For Twain 5th graders fourth week of poetry, they went back to the past using their memories as time machines. We explored how to use our five senses (touch, taste, smell, sound, and sight) to recall memories. Sometimes smelling a certain scent or hearing a specific sound can transport us back to an event in our pasts. I showed students photos of myself as a kid and described my memories from each photo.
Together we read the poem “When I Was Six,” by Aimee Nezhukumatahil. In her poem Nezukumatahil uses her five senses to describe how earliest memories from when she was six years old. My mother waters the tomato & pepper plants/I steal drinks from the penny-taste of the garden hose/ I am six and I am laughing with a mouth full of cashews. Students were amazed that they also did similar things like the poet, when she was child.
Inspired by Nezukumatahi, 5th graders used their five senses to create poems about happy, silly, or sad moments from when they were younger.
Mr. Maciasz 5th Grade
Group 1
When I Was 7
By Angel P.
When I was 7, my first Pokémon pack,
the sound and feeling of the wrapper coming off.
The soft touch of the Pokémon cards.
The taste of me. huff and buff because
my heart is racing.
I see the rare card, but pretend
I didn’t see it.
The smell of the cardboard
of the Pokémon cards.
The sounds coming from the video,
playing on the TV.
When I Was 9 Years Old
By Anthony S.
I was on a plane, and it was a 2-hour flight.
I sat down on my seat, took a deep breath.
I smelt the cookies in the front of the plane.
I grabbed my Nintendo from my backpack,
I look at my Nintendo screen and started
and started playing all my favorite games.
I put my hands down on the arm rest,
and the flight attendant told me,
Here are the snacks for your flight.
I hear my little sister say,
Can I get half the cookie? and I
shared and ate the cookie,
I tasted chocolate and dough.
Rice Crispy
By Alvaro B.
When I was 3 Rice Crispy was great.
When I was in Kindergarten,
the sticky feeling in my mouth was great.
The taste was like a Golden Deluxe.
When I see it, I go Co Co crazy like I
was eating Co Co Puffs.
The Rice Crispy smells like Glory.
When I hear that it is in stock,
I go and eat it to this day!
until I win.
Ms. Fernandez 5th Grade
Group 2
When I Was 5
By Allyson D.
I always remember the feeling
when I am sound asleep with
my old Minnie mouse blanket.
It was soft like feathers.
After I sleep, I secretly eat my
favorite melted chocolate cookies
behind my mother’s back.
The cookies fall a part
like a cliff.
I like to stand still as a log,
while looking at birds.
I love the perfumes going all
over a JCPenny’s and the smell
is like gingerbread cookies
on the holidays.
After a long day, my older
brother put on some loud
tunes that goes across the
house, and it echoes through
the halls.
When I Was Six
By Sophia O.
I did my older sister’s makeup, then accidently
did her whole face blue with eyeshadow and
she looked like a Smurf. I took a bite of my
older sister’s Fruit Loops scented ChapStick.
I also took a bite of my mother’s cherry scented
lipstick. When my dad bought me McDonalds
and I saw it on the table. I smelt the first perfume
I got; it was Daisy (or, another flower scent).
I heard my sister singing “Baby” by Justin
Bieber and “Party in the USA,” by Miley Cyrus.
When I Was Six
By Valentino R.
When I was six, I remember touching
a rope and climbing a hill.
When I was six, I remember eating
Jelly Fruits with my friends.
I know from my schema, when I was
six, always playing at the lake and
watching a waterfall.
I remember smelling a fish
and it made my face turn red.
I remember hearing the news of
COVID 19 and my parents telling
me, we were going to a forest.
When I Was 5
By Ezequiel G.
I touched my dog for the last time.
I saw my dog for the last time.
I saw my dog play for the last time.
I smelled my dog for the last time.
I heard my dog for the last time,
until she died.
I hear her last bark.
I hear my dog cry at the vet,
because those monsters put
her down.
I tasted her final goodbyes,
When she had to go.
Ms. Respress 5th Grade
Group 3
When I Was 10
By Isaish C.
When I was 10 my face got
smashed into a cake.
I tasted the chocolate flavored
cake with chewy fondant.
I smelled the cake, which smelled
like rich chocolate.
I heard my family laughing at me,
because they dunked my head
inside the cake.
All the frosting got,
inside my nose.
We ended up eating
the cake, where my head
didn’t smash in.
When I Was 8
By Martin G.
When I was eight,
I touched the blue water.
I tasted the dirty pool water.
I had seen the light blue water.
I smelled the strong Clorine water.
I heard the light blue water move
around.
When I Was 11
By Ashley P.
I was on a sleepover with my cousin.
We went to bed, and then at 12:00
we both woke up and watched
K-Dramas and ate ice cream.
I came to Chicago to visit my
family and went downtown.
I ate banana crepes with
my family.
Ms. Bell 5th Grade
Group 4
When I Was Six
By Martin
I remember seeing
and running through
the butterflies and
seeing them fly away.
I remember smelling
and tasting my grandma’s
food. It tasted like heaven.
I used to hear the
birds chirp.
When I Was 7
By Bradley
When I was home, I would play
and touch the cars, they will
be like Vroom Vroom.
I tasted Coco cola
bubbles Sip.
I see fun in the playground
like haha! hehe!
I smell happiness.
I heard my mom
and dad.
When I Was Years Old
By Jaylah V.
My mom gently put a bow in my hair.
I tasted the JoJo Siwa cereal and ate
all the marshmallows.
I saw Sophia the First on
the living room TV
I smelled the freshly cut strawberries.
The ground is dark and on fire.
I heard JoJo Siwa music, and I danced
the night away.
“I don’t care about what they say,
Ima come back like a boomarang
Ooo WOWooo.” (one of the songs
of JoJo Siwa).
