All posts in Timothy David Rey

‘but we unsure whether we’re cool or not’: Gwendolyn Brooks Imitations

Students read Gwendolyn Brooks’ classic poem, ‘We Real Cool’ before crafting their own ‘cool’ poems using their own words and ideas for what is cool, rhyme repetition, and the short form. We Real Cool […]

”I’m such a fool to not see life is cool”: Gwendolyn Brooks-Inspired Poems

Students read Gwendolyn Brooks’ classic poem, ‘We Real Cool’ before crafting their own ‘cool’ poems using their own words and ideas for what is cool, rhyme, repetition, and the short form. We Real Cool […]

‘people calm as an empty hospital’: Simile Poems

Students talked about similes before reading Mike Taylor’s poem filled with the same! Here is some of the writing that resulted from that exercise! Lesson Note: “Writers don’t need tricks or gimmicks or even […]

‘I’m thinking about you, like what I’m having for dinner tonight.’: Simile Poems

Students read, ‘Thinking About You’ by Mike Taylor before writing their own simile-filled poems! Lesson Note: “You don’t need permission to make your art. No one needs an artistic license or a permit to […]

‘We made it for sick people and the world/ so we can continue living’: Potion Poems

Students read the poem, ‘Truth Serum’ by Naomi Shihab Nye before writing their own potion-themed poems. Lesson Note: “I respect anyone who’s pulled an idea out of their brain and fully brought it to life. […]

‘Throw Abraham Lincoln’s hat in…’: Potion and Recipe Poems

Students read ‘Truth Serum’ by Naomi Shihab Nye before penning their own potion and recipe poems. Students discussed TRUTH, LIES and how both can sometimes hurt and often STINK to high heaven! Lesson Note: […]

‘Everyone makes mistakes’: Potion Poems

Students read Truth Serum by Naomi Shihab Nye before penning their own special recipes and serums via poetry! Lesson Note: “When you put something out there onto a piece of paper, what you’ve actually done is […]

‘remember that’: Small Kindnesses Poems

Students wrote and talked about kindness before reading the poem, ‘Small Kindnesses’ by Denusha Lameris. In crafting their own poems, students focused on one idea, one stanza, and small ways they have been kind […]

‘You have to put water in it:’ Name Poems

‘I celebrate and sing myself…’-Walt Whitman. Students explored names through a series of prompts, which began with reading the poem, ‘a girl named jack’ by Jaqueline Woodson. What occurs in the naming of someone […]

‘A war in my heart’: Name Poems

Students explored names through a series of prompts, which began with a reading of ‘a girl named Jack’ by Jaqueline Woodson. What occurs in the naming of someone or something? How does it sound […]

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I’M FROM THE CITY LIGHTS / STREAMING OUT IN THE NIGHT / AND HUGE SKYSCRAPERS / TOWERING OVER THE LAKE – MELISSA E., 7TH GRADE POET