We had our first classes this week at Skinner. I enjoyed getting reacquainted with the 2nd grade teachers from last year—Ms. Ellis, Mrs. Beaudry, and Mrs. Rupp—as well as meeting Mrs. Stone, and of course it was great meeting all the student poets. What an amazing group this is!
Since it was our first day, I had a lot of general business to take care of—talking about the program, handing out folders for everyone along with the poetry vocabulary list, as well as going over the definitions of line and stanza—which went very smoothly. Considering all that, we were still able to read and discuss “Eating Poetry” by Mark Strand. The biggest question was, what happens to the speaker in the poem? I said that there is no right or wrong answer, and that much depends on each reader’s individual interpretation. The students enjoyed Strand’s sense of humor and dug deep other elements of the poem as well.
For writing, students were asked to describe what they would transform into if they could. Here are a few from each class—a great start to the residency!
If I Were a Pen
Maria M.
If I were a pen
I’d click and click.
Walk outside and no one
would see me.
Jump into planes.
Ride the bus for free.
Draw all over the place.
Write very neat.
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Jason M.
I will transform into a . . .
bird. I will fly to New York.
I will eat ice cream.
I will buy a house.
If I Could
Delia R.
If I could I would
transform to a wonderful
beautiful fairy but of course
I’m just me.
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Earlene S.
There was a man who turned into
a cat. He scared everyone in the country.
He was eating poetry. He was a bad cat. His owner
said please be a good cat. At last he was a good cat.
And the country was safe too. But still everybody was
sad because there were no books about poetry.
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Gabrielle S.
If I could turn into a bunny I would
eat carrots and play
I would hop around a lot.
I would comb my ears and
jump and laugh! And I would have
a lot of fun!
Hot Dog
Isabella B.
The sun is awake
I like to eat a hot dog bun
In the sun
I fall asleep
I wake up
I see how
I look
Oh now
I’m a hot
dog.
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Ronald C.
If I could turn into something
I would turn into a dog in the fog.
I would howl at the sad moon.
I live in a house.
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Kyra C.
If I could be anything what
should I be? I would
like to be something that is big
and round. I would also
be something that will touch the
ground. I would like to be bright
orange, and light green. I come
around on Halloween. I know
what I would like to be. A
big round pumpkin. I
wish it will be me.
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Ellyss D.
If I could change
into anything I would change into
a powerful girl.
I would use my powers
to do good things.
I would change everything
that happened in my life that was bad.
If my body could change
into anything
I would change it to
a clever, powerful me.
If I Could Turn Into Anything
Skye F.
If I could turn into anything I would turn into
a bird.
Even though I wouldn’t be able to say just
one word.
If I was a bird I could fly.
But my name would still be Skye.
I would like to be a bird because I
could soar.
I would be able to soar as fast as a
boar.
If I Could Be Anything
Ishaa G.
If I could be anything,
I would be a computer.
I would play games all day,
and not let my mom know.
I would also be a loaf
of bread,
so I could be eaten.
I would put peanut butter
and jelly on me,
and eat myself.
If I did not have any peanut
butter or jelly
i”ll eat myself.
I hope you’ll not like me,
so I can eat myself.
Mouse
Edward M.
I could change into a mouse.
I would live in a
hole with a blonde mole.
I squeak when
I need help but
no one can
hear me.
I am weak
but I don’t
weep when
a cat comes by.
Change
Gavin B.
One day I turned into a piece of
dirt.
It was scary I got a
new friend, fried chicken bone.
It was so scary, scary like a bear.
At least I had a friend who actually
cared.
My life as dirt was a
nightmare. I would actually rather
turn into a bear!
Flying Like a Bird
Leon C.
I am flying.
I turn and swerve.
I am so high
even birds can’t reach me.
Usually I can’t see a thing.
But when I do,
it is beautiful.
The Day I Turned Into a Pichu
Sunshine P.
I wake up feeling different.
I feel that my weight has shifted with
my body. I try to talk but all that comes
out is “Pichu!” I gasp. I have turned
into a pichu. I like it!
My wish has come true!
I get out of bed!
My parents scream!
They tell me “You can’t go to school!”
So that is the story of how
I became a pichu.
If I Could Change Into Anything
Emily P.
If I could change into anything
I would change into the tooth fairy.
Flying around collecting
teeth, putting money under
pillows while they sleep, one tooth,
two teeth, three teeth, four and
even more.
If I Could Turn Into Anything
Om R.
If I could turn into
anything
I would turn into an
elephant.
I would blow my loud horn
and spray
water.
I would
move with the herd
of other elephants.
The Day I Turned Into a Kitten
Carmen T.
If I could turn into anything I would . . .
Meow, Purr, and Scratch.
What did I turn into?
A kitten!
It was strange, everybody looked at me.
I licked myself.
I tasted great.
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Alexandra C.
If I could turn into
anything
I would
be a horse. When I
turned into a horse I
began to nay.
All of my friends
thought it was funny
but I didn’t, I
thought it was
cool.
But in time it was
gone. I am
all boring now.
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Diego F.
My hand turns to wheels, my
head is a bumper and my bottom
is a license plate. As my teacher gets
in the car, I drive her to Minnesota.
I am a new person now, my
life is like no other person and
now my life is like a car.
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Kael M.
I wish I could
turn into a zombie.
Who would
want to be a zombie?
I would eat a
brain and slurp
it all day.
People would run away.
I wish it was
May.
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Ethan S.
I woke up swashy and soaking
wet. I was in someone’s head
so I was safe and sound.
I went to school in someone’s
head. I am really smart and
pink.
I went to bed wet and swashy.
I woke up smart and pink.
I went to the library so
the person can use me. I
will be this forever because I
like being smart and pink and
wet and swashy.
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Jordan T.
Water drips from my tail.
I hate my job of eating people!
No one likes me. I bite people’s heads off.
Everyone wants to give me a bath because
I’m a skunk.
