9th Grade students explored the literary device of repetition through a poem by Phil Kaye of the same name. 7th Grade students crafted poems using personification after reading Frank O’Hara’s, A True Account of Talking to the Sun At Fire Island. Both of these pomes take us on some sort of journey and place us down somehow different than before.
Lesson Note: ‘My approach to writing has this belief at its core: To become…a more confident writer is to take a learning journey. Learning through practice-repeating an activity over and over-has always been one of the main ways that humans learn. To be on a learning journey as a writer means that you move from one place to another.’-How to Be A Writer: Building Your Creative Skills Through Practice and Play by Barbara Baig.
Ms. Munoz, 9th Grade
Period 1
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Emily G.
I remember during summer,
getting ready for Texas
Realizing I want to
go back to Texas
and live in Texas
Texas warmth and
Texas road, all amazing
but what more?
Staying quiet you hear noise
but what I hear is
music and much more.
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Haghar H.
I remember the bed just there
sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep
I’m very tired can’t keep my eyes open
trying to go
home, home, home, home
Thinking about my room and my
bed, bed, bed, bed
Trying to stay awake
but need my
coffee, coffee, coffee, coffee.
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Motasem M.
I remember when I was young
I used to live in Jordan with my family
But, but, but, but, but
When I moved back to America I didn’t
get used to the environment
so when I made to social with since I
was a new kid
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Berny G.
I drop drop drop we getting
shot shot shot in the block like
Travis Scott you know we
pop pop with the glock
glock don’t get it twisted
you know we ain’t missing
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
Period Two
Polar Bear Rescue
Mary L.
I traveled to Antarctica
and saw a polar bear
I looked away
but then he spoke tome
He said:’Why hello luv.’
I replied “hello’
Then he started talking about his food
‘There is almost no fish left Luv!’
‘And there is almost no more ice left to walk on!’
I started to feel bad.
As he jumped ice to ice
I started to get hot.
‘Why is it so hot here, it’s Antarctica?!’ I said
‘I don’t really know Luv.
‘It’s been getting really hot lately.’ Polar bear replied.
I got the urge to help Polar bear out
so I started fishing for his food supply.
I also brought an air conditioner for him.
I put it into his home made out of snow.
‘All finished!’
‘Thank you so much, Luv!’
‘Ths will help me so much!’ said Polar bear.
I felt so good.
But it was time to go.
So he gave me a big bear hug
and we said ‘bye!’
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Jacob G.
As the image was handed to me,
The guitar in his hand spoke.
He said: ‘Hey!’
I was shocked
How could an image talk?
But as the wise man once said,
‘Don’t question and go with it.’
So I responded with: ‘Hello.’
I knew that this might’ve been a hallucination
because of pure boredom
But I didn’t care.
As we exchanged small talk,
the calm demeanor that had been on his face
quickly changed to worried.
I asked him:
‘Why do you look so worried?’
In which he responded with:
‘My time here is short,
but there’s something you need to know.’
‘What is it?’ I asked, genuinely curious.
‘Remember that nothing is permanent,
everything comes to an end.
Whether you like it or not.’
Why do I need to know this?’
But he was gone in an instant
And I was left with my thoughts.
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Audrey G.
These bugs are creepy
when I see them
I can feel them crawling
all over me
Tiny little creatures
making fun of me for
being afraid
they’re mocking me,
Your wings and little
arms are yelling at me.
Your shiny shell,
and orange-brown spots,
ew
‘Others aren’t afraid’
they said,
‘We won’t hurt you.’
Nonetheless, ew.
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
Period Five
A True Account of Talking to a Plate of Fresh Produce
-after Frank O’Hara
Ella S.
One morning, groggy and tired,
I stumbled into the kitchen
and found myself sitting at an odd assortment of food,
colorful and bright against the white plate.
‘Stop staring,’ it said, ‘and wake up!’
I don’t have time for this
‘Sorry,’ I said, bewildered.
‘Why are you here?’
‘I’ve come to give you advice,
so pay attention.’
‘From food?’…
A Dark Day
Nathan U.
I awoke on a Monday
to the sound of my rope slithering
around my room like he always does.
Just like every Monday, it’s dark and rainy.
It yelled: ‘It’s gonna be a good
day. ‘Stay positive.’
The Camera’s Memory Storage
Nadia B.
Flash
Click Click
‘Chicago is beautiful,’ it said to me.
‘I have lived here my whole life,’ I replied,
remember the Chicago skyline’s view.
‘I have a lot of memory storage,
but it doesn’t last forever,’ the camera responded,
‘So take the best pictures you can before
I run out of space and you run out
of time.’
Flash
click click
‘I know the flash may burn your eyes’
It said, ‘But it will be worth the photo.’
I smile as I once again remember,
how happy I was at this moment.
The flash stings,
but I will
continue.
EYE
Teagan C.R.
An eye work me up this morning
Just an eye, nothing attached
An eye, eyelash, iris, purple
Scary I know
so why?
I am wondering too
At first, I thought I was joining a cult
or going to hell
But what would I know,
I sit and watch
it watches me back
After a couple of minutes, I ask
‘What do you want?’
It blinks, for a moment I remember eyes can’t talk
But then says, ‘Look look, for answers. Look for the unknown.’
I sit back and think
I do lookout. I don’t’ see anything
Nothing is awake. Nothing is there.
I then lay back down and go to sleep.
Ms. Munoz, 9th Grade
Period Six
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Isaiah A.
I always wonder
I wonder why people care
People never cared
So therefore
I wonder why people care
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Areana R.
I remember grades in school. Grades, grades,
Grades. When my Mom would come in my room
saying. Wakeup. Wakeup. Wakeup. Wakeup.
Coming to school and walking to my first-period
class. Gym. Gym. Gym. After half a day passed
I remember going to lunch, lunch, lunch.
lunch.
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Nyasia Q.
I remember grades in school
grades. grades.grades. grades.
the friendships that I had
the way I didn’t care about what
people thought
the bad school lunch and the
classrooms. school. school. school
the chairs and desks in the classes
chairs, chairs, chairs, chairs
waking up early and going to school
getting to school and walking to my
first, second, third, fourth, fifth
sixth, seventh and eight period
school, school, school, school, school.
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Marion B.
I remember the bed and people around it
Dead, dead, dead, dead. My grandma told me it
was a lie, lie, lie. Next thing I know is
that my grandpa laying down with
people around him. No, no, no. I’m still
young and now I realize he was dying.
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Jorge C.
I remember when my ‘Bad’ reputation started
Jorge this, Jorge that, Jorge here, Jorge there.
Always getting judged, the main office in the radio ‘we need
security in room 307’ teachers talking ‘wring up because you’re on your phone.’
‘Writing you up for disturbing the class,’ ‘Stop talking’. I’m not wasteful with
my word but fo my actions.
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
Period Eight
A True Account of Talking To A Polar Bear
On Glacier Island
Julia B.
My eyes finally opened,
My heavy eyelids are released.
An icy glacier is presented
in front of me.
I try to walk towards them
& the mountains it accompanies.
so beautiful. I cannot resist.
I start moving forward, but
A stone-cold touch climbs my veins.
I look down & see melted ice.
In freezing cold water.
A voice calls out to me:
That’s what you get!
I remove my gaze from the water.
& look up
I find a polar bear looking my way
with an even icier voice.
Maybe now you’ll know not to focus,
on what’s ahead
But what you need to get there.
& before I could even open my eyes
he vanished.
A True Account of A Very Strange Conversation with a
Cetacean at the Aquarium
Travis C.
‘Bonk Bonk over here human!’
I whip my head around trying to locate the
sound.
‘Over here!’
I head over to the glass wall where a dolphin is on the
other side. ‘Are you talking to me?’
‘Yeah!’ Can you let me out? It’ kind of boring.’
‘No can do buddy, also it’s kind of dangerous out there,’
I told him, ‘Come on. It’s not every day you talk to
a dolphin. You should let me out. It’s not even that dangerous out there,’
I told him ‘Come on. It’s not every day you talk to
a dolphin. You should let me out. It’s not even that
dangerous out there.’ The dolphin whined.
‘It is. Humans have polluted the oceans and rivers with
trash and oil.’
A True Account of Talking to the Teddy Bear
Eliana N.
My teddy bear awoke me
by falling to the side of
me from my chest. I get
up enthusiastically as I remembered
about the event that was going
to take place.
I sat the bear on my
bed as I got ready. Today
was the day that I go to
California!
