has black hair and
hates the sun.
Anger is a very scary
boy. Anger’s brother’s name
is Mad. Anger and Mad’s
favorite color is black.
Anger lives in New York.
Anger will haunt you
like this black shadow.

Confused Man
by Ismael P.

C is a man that is crazy.
O is the man saying “OH!”
N is for Confused saying “I’m rude”.
F is for a kid saying Confused is freaky.
U is for Confused riding a unicycle.
S is Confused doing something wrong.
E is his ear falling off.
D is the silly things he says in his mind.

3rd Grade

Lonesome
by Emely M.

Lonsome is a girl. She has some black, thin hair with two red streaks. Lonesome has white skin and she wears a black dress. She talks to her imaginary friend in her room in the corner. Lonesome has no real friends. And that girl is me.

Joy
by Brandon R.

Joy is a man who
makes everyone joyful. He is
in the family of Happy.

His eyes are gray. He
likes to explore
many places. He rides
vehicles. He has tons of friends.

He likes to go
to the rainforest.
He likes to discover
animals and plants.
He is the joyful man
in the world.

Happy
by Khalid W.

Happy is a boy that loves animals. He loves to ride on airplanes. He is 7 years old. He loves to go to the park and play with his friends. His favorite animal is a bird. He loves to go hiking. His birthday is on May first. He loves to play games, and he loves to see his dad.

The Blizzard in a Rollercoaster!

2008-01-29T18:28:00.000-08:00

This week, after a couple of weeks off, the student poets at Trumbull dove headlong back into poetry with a look at traditional Odes. Odes are poems that elevate the subject to a high place of honor. They writer speaks directly to the subject of the poem, describing and comparing it in as many amazing ways as possible. The students at Trumbull did a great job getting back into the swing of writing with this fun form. Enjoy their efforts!

3rd Grade

Oh Sun
by Celene H.

Oh sun, do you squirt light on the people?
Oh sun, you are a king.
Oh sun, do you rule the world?
Oh sun, do you have a kiss?
Oh sun, do you have a bunch of lemons inside you?

Ode to Windy
by Daniel Y.

Windy blows people because
people go outside. Windy
moves people back to work.
No people go outside. No
more people go outside because
scared of Windy.

The Tornado
by Almir N.

Tornado is like a bunch of wind.
A tornado smells like dust.
Tornado, you are like a wind
monster throwing cars.
Tornado, you are destroying
anything you see.
Tornado, you are spinning
around so fast.
You remind me of a
game called Crash because
you spin around.

O Ocean
by Andrea F.

O beautiful ocean
you are my hero in the
hot summer day in July.
You know what they say,
you are the body that is
filled with sea creatures that
we love to see.

You are a mountain
with rocks falling
off like waves.

You are the on
who saves us
from painful thirst.
But at first, you were
just for drinking
but now we are clean
because with your
water we take baths.

The Snow Day
by David G.

Oh beautiful snow, you are
as soft as a blanket and
your cold is as big as an ice cube.
You are everywhere on top
of the roof and close to my
door. You also are in my snowsuit.
You travel in the air and you
are so dangerous. The sun is
about to come out. The
snow melts and we will say
bye-bye to you snow.

2nd Grade

The Blizzard in a Rollercoaster!
by Faith H.

O tornado, you make
people throw up by spinning
around and around. You
keep spinning and I
can’t stop you. You
keep on spinning and my
eyes pop out. You look
like a huge flower.

The Green Poem
by Giovanni F.

O beautiful green,
you are the color of the grass.
You are a sweater.
Green, you taste like blueberries
and smell like cherries.
You are leaves on a tree
or a turtle in the water.

Shark
by Roberto D.

O red, you are
like a shark.
You taste like
whipped cream and are
dark like a crayon.
You are sweet
like a strawberry.
You are like a house
or like a letter.

The Shiny Yellow
by Rosalyn P.

O yellow, there’s a sun in the sky
and there is a whale jumping in the
water. Your shiny yellow is shining.

4th Grade

Ode to a Diamond
by Jennifer B.

O beautiful diamond,
I love how shiny you
are. When I look at
you, I can see my
reflection and a lot
of my faces in the
squares or triangles
you have. I love when
you turn, you look like
a turning disco ball.
I love how you are
triangles, and you are
so pointy like a needle
or a knife. You are my
dream of shinyness.

Ode to Lemon
by Alexis C.

O beautiful lemon
you look like
a ball. You are tasty
and juicy. You look
like a sun, round
as a hole. You float
on water, we play catch
with you. You are round
as my eyeball.

Ode to Snow
by Allan F.

Snow, you are
beautiful. You are
more awesome than
white pearls.

You are better
than diamonds.

Ode to a Strawberry
by Tanayra B.

You, strawberry, are so
sweet. So juicy. Sister
to a lady bug. Dipped in
red syrup. Splashed with little
dark chocolates. Star of all
food. Your strawberry inside is
a pool of goodness. Strawberry
you are so much better than
an apple. You feel so funny
in my hand, in my mouth.
You are wonderful. You
have a pretty leaf on top
to complete your perfection.

True Confessions!

2008-01-10T19:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

To start off the 2008 and get us back into poetry, this week we looked at This is Just to Say by William Carlos Williams. This poem uses short lines and specific language to beautiful effect to create a bouncy rhythm when the poem is read out loud. We talked about what poems are built of (lines and stanzas), and what a short line will do to the rhythm of a poem. Modeled after Mr. Williams's poem, the students were asked to write their own true confession, and include an apology. I asked them to decide if they really meant their apologies, or if sometimes, do something bad actually feels pretty good. Enjoy their great poems!

3rd Grade

Time to Wrestle
by Aztlan G.

I fought my
cousin and his
brother and
I won I did
the Walls of
Jericho to my
cousin’s brother
and I did the
Angel Rock then
his grandma came
in them my cousin
tapped out and I did
the spear to both
of them. Their mom
came in and she
got mad.

Just to Say
by Prue M.

I’m so
sorry
that I stayed
up really
late for
watching TV
and playing too
much Nintendo Wii.

I tried to stop
but I couldn’t.

I was trying to
beat my level in
Atlantis Squarepantis.

I know I was supposed
to read but the game
you got me was cool.

Again, so SORRY!

Love
by David F.

I told a
friend I
love her.
3 days
later I
apologized.
I shouldn’t
say that
and we’re
friends again.

2nd Grade

The Erased Megaman Game
by Giovanni F.

I erased my brother’s
Megaman game. When
he found out, he was
so mad, he erased
my Megaman game.
I said I’m sorry,
and we started
to play over again.

Sorry Poem
by Nelvin P.

I broke my brother’s video game
called Sonic Heroes. It was
in my Game Cube to hide it
from him. He just looked
and found it. Forgive me
brother, I will fix it up.

List of Confessions
by Erica N.

Locking out Daniela and
playing on the gameboy that night,
but I’m sorry for doing that.
Please forgive me.

Not cleaning the room
when it was my turn but
I’m sorry, please forgive me.

I broke the plate and
I’m sorry, please forgive me.

I scratched my sister’s DVD
but I’m sorry, please forgive me,
I’ll buy you a new one.

4th Grade

The Outdoors
by Wenny L.

Me and my
cousin were
playing in
my house
my mom said
we should not
go outside
but we did
anyway and my
mom saw us
and we got
in so much
trouble and
we said sorry
but it was
fun when we
played jump rope

Trouble in Wrestling
by Brandon R.

I have wrestled
with my
cousins even when
I wasn’t
supposed to.

I made both
of them
cry then they
told on me
and I

have gotten into
a lot
of trouble.

Sorry
by Jellisa A.

One time when
my brother
was taking
a shower
I opened the door
and I put a lot
of toilet paper
in the toilet
and I blamed him
but when I
saw my mom
screaming at him
I felt sad
then I told
my mom that
I did it
and I told
my brother
I am sorry

Dreaming without Buying

2007-12-12T16:04:00.000-08:00

This week, in my last visit with the Trumbull students before the new year, we read In Praise of Dreams by Wislawa Szymborska, a famous Polish poet. In the poem, she writes about all of the things that she can do and see in her dreams that she can't in her waking life. The poem is written in couplets , so we also learned what that word means, and how to create them in their own poems. The students wrote their own Dreams poems, with the rule included that they could not BUY anything in their written dreams. Enjoy the results!

4th Grade
I Am Dreaming
by Ismael P.

In my dreams
I’m a wrestler, fighting in the WWE.

I go to Antarctica
and I control all of the snow in the world.

I am a sky scraper
touching the sky.

I am a dog
running away from another dog.

I am a cat
running because someone wants my fur.

I am
the President of the entire world.

Dreams
by Steven M.

I can eat
a million pieces of candy in one minute.

I beat John Cena
in RAW and Ray Mysterioso.

I am bored when
today is yesterday and yesterday is today.

In My Dreams
by Daniel M.

In my dream
I am a famous soccer player.

I am the President
of the United States.

Some aliens
take me to their ship.

I can control
fire, wind, water, and land.

I am a superhero
controlling everything up in space.

2nd Grade
Dreams
by Roberto D.

I am a spider
eating a cookie.

I am a rock star
playing with a guitar.

I am a football
flying up to the moon.

I am Santa
at the North Pole.

I am a pencil
writing in a book.

I am a car driving
on the road.

I am a dog
seeing a bone.

In My Dreams
by Felix A.

I can eat a cookie
without using my mouth.

I can open a box
without using my hands

I can make the rain stop
when I clap.

I can pet
an alligator.

The Amazing Dreams
by Nathan P.

I can eat
through metal bars.

I can jump
to the sun that is blue.

I can change animals
different colors with my finger.

I can make the sky
fall to the ground.

3rd Grade
Dreams
by Santiago D.

I am a toy that
takes electricity.

I am trucks formed
as Super Saiyn.

I am glue and a
rock with paper.

I am a bear
being eaten.

I have 300 shirts
that say D-Generation-X.

I am a clock
ticking.

Dreaming in Your Sleep
by Edwin T.

I am dreaming
about a football player making an interception.

I am dreaming
a rhino fighting a pig.

I am dreaming about getting mad
and going to Mr. Perkins, and Mr. Perkins
telling us to get along and we did.

My Dreams
by Amanda P.

In my dreams I
have a house made out of money.

I speak with lions
in a jungle.

I see a beautiful
waterfall and a rainbow.

I see a wonderful, colorful
garden house.

I fly on a cloud
over the seventh heavens.

I run with horses
of all different colors and sizes.

I swim with dolphins
in the Pacific Ocean.

Going Inside

2007-12-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

In the first week of December, the student Poets at Trumbull read Stone by Charles Simic. The poem describes what a stone goes through in its life, and what it might be like if one could go inside it. The young writers chose their own objects to go inside. The results were beautiful! Enjoy!

4th Grade
Pearl
by Lorenzo A.

Go inside a pearl.
Let somebody else
become a diamond
or a ruby. The outside
is smooth, and two huge
things stare at me.
On the inside,
it’s so fun!

Inside the Diamond
by Nicole B.

Go inside a diamond. Let someone else
be the polisher. On the outside, there is
a glass shield to protect the crystal
palace. It rains crystals
of red and pink on the inside.
There is a crystal queen,
and around her, there are
bracelets, necklaces, rings, and lots
more. And the diamond
shines like the moon.

The Disc World
by Ataib S.

Go inside a disc.
Let somebody else become
a scientist or seller.
It is a flat ball
rolling in a DVD player.
A plate of Venus.
Inside it, glaciers, crystals,
and a big lightening storm.

2nd Grade
Inside a Marble
by Nicolas L.

Going inside a marble is a
powerful color. Touch it, something
will happen to you. Run, and the
marble will move. The outside
is a maze with people trying to get
out. Someone shoots it
with colorful words.

Going Inside a Snowflake
by Areli H.

It is small. It is white.
A tiny fairy lives in it.
she has a closet with a lot
of food. It is very cold.
A small bed. A small bathroom.
It is cool there.

3rd Grade
Going Inside a Quarter
by Brandon R.

I am a quarter. Let another person
by dust. I have been spent on soda. Now
a candy bar. On the outside, it is like I’m not
there. What is inside is weird. I don’t have
what humans have inside their bodies. The only thing
I have is just metal. I am worth 25 cents.
I am spent a lot. I am gray. I am
the biggest cent that you can spend.

Grape
by Shirley L.

Go inside a grape. Let someone else go in a little stone. From the outside, the grape is a tiny purple bug. On the inside, it is mushy and sweet. The color of the grape is half blue and half yellow. Inside, I can see a big and beautiful palace. I also see a place where I can lie down. I can hear birds chirping, and children playing in the park. Inside, the palace is a ball. I see lots of people dancing. I also see a river. The water is cold. I see a stream. Inside the stream, I see three salmons. The salmons are hunting for food. This grape is very special.

Falling
by Charles B.

Go inside a raindrop. Let some
one else be a little gumball.
The outside is smooth hair
waiting to come off. The inside
is little soldiers fighting for
super powers. Suddenly, the raindrop
flies, looking for clouds. Also the
inside is papers filled with love
letters. The outside is poets thinking
extremely hard to get an idea for writing.
Also inside there are 2 humungous polar bears.

Questioning the Secret Nature of the World

2007-11-30T19:56:00.000-08:00

This week, my students dove off the deep end of making sense! We looked at a small portion of Pablo Neruda's Book of Questions, and talked about what secrets of the world he was trying to reveal. I encouraged the student writers to ask a question that was both descriptive AND revealed something about their subject that only they knew (thus, essentially, making stuff up!). This was a tough poem to write, and my amazing young poets rose to the challenge admirably!

4th Grade
The Space of Questions
by Henry L.

Tell me, Falcon, where did you get
your wings that sparkle in the sunlight?

Tell me, does a tiger get its
stripes in the upside down castle?

Tell me, does the rooster travel
in time by using the farmer’s pants?

Tell me, does the snake go every night
in the dark to the depths of space?

Tell me, are the spider’s legs made from
the hair on the back of a hairy man?

It’s a Secret
by Aven D.

Does the raccoon have black glasses
to hide its identity?

How can a bird just fly in the sky
and then disappear?

When trees grow apples, do they talk
to humans so they won’t get picked?

Tell me, does a chicken talk to other
chickens so they can defend themselves
from being eaten?

The Pillow
by Martitha A.

Tell me, does a cloud get its looks from a pillow?

Does the snow man get his color
from a white and soft pillow in the sky?

Why does snow turn into water?
Because it is made of ice?

Tell me, are you a piece of cotton candy?

Tell me, did you get dark eyes from
a mean rain cloud?

3rd Grade
4 Questions
by Noemi R.

Why does the shark swim
instead of crawling in the world?
Why does hail turn to solid?
Does it like to hear a clinking
noise when it hits the ground?
Tell me, why is the ficus so skinny
and small? Why can’t it be big and fat?
Why do radios put music on
instead of me singing the songs?

The Weird Questions
by Matthew P.

Does the jaguar have an engine?
Did the bright sun come from heaven?
Did the cactus get arrows shot into it?
Does the Playstation get electrocuted?

Questions About Animals
by Andrea F.

How did the French Poodle get his curly hair?
From the Groomers?
How is the wind created?
From the giant blowing air in the sky?
How is the violet plant created?
From the color violet?
Where does snow come from?
The birds?

2nd Grade
Rose
by Areli H.

Rose, did you get your red
from an apple bitten by a worm?
Pony, did you get your brown
from a squirrel running up a tree?
Winter, did you get your cold
from a snowman standing in the snow?

Lightening
by Jalyssa M.

Did you know lightening can shake you?
How did a panda learn to climb?
Did you know the sunflower got
its yellow from the sun? Tell me,
did the thunder get its sound from
the bowling alley? Tell me, did the
panda get its color from a dog?
Did you know that thunderstorms
started in a war?

What They Loved

2007-11-26T19:28:00.001-08:00

This week, before Thanksgiving, the student poets at Trumbull looked at a beautiful but strange poem by Lisa Jarnot called They Loved Paperclips. The poem is a list of all the things that "they" loved. We talked about third person, lists, what kinds of things in the world we love, and also rhyme and play with words in poetry, which Ms. Jarnot does in her poem. The students were asked to write their own poems using "they loved", picturing themselves and their families as the "they" in question. The student poets rose to the challenge, and created beautiful poems. Enjoy!

4th Grade
They Loved Nature
by Ataib S.

They loved planes and trains, they
loved cars and the stars, they loved
juice and fried rice, they loved all
types of games and the sky’s name,
they loved states and mates, they loved
trees and vegetables, they loved chicken
in the land of Lincoln, they loved
forests and me, they loved mountains
and beaches, and they loved the world
with nature, and the things that
people make, the kind and friendly people.

They Loved Clocks
by Elizabeth C.

They loved the zoo. They loved
cookies with milk. They loved
oranges and door hinges too. They
loved winter and spring and they
even loved to sing.

They loved the color blue. They
loved apples, bananas, strawberries too.
They loved stars that are white and
shine very bright. They loved the
words that rhyme: pain and gain.

They loved parrots and their cousin
Harriet. They loved their good looks.
They loved, loved the clouds
way high up in the sky. They didn’t love
donuts, no one knows why. They dreamed
of flowers that had super powers
and were not very shy.

They Love?
by Omar F.

They loved dogs that bark!
They loved nachos with meat.
They loved the thank in Thanksgiving.
They loved Turkey.
They loved straight A’s.
They loved Spongebob with Patrick.
They loved pizza.
They loved college.
They loved McDonald’s.
They loved Angels.
They loved cellphones.
They loved poetry.
They loved Drama.
They loved Folktales.
They loved non-fiction.

They Loved Food and Things
by Alexis C.

They loved corn, they loved
turkey. They loved mashed potatoes.
They loved smackdown vs. Raw 2008.
They loved TV shows. They loved
ugly houses. They loved 100 dollars.
They loved wrestling toys and new clothes.
They loved teachers and books. They loved
pencils. They loved soccer, air, and computers.
They loved water, they loved ice cream.
They loved money, cookies, football
and Christmas. They loved flowers and children.
They loved to read, and they loved lunch.
They loved projects, poetry, and color.
They loved non fiction and all kinds of words.

2nd Grade
They Loved
by Sammy S.

They loved the sky.
They loved roses.
They loved the lake.
they loved Playstations.
They loved books.
They loved the rain.
They loved cookies.
They loved igloos.
they loved dogs.
They loved the sun.
They loved God.
They loved peace.
They loved puppets.

The Love Poem
by Martiza S.

They loved the sky, sunlight,
rain, and the trees. They loved
the apples, bananas, dolphins, and
spiders. They loved reindeers, Chihuahuas.
They loved foxes and tigers. They loved
kangaroos. They loved frogs, books, and dogs.

They Loved
by Ammy O.

They loved elephants, dolphins, and frogs.
They loved pigs, the color pink and the park.
They loved game boys, pokemon movies, and sports.
They loved art, scary movies, and video games.
They loved Barbies, cycling, and tacos.
They loved butterflies, makeup, and going to work.
They loved swimming, cycling, and sports.

3rd Grade
They Loved
by Emily M.

They loved trees, clouds, seashells
and the sound of the sea at night.
They loved Italian food and
spaghetti. They loved cats, books,
plants, and wood. They loved paper,
crayons, chalk, and words.

Loving
by Charles B.

They loved Stone Cold Steve Austin,
Triple H Shawn Michaels, and the rest
of the WWE. They loved watches that
said DX. They loved the wind bursting
in your face. They loved jumping
off tall buildings. They loved playing
golf off a gigantic tower. They
loved dogs guarding the White House.

They Loved WWE
by Cyrus M.

The loved WWE, Mom, books
and Dad. They loved John Cena.
They loved the sky, rain, the wind,
Mick Faley, and the sun. They loved
Dr. Stero, Dr. Seuss, and DX.
They loved Undertaker and shells.

They Loved
by Celene H.

They loved Zac Effron, puppies, horses,
Mom, Dad, and school. They loved lions,
books, baby cheetahs. They loved
the sky, the zoo, and dogs in hats. They loved
elephants, stars, and they loved today.

Animal Origins

2007-11-16T09:29:00.000-08:00

This week in Poetry, the young writers at Trumbull Elementary read The Tyger by William Blake. We discussed how Blake is asking the Tyger where he comes from, who made him, and where he took the different parts of himself from. I asked the students to choose their own animals, and describe them using this questioning method. Below, a sample of their amazing poems!

3rd Grade
Ode to a Komodo Dragon
by Coleen Q.

O Komodo Dragon, where did
you get your spikes? Did you
get them from a rose, or somebody’s
hair? O Komodo Dragon, where
did you get your sharp teeth?
Was it from a shark or snake?
O Komodo Dragon, where do
you live? Do you live under
a rock or under a tree?
O Komodo Dragon, your tail,
your long tail, where is it from?
Did you steal it from a monkey,
or a snake? O Komodo Dragon,
you make me wonder.

The Squirrel
by Alesandra P.

Squirrel, you are very pretty.
How did you learn to
climb trees? Where did you get
your colors from? Where did
you come from? I bet you
want nuts. Who is your mom?
Is your name Fluffy?
Is the tree your home?
Do you have a pet?

The Crab’s Origins
by Anahi M.

Crabs! Crabs! You are so nice but when
people touch you, you bite them with your
claws. Did you steal your claws from
a bad tiger and a bad lion too?
You are the color red like a human’s
heart. Why do your eyes look mean?
Why do you live in the ocean?
Why do you like to have sharp claws?
Why do you like red to be in your body?

2nd Grade (group poems)
Anaconda

Anaconda, covered with scales,
did you get your dinner from a human body?
You’re as long as a rope.
Did you get your length from a tall tree’s log?
Anaconda, where did you get your green color?
Did you get it form a leaf?
Anaconda, slivering in the water,
how are you such a good swimmer?
You are so dangerous.
Where did you get your sharp teeth?
Did a dentist give them to you?
Anaconda, you strangle your prey.
Did you get your strength from a shark’s mouth?
We are afraid of you, harmful Anaconda.

Cheetah
by Sammy, Jalyssa, Robert, Erica, Giovanni, Nathan, Felix, and Faith

Cheetah, you are so big.
Did you borrow your size from an elephant
or a rhino? Cheetah, you are so energetic.
Did you get it from the summer air,
or did you steal if from flowing water?
Cheetah, your yellow fur is beautiful.
Did it come from spring sun grass?
Where did you get your claws?
Did you take them from Wolverine,
or from a swampy alligator?
Did you get your pink paws
from the nose of a bear?
Where did you get your eyes?
Did you take the light from the sun?
Cheetah, did you get your long, wiggly tail
from a monkey? Where did you get your
amazing speed? From a Hummer?
Oh Cheetah, you blend in with your
grassy surroundings like a sneaky spy.

4th Grade
Turtle
by Romario L.

Turtle, where did you get
your feet? Did you get them
from a stick, or a little rock?
Turtle, where did you get your
body? From a rock, or from
a helmet? Turtle, where did you get
your noises from, a little bug?

The Zebra
by Wenny

Zebra! Zebra! running in the cave,
how did you get your pretty legs?
Did you get them from a horse?
Zebra! your fur is very soft. Did
you get it from a bunny? Zebra!
Zebra! your fur is black and white.
Did you get your white from
the clouds, your black from
a moon bear?

Elephant
by Rene V.

Oh Elephant, Elephant, where did you get your
horns? Did you steal them from a bull?

Where did you get that trunk?
Did you take it from the mammoth
when it went extinct?

How did you get so big?
Did you steal it from the sky or the clouds?

Where did you get that common noise?
Did you get it from thunder roaring?

How did you get that skin?
Did you take it from a rhino?

Where id you get the shape
of your feet? Was it from a dino?

Where did you get that skinny tail?
Is it from a pencil?

Oh Elephant, you are the best.

Delight Songs

2007-11-09T07:02:00.000-08:00

This week, we read a poem called The Delight Song of Tsoai-Talee by N. Scott Momaday. We talked about describing the self using metaphor, and trying to give our reader a good picture of who we are without coming out and telling them. We also talked about what it means to "stand in good relation" to something or someone, and the student poets were asked to end their poems with at least two things in the world they stand in good relation to. The poems turned out beautifully. Enjoy!

2nd Grade
What I Am
by Nicole B.

I am the fish who glitters around the deep blue sea.
I am a flower that is beautiful as a butterfly’s wings.
I am a rabbit that jumps in the stars and the moon.
I am a cake that is very, very yummy in a birthday party.
I am a dancer like the trees who are blown by the wind.
I stand in good relation to God.
I stand in good relation to my family.

The Sun
by Richard R.

I am a penny that is rolling down the street.
I am a ball that is gold in the sky.
I am a wheel that is in the sky.
I am a feather in the sky.
I am a fish that is rolling in the water.

My Good Poem
by Jalyssa M.

I am a cloud that is trying not to block the sun.
I am a big birthday cake, and children blow my candles out.
I am a flower that smells good.
I am a tree giving the ear air.
I am a big pumpkin. I have a big pumpkin stem
and children can buy me from the store.
I stand in good relation to my best friend, God.
I stand in good relation to my family.

4th Grade
I Am Everything
by Jellisa A.

I am a fish in the deep blue sea.
I am a cheetah running like the wind.
I am a chair. People sit on me.
I am a monster scaring little kids.
I am a desk. People write on me.
I am a banana. I am yellow. People love eating me.
I am a book with cool pictures.
I am a computer. People make me have viruses.
I am a red crayon coloring a big heart.
I am a dog in the forest.
I stand in good relation to my family and friends.
I stand in good relation to animals: dogs, cats, fish, and snakes.

I Am
by Elizabeth C.

I am a lonely licorice in a jar, waiting for people to eat me.
I am a duckling ready to hatch.
I am the sun that shines on everyone.
I am an eagle soaring in the sky.
I am the water that runs into bathtubs.
I am a polar bear standing in the blanche, sparkling snow.
I am the paw of a dog that he uses to walk.
I am a book with lots of wonderful things inside me.
I am an eagle that is laying eggs.
I am a lion that loves to eat meat.
I stand in good relation to a beautiful red rose in a garden of weeds.
I stand in good relation to our God that is always watching us from the sky.

I Am Everything
by Shaylene A.

I am a famous singer.
I am a grown tree with different colored leaves.
I am a cheetah with different colored polka dots.
I am a pencil writing in a notebook my name 100 times.
I am a big dictionary with lots of information. That’s why I’m smart.
I am a golden fish dancing.
I am a window watching everything in the sky pass.
I am a stop sign because I want everybody to listen to me.
I am a squirrel eating lots of nuts.
I am a big, bright star that lights the night.
I stand in good relation to a watermelon, because I wear pink and red sweaters.
I stand in good relation to my computer, because I am smart.

3rd Grade
The Words Imagination
by Giovanni L.

I am a monkey and a tree branch.
I am a weather people do not like, like when it rains.
I am a season people like to play in, like when it snows.
I am a brown kid walking on a floor.

What I Am
by Samantha D.

I am a puppy searching for a friend.
I am a bat that is ice.
I am the water in my swimming pool with people inside me.
I am a bride playing with bugs.
I am a sharpener sharpening a pencil.
I am ice melting into water.
I am paper with beautiful colors.
I am crayons being used.
I am a book being read.

I Am
by Brandon B.

I am a palm tree in the sky.
I am a cat looking for blue fish in the water.
I am a lion roaring in the forest.
I am a very friendly fish.
I am a crowd saying WOW.
I am a bird going high.
I am a King guarding my crown.
I am a ferocious beast that flies and eats meat.

I Am
by Shirley L.

I am a tiger hunting for food.
I am a dolphin swimming the sea.
I am a teacher teaching a class.
I am a mermaid swimming underwater with a goldfish.
I am a monkey eating a banana.
I am a girl writing a poem.
I am an eagle flying in the sky.
I am a lion sleeping on a rock.
I am a goose flying a winter sky.
I am a dog digging for something.
I am a detective solving a mystery.

Concrete Poems

2007-11-04T13:32:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, October 30, the day before Halloween, the Trumbull Student Poets learned about Concrete Poetry, poetry that creates the shape of an object on the page using words which describe that object. The students were asked to focus on an object that made them think of the Fall season. Many chose Halloween topics, as we were so close to the holiday!

The Cat
by Amanda P.

The Hot Thing

White Ghost!
by Jelissa A.

Candy
By Rene V.

My Pumpkin Poem
by Shirley L.

The Purple Thing From Timbuktu

2007-10-30T08:00:00.001-07:00

For their fourth writing assignment, we contemplated Wallace Stevens's poem Someone Puts a Pineapple Together, and talked about transformation of one thing into another thing, allowing our eyes to see the world in a whole new way. The students were presented with a purple cabbage, and asked to transform it into new things multiple times, using their best descriptive powers. They created some amazing poems!

3rd grade

The Purple Thing that Smells like Onion
by Santiago D.

A giant balloon from space
flying, a soccer ball playing
in a soccer field, a sphere cut in
half, the inside a lobster.

A Purple Thing Transforms
by Noemi R.

A giant rock chasing an alien.
A seed growing. A leaf falling down
a tree. A paper crushed out. A tree
with a lot of leaves. A lettuce broken
in half.

What it Reminds Me Of
by David G.

A coconut in a tree.
I see a rock in the sea.
I see a turtle shell in the water.

I see a leaf in the fall
falling from the tree.

It looks like an onion
about to be eaten.

Inside, it looks like
a plant in a fossil.

The Purple Thing from Timbuktu
by Mathew P.

A giant balloon floating into space.
A humongous ball falling out of the sky.
A large purple ball flying into the goal.
A dinosaur egg just hatched yesterday.
A purple ball cut in half.
A triple piece of fruit cut last year.
A sphere cut in half last month.
The inside looks like a lobster.
A ball cut and put in the refrigerator.

2nd Grade

The Purple Cabbage
by Nicole B.

The brain is dancing on a
girl’s head, named Erelie.
A purple hat on my head.
A dark but pretty day
with a little tree. It feels like
a curly head too.

It is What You See
by Nicolas Leon

I see a brain rolling in a race.
A ball that you put in a
rocket for a battery.
It is a builder’s helmet
and a cannon ball.
It is a tornado in the
city, a bug in the sand.

The Magical Cabbage
by Rosalyn P.

A tree to a castle with a wand and
a hat to a big home.
A leaf to a new room, a book to a dog.

4th grade

A Red Cabbage
by Josu S.

A small violet mask with
lines all over.
A small bomb ready to blow.

An old man’s face that is really wrinkled.
A black ball stuck on a tree.

A bald man’s wig that fell on the street.
A Jewish man’s hat on top of his head.

A black rock with a white crab on top.

A black sky behind a white tree.
A clam in the ocean.

The Mysterious Ball
by Nicole B.

It looks like a world of evil darkness with villains destroying.
Like a black ball in the game thrown high in the air.
Like a head in the nurse’s room turning all purple.
It is a wrinkled ruby that once belonged to a goddess.
It is also like a hat meant to be worn.
It is like a circle mountain climbed by special people.
Like a shell of a dead bug that was in the caves.
Like dead leaves in the Travern Woods.
Like a hermit crab hiding in its shell on the beach.
Like a tree growing out of a bowl.
Just like a cake with candles inside.

The Magic Cabbage Transforming
by Jennifer B.

A man’s head coming out of the barber shop.
An alien’s head landing on the moon.
A flower sprouting it’s leaves like a butterfly coming out of its cocoon.
A pumping thing that squirts out blood.
A person’s head popped out like an egg cracking.
A hot dog’s bun without the sausage.
A ball with boiling purple water and bubbles.
A tree with many leaves bunched up in a big oval.
A weird animal stretching its hands and legs.

The Runaway Chihuahua: Crazy Letters

2007-10-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

For our third class, the students looked at Vowels: After Rimbaud, a poem that gives clear, descriptive images for each of the vowels in the alphabet. The student poets at Trumbull were asked to choose and animal or their name in order to choose their letters, and then give vivid descriptions of what popped into their minds on thinking about those letters. The poems turned out really well. Look for that Chihuahua!

3rd Grade

The Sky
by Isaac A.

I is the same as me.
G looks like an umbrella.
U is a swing.
A is as shiny as the sun.
N is a noisy letter.
A looks like an O.

Things I Make Up
by Khalid W.

T is a batch of potatoes.
I is the smell of grapes.
G is a game of sound.
E is an elephant eating skittles candy.
R is a rainbow touching the sky.

The LION
by David F.

L is a lizard walking on a rock.
I is a green apple that is sweet.
O is an orange, juicy and nice.
N is a napkin, soft or hard.

The Good Poem
by Kiara T.

A is a puppy on it’s couch.
E is a buzzing fly and smells like a bug.
I is the ocean and it sounds like the sea.
O is an octopus and it sounds squishy.

4th Grade

Letters
by Allan F.

D smells like green tea.
D looks like an eraser erasing everything as fast as it can.
O is a zero in its spot.
O smells like pumpkin.
G looks like a car in the wheel.
G smells like a piece of cinnamon.

Wonder Word
by Tanayra B.

T is a small tree waiting to grow, an arrow pointing at a wall.
A is a red apple, is a pretzel.
N is a pink shoe, is a ruler.
A is a slide, waiting to have run, is a friend.
Y is a root smelling like grass, but is a flower.
R is a rose, a purple U upside down.
A is two pencils put together, is a triangle.

The Dogs
by Oyuki A.

D is a doughnut in the vat,
is a rotten kiwi that
smells like a dead rat.
O is a cat’s soft fur,
is a good tasting
taco.
G is a man hearing a
mouse squeaking,
is a woman watching
a mouse dance at
midnight.
S is a wolf wooing
at dawn,
is a mouse watching TV.

Zachary
by Zachary T.

Z is a zebra black and white.
Z is a zipper zipping up a jacket.
A is a red juicy apple.
A is an alligator chomping dragonflies.
C is a cat smelling cheese.
C is a cat watching a mouse.
H is a hat, blue, red, and black.
H is a happy boy tasting an ice cream.
A is April raining so hard.
A is a cheesy hot pizza.
R is a rat smelling up the place.
R is a boy that ran track.
Y is New York with tall buildings.
Y is a yo-yo going up and down.

2nd Grade

The Good Letters
by Cedric E.

C is a fat man sleeping on a cot.
E is a fox running to his mama.
D is a dragon blowing fire.
R is a puppy eating ice cream.
I is a fire keeping a man warm.
C is a cow squirting milk.

The Mixed Up Letters
by Ammy O.

A is an apple in a tree staring at the sun.
M is a moon shining in the night sky.
M is a monkey swinging from vine to vine.
Y is a yo-yo rolling up and down.

Letters
by Maritza S.

M is a girl eating an apple.
A is an apple, juicy, smelling like bananas.
R is a raccoon that is in the woods.
I is green and smells like summer grass.
T is like a tiger in the jungle.
Z is for a zebra in the zoo.
A is red and smells like firewood.

The Runaway Chihuahua
by Felix A.

F is an astronaut playing a video game
in a spaceship and the moon is blue.
E is a bear eating sweet yellow honey.
L is a soccer game with
hundreds of people wearing red shirts.
I is the red collar of a dog with fleas.
X is a girl getting scared
on Halloween night and getting
lots and lots of candy.

Creatures from The Deep

2007-10-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

For our second class, the students studied photos from Claire Nouvain's book The Deep, and wrote poems describing the amazing creatures they saw. I also had some photos of more conventional sea creatures, like seahorses, sea urchins, whales, octopi, and sharks. Click on the link above, and then "Image Gallery" to see images, and be amazed!

4th Grade

The Green Thing
by Martitha A.

It looks like a green planet at
the bottom of the sea.

It’s a green ball.

It looks like a new planet
with little aliens’ lips and teeth.

It is like a volleyball
that we play with.

It looks like a green thing
that is going to destroy
the world.

The Great Plant Dragon
by Ataib S.

There is a large seadragon
that has plant DNA and
that seadragon is called
The Great Plant Dragon.
It has been living
for thousands of years, it
can even eat one thousand
sharks in one day! It is a great
mystery. It looks like a
horse with plant hair.

The Thing that Lives in the Deep
by Brandon R.

The thing looks like a banana
but with fire, shiny as the
wide sun being shined each
and every day. The top looks like
the top of a candle.
The end is blazing more
than a match set on fire
in the forest.

Ping-Pong Tree Sponge
by Henry L.

A plant that lives in the dark
depths of Despair. Like bubbles
stuck on a tree. An unusual spider
crawling on the ground.

It captures fish inside of
the bubbles. A scientist is
working on a project.
The project burst. Like a
bird, if flew into the ocean,
never seen again.

Glowing in the dark water.
Finding its way back to the ocean top.
It could not find its way. So scared.
Make a root and stick it in the
soil. No one ever sees it again.

2nd Grade

The Seahorse
by Erica N.

It is like a skeleton, this sea horse
living under water. It is blue or yellow or red
or grey or black. It has a little fin.
It floats really small. It has
a small mouth and it swims.

The Seahorse
by Eric C.

It looks like a house without legs
and it is bright orange.
It blends with the plants.
If something tries to eat it,
it swims away very fast.

Like a Ship
by Nelvin P.

It is orange and small, like a ship.
It is like a dish.
It lives in the ocean.
It eats little rocks that are the color brown
and it has no bones.

3rd Grade

A Monster
by Eric P.

It is red like fire in a
building. It looks like
a plant floating in the
water. It has no eyes.

The Crazy Thing
by Prue M.

A human eye bulging out so
bad. A small balloon exploded. An orange
foot. I also see four feet. A number 8.
A pink polka dot. A nose sticking
out like Pinocchio’s. A fish tail
stuck on its body.

The Red Thing
by Coleen Q.

It is a red star. It has
little red juicy raspberries.
A decoration for a Christmas
tree. It is a fire star in the
ocean that doesn’t last. A red,
beautiful star. A red pom-pom
starfish. It moves softly
through the coral reef.

From the Deep Ocean
by Ulisess M.

It’s a hammer, a
boomerang tail, a gilled
beast, a mad
fish, a fin pointed
cold blooded marine
animal. It’s blue.
It’s going to
eat you, it is
in it’s territory
warning others
to stay out.
It’s a hammer
head shark!

First Class: Magic Boats and Lists of Days

2007-10-30T07:37:00.000-07:00

During my first visit to Trumbull, the Second Grade class wrote poems after reading Sonnet by Dante Aligheri, which talks about what he would do if he had a magic boat. The students wrote poems describing where they would go, and what adventures they would have. The Third and Fourth grade students read Magic by Dahlia Ravakovitch, and wrote poems detailing what they were yesterday, what they are today, and what they will be tomorrow. They created these descriptions using their feelings, and thinking about how they could describe those feelings using something out in the world. Enjoy!

2nd Grade

Beautiful in California
by Jalyssa M.

I wish that me, my brothers and sisters, and Mom and Dad could go to California. When we get there, it is beautiful. I ask my mom to go swimming. After we go swimming, we go to a hotel and check out a room. We watch TV, and then we go to bed.

To the Bat Cave
by Nathan P.

I am going to the Bat Cave.
I will bring my family.
It looks like a very dark cave
with bats and monsters.
All of the animals are ghosts.
We play with the animals
and the animals don’t hurt us.

Las Vegas
by Faith H.

I went to Las Vegas and it was very beautiful there. I went with my friends and I saw shorts. I stayed in a hotel. I went to a restaurant and I bought a lot of stuff. It looked like you were surrounded by shorts and it was so hot.

4th Grade

What am I Today?
by Aven D.

Today I’m a bird,
tomorrow a cat
looking for a
cat to play
with.

Last night I dreamt
rainbows, butterflies,
orange fishes.

In the evening, I
listened to the water
floating by and birds
singing.

Yesterday I was
water floating by the
sea.

Yesterday I was a
chair that was just lying
there. Today I’m a
tree that grows
and tomorrow I’ll
be a person just
running along.

I am a Net Battler
by Henry L.

Today, I am Megaman
blasting viruses on the internet.
Deleting them, using chips for
special attacks.

Tomorrow, I will be Protoman,
slicing bad guys.
Deleting them, dodging what
the bad guys throw at me.

Yesterday, I was dreaming
about unusual viruses.
Today I think of being
Darkman. He is evil. Maybe
I won’t be him. I will be
Wingman. Tomorrow Protoman
will delete all the viruses
in the Net. No more viruses
in the Net, no more.

Everything I Am
by Jessica S.

Today I’m a flower,
tomorrow a rock.
Always thinking
of seeds clicking together.

Last night I dreamt
of flowers of all colors,
pink, brown, green, and so
much more.

Today I’m a nice calm tiger,
tomorrow an oak tree.

Yesterday a butterfly
today a book. Tomorrow
I’ll be a beautiful horse.

3rd Grade

How I Feel
by Brandon R.

Today I’m a drum, tomorrow I’m a
mouse. I dreamed of a valley.

I listened to the ocean. It was
a nice day. It was great.

A babbling brook was music to my
ears. I dreamed of oceans.

Today I am a rock, tomorrow
I am a sun.

Yesterday a mountain,
today I am Earth.
Tomorrow I am space.

What I Am
by Amanda P.

Today I’m a lion,
tomorrow a turtle.

I dreamt of blue butterflies.

I listened to parakeets chatter,
dog banging on the cage.

Today I am a book,
tomorrow a snake.

Yesterday a sticker,
today I’m a fox.

The Stuff I Do Today and Tomorrow
by Almir N.

Yesterday I felt a little loud,
today I feel hot like
a sun. Tomorrow I feel like
snow. I listen to a wrestling song
in the sky. I dream about
being a wrestler. Today I feel like
John Cena. Tomorrow I feel like
Triple H.